Tag Archives: Americans Podcast

WTA 32-Season 3 Episode 12 I Am Abassin Zadran

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:38:09 — 45.3MB)

Poor Martha and Paige! It’s their time to shine in The Americans’ Season 3 Episode 12 “I Am Abassin Zadran” written by Peter Ackerman & Stuart Zicherman and directed by Christopher Misiano. The original air date was April 15, 2015.

Paige continues to angrily question her parents about her history and place in the world. She escapes by going to Pastor Tim and Alice’s house, and Philip and Elizabeth take her back home. Stan makes an unexpected visit to Martha. He later confronts Aderholt about his insinuations and accusations. Lisa’s husband Maurice inserts himself into her undercover work for Michelle. Oleg and Tatiana attempt to persuade Arkady to continue Operation Zephyr in the FBI using the Mailbot. Philip and Elizabeth meet Mujahideen leader Abassin Zadran and goad him into attacking his fellow leaders. Claudia returns and Gabriel meets with her to discuss the Jennings. Martha is picked up by Hans who takes her to meet Clark. She shares her panic with Clark who tries to reassure and calm her. Martha continues to unravel, calls home, and prepares to go there. Clark arrives and stops her by revealing more of himself by removing his toupee. He is not bald!

Two fun news items await us! First is a great interview with fan favorite Margo Martindale who gets candid in the Hollywood Reporter about her role as Claudia and what may be in store next season. Then we take a look at the latest and greatest review from Alan Sepinwall from Hitfix and his What’s Alan Watching review of this episode. Alan writes some of the best stuff out there so do check it out!

Lots of history and one bit of tech are here this week! We start by saying farewell to Hawkeye and the gang on the last episode of M*A*S*H called “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen”, then take a break to read about feudal Japan in Shōgun while we nosh on a delicious Kolach. Next we journey with Gabriel to Sergach and catch a showing of the great dark film King of Comedy. Finally, we wind down and we mean down with Ultravox’s “Vienna”, played of course on our vintage clock radio.

We love to hear your thoughts about The Americans so please send 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!

WTA 31-Interview with Alison Wright aka Martha Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:28 — 12.5MB)

What a surprise treat we have in store for you this week! Alison Wright aka Martha Hanson joins us for a terrific interview! She discusses acting, how she got the role of Martha and her approach to it, and she answers our questions about the character and last week’s monumental episode. Plus, she responds to some really thoughtful listener questions! You REALLY don’t want to miss this!

WTA 29-Interview with Kelly AuCoin aka Pastor Tim

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We couldn’t resist, and he couldn’t say no to our request…Kelly AuCoin, aka “Pastor Tim” on “The Americans” is back with us in a special episode for you!

After Philip and Elizabeth’s mind-blowing revelation to Paige last week, we checked back in with Kelly to find out the scoop on his performance in the episode, his terrific opening scene with Matthew Rhys, and his thoughts on how he approaches Pastor Tim. Plus, we get to talk just a bit about his new role in Season 3 of “House of Cards”!

WTA 28-Season 3 Episode 10 Stingers

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:48:09 — 49.9MB)

This week’s episode of The Americans has to rank as the best of the season, and one of the best of the whole series so far! It is Season 3 Episode 10 entitled ”Stingers” written by showrunners Joel Fields & Joe Weisberg and directed by Larysa Kondracki. The original air date was April 1, 2015.

To recap this week: Pastor Tim drops into the travel agency and has an interesting interaction with Philip. In a movie theater’s bathroom, Zinaida is shown to be leaving a message, confirming she is a double-agent. In Siberia, Anton tells Nina that he needs photographs to aid his work. Tatiana tells Arkady that someone is sabotaging their operation with agent “Willow”. After retrieving a tape from the briefcase belonging to Kimmy’s father, Philip and Elizabeth learn Pakistan’s ISI is sending someone to the U.S. to discuss America’s CIA involvement in Afghanistan. Elizabeth checks into a hotel to set up a contact for her plans to spy on the people coming to meet with the CIA. Henry and Stan bond over films and games. Paige, at Pastor Tim’s urging, confronts her parents about their secrecy. They confess to being Russian spies but caution her about not telling anyone. This blows everyone’s mind!

We lead off with the GREAT news from EW that The Americans is renewed for season 4! Then Vulture has an exposé exploring if The Americans and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt are connected, and we visit the incredible view of the Soviet Hockey team’s later history in the recent documentary Red Army.

There is so much history to cover this week, beginning with Adam and the Ants monster hit “Stand and Deliver”, followed by the lucrative trade in Pirated Videos, one of which we saw this week: the movie Tron. We also see another movie, Tootsie, then play Strat-O-Matic while watching the soap opera General Hospital, and then regale ourselves with Eddie Murphy’s SNL classic Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood. In tech of yesteryear, we once again learn more about ancient telephones and what happened if you left a telephone off the hook which would lead to a permanent signal, and then we unwind by firing off a few Stinger Missiles.

WTA 26-Season 3 Episode 8 Divestment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:24:57 — 39.3MB)

We didn’t think it possible to be more uncomfortable with the doings on The Americans, but we are again! It happens in this week’s episode entitled ”Divestment”. It was written by Lara Shapiro and directed by Dan Attias. The original air date for the episode was March 18, 2015.

This week the show begins just where we left off last time, with Philip and Elizabeth and Ncgobo interrogating their hostages. Ncgobo decides to execute Venter in a grisly manner, and Todd confesses he has a bomb. Later, Elizabeth releases Todd unharmed. Taffet continues his investigation into the source of the bug in Gaad’s pen, and Martha becomes more and more on edge. Nina is visited by one of her jailors who informs her the work she has done has reduced her sentence to 10 years. She can go free if she can seduce Anton Baklanov, who appears to be stalling in his work on Soviet Stealth tech. Martha confronts Clark, asking “who are you?” and getting a conflicted answer. Later, she and Clark lie in bed, together, alone.

We have found some good news items for you this week. We start with the socialist site Jacobin on communists for austerity, then hear from EW with a biblical, ‘binding’ theory of The Americans, The New Yorker’s opinion that The Americans is too bleak, and that’s why it’s great, good ratings news via Headline Planet, and wind up with the WSJ Blog’s interview with Alison Wright on Martha, Mail Robots and Pen Maintenance.

For our history segment we examine divestment from South Africa, visit Berkeley, the home of the Free Speech Movement., join the African National Congress, and witness the gruesome practice of Necklacing. For tech of yesteryear we dust off our trust Microfiche reader!

WTA 25-Season 3 Episode 7 Walter Taffet

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:32:13 — 42.6MB)

Action returns and joins incredible character moments in a brilliantly directed episode of the latest episode of The Americans entitled ”Walter Taffet”. It was written by Lara Shapiro and directed by Noah Emmerich. The original air date for the episode was March 11, 2015.

The action really ramps up this week! We begin with Philip listening to a shortwave radio broadcast about the situation in Afghanistan. He sees Elizabeth making notes about Paige for a report to the KGB and confronts her about it. He is more alone than he has ever been, ending up sharing bad pizza and bad beer at Stan’s house. Stan sees Sandra who asks him for a divorce, and he later has the chance to share some of his undercover past with his son Matthew. Adderholt questions Stan about Nina, and later in Gaad’s office Adderholt discovers the bug Martha planted in a pen. Walter Taffet arrives to investigate the source of the bug. Martha begins to unravel, trying to destroy the transmitter. She asks Clark to see his apartment and he takes her to it. Moscow sends a member of the African National Congress to aid in the kidnapping of the South Africans that Hans discovered. In a rare moment of openness, Elizabeth apologizes to Philip about Paige and he then reveals that he has a son in Afghanistan. Elizabeth and Philip orchestrate the taking of the South African agent and his college student source to the sounds of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain.”

We found some interesting articles for you to check out. First was an interview with showrunners Weisberg & Fields in Variety, followed by more good news in the ratings front via

Headline Planet, and then a fascinating everything old is new again piece in The New York Times revealing that Putin has vanished, but rumors are popping up everywhere.

Great stuff awaits you in history, beginning with Paige reading the history book From Reconstruction to the Present Day by the iconic modern historian Richard Hofstadter. Next up we meet with Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, learn who shot JR, revel in the brilliant song The Chain by Fleetwood Mac , and eat some Campbell’s Chunky Soup. In tech of yesteryear we fire up our old Shortwave Radio, revisit the year 1982 in computers and try to avoid detection sweepers.

WTA 23-Season 3 Episode 5 Salang Pass

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If you thought last week’s show was making you uncomfortable, this week’s episode of The Americans entitled ”Salang Pass” will double down on the discomfort level. It was written by Stephen Schiff and directed by Kevin Dowling. The original air date for the episode was February 25, 2015.

In this episode, Philip struggles with his mission and using Kimberly as an asset. He and Elizabeth continue their argument over Paige and telling her the truth about themselves. Stan asks Oleg’s help in finding out if Zinaida is actually a Russian spy posing as a defector, with Nina’s release as a bargaining chip. Gabriel pushes Philip to work with Kimberly. Stan has an awkward moment at the Jennings household. Elizabeth takes extreme measures to secure a transfer to a new Northrop plant for Lisa. Philip gets inside Kimberly’s house to start his mission. At home, Philip remembers his honey pot training, causing Elizabeth and Philip to bare their psyches to one another.

In our history segment, we learn about the devastating Salang Pass Tunnel Fire, read the US anti-contra Boland Amendment, listen to a A Flock of Seagulls, and pop up some Jiffy Pop popcorn. In tech of yesteryear, we burn rubber with the Datsun 240Z and groove along with the sounds of music synthesizers.

WTA 22-Season 3 Episode 4 Dimebag

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The writers will make sure you are very uncomfortable in this week’s episode 304 of The Americans entitled ”Dimebag”. It was written by Peter Ackerman and directed by Thomas Schlamme. The original air date for the episode was February 18, 2015.

“Dimebag” is chock-full of tense moments. Philip and Elizabeth continue their debate about Paige’s future, and their relationship is becoming increasingly frayed. Nina gets a proposition that could save her, and she attempts to get close to her new cellmate as a result. Stan continues trying EST and makes an ill-advised visit to Sandra. He also shares his growing unease with Gaad about the defector Zinaida. Philip takes steps to recruit a new agent to gain access to the CIA Afghani group, and she is the teenaged daughter of the CIA section chief. Paige invites Pastor Tim and his wife Alice to her birthday dinner, and makes a surprising announcement to her family.

In our history segment, we learn about Love Baby Soft from Love Cosmetics, mourn the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, listen to the new wave music sensation Yaz (aka Yazoo), and stop by Harvey’s for some meat. In tech of yesteryear, we are all about the tuneage with the Sony Walkman and the Boombox. Then we finish up by reading the venerable PC Magazine.

In our feedback segment, there are some really great comments, we read out a part of a new Twitter screenplay being developed for Martha and the Mailbot, and we ask actor Kelly AuCoin a question about the scene with the Jennings and he gives us an audio reply. Check out a great profile of him in the Washington Post!

WTA 20-Season 3 Episode 2 Baggage

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:16:14 — 44.0MB)

A crushing episode awaits you with this week’s all-new The Americans! ”Baggage” was written by Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg, and directed by Daniel Sackheim. The original air date for the episode was February 4, 2015.

After a great start for the season, the ratings news was surprising and disappointing. We check them via Headline Planet.

In this episode, we see the return of Nina, alive and imprisoned at the notorious Leforto prison. From there the scene switches to right where “EST Men” ended up – the hotel where Yousaf met Annalise. Philip calls Elizabeth for help disposing of a body with bone-crunching results. Philip pressures Yousaf to arrange a meeting of CIA operatives involved in the Afghan conflict. Philip and Elizabeth follow Yousaf to his meeting at a bar and surveille. Oleg confronts Stan about Nina and Stan lives to walk away. He goes to Sandra’s new home to talk with her and she pushes him away. Oleg’s father, the Minister of Railways, visits Nina in prison. A woman defects from the USSR and Stan takes charge of her safety. The strain between Elizabeth and Phillip intensifies, and we get a flashback that helps explain why Elizabeth is so adamant about recruiting Paige. At the end of the episode, Elizabeth tells Phillip about her being approached by the KGB at 16 and her mother not hesitating to tell her to serve her country.

In this week’s history segment, we explore Reaganomics, the Leforto Prison, The Soviet Ministry of the Means of Communication aka Railroads, The Institute for US and Canadian Studies, and the Soviet newspaper Pravda. In our technology of yesteryear we sneak a peek at a KGB Spy Camera, vending machines, and the Oldsmobile Toronado.

WTA 17- Listener Feedback & Theories

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 52:16 — 30.3MB)

Season 3 is almost here and we are talking about it!

We start off with some news about our favorite show. Forbes has a review stating that The Americans Remains FX’s Best Drama in Season Three, while Digital Spy reveals that The Americans should last for at least 5 seasons, according to FX’s boss, and Canada.com notes that The Americans creator Joe Weisberg is talking about real-life events in Russia. Then we follow with two articles in TV Guide anticipating the return of The Americans, and finish up with Entertainment Weekly listing teasers from Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg about historical and cultural reference points for the upcoming season.

In our free-wheeling discussion, we revisit questions we had at the end of Season 2 and speculate about where things will head in Season 3. Plus we introduce some crazy crackpot theories!

We finish this week with some great feedback from our listeners and reveal why we slightly changed our Russian introduction!

We love to hear your thoughts about The Americans so please send them by emailing text or audio feedback to watchingtheamericans@gmail.com or calling us 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, please rate us or better yet rate and review us in iTunes!