Author Archives: Chip Mims

WTA 122- Feedback for The Summit

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The end is nigh and the deck is clearing! So this week we have some major unexpected revelations from the start! Shocking twists! A mercy killing! A not killing! Has Philip finally gotten through to the human being in Elizabeth? Are they done for? And Claudia is evil. Again! So much to digest in a super-sized episode! It’s The Americans Season 6 Episode 8 “The Summit”, which aired May 16, 2018. It was written by Joshua Brand and directed by series veteran Sylvain White.

This is Episode 122 and contains our history, tech of yesteryear, and feedback segments. Please check out Episode 121 to get the news and our episode breakdown and analysis.

There was so much so fast in the history lane! We brush up on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act before heading over to meet a contact at Main State. It’s a good thing we used our favorite Vidal Sassoon products to look good and fool people! Then we head to the cinema for a trifecta: The Big Heat, I Was a Male War Bride, and then we have to use subtitles for The Garage! Fortunately we convinced Elizabeth we are good guys so she doesn’t have to off us with her poison tip assassination device (maybe a Bulgarian Umbrella?)! Then another tie Wig of the Week exists between Philip’s hat and long blonde hair and Elizabeth’s blonde assassin pageboy! We then have your enthusiastic responses to this week’s show!

And we do love to hear your thoughts about The Americans so please keep sending them to us! You can email text or audio feedback to watchingtheamericans@gmail.com or signal us (we have replaced the operator!) at 919-907-0542. Follow us on Twitter @WatchAmericans. Please like us on our Facebook page Watching The Americans. And if you do enjoy the show, kindly rate us or better yet rate and review us in iTunes or Stitcher!

WTA 121- Season 6 Episode 8 The Summit

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:15:20 — 43.5MB)

This is Episode 121 and contains the news and our episode breakdown and analysis. To hear our history, tech of yesteryear, and feedback segments stay tuned for Episode 122.

We have one choice news item for you, from a real-life CIA operative! It’s a piece in the The Washington Post wherein the former chief of disguise at the CIA says that ‘The Americans’ gets a lot right! And she gives a special shoutout to Matthew Rhys for how he handles guy disguises.

Then we pick up just after the past episode, and Philip confesses the Oleg operation to a stunned Elizabeth! He implores her to help save Gorby but she seems unmoved. She continues the operation with poor Jackson, who (of course) falls for her wiles. With his help she gets a key recording of Nesterenko. Stan continues closing in by visiting with a member of Gregory’s crew from Season 1. The Erica and Glenn Haskard story comes to its inevitable sad ending with Elizabeth’s help. Philip tries apologizing to Stavos. Jackson escapes certain death at the hands of Elizabeth! Claudia reveals her deep knowledge of everything Elizabeth has been working on, cementing her as a snake once and for all. Elizabeth learns from the tape that Nesterenko is a good man and refuses to follow the Centre’s orders to kill him! Claudia threatens Elizabeth, who then tells Philip that she needs to get a message to Oleg to help save Gorby!

Remember that we do love to hear your thoughts about The Americans so please keep sending them in! You can email text or audio feedback to watchingtheamericans@gmail.com or signal us (we have replaced the operator!) at 919-907-0542. Follow us on Twitter @WatchAmericans. Please like us on our Facebook page Watching The Americans. And if you do enjoy the show, kindly rate us or better yet rate and review us in iTunes!

WTA 120- Feedback for Harvest

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You knew we had to have at least one more gruesome spy thing, didn’t you? Well we sure did this week, along with Stan’s spidey-sense kicking in, Dennis’s frustration, and Elizabeth remaining winless this season! At least Philip was there to prevent an even worse outcome. Plus: Harvest meets the scythe and Marilyn meets the axe! All this and Erica, Henry and Paige too in The Americans Season 6 Episode 7 “Harvest”, which aired May 9, 2018. It was written by newcomer Sarah Nolen and directed by Stefan Schwartz.

This is Episode 120 and contains our history, tech of yesteryear, and feedback segments. Please check out Episode 119 to get the news and our episode breakdown and analysis.

We go light on history and tech to make way for feedback! We start out by adjusting our diets through food combining while listening to the incredible Patti Smith and the song “Broken Flag” on the album Wave. Such somberness makes us yearn for laughter and we get it at the Police Academy, which we reached easily using the Chicago L. Did anyone else see the emergency fire axe was missing? Then we have another tie for Wig of the Week between Philip’s shaggy cut, Elizabeth’s long dark locks, and the one that fell off poor Marilyn! Then look out for your incredible thoughts in your raucous feedback!

WTA 119- Season 6 Episode 7 Harvest

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:08:47 — 39.7MB)

This is Episode 119 and contains the news and our episode breakdown and analysis. To hear our history, tech of yesteryear, and feedback segments stay tuned for Episode 120.

A couple of intriguing news items are out there this week. We start of with Vulture going on the set of the game-changing episode, ‘Harvest’ and giving us background on writer Sarah Nolen. We follow that with Mic’s think piece about the final season of ‘The Americans’ being all about the death of ideologies.

This episode begins with Philip revealing to Stan…that the business is tanking. Stan gets a bro hug and arousing suspicion. Stan drive Henry to get back to school and the conversation sets his spidey-sense to max! Philip arrives in Chicago to help Elizabeth with the extraction of Harvest. In a sequence reminiscent of Season 1, they attempt the move and it ends with resounding failure and death all around them. Dennis and Stan react to the Chicago mayhem. After dealing with the aftermath, Philip and Elizabeth head home. Which Stan did first. Erica later pushes Elizabeth to understand…something. Elizabeth then pushes Paige to commit. And Philip remembers his wedding to Elizabeth.

WTA 118- Feedback for Rififi

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It has taken almost six seasons, and now Henry finally takes center stage! Maybe the only reason he isn’t completely messed up is because the family left him alone all this time! It’s Thanksgiving and we see almost everyone left back together for a meal at the Beemans! Things are starting to look dicey for the Russians, and just when you thought they might finally be done, Philip and Elizabeth may not be! All this and more are in The Americans Season 6 Episode 6 “Rififi” which aired May 2, 2018. It was written by Stephen Schiff and Justin Weinberger, and directed by Kevin Bray.

This is Episode 118 and contains our history, tech of yesteryear, and feedback segments. Please check out Episode 117 to get the news and our episode breakdown and analysis.

It’s getting so hard to fit all the history, tech and feedback into one episode! We start out at The Key Theatre, there like Elizabeth to check out Rififi, Bob le Flambeur and one she didn’t want to see, Three Men and a Baby (we have a soft spot for Tom Selleck!). On the way home we fight over the radio and end up with Tears for Fears “Ideas as Opiates”, which would sound amazing if done by The California Raisins at an outdoor show at Walden Pond. The tech to get us there involves full-scale versions of slot car racing cars, which can only be bought using special invoices printed in invisible ink cracked with steganography. We have a tie for Wig of the Week between Elizabeth’s French film look and Marilyn’s dark curly lock! After all that, it’s time for your incredible thoughts in your awesome feedback!

WTA 117- Season 6 Episode 6 Rififi

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:13:58 — 42.7MB)

This is Episode 117 and contains the news and our episode breakdown and analysis. To hear our history, tech of yesteryear, and feedback segments stay tuned for Episode 118.

There are three choice news items at the TASS bureau this week, beginning with The Washington Post showing us that before ‘The Americans’ and ‘Homeland,’ Russian TV spies were simple villains. No more. Next up we have Collider’s intimate chat with showrunners Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields on navigating the Intense, emotional final season, and we wind up with Uproxx’s Alan Sepinwall with a comment from the Js on finances and financing and Russian spies.

We pick up this week right where we ended, with Philip confronting Elizabeth about the Kimmy operation and his decision to end it! It’s Thanksgiving though, so Henry comes home and shines as the true American in the Jennings household! Dennis asks Stan to come back and help counterintelligence because that the FBI has found an illegal in Chicago and Dennis thinks they will be able to find all of them in the US and quickly! The Beemans host everyone except Elizabeth for a Thanksgiving feast along with a side of patriotic speechifying from Stan. Henry has some time with Philip, and he gets an unusual call from Elizabeth that leads Philip to offer to help her in Chicago!

WTA 116- Feedback for The Great Patriotic War

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This is probably the first time since the death of Nina that we were left completely speechless by an episode of The Americans! Things are really coming apart at the seams, in every sense in every relationship, from Gennadi and Sofia to Paige, Elizabeth and Philip. We got a surprising and bitter return of Tatiana confronting Oleg! And the turn in the Kimmy and Jim relationship was unbearable. Top that off with Philip making a stand and you have one of the most amazing episodes in six seasons! True horror and sadness are waiting for you in The Americans Season 6 Episode 5 “The Great Patriotic War” which aired April 25, 2018. It was written by Hilary Bettis and directed by Thomas Schlamme.

This is Episode 116 and contains our history, tech of yesteryear, and feedback segments. Please check out Episode 115 to get the news and our episode breakdown and analysis.

We start out with political history in the person of esteemed Georgia Senator Sam Nunn, who being a defense wonk knows all about the importance of The Battle of Stalingrad to helping turn the tide against the Nazis. He also knows the horrific level of World War II casualties, particularly the millions killed in the Soviet Union. Thank goodness we can put that out of mind and crack open a cold one to catch the hockey match and see sexiest man alive Mark Harmon in a classic 1985 Coors commercial. In an adjacent room the kids can enjoy the entertaining

“March of the Wooden Soldiers” sequence from Babes in Toyland while we use our Texas Instruments pocket calculator to try to figure out how to save our travel agency! Then you guys unleash a torrent of terrific feedback!

WTA 115- Season 6 Episode 5 The Great Patriotic War

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This is Episode 115 and contains the news and our episode breakdown and analysis. To hear our history, tech of yesteryear, and feedback segments stay tuned for Episode 116.

We have a couple of great news items for you. First up Vulture examines the utter shock of Philip and Paige’s fight. Then it’s time for A/V Club to reveal how The Americans can be a great horror movie, too.

Then we start the show with food delivery man Stan who also serves as best friend and marriage counselor. Paige continues to defy Elizabeth and shows a feral side that takes care of a couple of grabby frat boys, much to Elizabeth and Philip’s dismay. Erica continues to sicken and tries to impart some wisdom to the brick wall known as Elizabeth. Tatiana returns to confront Oleg about his actions years before and he learns she is the reason why the GRU was after him and his family. Claudia teaches Paige about the Soviets in World War II aka The Great Patriotic War and she and Elizabeth demonstrate proper vodka techniques to Paige, resulting in an almost humanizing first-time lovemaking discussion. Elizabeth completes her mission regarding Gennadi with horrific collateral damage involving Sofia and Illya. Most sadly, Elizabeth plays a honeypot on Philip, and she pushes him one step too far to make him take an extreme action with Kimmy. After Philip learns what happened to Gennadi and Sofia, he takes a final stand to save Kimmy.

WTA 114- Feedback for Mr. and Mrs. Teacup

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We thought last week was the most depressing episode yet of The Americans. Well, we were wrong! Nothing goes right this week, from travel agency finances and fancy school payments to sensor heists to trips to watch a World Series Game 6! And Philip can’t even get a snuggle from Elizabeth! Sadness abounds in The Americans Season 6 Episode 4 “Mr. and Mrs. Teacup” which aired April 18, 2018. It was written by Peter Ackerman and directed by Roxann Dawson.

This is Episode 114 and contains our history, tech of yesteryear, and feedback segments. Please check out Episode 113 to get the news and our episode breakdown and analysis.

Baseball is one historic sport and we dive deep starting with Glenn’s fave (he has the jacket!) the Yakult Swallows who as far as we know never played at The Metrodome in Minneapolis! Then we review the epic Game 6 of the 1987 World Series while drinking a refreshing Pilsner Urquell before Barb clues us in on the nefarious doings of DC Mayor Marion Barry, who as we know loved playing NERF football! We then proclaim Paige the winner of Wigs of the Week (without a wig!) before you guys tell us what you thought!

WTA 113- Season 6 Episode 4 Mr. and Mrs. Teacup

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:08:08 — 39.4MB)

This is Episode 113 and contains the news and our episode breakdown and analysis. To hear our history, tech of yesteryear, and feedback segments stay tuned for Episode 114.

Two choice items are in the news. Russian propaganda arm Russia Today offers up a look at Hollywood’s malicious propaganda that dehumanizes all Russians. Take it with a heaping helping of salt. Then we have a neat introspective piece in America Magazine on how “The Americans” highlights the dangers of consumerism.

We recommence right where we left off – in the park with that hot new couple, Oleg and Philip! Oleg then checks in with Igor using cool spy codes, and then Igor gives the real scoop to Arkady! Elizabeth tries to steal a sensor, and all she gets are 3 more dead guys! Dennis ropes Stan back into marriage counseling, and Henry learns Philip can’t pay! At least Philip can still line dance! Unfortunately that’s all he can do since Elizabeth is too tired to even cuddle. She does convince Erica and Glenn to check out a World Series Game 6 with stomach-upsetting results! To top it all off, Paige ignores Elizabeth and goes all honeypot on a mark!