The Americans
Aug. 7th, 2013 10:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tinnyThis is a rec post. Yay!
The 'perfect' American family
I've seen the first 7 episodes of 13 (so far). The show is an FX show and has been renewed for season 2 (new episodes in January).
It's about a couple of Russian KGB spies who live undercover as an American family near Washington, DC in the 1980s.
The lead roles are played by Keri Russell, whom I remember fondly from Felicity, and Matthew Rhys, who it turns out is Welsh (is anyone American these days?) and was on Brothers and Sisters. I would assume a lot of fandom people know him, since he played part of a gay couple on that show. He was new to me, but I love him already. Both actors are amazing, actually. Keri as Elizabeth, the convinced communist who is completely firm in her ideology and doing the whole thing because she wants to be a hero for her motherland. Matthew as Phillip, her "fake" husband, who slips into every spy-role like a chameleon, and is considerably softer than her. They have two kids (10 and 13), who know nothing at all about their parents' secret life. The live across the street from an FBI agent who is basically their enemy, but he doesn't know they are KGB spies (as of yet). He is a fascinating character as well.
Phillip and Elizabeth - working together as a team
The show is brutal - there is honey trap sex and dead people and rape in the pilot alone. But it's not completely hilarious (like POI's kneecaps), nor is it just for brutality's sake. It illustrates the political atmosphere in the 1980s and what spies were doing back then (and maybe still are). Apparently, an ex-CIA agent is head writer for the show, so they claim to be pretty realistic. You will have to deal with Elizabeth and Phillip shooting people a lot.
The main characters' backstory is only coming out over time, which is really interesting to watch, and seems to be well thought out. Well, at least I don't find it too illogical. All the Russians actually speak Russian (subtitled).
Elizabeth and Phillip - not working ;)
The main attraction for me (and both actors, apparently) is the relationship between Elizabeth and Phillip. In the beginning, it seems clear that they are only strangers thrown together into this undercover life who had to deal with living together for 20 years with no love between them and even forced to have kids together. But then things happen, and things change, and suddenly Elizabeth discovers that maybe Phillip loves her after all, or maybe she loves him? Nobody knows where they will go with any of that, because the missions and all the lies and all their baggage is in the way. That makes it really interesting.
Last but not least, they make good use of 1980s politics (which I should really know more about). Visually, the whole "period" aspect of the show is great. Horrible clothes, horrible haircuts, horrible wallpaper, huge cars, great atmospheric lighting, brownish colors on everything. I guess the show is better if you've lived in the US in the 80s, but it's already really good for me.
In summary: such an awesome show. Watch it!
[i wanted to upload a picture, but lj wouldnt let me. grrr. Let's hope it will at least let me post.] ETA: yay, pictures.
The 'perfect' American family
I've seen the first 7 episodes of 13 (so far). The show is an FX show and has been renewed for season 2 (new episodes in January).
It's about a couple of Russian KGB spies who live undercover as an American family near Washington, DC in the 1980s.
read more! more! Not spoilery, just more reasons to watch it
The lead roles are played by Keri Russell, whom I remember fondly from Felicity, and Matthew Rhys, who it turns out is Welsh (is anyone American these days?) and was on Brothers and Sisters. I would assume a lot of fandom people know him, since he played part of a gay couple on that show. He was new to me, but I love him already. Both actors are amazing, actually. Keri as Elizabeth, the convinced communist who is completely firm in her ideology and doing the whole thing because she wants to be a hero for her motherland. Matthew as Phillip, her "fake" husband, who slips into every spy-role like a chameleon, and is considerably softer than her. They have two kids (10 and 13), who know nothing at all about their parents' secret life. The live across the street from an FBI agent who is basically their enemy, but he doesn't know they are KGB spies (as of yet). He is a fascinating character as well.
Phillip and Elizabeth - working together as a team
The show is brutal - there is honey trap sex and dead people and rape in the pilot alone. But it's not completely hilarious (like POI's kneecaps), nor is it just for brutality's sake. It illustrates the political atmosphere in the 1980s and what spies were doing back then (and maybe still are). Apparently, an ex-CIA agent is head writer for the show, so they claim to be pretty realistic. You will have to deal with Elizabeth and Phillip shooting people a lot.
The main characters' backstory is only coming out over time, which is really interesting to watch, and seems to be well thought out. Well, at least I don't find it too illogical. All the Russians actually speak Russian (subtitled).
Elizabeth and Phillip - not working ;)
The main attraction for me (and both actors, apparently) is the relationship between Elizabeth and Phillip. In the beginning, it seems clear that they are only strangers thrown together into this undercover life who had to deal with living together for 20 years with no love between them and even forced to have kids together. But then things happen, and things change, and suddenly Elizabeth discovers that maybe Phillip loves her after all, or maybe she loves him? Nobody knows where they will go with any of that, because the missions and all the lies and all their baggage is in the way. That makes it really interesting.
Last but not least, they make good use of 1980s politics (which I should really know more about). Visually, the whole "period" aspect of the show is great. Horrible clothes, horrible haircuts, horrible wallpaper, huge cars, great atmospheric lighting, brownish colors on everything. I guess the show is better if you've lived in the US in the 80s, but it's already really good for me.
In summary: such an awesome show. Watch it!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
on 2013-08-09 01:09 pm (UTC)-J
no subject
on 2013-08-09 06:49 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2013-08-14 02:35 am (UTC)-J
no subject
on 2013-08-07 08:27 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2013-08-07 08:36 pm (UTC)It really is a great show. Very dark sometimes, but I love that about it.
no subject
on 2013-08-07 08:45 pm (UTC)I don't mind dark at all, but I like my shows realistic. While I have grown to love some science-fiction, shows like Star Trek or movies like Star Wars are not really for me.
I started warily with "Homeland", fearing it might be full of politics and therefore boring, and ended up upsolutely loving it. It all depends on the actors in the end of course. If they are believable, then I watch everything.
With this complicated story, I might want to wait till it comes in German TV though, to understand it better. Really good shows will end up there even if it takes a bit of time.
We know now that "Arrow" will be at Vox in January and also that Sat1/Pro7 have bought the recent David Tennant series "Broadchurch". When that airs, I also will tell everyone to watch, just like I did back then with "Sherlock" ;)
no subject
on 2013-08-08 08:29 am (UTC)no subject
on 2013-08-08 09:52 am (UTC)Would you like to re-watch it with us (=the watch-along crew)? We're planning to watch the pilot together sometime next week. Our usual time is 8pm (our time). Currently, Monday is the suggestion, but things are still subject to change. It'd be great to have you along.
no subject
on 2013-08-08 10:09 am (UTC)no subject
on 2013-08-08 10:12 am (UTC)I've seen the comm, it looks lovely. I am definitely going to jump in there once I've finished ep 8. (That one hurts so much. I had to stop in the middle to regroup.)
no subject
on 2013-08-08 06:17 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2013-08-09 06:50 pm (UTC)You are part of the reason I watched it. You and astrid posted about it, so I had to check it out.