When I was a kid, I loved pretending that I was a spy. Maybe it was because my parents bought me that James Bond video game, or perhaps it was an effort to get away from my sisters’ American Girl dolls, but I relished sleuthing. Birthday parties became classified missions. Family get-togethers turned into stakeouts. My parents’ old cellphones self-destructed after five seconds and all Walkmen were government-issued recording devices.
I can’t really do that stuff anymore. Unfortunately, society says a 19-year-old can’t play secret agent unless he lives in his mother’s basement. I no longer hide in my family’s cupboards, nor do I spy on my sisters. But today — as a college freshman consumed with academics and a modest social life — I have “The Americans.”
FX’s new hit series, set in America during the 1980s Cold-War era, dives headfirst into the awesome, old-fashioned world of espionage, code words and secret gadgets. Using a stellar score of ’80s pop artists — The Cure, Fleetwood Mac and Phil Collins, among others — the program is a stylistic masterpiece. Creator Joe Weisberg relies heavily on his experience as a real-life CIA operative to craft an honest spy story with an added dose of style.
The show centers on two KGB operatives living in America and posing as happily married U.S. citizens. Elizabeth (the underrated Keri Russell) and Philip Jennings (Matthew Rhys) are American in almost every sense of the word — they have two kids, live in the ‘burbs and serve on the PTA. But the upbeat, domesticated couple everyone sees is merely gathering information for the Soviets, living in a forced and somewhat fake marriage. Although they really love their children and, occasionally, each other, they’re always focused on the motherland.
Conflict comes when an FBI agent moves in across the street. Stan Beeman (the understated, powerful Noah Emmerich) is actually an American, and he loves the crap out of his country. He works long hours in the counter-intelligence wing, looking for KGB pricks set out to destroy the country. However, after a few simple interactions, he becomes friends with — who else — the Jennings. It may seem like an easy and predictable move on the writing staff to have the enemy live next door, but it works well here and never feels like a wild coincidence.
The whole show is able to use the recently popular “anti-hero as a protagonist” theme without ever feeling contrived. Credit the writers for crafting a couple of immensely likable, charismatic Soviets. Every week, I’m continuously conflicted between KGB and FBI, even though I’m a proud, red-blooded American. FX’s smart drama expertly discusses deep-seated issues of trust, country and family.
And while the child-version of me would fawn over the cool disguises and gadgets, FX’s hit show also serves as a mature character study. The most interesting aspect of the drama comes from the conflict-prone, heart-wrenching Jennings’ relationship. These two people were forced into an organized marriage, but there’s a part of them that still loves the other. Every episode, the viewer empathizes with their marital struggles and the impact it has on their very real children.
Yes, “The Americans” may not have the real, visceral feeling that comes with “Breaking Bad” or even “Girls.” But the program is a wildly refreshing, old-fashioned story executed with pinpoint precision. The central cast is solid, and Holly Taylor — who plays the Jennings’ daughter — is a force to be reckoned with. The program wins points for style, suspense and a thought-provoking family dynamic.
FX has a hit on their hands. The program’s already been cleared for a second season, and ratings are on par with any TV drama. It comes as no surprise to me. When a show that succeeds on such a stylistic level also places emphasis on crafting real characters, it deserves to be watched. The mature, adult me loves the show for its honest story, while the adolescent me just wants to play around with all those sweet gadgets.