The Americans S01E01 "The Pilot" OAD 1/30/13 SPOILERS

[Steveknj]

I liked it a lot, but I knew I would as this show was right in my wheelhouse. I love spy things. I loved the use of Tusk to build up the tension at the beginning. I never really thought of the song in that way, and it worked beautifully. Also has "In the Air Tonight" become the official "make love in a moving vehicle" song? First Risky Business and now this. Not my favorite song, but it worked well too.

I'm ok with the FBI agent moving in next door (although I guess I'm a bit surprised he'd reveal his job to a neighbor he doesn't know). From relatives and friends who live in the area, government workers are a dime a dozen. Obviously, it was written that way for the story, but I don't think it's so uncommon. That said, it's obvious that it's going to lead to more suspicion.

I had a hard time thinking of Keri Russell and (and the hubby) being in their 40s. Based on them being trained in 1960, I'd say they were around 40 or so.

I liked that the hubby had grown to like America and wanted to do the capitalist thing and take the money, with Keri as he die hard Communist. Should lead to some interesting interplay.

[Bob Coxner]

Originally Posted by Bierboy

John-Boy!

The Waltons say goodnight

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[Bierboy]

"In The Air Tonight" always reminds me of one of my all-time favorite teevee series Miami Vice....

[DreadPirateRob]

Originally Posted by Steveknj

I had a hard time thinking of Keri Russell and (and the hubby) being in their 40s. Based on them being trained in 1960, I'd say they were around 40 or so.

Russell is 36, Rhy is 38. So if they were playing characters their actual ages, Russell would have been raped at 15. Conceivable, I guess, but it's a bit of stretch. She certainly was dressed like a fresh-faced teen in that training sequence, but 15 seems young to be training a spy.

[netringer]

Originally Posted by Bierboy

John-Boy!

Is it my imagination or a maladjusted HDTV, or did John-Boy lose his beauty mark?

[Steveknj]

Originally Posted by DreadPirateRob

Russell is 36, Rhy is 38. So if they were playing characters their actual ages, Russell would have been raped at 15. Conceivable, I guess, but it's a bit of stretch. She certainly was dressed like a fresh-faced teen in that training sequence, but 15 seems young to be training a spy.

I "think" it was actually Keri in the training sequence and the early scene where she meets her "hubby". And she looked exactly the same, so that's why I have a hard time with the age thing.

[Rob Helmerichs]

Originally Posted by Bierboy

"In The Air Tonight" always reminds me of one of my all-time favorite teevee series Miami Vice....

That was one of the first times (the first time?) a network show used a genuine hit song in that way. It was a big deal at the time.

It's really weird how forward-looking Miami Vice was in its day, and how dated and quaint it looks today...I rewatched much of the first season a couple of years ago, and it felt a lot more like a 70s cop show than the edgy cinematic it seemed at the time. I guess that often happens with revolutionary art. It's only later that you can see how much it really owes to the esthetic of its own time.

[Steveknj]

Originally Posted by Rob Helmerichs

That was one of the first times (the first time?) a network show used a genuine hit song in that way. It was a big deal at the time.

It's really weird how forward-looking Miami Vice was in its day, and how dated and quaint it looks today...I rewatched much of the first season a couple of years ago, and it felt a lot more like a 70s cop show than the edgy cinematic it seemed at the time. I guess that often happens with revolutionary art. It's only later that you can see how much it really owes to the esthetic of its own time.

I wonder if this show is filmed the way it is because they want to give it that 80s feel.

[bobino]

Originally Posted by DreadPirateRob

Russell is 36, Rhy is 38. So if they were playing characters their actual ages, Russell would have been raped at 15. Conceivable, I guess, but it's a bit of stretch. She certainly was dressed like a fresh-faced teen in that training sequence, but 15 seems young to be training a spy.

She's actually playing someone older than her age. The character says her grandfather fought in the Battle of Stalingrad when she was two. That battle was over the winter 1942-43, so she was born ~1940. She's twenty in 1960, the year of the training and the rape. She 41 in 1981, the time period of the show.

I think she looks too young to play a 41 year old. But more importantly, does this qualify her for the Hawtest 40+ thread?

-Bob

[cherry ghost]

Originally Posted by Bierboy

"In The Air Tonight" always reminds me of one of my all-time favorite teevee series Miami Vice....

They almost didn't use it because of Miami Vice




"Oh, good! They wanted it out. But it’s exactly what the moment calls for. I heard the network was thinking it would remind people too much of Miami Vice, but I don’t think so. And, I mean, who cares? It’s our turn."

Keri Russell interview

[markp99]

Excellent interview. Thanks

[Steveknj]

Originally Posted by bobino

She's actually playing someone older than her age. The character says her grandfather fought in the Battle of Stalingrad when she was two. That battle was over the winter 1942-43, so she was born ~1940. She's twenty in 1960, the year of the training and the rape. She 41 in 1981, the time period of the show.

I think she looks too young to play a 41 year old. But more importantly, does this qualify her for the Hawtest 40+ thread?

-Bob

I think they BOTH look too young. If they didn't set up their age, I'd say they were early 30s.

[DreadPirateRob]

Originally Posted by Steveknj

I "think" it was actually Keri in the training sequence and the early scene where she meets her "hubby". And she looked exactly the same, so that's why I have a hard time with the age thing.

It definitely was her. I just thought that they had outfitted like a mid-teen (sweats, ponytail, etc.) to make her look younger.

Originally Posted by bobino

She's actually playing someone older than her age. The character says her grandfather fought in the Battle of Stalingrad when she was two. That battle was over the winter 1942-43, so she was born ~1940. She's twenty in 1960, the year of the training and the rape. She 41 in 1981, the time period of the show.

You're right, that cinches it. Thanks.

Originally Posted by bobino

I think she looks too young to play a 41 year old. But more importantly, does this qualify her for the Hawtest 40+ thread?

Now you're thinking!

And no, you have to be 40. So we'll mark her for admittance in 2016.

[DreadPirateRob]

Originally Posted by Steveknj

I think they BOTH look too young. If they didn't set up their age, I'd say they were early 30s.

I'm okay with them looking too young. Most of my friends are around 40, but several of them (especially the women) could pass for early 30s pretty easily.

[hummingbird_206]

Was able to record the first ep again and see the parts that were pixelated. Wow, nice fight in the back yard. That BBQ fork, yikes!

And I had missed the scene with the KGB boss and the previous life reveal. Those were good scenes so I'm glad I finally got to see them.

Off to view ep 2 now!

[tigercat74]

Originally Posted by Bierboy

"In The Air Tonight" always reminds me of one of my all-time favorite teevee series Miami Vice....

As a Miami Hurricane fan, they play this song a few minutes before they run onto the field. Whenever I hear it, I get goosebumps.


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[Bob_Newhart]

Originally Posted by netringer

Is it my imagination or a maladjusted HDTV, or did John-Boy lose his beauty mark?

I think he had that wart removed.

[scooterboy]

Originally Posted by tigercat74

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

We don't care.

[Bierboy]

Originally Posted by netringer

Is it my imagination or a maladjusted HDTV, or did John-Boy lose his beauty mark?

Nah...my wife noticed it right away, but I had to replay it to see it. Sure enough, it's still there.

[Bierboy]

Originally Posted by scooterboy

We don't care.

Really...I get sick of seeing that, too....

[Bierboy]

They've only been sleeper agents in the US for 15 years, so they could be "younger"...plus Russell says in the linked interview she's only known her husband for 15 years.

[murrays]

Originally Posted by Bierboy

John-Boy!

Exactly what my wife said!

[murrays]

Originally Posted by Bierboy

"In The Air Tonight" always reminds me of one of my all-time favorite teevee series Miami Vice....

I'll say it again, I really appreciated that they played near full versions of the songs vs. shortened versions that we typically hear.

-murray

[DLiquid]

Originally Posted by Bob_Newhart

It was kind of jarring though when they went back in time to 1960 Russia and then back to 1981 America and it looked like the characters hadn't aged a day.

I know. That was the best they could do to make Keri Russell look younger? She looked exactly the same as the supposedly 41-year-old version. It reminds me of when Howard Stern jokingly played his high school self in Private Parts.

As for the show, it was okay. I thought it was kind of dull. As a big fan of Homeland, I think this is really nothing like it. Sure, there are some conceptual similarities, but Homeland is one of my favorite shows, and The Americans didn't do much for me at all. The previews looked better than the pilot though, so maybe I'll give it some episodes to grow on me.

[Sadara]

While watching this episode, which I just watched last night. I could see all the parts that folks here would nitpick on!

I liked it. I also did not think it was dark. Maybe I have an awesome TV.

I did keep looking for things that weren't going to realistic for the time! This is something I do with Vegas as well. I can't help myself. But, I think they did a decent job. Even if the mall scene looked like it was from today, not 1981. Because that mall scene totally did NOT look like 1981. I was a teen mall rat in 81 and I never saw a mall that looked like that! I can look beyond it though.

Good show, we'll keep watching.

[Lee 2.0]

Originally Posted by Rob Helmerichs

That was one of the first times (the first time?) a network show used a genuine hit song in that way. It was a big deal at the time.

It's really weird how forward-looking Miami Vice was in its day, and how dated and quaint it looks today...I rewatched much of the first season a couple of years ago, and it felt a lot more like a 70s cop show than the edgy cinematic it seemed at the time. I guess that often happens with revolutionary art. It's only later that you can see how much it really owes to the esthetic of its own time.

Michael Mann is a visionary.

[Rob Helmerichs]

Originally Posted by Lee 2.0

Michael Mann is a visionary.

But it's strange how little of a visionary he turned out to be...i.e., he did Miami Vice and Ridley Scott did Blade Runner at pretty much the same time, and they both seemed very forward-looking. But Miami Vice today looks quaint and old-fashioned, whereas people are still imitating the look of Blade Runner.

Which to me makes Michael Mann somebody who had a vague notion of where the culture was going and did a brilliant job of shaking off some (but not all) of the deeply-embedded tropes of the day, and Ridley Scott a visionary who not only saw very clearly where the culture was going, but helped shape it.

Which isn't to say Michael Mann wasn't important in 1984. It just wasn't a lasting kind of importance. He rode the wave, which is more than most people ever accomplish. Ridley Scott WAS the wave.

If any of that makes sense...

[Bierboy]

I say gauth...

[Rob Helmerichs]

Gont!

[Craigbob]

I liked this. SP set. It does not hurt that this seems based on a true story. http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-202_162-6627393.html

Ought to be interesting to see where this goes.