Identity and Why You Should Watch: THE AMERICANS

[@alancastillo7932]

Your video is amazing! You explain effectively the idea that you chose and I'm impressed on how you can think of a lot of TV shows in a different angle (wish I could do that). The editing's amazing as well for being your sixth video. You're doing a great job! Oh, and good timing; just before the fifth season! I started watching the show last year and am already on season 4. It's truly amazing and yeah, probably the best drama on TV right now. Just subscribed as well, can't wait for your next work.

[@SkipIntroYT]

Thank you for your kind words!

[@bharatmadhok6773]

@@SkipIntroYT try deutschland 83 out

[@janemarinelli2838]

When I watch the Americans I get lost in the story and the characters. It’s intoxicating and brilliantly written and acted. Love this show and will truly miss it when it ends.

[@lacielapl2026]

Absolutely

[@christiandelgado3543]

I’m about to start it for the first time. I don’t know how I missed it. I love Cold War stuff.

[@theletterbleeds]

It's sad that this continues to be the only video essay on KZbin about this extraordinary TV show.

[@mexterdorgan7004]

The Americans is so underrated but it is the best tv series in the world for me.

[@shoeboot1346]

Thankyou for your input, emoji hitler

[@michellegouin3007]

The best things these days seem to go under the radar in pop culture, but have a massively devoted following. My favourite dramas of the last 30 years are "The Americans", "Homeland" and "Madam Secretary", all of whom are less than generally popular but are extremely intricate, well done all around and intelligent.

[@lincolnmaceachern2410]

@@michellegouin3007 i loved Homeland ( at least the early years ). I also really loved Damien Lewis in "Life", even though it lasted only 2 years. I watched the final episode not knowing it was just that, and not a season ender, exactly as it was for me with "Homicide: Life on the Street" and "Sherlock."

[@kengruz669]

Stop with "the underrated" nonsense, please. It was under-watched and highly rated.

[@83croissant]

You had me at acclaimed character actor Margot Martindale!!!

[@SkipIntroYT]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZnrYnouepdSJmZI

[@lateralhistory]

It's so great to see video essays for The Americans - this is such an underrated show! I did disagree with some elements of the video though. For one thing, I think it's obvious from the pilot that Philip is in love with Elizabeth, and has been for a very long time. Elizabeth is a more emotionally repressed character in general but we very quickly begin to see her falling in love with Philip too. Even if they're hesitant about expressing it, and it doesn't look like a typical love story, I very much think it's there and is a core theme of the show. By the series finale, the only thing they have left is their relationship. And the six seasons they've spent strengthening it through adversity are what enables them to feel like even in a world where they've lost everything else, they can survive. Because they have each other. I don't think it's an accident that the show makes the choices it does in the finale. This is one of the last things the show says to us, which to my mind means it's one of the most important. The Americans was always a show about a marriage, as much as it was a show about counter-surveillance. Also, while I agree with the take that Washington is shot in a permanent state of winter because that's how Americans are conditioned to view Russia - that it's subverting expectations - I think it's also a reference to the Cold War, which endures through the entire run of the show.

[@lateralhistory]

But I don't mean to sound like I'm nit-picking. Truth is I just love this show and wish there was more conversation surrounding it, because it's such richly crafted story and it asks so many interesting questions. One of the things I loved the most about the show was that it always resisted the urge to make people either all good or all bad. No character was simple, actually. It would have been easy to make a character like Martha a clueless patsy, but the show resists that impulse, as it does with every character. You never feel the people Philip and Elizabeth dupe are fools, which is really surprising. Our protagonists are just phenomenally good at getting inside people's heads, as you say. It's not played for comedy. The people they dupe are living breathing people with inner lives of their own, and they don't always follow a script. It's a constant battle to stay in control of a situation, the way it would be in real life when they are so many variables involved, and sometimes they make mistakes. You just don't see that in most spy stories. It's all slick and comic and you're marvelling at how good the spies are without ever seeing the effort it takes. The Americans shows us that effort, and it heightens the whole thing so much. It all ties into this idea that you can never truly know what's going on inside someone else head. You can guess, but so often, you have no idea. I can't think of any other show that really delves into the confusing, contradictory nature of people in this way. Most shows give you one "unreadable" character or one character who has a dark past and surprises you with their choices. But The Americans do this with *everyone*, even minor characters. It's the realest thing I've ever seen.

[@Snagabott]

A slightly less esoteric tip for enjoying this show is this: As good as it is at any rate of watching, it does best if you binge it as much as your stamina and schedule will allow. You don't even need to _love_ the first couple of episodes... as long as you find them OK, you will allow yourself to be sucked in. There are so many subtelties and nuances that get lost if you go one week between each episode, and the pacing is such that you can take a few episodes without being overwhelmed by adrenaline filled chases (though such chases most certainly do exist - excellently done, btw, like everything else in the show). The show will steadfastly follow the story where the story wants to go, and largely avoids temptations and "momens of awesome" that would ultimately do a disservice to the realistic feel (the pilot perhaps being a bit of an odd man out there).

[@HoopsHuddles]

In some ways, this show reminds me a lot of The Wire, in a sense that it focuses a lot on "process," as in, how things are actually accomplished. Seeing what Elizabeth and Phillip have to slog through in order to complete missions that seem trivial or underwhelming is what makes them so mesmerizing to watch. Seeing what they had to go through just to install a recording device on the worthless mail bot for example, shows how devoted they are to an organization that is insanely disorganized and inept. Similar to The Wire where you have talented people being victimized by the system they're a part of, and wasting away trying to solve problems they aren't given the proper tools to actually solve. Elizabeth and Phillip do so much out of love and dedication to their cause, that arguably amounts to very little. It's a very tragic story of consistent systematic victimization, that commands two broken people to destroy the lives of countless others.

[@jeans.plante512]

@callmecatalyst Succession and The Sopranos are missing there, rounding up a top five.

[@julietwochholz9755]

Nice comparison of two great shows.

[@jmwild1]

It's hard to make millions watch a show you love, so I'm very glad that, in spite of terribly sagging ratings, FX was willing to invest in two more seasons in advance, giving the creators a concrete path to build, leading to whatever end the Jennings family will face.

[@SkipIntroYT]

I'm really glad that Weisberg will get the chance to finish his story because each step along the way so far has been so incredibly enjoyable.

[@onerva0001]

The show and its ending were brilliant.

[@JohnnyPeguero]

I am so glad that I started watching the Americans when I was 13. I developed a more mature taste for television and I think that will be evident in my own screenwriting. Shows like these are what motivate me to write and analyze. Great channel, you just earned a new subscriber.

[@orangemarmalade77]

I just stumbled upon this video after finishing my first rewatch of the show (I loved it the first time and I loved it again on the rewatch) and I immediately went looking for your deep dive video to find that it doesn't yet exist. I hope you'll continue to make videos about The Americans because I really enjoyed this commentary and may need to show it to a friend of mine I've been trying to convince to watch.

[@mikalahood8749]

I just found this video after recently finishing The Americans. I hope you still plan to do a "deep dive" on the show now that it's ended.

[@davidbranin969]

Stationed in D.C. during the years of this show. Later worked at a computer store before technology kicked in. Watching this show takes me back to that time. Love Keri and the Russian woman who played and got played by her country and the country she worked in. Cool to see Richard Thomas in a role far removed from John Boy.

[@BucyKalman]

The historic background to the show is very accurate in its description of the relation between the Soviet Union and the United States in the Reagan era especially the first Reagan administration (1981-1984). However, the show's depiction of KGB operations and the illegals is not realistic at all and very far-fetched. They also portray the FBI in particular as grossly incompetent.

[@JCKillah]

Great video man. Can't believe next week is going to be the last episode ever. Definitely one of the most underrated shows on TV.

[@claudia5771]

You did a really good job of presenting a compelling case without spoilers- a large feat!

[@andrewbiadasz6510]

Binged this show a few months back and you bring up quite a few things about it that I hadn't considered. Great video!

[@SkipIntroYT]

Glad to hear it!

[@rodolforuiz4888]

Noticed how Philip never really tried to question stan about what he does or tried to get him to share what he's doing in the FBI

[@NicholasSteMarie]

Gotta disagree, I swear whenever something big is going down Philip runs over to Stan’s to see what he’s doing

[@MgtowRubicon]

A fabulously addictive binge-watch show.

[@walterstreete9196]

PLEASE MAKE MORE VIDEOS ABOUT THIS SHOW

[@Obetv01]

Best TV series by a distance. Everything from the nostalgic settings of the 80's to that realization that not everything is what it portrays to be. In the near 90's I spent time in Russia whilst at the time being completely oblivious to much of the cold war that went before. I strolled around the Kremlin like it was chiswick high street. Not truly appreciating what it represented. Likewise in St Petersburg. The internet truly peeled the scales from my eyes. Learnt more east west history than I ever did at school. If today I had to choose one complete series to be marooned on an island with, it would still be the Americans. Even though I've watched it gazillion times. A masterpiece.

[@jasonmaguire9425]

This is a fantastic show. It's all plausible and yet to us innocents of their world completely surreal. It's addictive. I binged a lot of it.

[@thedancingveganatheist6310]

This is my favorite TV drama. Of all time. Ever.

[@cintiascelza8771]

SUPERB analysis. I missed a lot sharing about this serie because it is genial and too few people see that.

[@RegisCrepusculum]

I had started watching The Americans a few months ago but only got about seven episodes in. This video reminded my why I liked it so much so I think it's about time I return to it. Great video!

[@SkipIntroYT]

I have so many friends in the same boat. The first season is good but seasons 2-4 are amazing. Stick with i!

[@Americiki]

My favorite show of last year I'm so fuckin happy ur a fan and are spreading the word. Keep doing what your doing xoxo

[@SkipIntroYT]

I know exactly how you feel, it seems like the fans are few and far between so I get so excited whenever I find one too! Thanks for the kind words!

[@danielwinter1369]

i just finished my first re-watch of the complete series and i want to share some thoughts. the americans is one of the best ever shows , the writing is phenomenal and it looks good also. the characters are complex and they all do good things and really bad things too. i also like the pacing of the show as it lets the story take its time and show how it affects the characters. also i really appreciate that the russian characters actually speak russian, it brings realism to the show. i also thought about identity when watching the show and whether the characters really know who they are after so many years of pretending? the finale is nuanced and it very fulfilling as a viewer.

[@giantchamp415]

Great explanation of the show! It was so good it got a few people I know who didn't watch quickily become fans. Thanks A lot

[@SkipIntroYT]

LeonLionJr that's awesome! Exactly what I'm trying to do!

[@jackgleeson8321]

the american is one of my favourite shows.

[@elsimons882]

Love this breakdown! Fantastic video! 👏🏼👏🏼

[@Life_and_Gaming]

I’ve seen two videos of yours about two of my favorite series of all time, this and You’re the Worst. and they were incredible videos. So you’ve earned a subscriber.

[@oligreen1192]

Great video and I truly want to watch these series. Wow

[@alec4672]

Wow I just stumbled across this video in my recommend (I'm having end of series withdrawals) and I hear at the end "I just passed the 500 subscriber mark" and I was shook 3 years old and you're already doing this well. Congrats!

[@Kryptice]

Excellent video essay. Loved your thoughtful analysis and clever viewpoints. The Americans is a fantastic show. One of my favorites. Anyway, keep up the good work!

[@shellbacksclub]

best show ever! if it were on HBO it would've been a massive hit.

[@EF-zy3nr]

SHELLBACKS CLUB ToyTube TVT FX is a good brand, but you're right if it was HBO or that even more overrated Netflix people would be giving them emmys and other bs accolades.

[@EF-zy3nr]

HBO and Netflix do most of their own hype since they rely on subscriptions and not viewers for ratings. Netflix doesnt even release numbers for viewers of each show/film

[@ug700]

Wow! I love the analysis. I can’t wait to see the deep dive!

[@bedet]

Do you still plan on doing a deep dive into this? I'd love to see it! Especially since it's all wrapped up now. Great job, man!

[@subversivelysurreal3645]

This show was a blast. I would never have watched it without (it being recommended)…although had it been titled, ‘The Soviets’, it would’ve piqued my interest. (Also, I said, about the hilariously named Philip and Elizabeth, ‘He ad-ores her.’ and then, it turned out: he DID! (The actors fell in love.) As Vince Gillian did for Jesse, if they want to revisit The Jennings, after the fall of the wall--I’m there!🌹👏🏾 My Father was FBI and he called the embassy ‘a hive of spies’…and some KGB and FBI agents DID meet and-socialized after the USSR was no more.

[@besufekadmulu965]

This was my favorite thriller of all time! I can't explain why but it just pulls me in. But there is a contender for exploring identity, Counterpart!

[@udax72]

So Amazing Man!! You put so much effort just keep doing it with you !!

[@SkipIntroYT]

Thank you!

[@survivor648]

Excellent show. Mathew and Keri are phenomenal

[@CS10015]

still waiting for the americans deep dive! just got back into this show again and i'm even more impressed the second time around

[@SuperSweetLevres]

Awesome analysis, thank you!

[@damianstarks3338]

Awesome in depth analysis of this show.

[@alexiatorrez7680]

The Americans is a great show

[@poonamkumar3237]

Started watching after this video. Binged it in two weeks. It. Was. Beautiful 😭✨ thanks for the recommendation.. now i re-watch your video to relive the journey 🌼✨

[@walterstreete9196]

Thank u 4 making this video the americans is my favorite show but its barely known

[@Shaftell]

Love the show and you have a nice channel. I really see you making it big on KZbin.

[@alexanderarea6157]

My top 5 fav show: 1:The Leftovers 2:Breaking Bad 3:Mad Men 4:Game of Thrones 5:The Americans

[@RickLag8514]

You should watch Justified

[@kdwslc]

Very much enjoy your insight. Thank you Sir.

[@hbryant1971]

I Loved that show! If had to meet someone in a dark alley, I'd much rather encounter Phillip. Elizabeth was much more violent. :)

[@alisterfolson]

Another series worth watching

[@richierugs6544]

such a great show and video, and it's no wonder people didn't watch that much

[@2ndKidd]

3 years out and still hoping for that "deep dive." Hope you get into it one day! This show is still way too unappreciated after all these years!

[@golden8972]

I watched it. Loved it. I hope to see a special updating the characters sometime. Especially Martha.

[@Arakko-i7h]

Great Post. It would be possible to make a text about the best showtime series; Homeland (2011-2020)?

[@janetmurphy4124]

Iys the best program on TV I watch it several so clever and brilliant

[@kristopher1799]

Thank you very much for enlightening me about The Americans. I am soon to get all 6 seasons, and will then proceed to watch; I didn't have FX. I've heard and read how much this show is admired, that it's critically acclaimed, Emmy nominated, etc. Interest in the Cold War is slowly building up, and I think this show may help understand it more...

[@rockinsteady406]

This is my favorite show of all time.

[@chodingninjas7415]

One of the best tv shows ever

[@allergictostupidpeople7893]

So I'm hearing , I did not get into it now I wish I had but hey I am now

[@marcelob4132]

Great video. The couple are not sociopaths, but they definitely have psychopathic tendencies, specially Elizabeth.

[@slippytrippy8122]

Amazing show

[@Gess575]

I just finished watching for the 3rd time. Thank you

[@AtomCat357]

I really loved your video, but the map of influence during the Cold War period is way off, at least in Europe. Otherwise, keep up the good work, you have great approach to things, love your videos!

[@jasonsizzle3732]

You should do a video on Lost.

[@gainal9080]

This show is so great.

[@karamiddleton2920]

One of the best TV shows ever.

[@satinemadden5046]

I love you for the no spoilers You are god Thank you

[@tigerlily0569]

That was a fantastic analysis!

[@betaninha1978]

One of my favourite shows ever

[@slimshady7544]

THE MOST UNDERRATED SHOW EVER

[@petercrowl9467]

Watched it on HULU . Cannot recommend it enough.

[@rauhanaika]

Still waiting for that deep dive 😅

[@sam-bw5mr]

this show is far and away the best show on TV. The Leftovers, You're the Worst and maybe Mr. Robot are the only shows I would consider even close

[@moezpadani8088]

Not seen the show yet but a very objective review indeed. Not many people can explain characters well. Even fewer can articulate ideas and concepts weaved in a show. Well done

[@gidget101]

First, I Love The Americans. Second, great video and commentary! Third: I just watched the first part of Cocaine Bear!!! How hilarious that Phillip is in the very first scene, Elizabeth shows up next, and then Granny is a park ranger! And the kid they're looking for is named Henry! That's only the first 10 or 15 minutes... I have to finish it 😁

[@tyttiMK]

What is that map at 2:15? What is it supposed to represent? Why Ireland, Switzerland and Austria are green but Sweden, Finland and the Baltic countries blue? What's up with Ukraine? The last four weren't even independent during the Cold War.

[@SkipIntroYT]

MsTiK it's definitely not a historically accurate map. The caucuses didn't become countries until the Soviet Union collapse. But it was one of the more straightforward ones I could find that illustrated the point I was going for and I got antsy about putting out the video and didn't have the time to change all of the countries to the correct colors.

[@tyttiMK]

It just shows the US influence (or whatever) much larger than it actually was, or even is today.

[@dannielcohen6784]

Seasons 7 must back!! To much question!!

[@saddamh.3269]

The only thing I hated was, the occupational blackouts. I wish there were smooth transition between scenes.

[@mmahmodi5155]

US film and television always tells us that the other is. Enemy Russia's Muslim but in this series it was realism and that's why I loved it

[@igormitev4853]

Ein wunrschöner par.Super Serie.Wir hoffen es gibt bald etwas von die beiden zusamen.Wünschen allen alles bestens.The American wäre nix ohne die beiden.😉

[@chrisparkes]

It is THE greatest, most satisfying TV show ever made.

[@freegadflyathome]

The ending was so amazingly satisfying and I was so relieved to see it. This and Breaking Bad have the most satisfying endings I've seen. I'm struggling as to which is my favorite show now.

[@allergictostupidpeople7893]

@@freegadflyathome how does it end

[@freegadflyathome]

@@allergictostupidpeople7893 watch it! 😂

[@AkkuBakku999]

Must watch it

[@yp8421]

It’s not just a tv show: it’s actually realistic history

[@happynewyear805]

ur a cool guy i just tweeted this page 2 joel fields he is the main writer of the show he will want 2 meet u 4sure i thank u 4this cuz i 2 luv the americans when i watched the 1st episode i freaked out said omg i luv this just a show i'm looking 4 xoxoxo :-) :-) i wanted more years but they didn't want 2 do more sad 2 say page said not even any future films reboots or anything maybe the 2 joes will change their minds

[@twopintsofmilk]

Great vid

[@CallieMasters5000]

I just watched for the sexy spying, but you analyzed the hell out of it! Excellent video!

[@the-craig]

Looking forward to you doing deep dive into The Americans. Do I remember right, you teased that with your last video?

[@allergictostupidpeople7893]

SHIT this reminds me of me lol

[@GoodVideos4]

I haven't seen the series. There are articles on the Ranker site like '18 things Americans think are normal but are completely bizarre to other countries', 'Non-Americans describe the weirdest things about America' and "American things Americans didn't know were exclusively American". Hopefully the series brings out those points, but it probably doesn't.

[@shellbacksclub]

great video! subscribed! 👍

[@ShaniAce]

Really good and insightful video, albeit a little too much hung-up on the whole character/identity aspect.

[@joshuanezat4394]

subbed

[@pepelepew7936]

I fuckin loved this show..

[@allergictostupidpeople7893]

I never watched it

[@pepelepew7936]

@@allergictostupidpeople7893 you should, so much suspense

[@BryanWiedeman]

best trade craft show evermade..

[@tuungan]

Consider yourself with a new sub! GREAT CHANNEL!

[@SkipIntroYT]

Thank you!

[@sevolfm]

Okay, some people may need to watch this video to understand this TV series, However, anyone born in the late 1940's, 50's or early sixties will find this, spoonfed encouragement.

[@sidfiddler2131]

The best TV show ever (behind The Sopranos).

[@highwind1991]

Think it's time for that deep analysis video about The Americans ;)

[@fightcinema3917]

Can you do banshee, it's probably the best and most underrated show of all time

[@groovyraffraff5300]

It’s criminal that this show isnt more celebrated

[@babylack]

The first episode was on KZbin and I've really wanted to watch the rest of it! Where can I watch it?

[@alimandi2]

BRING THE DEEP DIVE!