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The Americans on FX

12K views 141 replies 46 participants last post by  phrelin 
#1 ·
#27 ·
elinsner said:
I'm waiting to see if it's cancelled before I start watching it. I hate falling in love with shows only to see them cancelled after 1 season (or less!).
FX doesn't cancel shows mid-season so we'll at least get 1 season out of it. Based on critics and viewer reaction I'd say it will be around a while. I haven't seen actual numbers though. Based on buzz I bet next week's episode has higher numbers even.
 
#29 ·
RunnerFL said:
FX doesn't cancel shows mid-season so we'll at least get 1 season out of it. Based on critics and viewer reaction I'd say it will be around a while. I haven't seen actual numbers though. Based on buzz I bet next week's episode has higher numbers even.
'The Americans' Premiere Draws 4.7 Million Total Viewers Wednesday Night

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/20...million-total-viewers-wednesday-night/167495/

"We're very happy with premiere ratings for The Americans and, just as importantly, we're proud of the widespread critical acclaim the show has received," said John Landgraf, President and General Manager, FX. "We have no doubt that when we get the Live+7 time-shifted ratings from last night, The Americans will rank among the best series debuts ever on FX. We're grateful to Executive Producers Joe Weisberg, Joel Fields, Graham Yost, and to our outstanding cast led by Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys and Noah Emmerich, as well as the entire team behind this great show."
 
#32 ·
Starchild said:
Both the wife and I loved the show. I was pumped to hear the booming version of Fleetwood Macs "Tusk". Added to the heart pounding scenes immensely.
Oh, is that what that was? I guess that did sound a little "fleetwoody" (I was a big fan in the Bob Welch era, but not really in the Lyndsey Buckingham era). At the time I just thought it was a real interesting choice for background music to such a dramatic scene, and hey, that first 12 minutes was pretty compelling anyway. It seemed like the production values and the music choices were outstanding for this show, and complemented the 1981 milieu without hitting us over the head with hair band music and obvious choices.

I really liked this, and I think we have a real winner here. I think FX will have another large jewel to place in the crown right next to Justified.

Matthew Rhys was so good on Brothers and Sisters (which collapsed under its own weight after 2 or 3 good seasons and became unwatchable) that I guess it is no surprise how good he is here. Very charismatic, very compelling. The producers should be ecstatic that they got someone of his quality. Keri Russell is good too, maybe not wonderful, but even if the plot bogs down she can still hold 90% of the male audience from changing the channel. Just arch your back a little or play with your hair, Keri; we're not going anywhere.

We'll have to see how this develops, but this might be in Homeland territory; it even has that kind of feel to it. < spoiler alert this paragraph only > I thought they handled the rape scene very well, and showed just enough to establish Elizabeth's motivation without being gratuitous. I also liked her change of heart when she realized that her fake husband would go the extra mile for her. Very believable for such a fantastically out-there story environment.

I think this might be the best new show since this fall. Elementary and Vegas are really the only two that stand out for me from that crop, but I think this might even be better, maybe a lot better. Here's hopin'.
 
#34 ·
Maruuk said:
Wanted to like it. Trashed it after the first segment up to the first commercial. Crushingly trite and dated action spy melodramatic nonsense, unattractive female lead, same old predictable kidnapping formula. Contentless garbage.
Yeah, but that is what TV is now. Like it or watch one of three "Walking Dead" versions. "Walking Dead" "Revolution" and "Falling Skies" all the same show at heart. But they are huge.

Very little is really original anymore.
 
#35 ·
brian188 said:
Yeah, but that is what TV is now. Like it or watch one of three "Walking Dead" versions. "Walking Dead" "Revolution" and "Falling Skies" all the same show at heart. But they are huge.

Very little is really original anymore.
There are still a few shows with actual stories and characters. Game of Thrones, Mad Men, Downton Abbey, House of Cards, whatever. But I couldn't agree more about Walking Dead--just re-hashed Romero and mostly, Romero did it better. And Revolution and Falling Skies, jeez what cheez! Same old formulaic tripe that was lame when The Invaders with Roy Thinnes did it in 1961!
 
#39 ·
RunnerFL said:
It's supposed to be dated, it takes place in the 80's.
I was aware of that. Thus the stultifying "Tusk" theme that they just kept looping over and over awkwardly. Worst attempt at an action TV series score I've ever heard. Sounded like the music editor cut some rough "Tusk" loops in over the scenes as a temp score and they accidentally left it all in as it was. Yikes, brutal.
 
#40 ·
Maruuk said:
Wanted to like it. Trashed it after the first segment up to the first commercial. Crushingly trite and dated action spy melodramatic nonsense, unattractive female lead, same old predictable kidnapping formula. Contentless garbage.
Wow, you made that judgement based on the first 10 minutes of the pilot.

I don't want to argue, but you think Kerri Russell of "Felicity" fame is unattractive???

 
#41 ·
Yeah. A dog. No charisma, no sex appeal. Pushing 40. See, to me, any show that could open with such an incredibly trite and lame-o 70's-style action sequence with terrible music editing and present such a middle-aged skank as the woman who was clearly being set up as the "eye candy" had zero cred. DELETE CITY.

Now some folks actually like cop chase scenes right out of CHIPS or Miami Vice or Charlie's Angels (with 40 year olds!) or whatever. Be my guest. Enjoy!
 
#42 ·
Well, I will argue with you about Golden Globe winner Keri Russell. Yes, she will be an aging 37 in March and she does play the mother of a 15 year old daughter. You'd better stick to the Victoria Secrets shows, I guess. :nono:
 
#43 ·
This isn't about dating, this is about eye candy in 2D when you have a choice from the most beautiful women in existence. I can look at average-looking late 30-somethings all day long in real life. This is supposed to be a fantasy world, and I expect fantasy-level eye candy matched with top-notch acting. The Americans comes up way short on all fronts.
 
#45 ·
That would require getting it up, so I understand the limitations of some others...

I guess films and TV producers never consider the looks of the actresses to be cast. It's just kind of randomness that produces the end result. That's why the Oscars look pretty much like the crowd at my local Safeway.
 
#48 ·
spartanstew said:
Thankfully, I have never evaluated a show based on the "looks" of the people in the cast, but I also don't masturbate while I watch TV shows as apparently many others do.
Where is your mind, Spart? No offense meant, but I think you may have connected dots that never were there.

And of course no role in Hollywood is ever cast with the potential appeal of the actor in mind. :rolleyes: This is why Gabourey Sidibe and Susan Boyle are having such great careers.

When do you, BTW?

Be sure not to fall off that high horse and hurt yourself.
 
#49 ·
Jeez, I apologize for my heterosexuality "fellows". We don't have our "Stonewall" for straight pride as you do.

But seriously, any given bunch of guys are going to disagree about who's hot and who's not. And I'm still watching Downton Abbey, and they just killed off the only hottie in the entire series, so I'm not ALL bad. 8^>

I'll be sure to give Barbra Streisand an extra hand when she performs at Oscars this year.
 
#50 ·
TomCat said:
Where is your mind, Spart? No offense meant, but I think you may have connected dots that never were there.
No dots to connect Tom. Some watch TV just for eye candy, some watch for story lines and acting. If the cast is hot, fine, but that's not a reason to watch or not watch IMO.

Maruuk said:
and I expect fantasy-level eye candy
And nobody's horse is quite as high as yours TomCat, but we do appreciate your posts in this thread not being your normal novels that nobody reads.
 
#51 ·
The classic straw dog syndrome. I led with terrible writing, bad directing, awful music, and finally zero eye candy. But the only attack point was the desire for an attractive female lead. Fair and balanced?

I appreciate and respect you folks who worship older actresses like Cher and Liza Minnelli and Bette Midler. Can't we all get along?
 
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