View Full Version : Excellent Cold War Drama "The Americans"...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2149175/?ref_=rvi_tt
Set in the early 80s, two Soviet intelligence agents pose as a married couple to spy on the American government.
http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMjIyNjA2NTEyMV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMjUwMjk0MTE@._V1_SX214_AL_.jpg
This is so well put together and researched it is almost amazing. Strongly recommend it, put's a completely different perspective on events like the Reagan assassination attempt and the Soviet belief that the event was a military coup.
I saw it first season, have not seen it this season. It's a great show.
Moose-Knuckle
08-20-14, 15:42
I've seen the commericals for it, looks good but just don't have time to get into a series right now. Will check it out at some point.
Good to know it is well researced.
I've seen the commericals for it, looks good but just don't have time to get into a series right now. Will check it out at some point.
Good to know it is well researced.
Netflix has it.
I've been wanting to watch this... I'll have to check it out on Netflix.
Moose-Knuckle
08-20-14, 20:59
Netflix has it.
I don't do Netflix but I know of some other sites that probably has it wink, wink.
Excellent show, one of the very few I watch when broadcast.
Wish it was on HBO :D
Netflix has it.
Maybe just on DVD?
I'm not seeing it on Netflix as stream-able. Please correct me if I'm wrong, as I'd like to watch this.
amazon prime has 1st season and netflix just has dvd
great series been watching from the start love it :)
FromMyColdDeadHand
08-20-14, 22:35
Keri Russell is hot. Great show, don't know about the spy craft, but at least they don't make stupid omissions or stuff that just grates on you. The whole FBI angle, stealth, DARPA, the internet is interesting. They toy with you on if the spies are good guys or bad guys- they try to get you to root for them against the US. Almost has a Tom Clancy feel to it before he stated to suck, and died. And Keri Russel.
Keri Russell is hot. Great show, don't know about the spy craft, but at least they don't make stupid omissions or stuff that just grates on you. The whole FBI angle, stealth, DARPA, the internet is interesting. They toy with you on if the spies are good guys or bad guys- they try to get you to root for them against the US. Almost has a Tom Clancy feel to it before he stated to suck, and died. And Keri Russel.
That is one of the most interesting aspects of the show, that you view the Cold War from the Russian perspective for the most part. And not simply in a way that is sympathetic to the Russians, but from the standpoint of how the Russians intelligence community interpreted many events.
And like you said, there is a tendency to view them as "underdogs" and cheer for them and then Kerri Russel goes completely off the rails and does something a Soviet sleeper agent might do.
FromMyColdDeadHand
08-20-14, 23:00
That is one of the most interesting aspects of the show, that you view the Cold War from the Russian perspective for the most part. And not simply in a way that is sympathetic to the Russians, but from the standpoint of how the Russians intelligence community interpreted many events.
And like you said, there is a tendency to view them as "underdogs" and cheer for them and then Kerri Russel goes completely off the rails and does something a Soviet sleeper agent might do.
And how they sleep with people on the job- and that is ok- but outside of that it isn't OK. Keri Russel and the other wife/spy double-teaming that guy and than the husband comes in as a DOD/security guy. The wives leave and as they are getting dressed they talk about their kids like nothing happened.
Great storylines, great characters and Ronald Reagan clips all to an 80s soundtrack. And Keri Russell. Those Iron Curtain abs....
And how they sleep with people on the job- and that is ok- but outside of that it isn't OK. Keri Russel and the other wife/spy double-teaming that guy and than the husband comes in as a DOD/security guy. The wives leave and as they are getting dressed they talk about their kids like nothing happened.
Great storylines, great characters and Ronald Reagan clips all to an 80s soundtrack. And Keri Russell. Those Iron Curtain abs....
My favorite story element was the "matter of fact" presentation of black militants who had been knowingly recruited by the KGB during the civil rights movement. I bet that popped a lot of heads when people saw it for the first time.
I love the show, one of the best on Cable TV for sure.
Show should be well researched, the head writer, Joseph Weisberg, is former CIA. Granted he only spent a few years in the agency but it's still a helluva lot more insight into real espionage than almost all TV show writers.
Mauser KAR98K
08-21-14, 03:55
I watched the first episode with a friend when i was in college. He was going a for a computer science degree. After the end, I looked to him and said that the main plot was about 90% accurate. Yes, the KGB had nuclear family sleeper cells in deep cover in the U.S. for years. He was speechless.
That is one of the most interesting aspects of the show, that you view the Cold War from the Russian perspective for the most part. And not simply in a way that is sympathetic to the Russians, but from the standpoint of how the Russians intelligence community interpreted many events
.
In the early 90s, when the wall fell and we became BFFs with Russia, I went to a symposium of former intelligence officers, American and KGB. The KGB, for all of their spying, interpreted things so very differently, always thought the US was on the verge of attacking the USSR. Also the amount of misinformation the US put out that they bought was pretty significant.
Moose-Knuckle
08-21-14, 15:09
I watched the first episode with a friend when i was in college. He was going a for a computer science degree. After the end, I looked to him and said that the main plot was about 90% accurate. Yes, the KGB had nuclear family sleeper cells in deep cover in the U.S. for years. He was speechless.
The latest reboot of the Tom Clancy films Jack Ryan Shadow Recruit portrayed just such a family in CONUS.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2149175/?ref_=rvi_tt
Set in the early 80s, two Soviet intelligence agents pose as a married couple to spy on the American government.
.
Seriously - you did not know about this show till now? We have threads on it each season.
I just wanna know where they found that pristine '82 Z28 near the end of last season. Who keeps an '82 Z28 that nice? It's not like they were very remarkable other than the new styling, they were terrible performance cars. I could understand an IROCZ but they didn't come out until '85.
Might have to give this show another try. Watched the first few episodes and just couldn't get into it.
Might have to give this show another try. Watched the first few episodes and just couldn't get into it.
Same here, lost interest in it, I'll give it another shot.
Seriously - you did not know about this show till now? We have threads on it each season.
Just finally got around to Season One. I don't have streaming options so I had to wait for DVDs to become available.
TriviaMonster
08-21-14, 20:16
This and Hell on Wheels are two of the very best shows on TV right now.
Voodoochild
01-29-15, 15:06
Season 3 just started thoughts so far? The Pakistani ISI dude killing that girl was nuts. She screwed the pooch big time I am not sure he would be a good asset for the Russians. Their downfall just might be trying to bring their daughter into the fold.
Voodoo_Man
01-29-15, 16:09
Season 3 just started thoughts so far? The Pakistani ISI dude killing that girl was nuts. She screwed the pooch big time I am not sure he would be a good asset for the Russians. Their downfall just might be trying to bring their daughter into the fold.
*spoilers*
Saw it coming last season, she wasnt controllable and pretty loose with her morals those types dont make for good assets.
They threw the handgun revolver scene and the car tailing scene in to give us a taste of whats to come.
The fbi boss dude got a good look at her, she should have offed him. The fbi neighbor dudeis starting to piece stuff together and the inkling of what happened with his russian girlfriend is starting to show his disdain for how things are done.
I am interested to see what happens with the daughter thatll be a developing plot point.
What I enjoy with the show is that they use russia actors and peroid items. I like that.
The thing that bugs me the most is both parents will be gone late at night and the kids seem completely oblivious to this. The parents seldom go out together to make it seem like they're on date night or whatever and I doubt the daughter is gullible enough to believe there's some urgent travel agent emergency calling one of them out late at night.
If my parents had left me home alone that much at that age I'd have gone out to find some trouble or would be bringing girls over to create some trouble. I sure wouldn't just do my homework and go to bed though.
What I enjoy with the show is that they use russia actors and peroid items. I like that.
I just wanna know where they found that pristine '82 Z28 near the end of last season. Who keeps an '82 Z28 that nice? It's not like they were very remarkable other than the new styling, they were terrible performance cars. I could understand an IROCZ but they didn't come out until '85.
Me too. I just love how 80's this show is. I have to hand to the prop/set designers on the production crew. I can't imagine how hard it has to be to track down that much 80's junk, lol.
Serpico1985
01-29-15, 16:57
***Spoilers***
Thoughts on if the parents will actually go through with letting their daughter become an agent? My thought is no. Don't forget the end of last season with Phillip gave the head Russian dude state side the ultimatum. I don't think they would turn on Russia but they both want out to varying degrees.
Voodoo_Man
01-29-15, 17:40
***Spoilers***
Thoughts on if the parents will actually go through with letting their daughter become an agent? My thought is no. Don't forget the end of last season with Phillip gave the head Russian dude state side the ultimatum. I don't think they would turn on Russia but they both want out to varying degrees.
That may be part of the mind-F the writers are going for. They might want us to think they will be divided in their attempts to bring their daughter over or that they will both be against it completely. Who knows, the fbi dude might catch them or they might catch him and defect to him (like the dude wanted to do in the first season).
I used to love frusen gladje ice cream best stuff ever loved how they had that container for the guy :) now who saves old ice cream containers !!!!
The fbi boss dude got a good look at her, she should have offed him. The fbi neighbor dudeis starting to piece stuff together and the inkling of what happened with his russian girlfriend is starting to show his disdain for how things are done.
I was expecting JohnBoy to circulate a sketch of the girl who whooped his ass and for Beeman to see it, and figure it out right there, especially after seeing Her the night before with a bruised shoulder and face.
Voodoo_Man
01-29-15, 18:24
I was expecting JohnBoy to circulate a sketch of the girl who whooped his ass and for Beeman to see it, and figure it out right there, especially after seeing Her the night before with a bruised shoulder and face.
Like I said, it's definitely going to get there.
Serpico1985
01-29-15, 22:22
The opening scene from seasson 1 episode 1 featuring Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk" and the car scene near the end of the first episode with with Phil Collins "In the air tonight", just awesome. The whole first episode/season/series is great but those two secens really set the bar high, set the pace of the series and was just outstanding television. It didn't feel like you were watching a show set in the 80's, it felt like you were in the 80's.
MountainRaven
01-29-15, 22:50
The latest reboot of the Tom Clancy films Jack Ryan Shadow Recruit portrayed just such a family in CONUS.
You actually managed to watch that much of that movie?
I got terminally bored shortly after Chris Pine got to Moscow.
The opening scene from seasson 1 episode 1 featuring Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk" and the car scene near the end of the first episode with with Phil Collins "In the air tonight", just awesome. The whole first episode/season/series is great but those two secens really set the bar high, set the pace of the series and was just outstanding television. It didn't feel like you were watching a show set in the 80's, it felt like you were in the 80's.
Yep, this one and "House of Cards" are two of the most impressive shows I've seen lately.
***Spoilers***
Thoughts on if the parents will actually go through with letting their daughter become an agent? My thought is no. Don't forget the end of last season with Phillip gave the head Russian dude state side the ultimatum. I don't think they would turn on Russia but they both want out to varying degrees.
I don't think so.
But I think it'll be a source of conflict between the parents, with the wife being a bit more open to it.
Moose-Knuckle
01-29-15, 23:57
You actually managed to watch that much of that movie?
I got terminally bored shortly after Chris Pine got to Moscow.
LOL, after this and your comments on the Star Trek reboot I take it you must be a card carrying member of the Chris Pine fan club . . .
MountainRaven
01-30-15, 00:13
LOL, after this and your comments on the Star Trek reboot I take it you must be a card carrying member of the Chris Pine fan club . . .
I've heard it put that the Jack Ryan movie is James T. Kirk trying to stop Chekov from destroying the US economy.
I actually don't like or dislike Chris Pine. I dislike that Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan character has been recycled into a completely different person and therefore completely dislike the concept of the movie to begin with. But it was on Netflix, and I was bored, so I figured why not? Sadly, I found out why not sooner than anticipated. I should rematch Hunt for Red October. That's on Netflix, too.
I've heard it put that the Jack Ryan movie is James T. Kirk trying to stop Chekov from destroying the US economy.
I actually don't like or dislike Chris Pine. I dislike that Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan character has been recycled into a completely different person and therefore completely dislike the concept of the movie to begin with. But it was on Netflix, and I was bored, so I figured why not? Sadly, I found out why not sooner than anticipated. I should rematch Hunt for Red October. That's on Netflix, too.
Honestly, I watched it and I can't even remember what it was about. It was THAT boring. I can even remember what "Sum of all Fears" was about and I hated that one.
Keri Russell is hot. Great show, don't know about the spy craft, but at least they don't make stupid omissions or stuff that just grates on you. The whole FBI angle, stealth, DARPA, the internet is interesting. They toy with you on if the spies are good guys or bad guys- they try to get you to root for them against the US. Almost has a Tom Clancy feel to it before he stated to suck, and died. And Keri Russel.
That is one of the most interesting aspects of the show, that you view the Cold War from the Russian perspective for the most part. And not simply in a way that is sympathetic to the Russians, but from the standpoint of how the Russians intelligence community interpreted many events.
And like you said, there is a tendency to view them as "underdogs" and cheer for them and then Kerri Russel goes completely off the rails and does something a Soviet sleeper agent might do.
Been loving the show but feel I have to remind myself at the end of each episode, "These are the people I would want to shoot." Soviet characters that is.
And Keri "Oh my God" Russell. ;)
I don't think they would turn on Russia but they both want out to varying degrees.
Could be the way they end the series allowing you to keep the closeness/fondness to the characters.
Moose-Knuckle
01-30-15, 01:12
I've heard it put that the Jack Ryan movie is James T. Kirk trying to stop Chekov from destroying the US economy.
I actually don't like or dislike Chris Pine. I dislike that Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan character has been recycled into a completely different person and therefore completely dislike the concept of the movie to begin with. But it was on Netflix, and I was bored, so I figured why not? Sadly, I found out why not sooner than anticipated. I should rematch Hunt for Red October. That's on Netflix, too.
I can't say that I really enjoyed it but I did watch it all the way through. I thought the best Jack Ryan films were done by Harrison Ford anyway. Alec Baldwin, not so much. But Connery made The Hunt for Red October film what it was.
Someone explain the teeth pulling.
And Keri "Oh my God" Russell. ;)
Don't miss the beginng then.
Serpico1985
02-12-15, 01:28
Did you see the first two episodes of this season? She was injured in episode 1 season 3 when a couple of Feds tried to grab her, had tooth pain ever since. Feds had notices out to all hospitals and dentist offices in case she went in.
Don't miss the beginng then.
Damn, what did I miss?
Fantastic episode last night
Did you see the first two episodes of this season? She was injured in episode 1 season 3 when a couple of Feds tried to grab her, had tooth pain ever since. Feds had notices out to all hospitals and dentist offices in case she went in.
Exactly. It was episode 1. So in episode 3 right after nearly getting busted, they decided to pull teeth. Not exactly logical flow.
Damn, what did I miss?
Keri Russell nakedness.
We are watching the first season. It looks like they are approved for 5 seasons, so we may be in for a long ride. I really like the way they weave current events of the time into the plot.
We are watching the first season. It looks like they are approved for 5 seasons, so we may be in for a long ride. I really like the way they weave current events of the time into the plot.
I loved the ARPAnet episode
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