The Americans - Season Premiere - "Comrades" - 2/26/14
02-26-14, 06:02 AM
#1
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The Americans - Season Premiere - "Comrades" - 2/26/14
Episode 1 / Production #201 - "Comrades" (Airs February 26, 10:00 pm e/p) - Elizabeth comes back from her injury and straight into what should have been a routine mission - but it goes awry, leaving her and Philip in fear not only for themselves but for their whole network... and family. Paige's suspicions have only grown in her mother's absence. Meanwhile, Stan continues to fall for the Russian agent who has started to play him. Written by Joel Fields & Joe Weisberg; directed by Thomas Schlamme.
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/PnxQX4j4_Fs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
02-26-14, 07:05 AM
#2
DVD Talk Legend
Re: The Americans - Season Premiere - "Comrades" - 2/26/14
I would give S1 a solid B... I hope this season amps up the action but either way I'm in.
02-26-14, 07:14 AM
#3
DVD Talk Legend
Re: The Americans - Season Premiere - "Comrades" - 2/26/14
http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-wat...rd-in-season-2
"The Americans," FX's Cold War drama about KGB spies posing as a married couple in Ronald Reagan's America, had the poor timing to arrive as a very good new show near the start of what turned out to be an incredible year. Had it debuted in a different period — even a year or two earlier — it would have set a very high bar to clear for all that followed and been a constant point of comparison. But there was just so much quality TV in 2013 that it kept slipping behind other work, even though it had so much to recommend it. When I did my best-of rankings for the year, I wound up putting it 18th, simultaneously kicking myself for doing so while struggling to argue that I preferred it to the previous 17.
We're still pretty early in 2014, and who can say what the year (which has already given us HBO's mesmerizing "True Detective") will have to offer, but it's hard to imagine "The Americans" (which returns tomorrow night at 10) getting lost in the shuffle this time around. It's taken a major creative leap — the kind that can elevate a show from a strong example of its era to one that transcends eras — and as I barreled through the five episodes FX sent out to critics, I felt my pulse quickening in that way I want to feel so often in my job but so rarely do: when something good becomes something great.
We're still pretty early in 2014, and who can say what the year (which has already given us HBO's mesmerizing "True Detective") will have to offer, but it's hard to imagine "The Americans" (which returns tomorrow night at 10) getting lost in the shuffle this time around. It's taken a major creative leap — the kind that can elevate a show from a strong example of its era to one that transcends eras — and as I barreled through the five episodes FX sent out to critics, I felt my pulse quickening in that way I want to feel so often in my job but so rarely do: when something good becomes something great.
02-26-14, 08:34 AM
#4
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Re: The Americans - Season Premiere - "Comrades" - 2/26/14
Can't fucking wait. Russell is so god damn sexy to me on this.
02-26-14, 08:37 AM
#5
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Re: The Americans - Season Premiere - "Comrades" - 2/26/14
I've read a few early reviews (including Sepinwall's above) that indicate this'll be a very strong season. This made my top 10 list last year, so am very excited for this to return. 
02-26-14, 08:41 AM
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Re: The Americans - Season Premiere - "Comrades" - 2/26/14
My favorite new show last year. Some episodes ranked higher than Breaking Bad for me. So yeah, I'm that big of a fan.
02-26-14, 09:21 AM
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Re: The Americans - Season Premiere - "Comrades" - 2/26/14
Heard this season is definitely a step up from season 1 which was already really good.
Last edited by bootsy; 02-26-14 at 09:26 AM.
02-26-14, 10:11 AM
#10
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Re: The Americans - Season Premiere - "Comrades" - 2/26/14
I like the show, but I still can't get over how the spies and the agent looking for them just happen to be neighbors. So dumb.
02-26-14, 10:21 AM
#11
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: The Americans - Season Premiere - "Comrades" - 2/26/14
Final disc from Netflix should arrive tomorrow so we can catch up! I was so-so on season 1 until they had their big couples fight. Then it clicked for me, but unfortunately we had DVR issues and didn't finish up the season.
I was so-so on season 1 until they had their big couples fight. Then it clicked for me, but unfortunately we had DVR issues and didn't finish up the season.
02-26-14, 10:26 AM
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Re: The Americans - Season Premiere - "Comrades" - 2/26/14
02-26-14, 10:46 AM
#13
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Re: The Americans - Season Premiere - "Comrades" - 2/26/14
Yup, can't wait. The show took awhile to get going, but once it did, the stuff was fantastic.
02-26-14, 10:53 AM
#14
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
Re: The Americans - Season Premiere - "Comrades" - 2/26/14
Maybe, I'm the the minority here, but I LOVED Season One. It was my favorite TV show last year -- not just of new shows, but overall favorite (caveat - haven't watched any Breaking Bad, and I understand why that's getting heaped-on praise).
I can't wait for tonight's premiere!
I can't wait for tonight's premiere!
02-26-14, 10:57 AM
#15
DVD Talk Legend
Re: The Americans - Season Premiere - "Comrades" - 2/26/14
I also loved season one. I would put it in my top five last year. Psyched for tonight.
02-26-14, 12:14 PM
#16
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Re: The Americans - Season Premiere - "Comrades" - 2/26/14
very much looking forward to this, ryhs and russell were great last year, great cast, music, setting everything!
02-26-14, 12:22 PM
#17
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Re: The Americans - Season Premiere - "Comrades" - 2/26/14
I tried to like this last year but got too bored with it to continue. It was just too dreary for me, kind of like that Eddie Izzard travelers show a few years ago. I wanted to like it, but just didn't enjoy watching it. I liked the leads but much of the supporting cast are not exactly my favorite actors either. Maybe I had too much going on when this originally aired and I'll go read the last half season recaps to catch up and give it another shot.
02-26-14, 01:18 PM
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Re: The Americans - Season Premiere - "Comrades" - 2/26/14
Loved this show last year, for the most part. Admittedly, I started fast-forwarding through the scenes with the kids, but the rest of the show was just top notch.
02-26-14, 01:56 PM
#19
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Re: The Americans - Season Premiere - "Comrades" - 2/26/14
Season 2 casting info on wikipedia (nothing major, but I'll put in spoilers just in case)
Spoiler:
02-26-14, 02:21 PM
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Re: The Americans - Season Premiere - "Comrades" - 2/26/14
I will drink a leninade in honor of this new episode.
02-26-14, 03:10 PM
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Re: The Americans - Season Premiere - "Comrades" - 2/26/14
I gave it six episodes last year, and it just got worse. I can buy it just ain't my thing, but for this part - and it's this which turned me off the show. Having them be neighbors is so goddamn stupid, so convoluted, so f*Ing unbelievable - I mean give me a break. Fine though, it happens... because one side or the other wants it to. They know about the other, move in to keep an eye on them.
That isn't the case - it is purely by happenstance. Impossible. Then the fact the writers use this element as the primary source of conflict and tension? Come on... ridiculous plot device which even a hack could see as being desperate and absurd, and then you decide to focus specifically on that? Revolve the show around it?
I thought about giving this a second chance with the premiere tonight, but that one point is unbelievably hard to gloss over and look past. Especially when you're dealing with a topic that offers a wealth of material, a fantastical well that'll never run dry - cold war spies on enemy territory? Absolutely no reason to ever resort to such a convoluted device, and then they do so in the very first episode? This show, really more than any other in the past few years, is one I just don't "get".
02-26-14, 03:57 PM
#23
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Re: The Americans - Season Premiere - "Comrades" - 2/26/14
02-26-14, 04:19 PM
#24
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Re: The Americans - Season Premiere - "Comrades" - 2/26/14
can't wait. good to hear that the quality is still up to par.
02-26-14, 04:59 PM
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Re: The Americans - Season Premiere - "Comrades" - 2/26/14
Yep. Not to threadcrap, but I grapple with how this show is viewed so highly by so many - which it undoubtedly is.
I gave it six episodes last year, and it just got worse. I can buy it just ain't my thing, but for this part - and it's this which turned me off the show. Having them be neighbors is so goddamn stupid, so convoluted, so f*Ing unbelievable - I mean give me a break. Fine though, it happens... because one side or the other wants it to. They know about the other, move in to keep an eye on them.
That isn't the case - it is purely by happenstance. Impossible. Then the fact the writers use this element as the primary source of conflict and tension? Come on... ridiculous plot device which even a hack could see as being desperate and absurd, and then you decide to focus specifically on that? Revolve the show around it?
I thought about giving this a second chance with the premiere tonight, but that one point is unbelievably hard to gloss over and look past. Especially when you're dealing with a topic that offers a wealth of material, a fantastical well that'll never run dry - cold war spies on enemy territory? Absolutely no reason to ever resort to such a convoluted device, and then they do so in the very first episode? This show, really more than any other in the past few years, is one I just don't "get".
I gave it six episodes last year, and it just got worse. I can buy it just ain't my thing, but for this part - and it's this which turned me off the show. Having them be neighbors is so goddamn stupid, so convoluted, so f*Ing unbelievable - I mean give me a break. Fine though, it happens... because one side or the other wants it to. They know about the other, move in to keep an eye on them.
That isn't the case - it is purely by happenstance. Impossible. Then the fact the writers use this element as the primary source of conflict and tension? Come on... ridiculous plot device which even a hack could see as being desperate and absurd, and then you decide to focus specifically on that? Revolve the show around it?
I thought about giving this a second chance with the premiere tonight, but that one point is unbelievably hard to gloss over and look past. Especially when you're dealing with a topic that offers a wealth of material, a fantastical well that'll never run dry - cold war spies on enemy territory? Absolutely no reason to ever resort to such a convoluted device, and then they do so in the very first episode? This show, really more than any other in the past few years, is one I just don't "get".
Then again, maybe I'm just more forgiving with these types of things. I watched Prison Break to the very end even though I continued to shake my head at the preposterous set-ups they had week after week.