Before I start fawning about what a masterpiece of a show The Americans is, let me preface with this. I’m not shy about the fact that Game of Thrones is my favorite show ever. It’s number one — GOAT. Enough said. So, since it’s pretty difficult to top the best, it’s often more interesting and even easier for me to talk about the other shows that are in my Top 5 and Top 10 favorites.
The Americans, which can be found on FX and binge watched on Amazon Video, safely occupies my number 2 spot. But the only reason The Americans has to be relegated to number 2 is just because Game of Thrones exists. In a world without HBO and George RR Martin, The Americans would reign supreme.
An accurate depiction of The Americans in blue and GoT in red in the race for my favorite show.
The fourth season of the story of my favorite Soviet spies premiered last Wednesday night, and without giving away any spoilers, it certainly started off with quite the bang. It was an episode that set the tone for the season immediately, and gave viewers something to hang on to. Not all episodes of The Americans do that, which is literally my only qualm with the show.
Some episodes are action-packed and move the plot quickly and efficiently (and usually leave your jaw on the floor), but the vast majority act simply as filler or set-up. This does get annoying, even though it’s always a pleasure to watch the amazing Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys as Elizabeth and Phillip Jennings respectively, deep-cover Russian KGB spies living in America and conducting espionage, all while managing a typical American life with their 2 children.
The show is unusual in the sense that it literally has you rooting against your own country in the hopes that the Jennings and the KGB are successful in their efforts for their Motherland. You absolutely hate the FBI agents and love the KGB agents stationed in the Soviet “Rezidentura,” their embassy in DC.
This treachery is so worth it, since Elizabeth and Phillip offer some of the best action, dialogue, suspense, and plot twists you’ll see on a cable channel like FX. The entire cast of characters is extremely dynamic, and you form opinion of and are able to remember even minor ones, since they generally have such an impact.
We’re lucky today to live in a world full of incredible television, but very few shows hit every single mark like The Americans does. It’s brilliant, keeps you engaged, and incredibly entertaining. It’s an absolutely must watch.