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I haven’t watched this final, sixth season of The Americans yet. I watched half of the first episode and left the rest sitting on my DVR. (There are ten episodes instead of a typical 13.) I love this show, but I also understand why it’s a critical and cult favorite instead of a hit. It takes some time to adjust to the pacing and it can be slow. Plus there are entire scenes in Russian, which I enjoy for their authenticity but not everyone likes to read captions. Unlike other cult favorites like Breaking Bad, The Americans hasn’t won multiple Golden Globes or Emmys yet (other than for guest actor and actress Margot Martindale) and has only been nominated once for an Emmy for Outstanding Drama. It’s not on enough people’s radars. Anyway the show’s finale aired last night. (While I don’t personally mind spoilers please try to label spoilers in the comments as there are still a lot of people who haven’t seen it yet.) ET talked to the stars and real-life couple, Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys. Rhys said that they both cried at the finale and that they’re looking forward to spending more time with their son, Sam, who turned two this month. Please note that while I’m removing spoilers from the excerpt below that there are some in the source interview.
“I hate to say it, but we both cried. We did, it’s the truth,” Rhys recalled. “Separately, as we were in different places, but we both cried.”
Rhys explained that they both teared up “for various reasons. Both for what was on the last page and for what the last page meant, on and off the screen.”
On the show, Russel and Rhys play two Soviet KGB agents who go undercover posing as Philip and Elizabeth Jennings, a married American couple in Washington, D.C. during the height of the Cold War in the 1980s.
“I didn’t know what was gonna happen actually, I had no idea what was gonna happen,” Russell admitted.
“I kinda said to myself, just before reading it, ‘If one of us dies, understandable. If we both make it? It’s a bonus,'” Rhys added.
However, now that they don’t have a high-pressure TV show to shoot, the proud parents have some big plans on what they plan to do with their young son: “Remind him who we are,” Rhys quipped, adding that they are both excited to “spend some time with him.”
Well now I have another show to marathon this summer. I’ve been following some series on Netflix (I’m currently watching Colony and Between, but they’re the kind of shows you can exercise and do other things while watching) and I forgot that The Americans was waiting for me on my DVR. Reading entertainment news is my job and I forgot about The Americans! I’ll probably be back here raving about it in a couple of weeks. I also hope that, at long last, this show gets more awards and recognition. Don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone.
Variety has a review of the finale! Obviously this has spoilers.
#TheAmericans finale review: For seasons, the show’s spies existed in the understanding that tough conversations would happen someday, and pushed them off. They finally arrived. https://t.co/H9M5PYPXoS pic.twitter.com/sEOG81AcOt
— Variety (@Variety) May 31, 2018
the last table read for tonight's episode. i definitely didn't cry at all idk what ur talking about. #TheAmericans pic.twitter.com/Pg7fesUPbt
— holly taylor (@HollyTaylor97) May 31, 2018
Bonus Costa Ronin (Oleg)! He is so hot.
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photos credit: FX/The Americans, Getty and via Twitter
I haven’t watched yet, I’m just hoping Oleg survives.
He was my favorite Russian 🙂
I Looove Oleg!!
It was worst, I’m sad!
No spoilers in my comment but I wanna talk about it so bad! It was a beautiful episode and not at all what I expected, my heart was pounding the whole time with anticipation. I cried too, and I can’t believe this show hasn’t won major awards, it deserves them all. The writing, the wardrobe, the actors…all on a smaller budget which makes it even more impressive. I can’t believe it’s over, but I hope Keri and Matthew are able to get some downtime with their family, and they better stay together forever, lol.
Side note-I had no idea Matthew was Welsh until recently when I saw his “Watch what happens live” interview. I died laughing when I heard him speak, it was just so unexpected😂
I love his Philip voice. I’m so used to it that his natural accent doesn’t seem to fit.
Love love love this show. I’m not caught up with this season so I’m not going to read anymore about it lol. I normally don’t like watching film showcasing decades that address history within my lifetime (don’t ask, I probably can’t explain), but this surpassed expectations. As did Mindhunter. I’m sad it’s ending.
I stopped watching the third season a few years ago because it got really slow and convoluted.
Should I restart watching or am I a lost cause…
I’ve watched all of it. I think you could watch the last two episodes and it’ll be good to see how things ended. You might have some confusion about Paige but you can then watch other seasons if you feel like it.
It’s a great show. I’m so sad it’s over.
You’ve been missing out. Start watching again. You won’t regret it.
I cried multiple times during the finale. Can’t stop thinking about it!!
Not a SPOILER but maybe Spoiler adjacent so don’t read if you’ve yet to see…
I nearly lost it in the garage with Stan.
Stan… I sooooo would love a spin-off around Stan.
It’s always hard watching a series finale, you don’t know what’s going to happen (obviously) and I’m often not sure what I want to happen. A satisfactory ending is so subjective. But they did alright. A tear here, a lump in the throat there, and like most episodes an occasional holding of breath and enjoying the 80s background music. I guess this season was a little more tense knowing it was the last. I going to miss The Americans.
No spoilers.
I watched it this morning and some of it was so satisfying. Overall I loved it.
Oh my God. I love this show and miss it already. The series finale was not what I expected, either—no spoilers—but I think I prefer it to whatever I thought might happen.
I also saw Rhys interviewed, and when he speaks with his own accent, it SO seems like he’s putting on a fake voice! His Philip won my heart.
This was one of my absolute favorite shows. Everything about it was so good, acting, writing, 80s backdrop. No spoilers, but I felt the ending was just right for the show if you think about some of themes. I did end up crying a little at moments, it was so moving. I hope Keri, Matthew, and Noah Emmerich get some awards.
I loved this show, and loved the finale. The producers (and writers) have said all along that this is ultimately a show about a marriage and a family, and that really was showed in the episode.
SEMI SPOILER:
That scene in the garage was fantastic!
In my opinion this was the best show ever. Granted I don’t watch all that is on television. I can’t believe I was rooting for the Russians. LOL. Well only Elizabeth, Phillip, Oleg and Nina.
I feel so bad for Oleg it’s just heartbreaking to me.
*Spoilers* In case you have not watched by Monday June 4,
I think it would have made more sense for Elizabeth to die. It was much too tidy the way it ended although for a few minutes there I thought they would all be caught.
I feel most horrible for Oleg and Henry.
I wanted to see what has happened to Martha in all those years of living in Russia. How is her daughter? Is Martha happy? That was the biggest disappointment for me. Or was she shown in the background like they did with Oleg in the previous season? And I just did not see her? The season was so intense at times my heart was racing for them. Will definitely miss this show.