The Americans
Overview
The Americans is a 2013 period spy thriller television series created by Joe Weisberg for FX, set during the Cold War in the 1980s. The series follows two Soviet KGB officers, Philip (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth Jennings (Keri Russell), who are posing as an ordinary married American couple in suburban Washington, D.C. They have two children, Paige (Holly Taylor) and Henry (Keidrich Sellati), who do not know that their parents are spies. The series follows Philip and Elizabeth as they conduct espionage, assassinations, and sabotage, all while maintaining their cover as travel agents. They are opposed by their FBI agent neighbor, Stan Beeman (Noah Emmerich), who becomes a close friend. The series is a meditation on loyalty, identity, and the cost of deception. Philip is a reluctant spy, who is increasingly drawn to the American way of life. Elizabeth is a dedicated communist, who believes in the Soviet cause. Their marriage is a marriage of convenience, but they grow to genuinely love each other. The series ends with the fall of the Soviet Union. Philip and Elizabeth are forced to flee, leaving their son Henry behind. Paige, who has been trained as a spy, chooses to stay in America. The Americans won numerous awards, including a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor for Matthew Rhys and a Golden Globe for Best Television Series Drama. The series is widely considered one of the best spy thrillers ever made.
