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The Americans Renewed for Season 3 by FX

Shilo Adams — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 16:23:49 +0000

FX has announced that critically acclaimed espionage drama The Americans has been renewed for a third 13-episode season, which will premiere in early 2015.

“The Americans continues be one of the best shows on television,” said Eric Schrier, Preisdent of Original Programming for FX Networks and FX Productions. “Executive Producers Joe Weisberg, Joel Fields and Graham Yost have done a wonderful job delivering two seasons, and the performances from Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys and Noah Emmerich are stellar. Fans will be blown away by the rest of this season, and we can’t wait to see what they come up with next year.”

Season two of The Americans has been averaging 3.08 million viewers, 1.47 million of them in the 18-49 demo, in Live+7 ratings, declines of 9 and 14%, respectively. However, the show has been adding 130% in 18-49 and 109% in total viewers in this season’s Live+7’s, increases from season one’s 93% and 83% jumps.

Though The Americans has not been a breakout in live ratings for FX, the show’s first season was showered in critical adulation, earning a spot on AFI’s Programs of the Year for 2013, two Emmy nominations, four Broadcast Television Journalist Association (BTJA) award nominations, a record seven Television Critics Association (TCA) Award nominations, and a Writers Guild Award nomination for New Series.

The Americans airs Wednesdays at 10:00 on FX.

What do you hope to see from a third season of The Americans? How long do you think a show with a premise like this can sustain itself? Are there any historical events you’d like to see portrayed on the show, either as a plot point or something occurring in the background?

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The Americans 2.04 Sneak Peek: Is Elizabeth Too Afraid?

Shilo Adams — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 22:09:07 +0000

Before the slaughter of Emmett and Leanne, Elizabeth was by far the bolder and more patriotic of the Jennings, never letting herself fully assimilate into American culture and always keeping in mind the reason she’s in the country in the first place. However, the danger that always seemed like such a foreign concept to Elizabeth became very real when she found her friends dead, a vision that’s haunted her ever since. Once focused and almost overly prepared, Elizabeth has been a step slow since that fateful discovery, with her concerns drifting from the fate of the Republic to the safety and well-being of her children. But has she become enough of a liability to cause the center to step in?

On the next episode of The Americans, Claudia pays a visit to the Jennings, mostly as a messenger for the center. Her message? Get your head in the game. It’s one thing to be cautious and careful in a job that demands it; it’s a whole other beast to be overly cautious and potentially put yourself and all those involved in your operation in danger, which is what Elizabeth could be heading toward if she doesn’t either shake off the deaths of her friends or pull back on her duties in the field. Elizabeth and Claudia might not have gotten along while the latter acted as handler to the Jennings, but in this instance, she’s right that Elizabeth needs to figure out where her head is at and act accordingly; if she doesn’t, more than just the safety and security of Paige and Henry could be at stake.

Elsewhere on The Americans, the division between Oleg and Arkady deepens, while an upheaval at the FBI poses problems for Agent Gaad and Martha’s frustrations threaten to blow Philip’s cover.

The Americans airs tonight at 10:00 on FX.

Do you think Claudia is right about Elizabeth being too afraid? How deep will the division between Oleg and Arkady go before something has to be done? Is Philip going to be able to keep Martha quiet and happy enough to maintain his cover?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSMikFqayB4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THKRZpoLgz0

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The Americans 2.03 Sneak Peek: Philip and Elizabeth Prepare for Their Next Mission

Shilo Adams — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 21:47:57 +0000

Though Philip and Elizabeth were always concerned about their children’s safety when it came in relation to their occupation, the deaths of Emmett, Leanne, and Amelia hit Elizabeth especially hard, as this was a family that was just like hers. If seemingly nice, normal people can get caught up in the line of fire and wind up victims of their allegiance, then there’s a chance that she and Philip could be next, that one day Henry could come home and be in the position that Jared was when he found his family slaughtered. As such, Elizabeth, normally the bolder of the two when it comes to work, has taken a step back and really wondered what type of impact her job could have on the lives of her children.

On tonight’s episode of The Americans, Philip and Elizabeth prepare to go out into the field, as the Center is set to send someone to look after Paige and Henry. Before the death of her friends, Elizabeth wouldn’t have given the safety of her children much of a thought; she knew she would be able to trust the Center and that she would come back to find Paige and Henry safe, sound, and none the wiser as to what their parents were up to. Now, though, Elizabeth has seen that the Center isn’t always going to be there to protect them and that it might not even be enough in certain instances, so there’s a seed of doubt in her mind about the upcoming mission. Given how deeply her patriotism runs, Elizabeth will still do her duty, but is she going to be the same Elizabeth that she’s always been while out in the field? And afterwards, how much guilt will she feel about putting herself and her children in this much danger on a regular basis?

Elsewhere on The Americans, Oleg scrutinizes Nina’s secret operation, while Paige snoops into her mother’s family background and Stan’s success at tracking the KGB walk-in deepens his attachment to Nina.

The Americans airs tonight at 10:00 on FX.

Could Elizabeth’s concerns about her children be psyching her out when it comes time to complete missions? Will Nina use Stan’s dependence on her to extract more information? What will Paige find when she looks into Elizabeth’s background?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIjBpatIU-A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PUeiZJvMGA

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The Americans 2.02 Sneak Peek: Elizabeth Receives a Mysterious Distress Signal

Shilo Adams — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 23:23:15 +0000

Now more than ever, Philip and Elizabeth Jennings are concerned about how their occupation is impacting the lives of their children. Earlier in their careers, they rationalized that they were doing a good thing for Paige and Henry and that the two were simply too young to understand what it is that their parents did for a living. Being a child is hard enough without realizing that your parents aren’t who they say they are and having to keep a secret from everyone you love, so why make things more difficult for them by burdening them with the reality of their home life? However, with Paige growing more suspicious by the day and a fellow planted family they knew getting slaughtered, Philip and Elizabeth may have to tell their children who they are for their own safety.

On tonight’s episode of The Americans, Elizabeth receives a mysterious distress signal while playing board games with Paige and Henry, causing her to hurry them from the house and to a showing of Raiders of the Lost Ark. It seems that the moving truck within seeing distance from her home isn’t what it seems to be, either, and she would be wise in evacuating the house for the safety of all those inside. While Elizabeth would have always made damn sure to get her kids away from the seedier aspects of her occupation, she and Philip are on high-alert following what happened to the family they knew and that means taking every threat as potentially lethal, no matter how harmless it might end up being. But if this distress signal is something major, possibly as an aftershock of the last operation, Elizabeth’s hand will likely be forced by Paige, who already knows that her parents are keeping secrets from her.

Elsewhere on The Americans, a walk-in at the Rezidentura provides Nina and Stan with unique opportunities, while Philip deals with fallout from the last operation.

The Americans airs tonight at 10:00 on FX.

Who do you think Elizabeth receives the distress signal from? How much fallout from the last operation will Philip have to deal with? What type of opportunities will Nina and Stan receive from the latest walk-in at the Rezidentura?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPrTnPMSv8U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SzuCnRvBrA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD4luXVC_7M

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The Americans Season 2 Teasers: From Russia, With Love

Shilo Adams — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 19:59:26 +0000

Over the course of The Americans’ hiatus, FX has released a string of teasers in anticipation of the espionage drama’s second season. Whereas the first season of the critically acclaimed period drama focused more on the marriage between KGB agents Philip and Elizabeth Jennings, season two looks to turn its attention toward the Paige and Henry, as the former has begun snooping into the private lives of her parents. Philip and Elizabeth have always worried about the impact their profession has on their children and what would happen if they were found out, but what they didn’t expect was that their daughter would soon be the biggest threat to their cover.

Therefore, they have a choice to make. They can either obstruct Paige’s search into the real story behind her increasingly evasive parents or they can sit both her and Henry down and tell them the truth about who they are. It seems likely that Philip and Elizabeth are waiting until both children are old enough to fully comprehend their situation and the complexities what their parents do, but with their hand forced, they might have to trust that Paige and Henry are intelligent and mature enough to handle knowing that their parents aren’t who they say they are. But what would happen if Paige or Henry let the secret slip?

The second season of The Americans is set to premiere Wednesday, February 26th at 10:00 on FX. You can check out spoilers for the first four episodes of the season here.

Will you be watching The Americans this season? Which teaser is your favorite of the bunch? Do you think that Philip and Elizabeth will still be together at the end of the season or are we headed for an emotional separation that will make their jobs all the more difficult?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gk4qcBUwgGc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUxHediO9KQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye0ReBmLA-4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUFmiNYsqdQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up6N9JnM8mU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3iBNnpZqFU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSbr8shhwCk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnxQX4j4_Fs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPPdkCxsxZc

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The Americans Season 2 Spoilers: Philip Fears Elizabeth’s Readiness for Action

Shilo Adams — Sat, 22 Feb 2014 21:37:36 +0000

On their good days, Philip and Elizabeth Jennings complement each other greatly, with his pragmatic, cautious approach to their occupation balances her fire, boldness, and willingness to make a decision. However, on their bad days, the differences between the two often clash, Philip becoming annoyed at Elizabeth not always thinking things through and Elizabeth wishing that Philip was able to be the leader that she wishes he was. More importantly, though, is the issue of their safety, both in terms of their cover and their physical well-being; if Philip and Elizabeth are at odds or Elizabeth makes a move that’s too bold or too early, there’s a high possibility that everything they’ve worked for could all be for nothing, but are the two going to be able to get on the same page for the sake of their occupation, lives, and children? Or are the issues and ideologies that divide them too cavernous to be able to overcome?

Listed below are the dates, titles, and descriptions of the first four episodes of the second season of The Americans.

Wednesday, February 26th – “Comrades”
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.

Wednesday, March 5th – “Cardinal”
As Philip investigates the fallout from the last operation, Elizabeth sticks close to home, concerned for her family until she gets a mysterious distress signal. Meanwhile, a walk-in arrives at the Rezidentura – providing both Nina and Stan with unique opportunities.

Wednesday, March 12th – “The Walk In”
Philip and Elizabeth complete their next mission – but not without complications – and Philip’s fears about Elizabeth’s readiness for action deepen. Stan tracks the KGB walk-in which leads to much praise at work and a deepening of his attachment to, and dependence on, Nina. Meanwhile, Paige snoops into her mother’s family background and Oleg begins to scrutinize Nina’s secret operation.

Wednesday, March 19th – “A Little Night Music”
Just when Philip and Elizabeth think they have a quiet road ahead, an old friend returns to complicate things. Not only do they have to intercept a target who could prove valuable to the Soviet Union, but they also have to take on an important rogue mission without the support of the Centre. Divisions inside the Rezidentura deepen between Oleg and Arkady and there’s an upheaval at the FBI as the chickens come home to roost for Agent Gaad. Meanwhile, Martha’s frustrations threaten to blow Philip’s cover.

The second season of The Americans premieres Wednesday, February 26th at 10:00 on FX.

Will you be watching The Americans this season? Is Elizabeth’s marriage to Philip fundamentally broken at this point? What will Paige find when she begins snooping into her mother’s background?

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The Americans Makes Streaming Service Debut on Amazon Prime Instant Video

Shilo Adams — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 21:49:49 +0000

Amazon has announced a deal with Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution that will bring critically acclaimed FX espionage drama The Americans to Prime Instant Video, where it will make its streaming debut weeks ahead of its second season premiere.

“The Americans is simply an exceptional television drama that delivers riveting storylines and outstanding performances,” said Brad Beale, Director of Digital Video Content Acquisition for Amazon. “We are excited to bring this great series to Prime Instant Video. The Americans is a welcome addition to our growing lineup of exclusive content and we know that Prime members will love catching up on season one in advance of the new season.”

Also as a part of the deal, How I Met Your Mother, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The League, Louie, and Archer will be available for streaming on Prime Instant Video beginning next month. Prime Instant Video already holds the exclusive streaming rights to the likes of Downton Abbey, Mr. Selfridge, Under the Dome, and Extant, while the streaming service also features past seasons of Grimm, Justified, and Vikings. Yesterday, Amazon unveiled its next slate of pilots in contention for a series order, all of which can be watched and voted on here.

The second season of The Americans is set to premiere Wednesday, February 26th at 10:00 on FX. Since the series received a second season order less for its marginal live ratings and more for its buzz and mighty DVR numbers, having it available for streaming could allow it to solidify itself as a channel mainstay and something that will last as long as its creators and stars want it to, similar to the way Justified decided to conclude after its sixth season next year.

Will you be catching up on The Americans through Prime Instant Video? Should the show have been made available for streaming earlier? What do you think will happen during the second season of the show?

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The Americans Season 2 to Premiere Wednesday, February 26th on FX

Shilo Adams — Thu, 26 Dec 2013 18:57:05 +0000

FX has announced that the second season of critically acclaimed espionage drama The Americans is set to premiere Wednesday, February 26th at 10:00. The show was recently named one of AFI’s Top 10 Programs of 2013 and was honored with major nominations at the Television Critics Association Awards and the Critics’ Choice Television Awards earlier this year.

The premiere date for season two is about a month later than the show’s series premiere was and will be nearly two months removed from the early January 2014 premieres of Justified, Archer, and Chozen. While there could be production issues at play, seeing as how the show only went into production for season two in late fall and might need the extra time to bank finished episodes, another issue at play is the Winter Olympics, which begin in February. Although The Americans is FX’s series premiere was the most watched freshman debut in network history, the show wasn’t a breakout hit in terms of live ratings, its renewal heavily influenced by strong DVR numbers and said critical acclaim, and would have a hard time finding its feet against programming that demands to be watched live.

The Americans stars Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys as KGB spies Elizabeth and Philip Jennings; Noah Emmerich as FBI agent Stan Beeman; Holly Taylor and Keidrich Sellati as Philip and Elizabeth’s children Paige and Henry; Annet Mahendru as Russian double agent Nina; Alison Wright as FBI secretary Martha; and Susan Misner as Stan’s wife Sandra. Season one guest star Margo Martindale, who is currently starring on CBS comedy The Millers, will be reprising her Emmy-nominated role in at least one episode this season.

Will you be watching The Americans this season? How strong do you think Philip and Elizabeth’s marriage is going into season two? In what way will the show bring back Claudia?

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The Americans: Level Up Alum Aimee Carrero Joins Season 2

Shilo Adams — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 21:09:26 +0000

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Level Up alum Aimee Carrero has signed on for a recurring role on FX Cold War drama The Americans. She’s set to play Chena, a Sandinista fighter whose impulsiveness pushes her to do anything to support her cause. The show will thus be introducing the Nicaraguan contras into the equation of the second season, rebel groups who opposed the Sandinista Junta of National Reconstruction government in Nicaragua. In 1982, President Reagan signed the National Security Decision Directive 17, which gave the CIA the authority to support the contras. He would go on to authorize upwards of $40 million in aid to the contras, only to have all funding cut by the Boland Amendment.

It could be a fruitful creative decision to explore the contras, especially since the United States was heavily involved in the conflict through 1985. There’s a lot of material about security, nationalism, and rebellion that could be mined and anything the show can do to show how unstable the rest of the world was during the time of the Cold War is a good thing. However, there’s no indication of the level of involvement that the storyline will have during season two and whether or not Chena’s recurring role will be sizable in nature.

In addition to her role as tenacious Angie on the Cartoon Network series, Carrero has appeared on the likes of Lincoln Heights, Greek, and Men of a Certain Age. The acclaimed drama recently announced that Emmy winner Margo Martindale will return for at least one episode during the second season after her character was reassigned during the first season finale.

The second season of The Americans will premiere in February 2014 on FX.

Will you be watching The Americans next season? Are you looking forward to the series exploring the United States’ assistance of the Nicaraguan contras? What other historical events would you like to see the show cover next season?

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The Americans: Margo Martindale to Appear in Season 2

Shilo Adams — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 02:20:24 +0000

TV Line is reporting that The Americans hasn’t quite said goodbye to former handler Claudia, as Emmy winner Margo Martindale will be returning to the FX cold war drama for at least one episode in season two.

When we last saw Claudia, she had been pulled off of Phillip and Elizabeth’s assignment and reassigned, so the circumstances of her return should be fairly impactful for the couple. Granted, we don’t know the reasoning for her return (orders from a superior? discipline for the new handler?), but the conflict between Claudia and Elizabeth grew very personal by the end of her run in the city. Whatever stability that the latter has found with her husband following the events of the season finale might be shattered upon Claudia’s reappearance, as her deep-seated hatred of their previous handler could put her in a difficult enough place to where she won’t be as receptive to her husband as she could be. Is there a chance that Elizabeth doesn’t allow herself to stay under control around Claudia and the two get into a physical altercation? Or, given how much time has passed since their last meeting, could she find it in herself to remain civil around the woman she got removed from D.C.?

In addition to her role as Claudia, Martindale has appeared on the likes of The Millers, the CBS sitcom she currently stars in; Justified, where she earned her Emmy as Kentucky crime maven Mags Bennett; and Dexter. Her return comes months after Annet Mahendru (as Soviet mole Nina), Alison Wright (as FBI secretary Martha), and Susan Misner (as Stan’s put-upon wife Sandra) were named series regulars after appearing in season one.

The Americans returns for a second season on FX in February 2014.

Will you be watching The Americans this season? Under what circumstances do you think Claudia will return to D.C.? Should her return be a part of a multi-episode arc or would you rather have her for a one-off appearance?

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