The Americans sixth and final season approaches...

It'll go to Bourdain, anyway, because he copped it.

I don't see a best directed for this show, as it shouldn't get one.

 

I thought "The Great Patriotic War" deserved one - that was a terrific 60 mins of television.

 

I'm going with the "Renee Was a Spy" theory:

The Biggest Clues About Renee’s True Purpose on The Americans

I didn't love the final episode, didn't hate it, but I'll say this: it made sense, it was logical, and the more I think about it the more I think this is most likely the only way they could go.

 

mrjinks, since I now know your background in Russian history and language, a question -- on The Americans, whenever Russian characters are speaking in their native tongue, they always address each other by their first and last names. I assume this is accurate, because the research on The Americans is top-notch, but can you shed some light on why they speak that way and/or how common it is?

 

Why do you ask zees questions, Sean Murdock?

 

How many Emmy nominations did they get?

 

It’s likely the patronymic name you’re hearing second. Let’s say we have Anna and Mikhail, son and daughter of Ivan. It would be common to address them as Anna Ivanovna and Mikhail Ivanovich, even if their surname was, say, Putin (Putina for Anna). When Mikhail has children, they might be Nadia Mikhailovna and Nikolai Mikhailovich.

I know this concept really screws people up when they read War And Peace or other big Russian novels, because they get very confused with names (and first names are often “nicknamed” like the informal Pasha in place of Pavel).

The Americans sixth and final season approaches...

 

Ah, OK -- thanks! It used to confuse me when Nina and Oleg (for example) were talking and always using two names when addressing each other. Now I know! Will be helpful when my wife and I go back and re-watch the whole series now that it's done...

 

Wow, I couldn't disagree more. She might be the most tragic figure on the show. And unlike some commenters, I thought her story arc was great. The thought that she might be able to adopt the orphan girl was a rare shred of emotional mercy on this uncompromising show.

I think seeing Martha's emotional devastation is half of the reason Philip spared Kimmie (the other half being that he could see Paige in Kimmie).

 

Martha just got played and lost and got screwed and in the end adapted.

 

Great show, gonna miss those sneaky Soviets...

 

I love the show's ambiguity of Stan and Renee'. What a loaded mess Phillip left in Stan's head and hands. Stan will be great for Henry though.

 

I still miss her...

 

She was a lonely woman seeking love and affection and blinded to reality. I thought the writers did a good job of showing this. But yes her decisions were maddeningly stupid, even beyond the love-sickness explanation. And she probably deserved what she got, just because of hyper-bad decisions, in her important position. Beyond that, it became annoying how these two Russians were able to get whoever or whatever they wanted, nonstop for years. Having Martha in the palm of his hands was just another of these annoying things. I always wanted someone to outsmart or best them.

 

it's funny to read comment threads about the series, there's always several women rhapsodizing about how much they love Martha, no doubt because they identify with her like mad....

 

So, what you're really saying is that the melodramatic aspects of The Americans is more like reality than actual "reality TV" (please, keep in mind that I've had two margaritas this afternoon)?


Cat

 

Hot damn! Best writing Emmy!

 

Hot damn, part two! Best actor!

 

That was great for them to win. I think Keri was snubbed and should have won. She brought it every episode.

 

WTF, part one! The Americans gets screwed again, losing "Best Drama" to Game Of Thrones....

 

Wife and I finished season 6 last night. Man, what a ride this show has been.

First off, I wanted to say I haven't followed any of the threads for the show except this one which I read earlier today - impressed with the thoughtful insights many of you have put forth.

I LOVED this show - maybe not in my top 5 but easily top 10 - mostly, I loved the emotional push and pull and ambiguity and maddening shades of grey - well, to me anway.

Perhaps most of all, I found the show's tendency towards minimalism with maximum impact to be masterful. To the more educated film/cable folks, are there any other shows that provided that much emotional tension and impact in scenes that had, on one level, so little actually happening? I can't think of any. Ozark perhaps.

For instance, in the finale, the scene on the train - it was a, what, 5 minute scene with essentially no dialog - but it was excruciating, culminating in Paige on the platform and her parents silently and conditionally helpless to do anything about it. Brutal.

I found the last episode to pack a very welcome if not somber and humbling emotional payoff - I am glad they ended it this way - a blood and guts everyone dies bloodbath would have been wrong, imo - the show was never really about that - the explosions of violence were brutal but brief - Sons of Anarchy it was not.

To the idea, that Phillip and Elizabeth don't suffer enough... I don't know about that - I can see how some could see it that way - but the emotional devastation they went through just in their last day in America - that's a lot to take in, lose and then later unpack.

They are returning home fairly broken and disillusioned. Phillip, of course, has come farther along with seeing the bigger picture - but losing Henry I think it particularly brutal for him. And I am in agreement with everyone who posted about the devastating unspoken tension on the last phone call to Henry.

Speaking of Phillip - my god, Mr. Rhys can convey a lot of very contradictory emotions and personas in a flick of a wrist.... a sad sack bordering on pathetic with his forlorn frown, a loving and warm father, team leader pep rally travel guy and then stone cold deadly killer. Masterful acting.

I too thought the garage scene was stunning - I was a bit torn about suspending disbelief that Stan would let them walk out. I don't think he was stupid per se. To my mind, it's worth noting that he met them as a new neighbor, he was off the clock literally and figuaratively - in that sense, it seems plausible he would overlook many of the things that someone who was looking at them as a suspect would not.

To me, it's not unlike understanding how a family member can be in denial or not "see" another family member's wrongdoing - the relationship and trust are well in place long before the other person starts to distrust - I would think anyone who's ever been burned even a little bit can understand the concept to some extent.

I also LOVE that the show leaves a question mark around Renee. Nice touch.

 

Best Television Series – Drama
“The Americans” (WINNER)
“Bodyguard”
“Homecoming”
“Killing Eve”
“Pose”

 

Best Drama Series
“The Americans” (FX) — WINNER
“Better Call Saul” (AMC)
“The Good Fight” (CBS All Access)
“Homecoming” (Amazon)
“Killing Eve” (BBC America)
“My Brilliant Friend” (HBO)
“Pose” (FX)
“Succession” (HBO)

Best Actor in a Drama Series
Freddie Highmore – “The Good Doctor” (ABC)
Diego Luna – “Narcos: Mexico” (Netflix)
Richard Madden – “Bodyguard” (Netflix)
Bob Odenkirk – “Better Call Saul” (AMC)
Billy Porter – “Pose” (FX)
Matthew Rhys – “The Americans” (FX) — WINNER
Milo Ventimiglia – “This Is Us” (NBC)

 

Wow!

pretty amazing finale!