The first season of “The Americans” was an entertaining,
well-made spy drama. It was fun, particularly thanks to a fearless performance
by Keri Russell. Season one was set-up for the far denser and superior second
season, in which all of the stakes felt higher and the entire production seemed
more refined. The show went from spy movie to John Le Carre. Now, in the first
four episodes of the third season, references to other spy fiction don’t seem
to do this show justice any more. It is distinctly its own fascinating thing.
And with the addition of great supporting performers like Frank Langella to a
narrative arc that grows more captivating with each episode, it could end its
third season as the best drama on television.
At the end of season two, a major turning point lay in front
of Philip (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth Jennings (Keri Russell)—their daughter’s
future. Seemingly being prepared for the program of “second-generation
illegals,” Paige (Holly Taylor) doesn’t know her parents are spies or that
their mother government wants her to join the espionage club. Philip ended
season two by threatening to never let Paige know who her parents are much less
join their profession, while Elizabeth clearly feels a little differently. The
season premiere features a flashback of dear mommy throwing a young Paige in
the deep end, and the Jennings face pressure to turn Paige through the arc of
these first four episodes (including from a mentor played with icy perfection
by Langella).
The narrative interplay between parenting and espionage is
nothing short of brilliant. Philip and Elizabeth are actually faced with a
decision most parents have to make—Do you push your child in a direction
similar to the path you took in life or do you fight to make sure they take a
different road? If you do the latter, are you admitting some sort of failure?
If Philip and Elizabeth don’t want Paige to spy for Russia, how do they
reconcile that feeling with what they’re doing on a regular basis?
Speaking of that, the noose is tightening. The pre-credits
sequence on episode one features a remarkably stressful sequence in which
Elizabeth’s cover is nearly blown. Stan Beeman (Noah Emmerich), broken down to
nearly nothing with the separation from his wife and capture of his mistress
Nina (Annet Mahendru), seems closer and closer to the precipice of disaster.
Episode two of this season features Emmerich’s best work to date, emotionally
and physically torn apart and near the end.
The tension hovers in every scene of “The Americans” this
season. It feels almost like if the Jennings don’t make a decision soon about
Paige, one will be made for them. And there’s a definite theme, especially in
the second episode, that women in this world are little more than cargo—to be
turned, literally shipped to another country, or discarded. How do you bring
your daughter into that world? How do you stay in it yourself?
There’s also a fascinating discussion of indoctrinations of
different kinds underlying “The Americans” this year as Paige continues her
interest in religion. Why is that choice inferior to the ones her parents were
forced into or continue to make?
And then there’s the use of music. No show does it better.
I have to admit that I never expected “The Americans” to
become as multi-layered as it is in its third season. It’s a show you can watch
purely to enjoy its remarkably dense plotting or you can dissect the filmmaking
choices and discuss the thematic undercurrents with friends. And I haven’t
mentioned how stellar Rhys and Russell are in every episode. This show
continues to rise. Although I’m not sure it can get much higher.
