ATX Festival Panel: The Americans (2018)

From the moment we first met Philip and Elizabeth Jennings six years ago, we have gone through countless twists and turns, numerous marriage ups and downs, a few tortures (remember that scene with Claudia? “Show them your face!”), and more wigs than we can count. Now that the final mission has come and gone, The Americans' cast and creators come together one last time to debrief on how the groundbreaking series came to a close, how this series has impacted their lives along with audiences around the world, and what they believe happens next to the Jennings' family and friends.​
Panelists: Joe Weisberg, Joel Fields, Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, Noah Emmerich, Holly Taylor, Keidrich Sellati, Brandon J. Dirden
Moderator: Tim Goodman (The Hollywood Reporter)
www.atxfestival.com
Season 8 | June 6-9, 2019 | Austin, TX
Arts + Labor | artsandlabor.co

[@gaelicjane1613]

This is the best TV drama series I've ever watched. Only discovered it this year but so glad I did. The characters were all great and you really felt engaged with them. The last episode - just perfection! Actually moved me to tears. Thank you to all involved, it was brilliant.

[@peterhudson5748]

No Oleg!,,? One of the most important characters in the series. A travesty to not include him in this expose

[@KSfan4ever]

Yes, and also Lev Gorn as Arkady, both of whom speak great English. For Joe Weisberg to characterize both the American and Russian stories as equally important and not to include the Russian actors was a travesty.

[@brookt3497]

Yes it would have been great to have them. Maybe they weren’t available? Oleg (Costa) may have had Homeland commitments. Season 7 was shot in 2018.

[@subversivelysurreal3645]

He’s the one whose future, the characters’, I wanted to hear discussed.

[@j3r3miasmg]

#freeOleg

[@coldsilence2]

started this series a couple months ago, just saw the finale last night, I was devastated! LOVED this show, all the characters and their interactions. Anyway, I'm juuust starting to feel better and thought I'd catch up on interviews and such. Read your comment and my heart sunk immediately remembering Oleg's fate, lol. Sobs.

[@Scorch428]

yeah, Oleg ending up in jail bothered me the most. Even more than Martha.

[@raineyj560]

@@Scorch428 true, he deserved better.

[@mercurial5810]

Noah Emmerich should have gotten more applause

[@venkatpisipaty2045]

Can't agree more

[@jennifersmith2595]

finale was a masterpiece. train and garage scene made my heart skip a beat. awesome.

[@fabpern]

I think the exact opposite. The finale leaves a lot to be desired. And that garage scene is highly overrated. That's only my opinion.

[@jrootabega]

You're both wrong. Both of those scenes didn't even make any sense. It was just Steve Harvey making faces and looking at the board.

[@jrootabega]

Sorry, it turns out I was on the wrong channel watching family feud instead. I missed the finale

[@oakleysierney1918]

it was weak. So much unresolved and so much out of character behavior.

[@miguelrivera9599]

Totally agree, a masterpiece

[@amandabrophy2869]

"A high speed car chase that had to obey the speed limit the entire time." That's such an accurate example of what watching this show feels like, haha. So exhausting yet so good. Well said, Brandon Dirden. @39:00

[@dlg5485]

Good lord Matthew Rhys is downright hilarious. I love his cheeky humor.

[@georgetsiklauri]

I have watched this movie (series), few years ago already.. just wanted to reaffirm once again - the greatest of the shows I have ever watched. So realistic.. so natural.. so organic.. so touching.. so non-American (non-Hollywoodian). Respect to Joe Weisberg.. Matthew.. Noah.. Keri.. Holly.. Keidrich.. and sure enough - Costa Ronin! I don't know.. I don't wanna sound too pathetic.. but this show has truly been super authentic and personally touching for me. Not a Hollywood blockbuster.. but a truly real life of real people. Call me the biggest respecter of this work. Thanks again, Joe!

[@vitvitov1470]

I wish this show would keep going forever.

[@sanatanshenoy1722]

ikr

[@yvonnechisolm530]

Me too!

[@NJCUJan]

This was a great finale! That train scene! And the garage scene!

[@nerdfightercommenter6969]

the moderator is not great but im happy this exists

[@svendbosanvovski4241]

Landmark series. Brilliant cast, including the entire ensemble. Unthinkable that it could have been made before the 90s. Philip, Elizabeth and Paige were presented as loveable characters, even withstanding their murderous pursuits.

[@slyhead66]

Justice for Martha

[@mark_lhr3]

Best drama I've ever watched, hands down. Miss it!

[@peterbainton9908]

I agree 100% and that comes from an Englishman

[@skyjuke2006]

Such an amazing serie! I love everything: actors, music, characters (one of my fav was Frank Langella/ Gabriel, such a voice, such a mimic).

[@michelebartlett3921]

I have been a fan of Matthews since Brothers & Sisters. I love Keri as well. Watched Felicity just before watching this series. Loved her in Waitress & August Rush. ...she surprised me in this series

[@jaysmith3448]

I don't know how to describe how I felt when I saw the last scene of the last episode. I felt so many things. Amazing!!!

[@annabelliott]

One of my favorite series ever. At some point, I hope to view all seasons of the show AGAIN.

[@clash5j]

Great cast from top to bottom. This was all about the finale so it was sad that some of the cast couldn't be there. Noah Emmerich is always solid and Stan was probably my favorite character

[@PersianPianist12]

The Tchaikovsky had me sobbing my eyeballs out. Amazing choice of music there.

[@MELOPSMUSIC]

best serie ever. Last episode is just amazing, i ll keep it in mind all my life long

[@chrisragkavas6149]

Probably the best drama series of the last 30 years.

[@carriemaxwell417]

Thank you ATX Festival for uploading these panels. SDCC could learn something from your commitment to providing fans who can't attend the opportunity to watch these things.

[@Daynan]

Thanks for uploading this. I just saw the finale and felt empty. Congrats to Joel and Joe for winning the 2018 Emmy for Outstanding Writing for "START", and to Matthew Rhys for Outstanding Dramatic Lead Actor!

[@felicitypodcast1491]

This shock and tragedy of this show built over time and - to me - always felt earned. The writing was complicated, the characters were intricate, and the acting made me believe it.

[@jamesshunt5123]

Great show. Real people and realistic characters. A rare thing in this day and age of fantasy worlds, superheroes and lovesick teens taking up 90% of all new shows.

[@moharm09]

Are you Keri Russel?

[@Squatex1]

ATX was such a blast this year as was this panel. I'm having a great time reliving it now. Cant wait for next year.

[@Aleksasndr69]

Очень интересный сериал! Он держит зрителя в напряжении с первой до последней серии сезона. Меня как на машине времени вернуло в прошлое... Бесподобная игра актеров! Очень удалась роль Elizabeth Jennings. Спасибо всем создателям этого сериала! И хорошо, что прошлое в прошлом

[@mikehike596]

*Translation:* _"Very interesting series! He keeps the spectator in suspense from the first to the last series of the season. I, as a time machine, returned to the past ... A matchless game of actors! The role of Elizabeth Jennings was very successful. Thanks to all creators of this series! And it's good that the past is in the past."_

[@kurzackd]

Holly Taylor mirroring Keri's pose and leg cross. Awww, they grow up so fast! 3:)

[@Mark-ld5um]

Costa Ronin deserved to be at that panel.

[@amywilson6620]

Well written & acted show. Everyone is so good! I'm in the middle of Season 5 (APV.) Hard to walk away from it. Would love to see this spin into a movie. ❤💕 Interviewer is distracting but I still enjoyed the panel discussion.

[@MarkManville]

Great pushback by Noah Emmerich @24:48 -- stop asking actors to explain what the writers' intent was, or for that matter even what they the actors were doing. Do we ask musicians to explain the intent of the composer, how they were reading the score? And again at @42:13. Every time I was getting to my limits of frustration with the host's inartful and blunt questions, Mr. Emmerich tried to shut it down. And Matthew Rhys too in his own way, by deflecting with humor the sillier questions. It was also irritating to watch this host monopolize almost all the time at what was supposed to be a fan event, and then shortly after he finally let the audience members ask some too (many better questions than his) he tried to shut it down after only a few had had the chance. Kudos to Matthew Rhys again for intervening to allow three more audience members participate.

[@lockergr]

Only within minutes of watching this host I knew he was horrible.

[@orphanedhanyou]

I think you can never change people not wanting to know their opinions on unanswered questions. I think there can be harmless opinions. Someone that talks with the writers and live through it real time over and over each take do know the character better so their opinion does hold weight. But I get that if someone still doesn't want to touch on a subject to try and keep prodding them is rude

[@ChrisTheBroadcaster]

As a broadcaster / host, this ...awful... host maybe makes a good print journalist. He almost / did ruin it. (Watching as I write.) Wishing this had a 15, 30-second advance to bypass him. There are other panels re this on KZbin--watch all them first.

[@stefcas]

Seen the series five times now

[@vhaunwhyte7253]

Didn’t realize the train scene was shot at crestwood st closest train station to me !

[@andresecaceres]

Poor Nina

[@farshidrayhan8496]

11:00 best moment starts !!! :p

[@BatmanHQYT]

"How long did it take to perfect the Welsh accent" hahahaha!

[@user-bm3ts2ql6s]

Hear that DUMB AND DUMBER?!? This is how you end a great show. Unlike what you did in GOT.

[@__-zd9hg]

I didn't even notice the lack of dialogue they mentioned.

[@Mineminemine8]

The moderator is horrible. He reminds me of the Chris Farley interviewer skit on SNL with Paul McCartney.

[@ChrisTheBroadcaster]

Chris Farley parady--exactly.

[@valerievivar]

That was awesome.

[@burbank46]

Not to make light of the garage scene; but I was almost expecting Stan to say to the Jennings: "You have made me feel like Commandant Klink"

[@BastidasEledicion]

03:25 *u2 HAHAHAHAHA!!..*

[@kearseymorton2078]

is the wallpaper in paige's bedroom part of the kgb torture techniques? i always wanted to ask this.

[@raineyj560]

😂😂😂

[@brookt3497]

Well it was the 80s. :-)

[@justabruin]

Will there be a full Felicity Reunion one??

[@jaclynvanderheyden5147]

there is, i just watched it! on the ATX website

[@swisswuff]

great discussion. --------- having spent childhood in the 70s and 80s, i still will wear wool sweaters, not even just itching but outright scratching ones, even without underwear at times, i also have thick woolen pants for deep winter - it really is a matter of growing up with accepting that as a way to be. the current contemporary computer game that comes close to the immediacy and fun of what then were video games and whatnot also on c64, is "neverball", you can get it for free for linux, mac or windows, i find it is as good in the same way as loderunner or son of blagger were. --- the fashion in part comes back, in part we were glad to see it go, and in part some business fashion never seemed to really have changed.

[@MsMarika101]

Hate to say this but all I could get out of this panel is how uncomfortable Keri and Holly may have been while sitting in those stupid chairs.

[@lockergr]

I thought that within seconds of Holly coming out and then Keri came out in an EVEN shorter skirt. Those kind of chairs aren't very forgiving for skirt wearers.

[@orphanedhanyou]

This isn't an abnormal set up for these events. Both women chose those outfits. That's their issue. They handled it fine.

[@RayMarsRover]

It wasn't "their issue." Whoever put together this panel and the towering chairs didn't even think about how inconsiderate they were to two females in the group. HUGELY inconsiderate and a slap in the faces of Keri and Holly. duh

[@paulagiordan3753]

Were the chairs chosen to help make the actors feel comfortable? Nailed it!

[@lockergr]

Keri should have bit the bullet and just taking her jacket off and put it on her lap. I feel for her.

[@orphanedhanyou]

@@lockergr why? These chairs and set up is pretty common for panels and interviews. She willingly wore something that isn't necessarily functional. Did she think she was going to stand the whole day?

[@augopen]

Wondering how the KGB agents in the US enjoyed the show😂

[@davidhere3695]

I'd love to hear from Martha

[@eugene8524]

Despite I am from the Soviet Union I liked this TV show

[@Drumming_Monkey]

Just saw the last episode. I feel empty.

[@SusiBlumentopf]

I feel sorry that they did neglect the Russian speaking actors, and Emmerich and Wright was neglected on stage as well. The Russians did their job very good!

[@liquidsnakeckw]

I love the final scene, but I was kinda hoping it would end with Phillip and Elizabeth walking into some local Moscow people and then people ask them if they were Americans because their Russian sounds weird. like with an American accent.

[@orphanedhanyou]

I don't think that's the case though. They were too old when they left and their souls too ingrained in that culture.

[@RightOne40]

@@orphanedhanyou what? They left Russia in their early 20's and then lived almost their whole adult lives in the US

[@lsf5439]

Spasibo

[@kurzackd]

pozhaluysta

[@chestnut1279]

what part of quickly do these question askers not understand

[@orphanedhanyou]

My only question about the show is why they didn't address Chernobyl at all and how they continued to spin pro Russia to Paige during that time

[@RightOne40]

I know like there is a lot of news sources out there, and it's not like they spent that much time in Russia in their lives to get so brainwashed.

[@maashworth5885]

Chernobyl happened during the time jump.

[@yougonasorryschannel3518]

goddamn paige... i really wanted to see "Arkady igno... ikrn... jeeze i dont remember his name.

[@AbdulBasit-vd8dd]

Arkady Ivanovich. I don't remember his last name. Also Oleg Burov

[@maashworth5885]

@@AbdulBasit-vd8dd Arkady Ivanovich Zotov

[@RayMarsRover]

SPOILER: heads up. at about 7:25 minutes into this video, Keri Russell ("Elizabeth") reveals something about the last episode of "The Americans." And since I have only watched the first two seasons and didn't want to know the ending, I quit watching this video. So you''ve been warned. Maybe six months from now, after I've watched all the episodes, I might come back and watch this video, but not now.

[@radicalstanza3614]

Anyone clicking this video about the end of the series will of course be expecting the entire series to be talked about.

[@Mitchcraft.]

no Alison Wright :(

[@SusiBlumentopf]

I feel there are so many questions left open, some episodes more would have to be done. What happened with Oleg? What with Philipp's son Misha in Russia? Was Philipp/Misha Oleg's brother or half brother? (Oleg's mother five years in Gulag, Mischa as kid in the Gulag, Gabriel sending people into the Gulag...). Was Henry hired already secretly by KGB? What happened with Paige, Henry and Stan? Would Elizabeth really retire in Russia? Will Philipp/Misha ever come together again with Martha, and what happened with Martha? (Both would have made a better match!) - For me, Paige finally just followed what Philipp said and suggested: to stay and look for Henry. For me, Elizabeth was nowhere near being motherly or nice, she was a psychopath. It is just so, that Keri didn't like that on her role. She was already portraited by the female artist with cancer as a sort of sick dark zombie. And one reason for Philipp's orthodox marriage was just to calm done Elizabeth (always harming Philipp with her negative reports to KGB) and to give him some rights on the kids, because both were not legally married.

[@rosyaruta3698]

E dove sono arkady, oleg, nina e Martha?!!! 😡

[@ariastark2877]

I just love Holly ❤

[@uwcb1]

This panel is about one episode, not the series as a whole. Seems like a wasted opportunity.

[@rlouie05]

Feels like they deserved a bigger ending vs. what happened. Anyone else think they can just bring this show back somehow or are we stuck with wondering what'll happen to Paige (jail or her likely having to start a new life somewhere else) and Henry (likely Stan's responsibility until he's 18), plus if Stan's 2nd wife is really a honeytrap agent?

[@Mitchcraft.]

It's funny Kerri reminds me of a Young Kate Mulgrew and both have played strong women and both have played Russian women. Very interesting!

[@taraqueen58]

Phillip has his son Misha to go back to

[@pmor4272]

Yeah, this is a story that didn’t quite get the realisation I wanted - but I suppose that’s the point

[@marissamccoy9816]

Is Kerri high?!?

[@DG-pb8cb]

THOSE LEGS 😱🔥🔥🔥

[@orphanedhanyou]

Paige and Henry spin off!!!!

[@warsurplus]

Was Renee KGB?

[@KiwiCatherineJemma]

I think the point is, that it is never 100% clear either way. But I personally am leaning towards the theory that she "IS" KGB. I think Philip really is Stan's best friend, and that's why he told him. He didn't want his best friend to be hurt. I think Philip still felt guilty over hurting Martha (even though she was looked after, resettled, and it's implied, given a small child to adopt, a child being what she wanted most in life).

[@chico31]

In that final scene with her, looking over the street at Jennings' house, I was waiting for a facial expression from her, a secret smirk or something. But nothing. Which I think was clever by the writers. Secret agents are supposed to stay secret...

[@joannapetaccio8561]

Just watched this. Keri seemed very out of it. Her look n her answer. Hmmmm, maybe tired?

[@lockergr]

She's uncomfortable because of the way she's sat.

[@orphanedhanyou]

@@lockergr why? This is a pretty normal set up, these still chairs are used a lot when doing cast interviews like this. She chose wearing that outfit.

[@bryancash9051]

She has a TWO YEAR OLD and just finished a 6 year series run. She’s probably fuckin tired lol

[@BucyKalman]

She always looks like that. It seems that it is just another job for her and she doesn't really get involved emotionally with the character or the show, which is actually a healthy thing to do when you are a professional actor.

[@brookt3497]

Yeh 3 young kids will do that…

[@lincolnmaceachern2410]

"they allowed Elizabeth to stay who she was;" nonsense: there's no way a fanatic like her would have turned on a dime on the Gorbachev issue.

[@orphanedhanyou]

She always heard Philip and his concerns about her absolute faith and at times we see her use the almost religious blasphemy defense against his concerns because that is what communism becomes, an absolute social religion. We she her flashbacks, and she didn't just suddenly remember them she's lived with those memories, and after piecing it all together, seeing how broken Philip is but the strength he continues for her sake I think showed a perfect unfolding of her 'awakening'. They even mention it when she confronts Claudia, the Party, the ideal is supposed to be greater than the petty control of the military and KGB.

[@pmor4272]

@@orphanedhanyou I agree with Orphanedhanyou - she was ready to stop three years ago but had become hardened. When she hears she’s doing this not for the party but for only the KGB to facilitate a military coup that they didn’t even tell her about. Yeah. That’s a big deal. It’s not on a dime

[@BucyKalman]

I don't think Philip and Elizabeth were made "to pay" really. They pretty much got away with everything they did over many years. The ones who were really punished were their children, especially Paige whose life is basically ruined now.

[@raineyj560]

They definitely deserved death or jail but not being in control of"being physically" there for your children has to be heartbreaking. Paige and Henry are practically adults so they won't miss them as if they were much younger but it has to hurt.

[@thestormlscoming]

I cried during this finale. Beautiful show. Matthew to Noah: “I wish I could quit you.” “Never trust a woman who goes to bed fully made up with her hair blown out.” Lololol the notebook and yes I don’t get why these women always look perfect, it’s so unrealistic. Same with his wife. How is her eyeliner always on and hair always in a Vidal sassoon style I disagree that Henry was annoying in the beginning. He was wise as a child. Saved Paige from that creepy guy. He became annoying with the video game crap mid show. Interesting that they said they were fine if the show was hard to track so long as it made sense and felt real. It was hard to track at times and I never knew if I accidentally skipped an episode, but it never felt lazy or like there were certain plot holes that I couldn’t get over. There are many shows that do have this lazy writing

[@RightOne40]

Wow I'm number 666 to like this!

[@RayMarsRover]

congratulations! Hope you're not superstitious.

[@tjejojyj]

I found myself unable to suspend disbelief now and again during the series. In the final season the “James Bond reveal” by Claudia to Elizabeth when she outlined the KGB plan was particularly annoying. Also Philip saying “I tried to tell you.” Also when Stan let them go didn’t ring true. There were many others. That said I thought the final season was the strongest and Keri Russell was stupendous in it. It’s a pity the show was an American liberal’s take on Stalinism and Marxism. There’s a lot could have been done.

[@orphanedhanyou]

I think there point was the view was from Elizabeth and Philip therefore Russian was always seen with rose colored glasses and they used some of Philips growth and revelations to touch on this issue. Ultimately like in the finale, they have no idea about the changes Russia is going through. No idea the iron curtain and the Soviet Union is about to fall. That all their work in most ways was pointless and unnecessary. That I think was important because the audience is watching knowing all this but the characters don't. We know they fail in their ultimate goal.

[@orphanedhanyou]

As for the Claudia reveal I think after hearing Elizabeth killed the assassin she knew nothing mattered, truth was the only way, and she had to reveal she loyalty was to the KGB not necessarily the party and the carefully crafted 'code' the agents like Elizabeth and Philip lived by is revealed to be false and hypocritical. That was important to cement for Elizabeth.

[@ethanhooker739]

Interviewer was awful!

[@dlg5485]

Long rambling questions, for one thing. He seemed more interested in expressing his own thoughts than in hearing from panelists.

[@ambivalentdisaster673]

He was a bit of a bumbling fanboy at times but kept people talking at least.

[@bryancash9051]

Keri’s face as he’s asking her the first question should be a meme

[@mikeg9b]

I'm watching this series for the first time now. The only character that I care about is Paige. I almost want to fast-forward and only watch the scenes with her.

[@annabellmoche3811]

Haha did you get over that yet?

[@Scorch428]

Holly is so freaking hot, Jesus Christ.

[@donnadees1971]

This is so dang silly, discussing the film.

[@ninetalesxyo8842]

Girls should just wear trousers for goodness sake. When siting high up on panel chairs.

[@orphanedhanyou]

Or at least they or others should be back or surprised when they willingly wore such a short skirt and know (in that every venue may be different and this set up is pretty common therefore you should be protect for everything vs put fashion first) they are going to be sitting in the open vs behind a table. Legs stayed together, nothing more than bathing suit at the pool was shown, who cares?

[@eugene8524]

if have a nice body and legs why hide?

[@RayMarsRover]

Good god, you sound like that the dumb choice of chairs was Keri and Holly's fault! They may have had no idea what kind of chairs would be there until they walked onto the stage.

[@kevinfoley4335]

The moderate was insufferable