The Americans: Pilot First Watch

October 6, 2015 7:32 PM - Season 1, Episode 1

We are introduced to Elizabeth and Phillip, two KGB spies under deep cover as a married couple in suburban DC. They have an unexpected houseguest, and Phillip goes shopping for cowboy boots. Their new neighbor Stan takes an interest in their garage.

Terrific use of Fleetwood Mac and Quarterflash in this episode!

AV Club
The Vulture
Sepinwall

posted by computech_apolloniajames (3 comments total)

What I found fascinating when my wife and I watched this episode is that she was intrigued by the spy stuff - the concept of sleeper agents and deep covers and what a bizarrely difficult and challenging life that would be; and I was immediately drawn to the rocky marriage the two have, thrown together to perform this mission under the fiction of being a happy couple, and if there is perhaps some reality under all the fictions.

Anyways, did anyone else think the "In The Air Tonight" sequence was a bit of a homage/shout-out to the Miami Vice pilot scene that used the song? The moment the song started and they are driving along in the car, exchanging glances, I had immediate flashbacks to it. Of course, the ending of that sequence is very different compared to the Miami Vice scene (excepting any slash fiction).
posted by nubs at 7:56 PM on October 6, 2015

Oh, playing that song had to be an homage - though two entirely different kinds of shows, "In the Air Tonight" is such an iconic montage song. This is a great pilot - a really good balance between the personal and the political.
posted by crossoverman at 3:46 AM on October 7, 2015

My wife and I JUST started watching this series (thanks discounted amazon prime membership) and have really gotten into it. I think what really makes it work IS that they are fake married/real married and the tensions around that...while having to deal with all the cold war era the spy stuff.
posted by Captain_Science at 9:45 AM on October 7, 2015 [1 favorite]