The Americans

#54
#54
RDU VOL#14 said:
What does “Start” mean? It’s going to be a 2 parter?
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"START" Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty was a bilateral treaty between the United States of America and the USSR on the reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms. The treaty was signed on July 31, 1991 and entered into force on December 5, 1994. The treaty barred it's two signatories (U.S. President George H.W. Bush and Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev) from deploying more than 6,000 nuclear warheads atop a total of 1,600 intercontinental ballistic missiles and bombers. START negotiated the largest and most complex arms control treaty in history, and it's final implementation in late 2001 resulted in the removal of about 80% of all strategic nuclear weapons then in existence. This treaty was proposed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan.

"The Americans" has always used clever double meanings in the titles of their episodes. I'm sure their producers liked the irony of this being the name of their final episode. Should be a good one. No more teases and near misses... some serious stuff should hit the fan tonight.
 
#55
#55
BowlBrother85 said:
"START" Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty was a bilateral treaty between the United States of America and the USSR on the reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms. The treaty was signed on July 31, 1991 and entered into force on December 5, 1994. The treaty barred it's two signatories (U.S. President George H.W. Bush and Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev) from deploying more than 6,000 nuclear warheads atop a total of 1,600 intercontinental ballistic missiles and bombers. START negotiated the largest and most complex arms control treaty in history, and it's final implementation in late 2001 resulted in the removal of about 80% of all strategic nuclear weapons then in existence. This treaty was proposed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan.

"The Americans" has always used clever double meanings in the titles of their episodes. I'm sure their producers liked the irony of this being the name of their final episode. Should be a good one. No more teases and near misses... some serious stuff should hit the fan tonight.
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Sorry, I misunderstood what you were saying. I actually do know what START is, I just wasn’t using my brain.
 
#56
#56
Stan has the Jennings clan in his sights!

... no wonder this is an hour and a half episode. They are going with the commercial break every 8 minutes route. Kind of aggravating.
 
#57
#57
I don't believe for a minute that Stan would have let them go in the garage. Not after reflecting on all that has happened. As a series finale, it feels like a cop-out. The moment where they pass Paige on the train had some power... but overall, this wasn't a very satisfying conclusion, in my opinion. I guess the subtle message is that Stan betrayed the FBI for friendship while the Russian priest betrayed his country for the church? I don't know... but I didn't buy it.

*Kudos for using "With or Without You" by U2. Definitely one of the better pop songs of the decade and very appropriate here.
 
#58
#58
Didn’t go the way I thought, not really sure how to feel about it. There was a lot of emotional moments in it though.
 
#60
#60
Rockytoptalker said:
Either way it was beautifully crafted.
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As always, it was a well produced episode. It looks like the writers took an artistic approach and used the break up of the Jennings family to symbolically represent the dissolution of the Soviet Union (the preservation of which had been the life's work of Phillip and Elizabeth). So, in the end, we see that this couple failed both as Soviets and as Americans (in leaving behind both kids). They are left to do nothing but rationalize that they did the right thing - even though, we all can see the truth.

That is beautiful in the artistic sense of producing entertainment but I still can't get over the very unrealistic aspect of Stan letting them get away in the garage. In light of everything that has happened, which he even took time to reflect on... that decision made no sense.
 
#61
#61
You knew the crux of the story would come down to Stan making a choice.

Personally I didn't have an issue with it, and I loved that scene in the garage. Wished it could have gone on some more.

I think Stan probably reflected on his own choices with both the FBI and his own family and knew what they were giving up with Henry was going to be punishment enough. After all he lost his family too because of his job. So he probably saw a little piece of himself there while having that conversation.

I really liked the finale. The only thing that bugged me was not knowing how they'd be received back in the ussr knowing what Elizabeth did to derail the KGB's plans and Philip quitting.... and leaving their kids.

Can't believe the powers that be would be good with how all that went down. And not sure how Paige staying plays out, both with Henry and the US government.
Great show. Hate that it's over but I did like how it ended, generally speaking.
 
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#62
#62
BowlBrother85 said:
As always, it was a well produced episode. It looks like the writers took an artistic approach and used the break up of the Jennings family to symbolically represent the dissolution of the Soviet Union (the preservation of which had been the life's work of Phillip and Elizabeth). So, in the end, we see that this couple failed both as Soviets and as Americans (in leaving behind both kids). They are left to do nothing but rationalize that they did the right thing - even though, we all can see the truth.

That is beautiful in the artistic sense of producing entertainment but I still can't get over the very unrealistic aspect of Stan letting them get away in the garage. In light of everything that has happened, which he even took time to reflect on... that decision made no sense.
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hm. i think the more overriding thing was where the 'family' fit in to all of it, and you could argue, given how the kids turned out, that the only 'success' they had was raising their kids.
of course there's a lot of unknowns about how Henry will turn out. but up to the point the show ended, he was doing well. and Paige, well, we saw where her priority was, and rightfully so.

philip and elizabeth lost. their future back home is definitely uncertain given their actions of the last year, and they can never go back to the US. i think they were having that realization standing there on the side of the road. neither really knowing what to say, or how to say it, except "we'll get used to it". nice parting gift, right?
 
#63
#63
I have to be honest, there was part of me that was hoping

it was going to show Phillip and Elizabeth being driven out to a remote spot and shot.

I didn't have a problem with the ending, but I'm bummed they left it open on
whether Renee was a spy or not
 
#64
#64
VolsSportsFan said:
I have to be honest, there was part of me that was hoping

it was going to show Phillip and Elizabeth being driven out to a remote spot and shot.

I didn't have a problem with the ending, but I'm bummed they left it open on
whether Renee was a spy or not
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I actually thought that was going to happen as well. It’s one of my favorite shows ever and I hate to see it go, but I thought it could’ve been a little more dramatic going out. The garage scene was outstanding, what we all had been waiting for for so long.
 
#65
#65
RDU VOL#14 said:
I actually thought that was going to happen as well. It’s one of my favorite shows ever and I hate to see it go, but I thought it could’ve been a little more dramatic going out. The garage scene was outstanding, what we all had been waiting for for so long.
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yeah, agree about the garage scene. Stan had such a singular focus when entered the garage, it was interesting to see his demeanor change as it went on.

i think if you were to ask Stan later on if he had any regrets, i think it might only be that he didn't ask more questions. he probably had a 'life flashes before his eyes' moment, where he figured 2 things....1. there was a bigger issue needing resolved (with Oleg and getting the message to his superiors in Russia) and 2. with all that he'd been thru personally, and professionally (partner and boss getting killed, the whole deal with Nina, and his relationship with Oleg), at some point, you wonder if he just had a "what's the point of carrying this out in the end?" moment. i mean, really, what, other than ruining paiges and henry's life, would be the outcome? so what they catch these two, they still have the same problem between the two countries. everyone in that garage was a pawn. and all of them made choices, either then or in the past, for the greater good. better to let it go, philip's and elizabeth's lives were forever changed, for the worse regardless. and i think he cares a lot about henry, and knew that the only way that kid would have a chance is if he could direct the traffic on how henry would get handled going forward.
 
#66
#66
VolsSportsFan said:
I have to be honest, there was part of me that was hoping

it was going to show Phillip and Elizabeth being driven out to a remote spot and shot.

I didn't have a problem with the ending, but I'm bummed they left it open on
whether Renee was a spy or not
Click to expand...

I think it would have been dramatic to have had their driver take them to a meeting to 'discuss their future' and have them open a door to find Gabriel (Frank Langella) and Claudia sitting behind a table... and then Phillip and Elizabeth are immediately shot from behind without a word spoken. I suspect that the writers wanted to leave the door open for the possibility of another season down the road. How else to explain why none of the major characters ended up either dead or in jail? .... or why Renee's identity was left a mystery?

I still think it was a cop-out ending.
 
#67
#67
BowlBrother85 said:
I think it would have been dramatic to have had their driver take them to a meeting to 'discuss their future' and have them open a door to find Gabriel (Frank Langella) and Claudia sitting behind a table... and then Phillip and Elizabeth are immediately shot from behind without a word spoken. I suspect that the writers wanted to leave the door open for the possibility of another season down the road. How else to explain why none of the major characters ended up either dead or in jail? .... or why Renee's identity was left a mystery?

I still think it was a cop-out ending.
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Without giving too much away, I wanted Stan to face a tougher dilemma, or a more dramatic dilemma. I still think it was very good, but can see different directions that could be possibly even better.
 
#68
#68
BowlBrother85 said:
I think it would have been dramatic to have had their driver take them to a meeting to 'discuss their future' and have them open a door to find Gabriel (Frank Langella) and Claudia sitting behind a table... and then Phillip and Elizabeth are immediately shot from behind without a word spoken. I suspect that the writers wanted to leave the door open for the possibility of another season down the road. How else to explain why none of the major characters ended up either dead or in jail? .... or why Renee's identity was left a mystery?

I still think it was a cop-out ending.
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Didn’t Gabriel die? Cancer?
 
#70
#70
I liked the scene with Stan for the most part.

You knew Phillip was going to appeal to their friendship and tell Stan that part was real, but he actually meant it. Also the appeal to look after Henry was the part that was definitely going to get him. That part, even though there was no dialogue, was great even though it was short. Imagine Henry hearing all that out of the blue, and Stan having to tell him all that.

And even though I'm bummed we didn't find out for sure if Renee is a spy, I do like that it's clear that is Stan's next project.
 
#71
#71
Sucked for a series finale. With so many unanswered questions and storylines left open does anyone think we’ll see a spinoff?
 
#74
#74
hog88 said:
Sucked for a series finale. With so many unanswered questions and storylines left open does anyone think we’ll see a spinoff?
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eh, i get that, but you got the big questions answered. it didn't leave you totally hanging, and there was enough inferred, that you have an idea of how things would wind up.

if i was going to to nitpick, i think they did spend an awful lot of time on 'the getaway', time that could have been used expounding on Henry and Stan, or what Paige's next move might be....and how phillip and eilzabeth would really be received. it was noteworthy that it was ivan that picked them up. that was at least a good sign for their short term future.
 
#75
#75
jakez4ut said:
eh, i get that, but you got the big questions answered. it didn't leave you totally hanging, and there was enough inferred, that you have an idea of how things would wind up.

if i was going to to nitpick, i think they did spend an awful lot of time on 'the getaway', time that could have been used expounding on Henry and Stan, or what Paige's next move might be....and how phillip and eilzabeth would really be received. it was noteworthy that it was ivan that picked them up. that was at least a good sign for their short term future.
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I agree, way too much time wasted for a series finale. To many storylines left open.

The more I think about it the worse it was, it's like FX decided to just end it as cheaply as they could.
 
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