The Americans Series Finale Review: Subdued Yet Powerful

"The Americans" has come to a conclusion with a somewhat subdued finale. If you were expecting a hyperkinetic ending, you havent been watching this show for the past six years. "The Americans" is much more of a slow burn. I assume this is what real spy work is like-- lots of waiting around with a few moments of intense action. Of course, I have no IRL experience to base this on.

In the penultimate episode, Philip calls Elizabeth saying "I was hoping to make it to dinner but things got very topsy turvy at the office". This is the signal that all hell has broken loose and they must flee the country immediately.

Stan confronts the family in a parking garage as they retrieve Page from college. Son Henry will be left behind (since he has no knowledge of their spy life). Stan holds the family at gunpoint but due to some quick talking by Philip they are allowed to escape. Stan is not a very good FBI agent. He's been living next door to KGB agents for a long time. Even though he and Philip are besties, I just dont buy that he would let them go. This goes against every fiber of his badge-toting body. It does make for good TV viewing though.

Sure the Jennings want to destroy capitalism and America as we know it. I still cant help but feel for them. In looking back over the years (the show concludes in 1987), we gradually learn the toll such work takes. They have grown from coworkers to romantic partners to parents of two children. The job they accepted force them to continually deny their true selves and will most likely get them killed. There will be no happy endings here.

Yes, I know they have done some horrific things during the course of the show. "The Americans" Wiki here lists Philip at 13 kills and Elizabeth at 23 kills. That makes 36 (that we know of). A few of the more grisly crimes include: breaking a women's legs to shove her into a suitcase, chopping up a body to dispose of it, Elizabeth brutally killing a man and woman as their child sleeps in the next room, Elizabeth forcing an innocent old lady to eat poison, and Elizabeth killing an elderly Nazi collaborator and her husband. The spy game is definitely not for the weak of stomach. Also if you got the idea that Elizabeth is the more dangerous member of the couple, you would be correct.

Philip, Elizabeth and Page head for Canada. It looks like they might make it until border patrol boards the train to everyone's passports. Luckily their disguises hold up. Are they home free? Nope, in a surprise twist, Page exits the train. All her parents can do is tearfully watch as the train passes. It's probably for the best since I dont think she would have fared well in the Mother country. I'm not sure Philip will make the transition either. Elizabeth is a card carrying believer but Philip has become acclimated to the American way of life. He stayed in the biz because he truly loved her.

Mikhail and Nadezhda arrive home. They are no longer Philip and Elizabeth. Have the spies quietly saved us from WWIII by revealing a plot (by Claudia and the KGB) to assassinate Gorbachev? Probably. Too bad the world will never know. As they look out over the Moscow skyline at night, Mikhail says "It feels strange". Nadezhda replies in Russian with "We'll get used to it". And fade to black.

Grade: 4 Monsters (out of 5 total). "The Americans" has always been a slow burn so I'm personally satisfied with the finale. I am however surprised that none of the main characters died. Just goes to show ya , some things are worse than death. Just ask poor Martha whose only crime was falling for the wrong man.

What will you miss the most about "The Americans"? My pick is the bad disguises (which I eventually grew to love). One question remains though. Is Stan's wife Renee a spy? Philip seems to think so and warns Stan. If so, what is Stan going to do about it? It seems nothing right now. Maybe Stan should find another field of employment. The spy game isnt going so well.