The Americans on FX

Just binged seasons 1-4, so I'm late to the party on this thread. Apologies if this has already been discussed, but given the timeline, I'm wondering if the series ends with the fall of the USSR and the Jennings having to choose whether to go back or just stay and live as regular Americans, pretending the whole thing never happened.

 

I think there are two seasons left, so, there are options to where they go with it. They had a time jump of six or nine months in the fourth season, so seemingly another big leap could be in play, or they could play things out. Especially if the Jennings get caught, the fall of the USSR is irrelevant. Also, it could be irrelevant anyway because Russia would still probably want counter-intelligence agents in the U.S. I mean, it was only a year ago that the U.S. got caught spying on Germany.

 

True, and they are still only in early '84. I guess I just think it would be a cool way to end the series.

 

They mentioned Andropov as Premier, so they are in early 1984. Still have Chernenko to go, then Gorbachev. Soviet Union doesn't collapse until 1991. Berlin Wall isn't opened until 1989 and starts to come down in 1990.

Unless they fast forward the last 2 seasons by years and not months, the show will still end as the USSR exists.

No way do Philip and Elizabeth want to go 'home'. Are they even really married in the USSR, or does the Center consider that to merely a cover? Would the Center remove Henry and put him into indoctrination camps to get him to be a Soviet. Will Paige immediately be placed into KGB training with the plan to send her back to America. It's the perfect cover if Philip and Elizabeth aren't uncovered. She's a natural born American. A real birth certificate. She could be sent to West Point or Annapolis, from the context of 1984.
Philip and Elizabeth have to know this and as the show has evolved their family has taken priority over the Soviet Union.
The show has to end with Gabriel's death and the disappearance of Philip and Elizabeth.

 

Oh, I definitely think they would choose to stay, seems like they're determined to do that even if William did out them.

 

Both of their handlers have done really superb acting jobs in this series. Frank Langella is really good as this seemingly measured, compassionate guy but always with Mother Soviet Union formemost in his mond.

 

Langella should get serious Emmy consideration. He plays the part with such an awesome sort of weariness; you can feel his exhaustion, having to deal with the Jennings' squabbles, in the middle of the season. It makes the rare bursts of anger he has more effective.

 

Yeah, but somehow this show is always ignored by the Emmy's.

 

Go back and count all his references to WWII. It's his motivating reason to exist. It's all and only about Mother Russia. And like Stalin he will gladly sacrifice the lives of all Russia's children to save Mother. His sole concern, ultimately, is to have his soldiers serve. His concern for Philip and Elizabeth is only professional.
A great acting job.

 

I'm not so sure - Like, I think he shows more compassion for the Jennings than Margo Martindale's character did. He could have pressured them or forced them to keep working in the fourth season, and instead, he stopped them. It could have just been because he was reading the situation correctly and didn't want to lose two high value agents, but throughout the rest of the show, we see other Russian leaders quite willing to sacrifice assets to satisfy bureaucracy.

 

I think his 'compassion' is just a tool to motivate and squeeze the last drop of effectiveness from them. Initially, Margo was a 1 tool spymaster, sledgehammer. Gabriel is more nuanced, but I see him being able to divorce the personal feelings from personnel matters.

 

This year could/should be different. They moved the season from a January start to a March start, allowing the season to finish right before Emmy nomination voting begins (June 13-27). Plus, with the departure of Mad Men, there's a spot open at the table.