The Americans (FX)

[RPM 26316]

Claudia's response when Paige asked her about Gorbachev was classic. 

[ATLLonghorn 848]

13 hours ago, thrillhammer said:

i never understood, or quite believed, the financial difficulties angle from the get go.  the travel agency was always a front for the spy agency.  phillip may be retired but elizabeth isn't, so it's still a front for the spy agency.  why wouldnt the russian govt still be propping it up?  

Sepinwall had a quote from one of the creators who said in real life the government didn't provide financial support to cover the agents. The agents were expected to run their businesses on their own.

[JimmyHoffa 1188]

On 5/17/2018 at 9:09 AM, pied said:

Enjoyed it. What is the thinking of the significance of Phil’s meeting his old employee? Show what loyalty means? Show that he knew about their “real” business? Show that Phil cares?

Cant just be a throwaway scene imo. 

 

It wasn't a throw away. It shows that their cover wasn't as good as they thought it was and now both Phil and Liz have allowed people to live that knew too much. No way Liz let's that kid live a couple years ago. 

Foreshadowing their "spy life" is coming to an end one way or another. I just hope they don't tie the fucker up with a nice little bow. Because that would suck.  

[PilotsError 2286]

2 hours ago, JimmyHoffa said:

 

It wasn't a throw away. It shows that their cover wasn't as good as they thought it was and now both Phil and Liz have allowed people to live that knew too much. No way Liz let's that kid live a couple years ago. 

Foreshadowing their "spy life" is coming to an end one way or another. I just hope they don't tie the fucker up with a nice little bow. Because that would suck.  

Oh go fuck yourself.  Go suck David Chase's cock.

[Tyler Durden 132]

22 minutes ago, PilotsError said:

Oh go fuck yourself.  Go suck David Chase's cock.

You disagree with that take?  Not as sure on the part about whether Elizabeth would have let the kid live in prior seasons.  I definitely thought they included the one scene to show that Phillip and Elizabeth were not as hidden as they thought.  Stan seems to be closing in as on them as well.  

[thrillhammer 683]

13 hours ago, ATLLonghorn said:

Sepinwall had a quote from one of the creators who said in real life the government didn't provide financial support to cover the agents. The agents were expected to run their businesses on their own.

no wonder they failed.  they expected their spies to be self-funded, or in other words it was just a part time job for them.

[PilotsError 2286]

38 minutes ago, Tyler Durden said:

You disagree with that take?  Not as sure on the part about whether Elizabeth would have let the kid live in prior seasons.  I definitely thought they included the one scene to show that Phillip and Elizabeth were not as hidden as they thought.  Stan seems to be closing in as on them as well.  

I disagree with the idea that wrapping things up neatly is somehow a bad thing.  So fucking tired of that attitude.  

[TrashMaster G 17544]

1 hour ago, thrillhammer said:

no wonder they failed.  they expected their spies to be self-funded, or in other words it was just a part time job for them.

Spying would have to be a part-time job.  If you're doing it all the time, you are exposing yourself like crazy.

[JimmyHoffa 1188]

43 minutes ago, PilotsError said:

I disagree with the idea that wrapping things up neatly is somehow a bad thing.  So fucking tired of that attitude.  

And what specifically is your definition of wrapping things up neatly?

You would be fine if everyone lives, nobody goes to jail that they all go over to Stan's house and have a good laugh over dinner how it Stan so long to figure out they were Russian spies? 

fuck me, no fuck you. 

[PilotsError 2286]

Storylines need conclusions. Whether people live or die is not the point.

[JimmyHoffa 1188]

8 minutes ago, PilotsError said:

Storylines need conclusions. Whether people live or die is not the point.

 

I agree. I just think someone isn't going to make it. It might not be one of the lead characters I just don't see how they can conclude these specific storylines without someone having a bad day. Not based on how good the show has been. 

[Jacob McCandles 202]

13 minutes ago, JimmyHoffa said:

 

I agree. I just think someone isn't going to make it. It might not be one of the lead characters I just don't see how they can conclude these specific storylines without someone having a bad day. Not based on how good the show has been. 

While I agree that it likely that someone gets killed in the end, here are two non-bloody endings:

1. Oleg gets Elizabeth's message. Oleg's side of the Party arranges extraction to USSR. The entire Jennings family makes it to USSR drops dime on the Center to help team Gorby rid USSR of old school folks like Claudia. Elizabeth is happy to help the head of the party and Mother Russia; Phillip is happy everyone is safe and alive, but misses C&W music; Paige is wondering why her parents risk their lives for this shithole; Henry is confused, misses Stan, but recognizes that the hockey competition is much better. 

2. Claudia finds out that the Jennings are in touch (through Oleg) with Gorby's side of the Party. She plots to eliminate the Jennings. Oleg finds out and realizes that the only way to prevent bloodshed is to bring the Jennings in from the cold -- so he reaches out to Stan. Jennings are brought in and give choice of prison or dropping dime on the Center. Elizabeth zips her lip and is sent to Leavenworth KS; Phillip cooperates and is placed in Government custody to help Stan and FBI clean up the rest of the Center plants, while continuing to love C&W; Paige's involvement is not revealed and she resumes her life; Stan adopts Henry and pays his tuition so he can finish school and play hockey at an Ivy League school. Claudia flees or is arrested.

Most likely to get killed:

The Pastor - very odd/ominous timing for his return

Oleg - Claudia might off him when she finds out he is in contact with the Jennings to prevent the plot against Gorby

Claudia - Elizabeth never liked her

Phillip and/or Elizabeth - show goes out with a bang via murder/suicide as Stan approaches their front door.

 

p.s., Renee gets hired by the FBI and replaces the mail robot

 

 

[RPM 26316]

19 minutes ago, Jacob McCandles said:

p.s., Renee gets hired by the FBI and replaces the mail robot

I like this prediction. The mail robot is definitely going to get a farewell appearance.

[PilotsError 2286]

Sepinwall alluded to the elevator scene being its farewell. 

[BigOrange1 6432]

my prediction is rene is indeed a russian spy and she gets wind of stan being on to the jennings and tips them off.  

[Jacob McCandles 202]

7 minutes ago, BigOrange1 said:

my prediction is rene is indeed a russian spy and she gets wind of stan being on to the jennings and tips them off.  

Maybe the characters dance back and forth for the next episode and one-half, and then in the second half of the finale, Stan figures it out for certain and says something to Renee. While he goes to work to assemble the task force for a raid, she strolls across the street to the Jennings' place with a casserole and when Elizabeth and Phillip open the door she calmly says "Mother is expecting you." Smash. Fade to black. 

[irvingtwosmokes 34]

4 hours ago, Jacob McCandles said:

While I agree that it likely that someone gets killed in the end, here are two non-bloody endings:

1. Oleg gets Elizabeth's message. Oleg's side of the Party arranges extraction to USSR. The entire Jennings family makes it to USSR drops dime on the Center to help team Gorby rid USSR of old school folks like Claudia. Elizabeth is happy to help the head of the party and Mother Russia; Phillip is happy everyone is safe and alive, but misses C&W music; Paige is wondering why her parents risk their lives for this shithole; Henry is confused, misses Stan, but recognizes that the hockey competition is much better. 

2. Claudia finds out that the Jennings are in touch (through Oleg) with Gorby's side of the Party. She plots to eliminate the Jennings. Oleg finds out and realizes that the only way to prevent bloodshed is to bring the Jennings in from the cold -- so he reaches out to Stan. Jennings are brought in and give choice of prison or dropping dime on the Center. Elizabeth zips her lip and is sent to Leavenworth KS; Phillip cooperates and is placed in Government custody to help Stan and FBI clean up the rest of the Center plants, while continuing to love C&W; Paige's involvement is not revealed and she resumes her life; Stan adopts Henry and pays his tuition so he can finish school and play hockey at an Ivy League school. Claudia flees or is arrested.

Most likely to get killed:

The Pastor - very odd/ominous timing for his return

Oleg - Claudia might off him when she finds out he is in contact with the Jennings to prevent the plot against Gorby

Claudia - Elizabeth never liked her

Phillip and/or Elizabeth - show goes out with a bang via murder/suicide as Stan approaches their front door.

 

p.s., Renee gets hired by the FBI and replaces the mail robot

 

 

Liz is going to stuff the cyanide pill down Claudia's throat

[WBT 20561]

32 minutes ago, irvingtwosmokes said:

Liz is going to stuff the cyanide pill down Claudia's throat

Hope so.  She already beat her ass once, time to finish the job.

[naija 2854]

the most striking thing is that those two are quite in love with each other and sometimes don't realize it

[NWBuck 8552]

On 5/18/2018 at 6:14 PM, irvingtwosmokes said:

Liz is going to stuff the cyanide pill down Claudia's throat

Or put it in a glass and serve Claudia some apple pie moonshine in it. 

[immortal13 4059]

For fucks sake, please let Stan finally figure out his neighbors are Russian spies. 

[APMP 688]

I just want to know what song they'll end the finale with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JimmyHoffa 1188]

On 5/20/2018 at 5:15 AM, APMP said:

I just want to know what song they'll end the finale with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So many great options-

 

 

 

 

[HornOnTheBayou 8905]

 

[JimmyHoffa 1188]

This is a pretty cool read-

 

 

Quote

 

I was chief of disguise at CIA. ‘The Americans’ got a lot right.

 

After 27 years in the CIA working on operational assignments around the world, I am somewhat numbed to the fictional espionage that engulfs us — the books and movies and TV shows that always get it wrong. That’s why I have largely shunned the genre, barely noting the reviews of the latest creations that celebrate the life of an intelligence officer. “Homeland”? No. The Bourne movies? No. “Alias”? God, no! It’s the main reason I work as an adviser and speaker at the Spy Museum in Washington: to present an informed but still entertaining picture of the work of a spy.

But then came “The Americans,” the FX TV series set to finish its sixth and final season to near-unanimous critical acclaim. 

My husband, Tony, and I had 52 years between us working with the CIA in mostly foreign assignments. We had to convince nosy neighbors and casual acquaintances, as well as office mates, that we were what we purported to be — somewhat boring administrative professionals. If we made it boring enough, it worked. Tony’s children, however, would eventually notice that their dad was gone far more often than their friends’ dads, and that he never talked about his job, that he was meeting strangers at home with great privacy. Then he would take them, one by one, to a very grown-up lunch and give them “the talk.” He always told me that his kids handled the information more carefully than many adults do. But he also never tried to recruit them, as happens in “The Americans,” to take on the life of a spy themselves.

“The Americans” gets the tradecraft and the technology of the 1980s generally right, at least the way it worked when Ronald Reagan was president. The script is littered with dead drops and communication protocols, disguises and cyanide pills, secret writing and signals that were used for impersonal communication with your agent or your team. It is all properly executed; it is done the way we did it, and it is one of many ways that Joe Weisberg, the creator of this series and a former CIA officer himself, shows his hand and his familiarity with CIA tactics and methods. He and I went to the same tradecraft school at the agency, and we learned the same lessons. When I watched Matthew Rhys, the husband on “The Americans,” speed in reverse through an FBI roadblock in the final episode of Season 1, well, I have practiced that maneuver countless times, wrecking more than one car while learning the procedure. They did it right.

 

 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/posteverything/wp/2018/05/17/i-was-chief-of-disguise-at-cia-the-americans-got-a-lot-right/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.62138bbdc540

[irvingtwosmokes 34]

On 5/20/2018 at 5:15 AM, APMP said:

I just want to know what song they'll end the finale with.

 

You can bet it will be Fleetwood Mac

Quote

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 22, 2018 by irvingtwosmokes

[APMP 688]

The show creators said they'd never use it because it's top on the nose, but Sting's Russians would obviously make an interesting ending. I can imagine it underscoring all kinds of crazy endings for the Jennings family members...

[Tuco 5076]

I've been a couple of episodes behind the whole season, and finally caught up. 

Speculation/predictions/comments:

Liz told Claudia about Philip having contact with a Russian back home, right?  The Center was wondering what Oleg was doing in Washington.  That piece of information should be enough to realize he is working against their interest.  Watch your back Oleg. 

Not only was the Claudia asking Liz to work against Gorbachev, they were asking her to kill a fellow Russian who was loyal to the country. If the information she gave Claudia gets Oleg killed, that may cause some friction.

With the preacher back in the mix, my prediction is that he will contact Paige to discuss his concerns with her.  In the subsequent meeting, Paige will make her bones to protect the family.  Either fuck and blackmail, or, my preference, she'll kill him.  Either possibility may send Philip into a spiral.

From a few episodes back, I love the progression with Philip.  He is failing in his business.  His son thinks he should talk to a more successful dad.  His daughter thinks she can kick his ass. His wife suggests Paige might not be able to do this job, to which he makes clear that it isn't an issue of ability but rather whether she should does this job.  That refers to himself as much as her.  What follows is that he shows his daughter a fraction of his badassness.  He shows his wife that he is still capable of doing the job, and would for the right reasons - to protect her.  It reminds me of the "El Mariachi" - would really like to just play guitar, but his talents are better suited for killing people. 

Does any remember a show in which you actually enjoyed watching a married couple fight?

Edited May 22, 2018 by Tuco

[Patrick Bateman 3911]

5 hours ago, Tuco said:

I've been a couple of episodes behind the whole season, and finally caught up. 

Speculation/predictions/comments:

Liz told Claudia about Philip having contact with a Russian back home, right?  The Center was wondering what Oleg was doing in Washington.  That piece of information should be enough to realize he is working against their interest.  Watch your back Oleg. 

Not only was the Claudia asking Liz to work against Gorbachev, they were asking her to kill a fellow Russian who was loyal to the country. If the information she gave Claudia gets Oleg killed, that may cause some friction.

With the preacher back in the mix, my prediction is that he will contact Paige to discuss his concerns with her.  In the subsequent meeting, Paige will make her bones to protect the family.  Either fuck and blackmail, or, my preference, she'll kill him.  Either possibility may send Philip into a spiral.

From a few episodes back, I love the progression with Philip.  He is failing in his business.  His son thinks he should talk to a more successful dad.  His daughter thinks she can kick his ass. His wife suggests Paige might not be able to do this job, to which he makes clear that it isn't an issue of ability but rather whether she should does this job.  That refers to himself as much as her.  What follows is that he shows his daughter a fraction of his badassness.  He shows his wife that he is still capable of doing the job, and would for the right reasons - to protect her.  It reminds me of the "El Mariachi" - would really like to just play guitar, but his talents are better suited for killing people. 

Does any remember a show in which you actually enjoyed watching a married couple fight?

I don't think so.... I think she questioned why Nestrenko had to die and Claudia finally confesses Elizabeth has been unwitting accomplice to a coup from the Hardliners in the KGB.

Elizabeth comes home and asks Phillip to get a message to Oleg (at first she wants to deliver it) that his concerns are warranted and Gorbs is at risk.  

And when did Pastor Tim come back?  Father Andrei was mentioned and Phillip is going to meet with him.

 

 

 

[Tuco 5076]

12 minutes ago, Patrick Bateman said:

 

And when did Pastor Tim come back?  Father Andrei was mentioned and Phillip is going to meet with him.

 

 

 

Previews.  I thought someone else mentioned it, so I figured it was fair game.

[JimmyHoffa 1188]

11 minutes ago, Patrick Bateman said:

I don't think so.... I think she questioned why Nestrenko had to die and Claudia finally confesses Elizabeth has been unwitting accomplice to a coup from the Hardliners in the KGB.

Elizabeth comes home and asks Phillip to get a message to Oleg (at first she wants to deliver it) that his concerns are warranted and Gorbs is at risk.  

And when did Pastor Tim come back?  Father Andrei was mentioned and Phillip is going to meet with him.

 

 

 

 

Pastor Tim was just in the preview last week. He hasn't been back yet. Liz questioning what the Center has asked her to do is a big turning point for her. That would have never happened in the past. As was her debating in her head whether or not to burn the painting or keep it. 

She isn't where Phil is yet but the door is most certainly opened. 

[Native Horn 3498]

Hard to fathom how they'll wrap up this series in only two more episodes.  Can't wait to see what happens. I have excite.

[Patrick Bateman 3911]

Just now, JimmyHoffa said:

 

Pastor Tim was just in the preview last week. He hasn't been back yet. Liz questioning what the Center has asked her to do is a big turning point for her. That would have never happened in the past. As was her debating in her head whether or not to burn the painting or keep it. 

She isn't where Phil is yet but the door is most certainly opened. 

Correct.  They're now aligned somewhat rather than opposing sides, but I don't remember her telling Claudia about Phillip messaging with another Russian in town.  Maybe I missed it.

4 minutes ago, Tuco said:

Previews.  I thought someone else mentioned it, so I figured it was fair game.

Gotcha.  If you look at the furniture and decor, it appears Pastor Tim is still working in South America.... I don't think he's back, simply another crumb for Stan to access to finally put it all together IMO.

[TrashMaster G 17544]

3 hours ago, Native Horn said:

Hard to fathom how they'll wrap up this series in only two more episodes.  Can't wait to see what happens. I have excite.

I hope the finale is two hours.

[elfenix 34223]

the episodes have been blocked for 1:15 or so each time, so they're already longer than your standard hour drama.  it really seems like there's a lot to do still since it's been such a slow burn the last 2 seasons.  but i guess once shit hits the fan it goes really fast.

[Radical Larry 28546]

I hope the finale is two hours.

It’s 1.5 hours.

[JimmyHoffa 1188]

Shits got to start hitting the fan tonight, no? 

[LongestHorn 759]

shit moving towards fan blades now.

[Jive Turkey 12594]

Keri Russell gonna get that Emmy. Damn. 

[TexArcher 37763]

Holy shit, that was tense.

[LongestHorn 759]

Topsy turvy

[elfenix 34223]

i think that was the moment of contact between the shit and the fan

 

and how dumb is andrei?

Edited May 24, 2018 by elfenix

[SpiralOut 1813]

Holy shit that chase scene.

They've got a lot of work to do in the last episode to wrap this thing up.

[RPM 26316]

Talk about going out with a bang! Great episode. I was expecting Liz to take out Claudia or vice versa.

The finale is gonna be finominole.

[BigOrange1 6432]

[Tuco 5076]

Some great scenes and a bit of stupid. Stan looking up their names was stupid. The whole point of their set-up is to have records. Liz protecting the diplomat was stupid. Just call the FBI and give them a heads up.

[APMP 688]

Somebody's going to emergency. Somebody's going to jail.

[pied 252]

So Elizabeth told Claudia that their plans were conveyed but the plans are sitting with Stan right now. Assuming Claudia believes her I guess it’s a moot point though. 

Great episode, agree the Priest is dumb. 

Perhaps a dumb question, but do we know the lady working with Liz back in the old days?  Looked a little like the nut with the hockey player but I know she’s not. Can’t recall  if we’d seen her before. 

[PilotsError 2286]

There's a possibility no one dies.  Doesn't mean a happy ending for everyone, but I can see things playing out where no one is killed or has to kill.

Gotta love Liz.  If you knew me, you'd know never to lie to me.  Next scene, maybe one of the most consequential lies she's ever told.

[JimmyHoffa 1188]

7 hours ago, SpiralOut said:

Holy shit that chase scene.

They've got a lot of work to do in the last episode to wrap this thing up.

 

Great episode but I felt the same way after it ended. It doesn't seem possible that they can cram everything in with only 90 minutes minus commercials.