I think it's actually the opposite. It's devastating but not cold. The Elizabeth from a season or two ago would have done a much better job at keeping an emotional distance and doing what needed to be done without remorse. She would have been playing Young-Hee rather than actually befriending her. That she tried so hard to find another way, and showed such shame and actual sorrow for her actions at the end is a marked change, and that she does it while feeling and showing such emotions rather than doing so coldly is what makes it so much more affecting.
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The Americans - S4 of the KGB spy drama - Keri Russell & Matthew Rhys - Wed on FX
- Thread starter Cornballer
- Start date
I think it's actually the opposite. It's devastating but not cold. The Elizabeth from a season or two ago would have done a much better job at keeping an emotional distance and doing what needed to be done without remorse. She would have been playing Young-Hee rather than actually befriending her. That she tried so hard to find another way, and showed such shame and actual sorrow for her actions at the end is a marked change, and that she does it while feeling and showing such emotions rather than doing so coldly is what makes it so much more affecting.
Ristifer
Member
Oh, I think it's definitely similar, with some varying characteristics here and there (I think Elizabeth told Gregory pretty much everything about herself right off the bat).
I just think the companionship is similar in that Elizabeth let herself become vulnerable again. She knew full well what she was probably going to have to do at some point.
Yep, that's correct.
Right? In another show she would've sat on top of him suggestively as she lubed him up and I was still half expecting her to, but nope, just reach under there, rub a little there—almost got it and... yep, good. It almost made date rape look like doing taxes.
How the scene was offset by the upbeat music and Paige driving the Camaro was so great. It brought me back, as I'm sure it did others. It's the perfect blend of regular good memories and shocking terror. Nostalgia meets disturbia.
Innocence lost. The countdown starts indeed.
Ristifer
Member
Absolutely. Which is why it's an interesting juxtaposition to what we saw last week. The way Elizabeth dealt with Lisa as another one of her agents, instead of really feeling anything more for her is contrasted by how she feels about Young-Hee. She's not feeling any remorse for using Lisa and Maurice at all. But the fact that she feels remorse for what she's going to have to do with Young-Hee represents a much different Elizabeth than what we're used to seeing.
Black Sails is great. Still haven't been able to watch the newest season.
I watched the first few episodes of Deutschland 83 and enjoyed them, but fell off that for some reason.
I'm really interested to see how the show plays out. The ending could have any number of variables and I'm not at all worried about the show pulling a fast one. They will take their time and earn whatever happens. Elizabeth defecting or staying true and killing Philip are both perfectly plausible to me.
I watched the first few episodes of Deutschland 83 and enjoyed them, but fell off that for some reason.
Really need to watch that show. Everyone I trust tells me it's great.
I really enjoyed the internal contrast the show set up. The surprise doggy is what most shows do with sex and nudity. The Americans will use that nudity in a way where it's a backdrop to something much more captivating.
That was my belief since the thread first started. They hinted at it again this episode in one of the conversations about the lab. Plenty of posters are saying the same I see.
I'm really interested to see how the show plays out. The ending could have any number of variables and I'm not at all worried about the show pulling a fast one. They will take their time and earn whatever happens. Elizabeth defecting or staying true and killing Philip are both perfectly plausible to me.
Fenderputty
Banned
That's what I'm saying though. Her lack of emotional distance made her actions so much more cold blooded.
She herself was much more open and showed a side not seen, this I agree with. I guess it depends on the perspective of how you viewed it.
Audioboxer
Member
Was last nights episode good? Won't be able to see it till tomorrow *excite*
I don't know if it's as good as the last episode, but it was pretty damn good. Be excited.
Same, I'm also feeling the next should be the last, as others have said before. Any more and it could get too loose.
For fuck's sake why did this show have to be so great? I don't want to keep inflicting this on myself but I can't help it.
People today don't really get what it was like growing up with nuclear war being literally minutes away. I simply cannot fathom that we're supposed to be afraid of a bunch of bearded weirdos now.
People today don't really get what it was like growing up with nuclear war being literally minutes away. I simply cannot fathom that we're supposed to be afraid of a bunch of bearded weirdos now.
Dominican Power
Member
What surprise doggy?
Cornballer
Member
Funky Papa
FUNK-Y-PPA-4
The old school VHS smut that Elizabeth finds when snooping around at Young-Hee's house.
I was half-expecting it, yet it took me by surprise, BTW. It looked like footage from an actual porn film.
Dominican Power
Member
What's the name of the song at the end?
Cornballer
Member
I was surprised that they showed it. Pretty graphic, thoughI suppose it was old, grainy footage off a tv.
Major Tom by Peter Schilling
I hope it was a real retro porn. I'd love to be there to go through a bunch of old porn to find the one with suitable angles for TV.
Dominican Power
Member
What was the picture of the movie gave you nightmares
Dominican Power
Member
Elizabeth is so deluded by the cause. William and Philip can see a little bit more clearly.
Funky Papa
FUNK-Y-PPA-4
The Day After. Shown at the beginning of the episode and linked by Cornballer in this very thread.
spindoctor
Member
So when she said "I'm going to miss her", it was because she's destroying her friendship right? And not because they're planning to kill her off?
metsallica
Member
Remains to be seen (I suppose) but yes, that was how I took it.
Yes and no. Because everyone in this episode was definitely coloured by the movie The Day After that it really informed a lot of what they did in this episode.
Nah.
I think you're confused, that's the protagonist
The Korean guy works at the facility that creates all those deadly viruses.
This is something I realized only just this episode.
This Korean stuff is the worst plotline this show has ever had.
metsallica
Member
Wow, you really think so? I thought it did a wonderful job humanizing Elizabeth... until she lotioned up Don's hrum. Ruthless.
Grizzlyjin
Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
From now on, I am calling him "Oh-face-leg" instead of Oleg.
Dominican Power
Member
Dude was moaning more than a woman.
I just never understood what was the point there. Until now. I feel like I missed a scene.
They deliberately didn't reveal what the specific plan was with them until this most recent episode, so you could see Elizabeth's relationship build with Young-Hee without the additional baggage.
Ristifer
Member
I feel like it was implied by something. I've known for a few episodes what the angle with them was.
Grizzlyjin
Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
Elizabeth and Philip don't have real friends. Every aspect of their lives is related to their cover. They do things to appear normal, but it's out of necessity. I'm sure both of them would like more, but it's the game they're in. I assumed that Elizabeth was working Young Hee from the start. She wouldn't get so close to someone otherwise.
I thought they handled it marvelously. We got to see their friendship build over the course of the season, but we knew that eventually it would be time for Elizabeth to get to work.
And wow, Elizabeth did Don so dirty. As soon as she made the call, I knew she was setting a honeytrap. And she knew he liked blondes because of the tapes. My mouth was wide open during those scenes. This fucking show.
I thought they handled it marvelously. We got to see their friendship build over the course of the season, but we knew that eventually it would be time for Elizabeth to get to work.
And wow, Elizabeth did Don so dirty. As soon as she made the call, I knew she was setting a honeytrap. And she knew he liked blondes because of the tapes. My mouth was wide open during those scenes. This fucking show.
Grizzlyjin
Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
The series finale will end with The Mail Robot rolling into Stan's house saying "It's complicated... but it was me, Stan. It was me all along."
I don't want to jinx it, but I feel like this is one of those shows that will never jump the shark. They're so deliberate and careful about every reveal. Nothing plays to expectations or is done purely for shock value.
I don't want to jinx it, but I feel like this is one of those shows that will never jump the shark. They're so deliberate and careful about every reveal. Nothing plays to expectations or is done purely for shock value.
dead souls
Member
It's hard to jump the shark when your show is moving at a snail's pace.
Cornballer
Member
I honestly thought about making a "Koreans react to being roofied" thread on yesterday.
Lol
They did have their other spy friends, but we only got to see them for a few minutes before their son, Jared, murdered them.
Cornballer
Member
I wonder if they'll ever get back into Hans having a crush on Elizabeth, or if she successfully suppressed that.
Cornballer
Member
Good stuff on the podcast this week with Landgraf on along with the showrunners. They discuss the process of making the show from a network / showrunners collaboration standpoint (how do notes work in this particular case, what's FX's influence on The Americans, what were Landgraf's initial notes), using The Day After this week, Landgraf's favorite scene, and some general talk about why FX has kept the show on the air.
Regarding the show's future, Landgraf says it'll be at least 5 seasons and they're discussing right now whether it'll be more than that. That decision will be made before the showrunners take a brief break and then start production on S5 in earnest, but they need to know if it'll be 5 or 6 seasons soon so they can lay out the rough narrative framework for the end of the show before their break.
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