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The Americans - Season 5 of the award winning KGB spy drama - Tuesdays on FX
- Thread starter Cornballer
- Start date
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-Pyromaniac-
Member
This guy fucks
-Pyromaniac-
Member
That shot of Abe Lincoln judging Gabriel.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
Oh man it's happening.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
Total fake out
-Pyromaniac-
Member
Stan and Henry are really the OTP.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
So the bloody boot Phillip was remembering was probably someone else's blood at the camp that his dad worked at. Harsh.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
Better call Saul is close but there's so much history and depth here. Feels like every word is multilayered.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
That last 5 minutes was incredible. Goosebumps.
Classic Americans ending. Fantastic musical choice.
Yeah, BCS definitely comes close.
Freezasaurus
Member
What song was that?
Peter Gabriel - Lay Your Hands On Me
-Pyromaniac-
Member
Cornballer missed out. Should have left his Passover Seder earlier.
VeryGooster
Banned
Dat ending
Sectorseven
Member
Are those exterior scenes actually shot in Russia?
Cornballer
Member
- Sepinwall
- Onion A|V Club
- Vox panel discussion
- NY Times
- Promo for next week's episode (please spoiler tag any discussion)
- Onion A|V Club
- Vox panel discussion
- NY Times
- Promo for next week's episode (please spoiler tag any discussion)
Cornballer
Member
I was really concerned that Oleg was going to kill himself at the end. Loved that last montage plus the acting was on point all episode.
Didn't realize the director used to star on Star Trek: Voyager.
Edit: I also failed to realize that the scene with Elizabeth watching the family in the car was more about the family's house (which used to be Don and Young Hee's).
Cornballer
Member
- Podcast for this week from Slate
Good stuff, as always.
Cornballer
Member
- Warming Glow: The Americans Anxiety Report: Doing Tai Chi With Doofuses
Grizzlyjin
Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
This show NEVER does what I think it'll do. People say The Walking Dead or Game of Thrones is unpredictable. No way, this show is the one where you really never know what's going to happen.
Mischa back home already?! Didn't see that coming
Gabriel going back?! Didn't see that coming
Gabriel feeling guilty but not telling Philip about Mischa!? Didn't see that coming
Oleg burning everything?! Didn't see that coming
Those last couple minutes had me on the edge of my seat. I was extremely concerned (still am) for Oleg. I also really appreciated the scene between Stan and Henry. Those characters have a great relationship.
Mischa back home already?! Didn't see that coming
Gabriel going back?! Didn't see that coming
Gabriel feeling guilty but not telling Philip about Mischa!? Didn't see that coming
Oleg burning everything?! Didn't see that coming
Those last couple minutes had me on the edge of my seat. I was extremely concerned (still am) for Oleg. I also really appreciated the scene between Stan and Henry. Those characters have a great relationship.
Ristifer
Member
Definitely. Especially with Mischa and Oleg. The whole episode was the definition of a slow burn. It was one of those episodes of The Americans where the entire history of the show was on display.
I had no idea that Mischa would be going back. And it was just this tiny scene near the beginning of the episode. I think they'll be hiding something there, just under the surface. As for Oleg, I didn't know what to expect with his scene. I started to fear the worst for him. Just the looks on his face. Ronin and Rhys are really mastering the chilling, vacant looks...
Also, that whole scene with Philip and Gabriel about Philip's father was intense.
Poor Henry. Things are actually going well for him now. He's doing well in school, he has a girlfriend and he has a good relationship with his dad Stan. His parents don't give a damn about him though. Poor kid seems way too soft for that life and they know it. I was also worried about Oleg jumping. That would have been devastating. That look he gave his mom.
It was funny seeing Philip realise that the lack of a connection with his parents affected him and then they cut to just Paige going to see Gabriel. I mean I get it, of course they would only take Paige, it would be insane if they let Henry in on it right then and the writers are aware of how Henry has been sidelined but just the way it was setup was great.
tearsintherain
Member
I do love the show for the twists and turns we go along, and the "quiet realism" of scenes - you expect some big revelation from Gabriel to Philip about his dad, just a small one that his job wasn't what he thought it was.
On the other hand the twists in this show don't really mean much. There haven't been many moments in this season where we truly feel Philip and Liz are in danger, and I liked those amped moments from 1-4 a bit more. For a couple of Russian sleeper agents they are living a pretty easy going life with very little to scare them right now, which is probably realistic, but also honestly a bit sedate (I hesitate to use the word boring). Yeah, I know what show I am watching and this isn't the crazy hijinks of 24 or Homeland but I miss that overshadow of "we are so fucked". I also appreciated Elizabeth missing her chinese friend but the connection from "I know tai chi!" to her going there was a bit cringe-y.
The Russian scenes are definitely great though, I really thought Oleg was gonna jump and am so glad he is still alive. He and Stan the Man are my favorite characters right now.
I wonder if E&P are going to get a new handler or if Margo is gonna take over.
I'm totally in for Margo to step back into the game.
Now, I'm not great a technical critique of movies/TV, but the first half of this episode was the worst I've ever seen from this show. The editing felt super... erratic? A bunch of cuts happened super fast, and we jumped from scene to scene. Two examples I can pick out is around when Mischa lands in Russia, and just before the make-up seller shows up. It really threw me off.
Anyway, it got better later on and that ending sequence is prime Americans. I feel like they've really pulled back on music usage in recent seasons, or am I just not noticing it?
Now, I'm not great a technical critique of movies/TV, but the first half of this episode was the worst I've ever seen from this show. The editing felt super... erratic? A bunch of cuts happened super fast, and we jumped from scene to scene. Two examples I can pick out is around when Mischa lands in Russia, and just before the make-up seller shows up. It really threw me off.
Anyway, it got better later on and that ending sequence is prime Americans. I feel like they've really pulled back on music usage in recent seasons, or am I just not noticing it?
Dominican Power
Member
Was that trip to the psychiatrist the easy job that Gabriel was talking about?
Cornballer
Member
Yes. Stealing files from there.
Ristifer
Member
Agreed. The editing for the first half felt a little off. It was a bit of an odd feeling for the episode, but it hit its stride about halfway through.
Mischa sure got hosed.
Paige pointing out Elizabeth that it's been a long time since she's been home, then having Philip question her about what she knows about the prison camps. Elizabeth's blind to so much.
Paige pointing out Elizabeth that it's been a long time since she's been home, then having Philip question her about what she knows about the prison camps. Elizabeth's blind to so much.
Pretty sure most of it disguised and/or greenscreened. IIRC, they did shoot a full scene or two in Moscow last season.
Cornballer
Member
That's what I've read/heard, as well. They did shoot a few exteriors last year, but this year it's just been shot here and mocked up to be Russia. They have a brief sequence on the podcast this week where they talk about how difficult it is to get the right cars for all of the scenes, particularly in the scenes in Russia.
TangoAlphaLima
Member
Gabriel pretty much implied that the Center may take Philip out, huh? I bet the last season is gonna be nuts.
Our Henry?
https://my.mixtape.moe/syoppd.webm
--
Elizabeth's persona's best look in the series? + white woman blinking
https://my.mixtape.moe/rialyo.webm
https://my.mixtape.moe/wxlnow.webm
https://my.mixtape.moe/nykzcs.webm
https://my.mixtape.moe/syoppd.webm
--
Elizabeth's persona's best look in the series? + white woman blinking
https://my.mixtape.moe/rialyo.webm
https://my.mixtape.moe/wxlnow.webm
https://my.mixtape.moe/nykzcs.webm
Hmm...
Probably some social intern with no actual knowledge of the shows plans.
i used to work at FX not too long ago and knew the people who ran that stuff. not interns with no knowledge, but also don't try not to be too overtly spoilery.
She's Korean! I doubt they tried to draw a connection of Chinese tai chi to her missing her friend who happened to be asian. i think that was more about how she and philip are just being taxed too much in the job. she actually cared a lot for the first time for someone she was working, and to fuck with her the way she did, she felt guilt similar to philip's guilt with all the murdering.
Wasn't the Mary Kay saleswoman the trigger for her? I thought the tai chi thing was like the psychiatrist appointment where it's plainly obvious to everyone else that she's struggling emotionally but she's so brainwashed that she can't even take the first step to genuinely talk to someone.
Grizzlyjin
Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
Oh jeez. That completely went over my head. It makes sense though, it would explain why she was so curt to the Mary Kay woman. I thought she was just being extra paranoid.
Off Topic but Tai Chi Dude is a more believable Iron Fist than what the Netflix series cooked up lol
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