Tag Archives: The Americans

WTA 55- Feedback for The Day After

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What could bring the Russians and Americans together for a couple of hours? Why, if it’s the Fall of 1983 it’s the TV movie “The Day After”, which is also the title of this week’s The Americans! This is Season 4 Episode 9, and it aired May 11, 2016. It was written by Tracey Scott Wilson and directed by Daniel Sackheim.

This is Episode 55 and contains our history, tech of yesteryear, and feedback segments. Please check out Episode 54 to get the news and our episode breakdown and analysis.

We have some new and some familiar items in history this week! We cower behind the couch as we watch The Day After, and if that wasn’t scary enough we worry about catching the Lassa Virus which is a sort of Hemorrhagic Fever. Fortunately, we can try to unwind with Yazoo’s terrific song “Winter Kills” and then study the lyrics to Major Tom (Coming Home) by Peter Schilling. Then it’s time to freak out a bit about the Soviet Oko Launch Detection System when we learn how close it came to destroying civilization! Then once we recover our composure it’s time to hear your thoughts and ideas in your terrific feedback!

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!

WTA 54- Season 4 Episode 9 The Day After

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:08:37 — 31.8MB)

What could bring the Russians and Americans together for a couple of hours? Why, if it’s fall of 1983 it’s the TV movie “The Day After”, which is also the title of this week’s The Americans! This is Season 4 Episode 9, and it aired May 11, 2016. It was written by Tracey Scott Wilson and directed by Daniel Sackheim.

This is Episode 54 and contains the news and our episode breakdown and analysis. To hear our history, tech of yesteryear, and feedback segments stay tuned for Episode 55.

In the Pravda newsroom we are following some juicy stories. The Hollywood Reporter reveals (and kinda demands) how the Television Academy can save itself by nominating ‘The Americans’ for Emmys’, and next Browbeat (the Slate Culture Blog) tells us that ’The Day After’ is still terrifying to watch. We then close with Flavorwire showing how ‘The Americans’ uses ’80s pop culture to reflect its characters’ psyches.

Next up is the terrific episode! Everyone in the episode is shown watching the ABC TV movie “The Day After”, which underscores how precarious the cold war remains in 1983. Stan and Philip are friends again and play racquetball together. Pastor Tim wonders how Paige is doing and asks Philip for a family meeting after he returns from a mission to Ethiopia. Paige finally has a smile on her face as Philip begins teaching her to drive, first with the tank, second with the much cooler Camaro! William signals Philip and reveals a new variant of the Lassa virus. He questions Philip whether or not to tell the Centre, and Philip subsequently asks Elizabeth the same thing. They decide to do so and proceed with Young Hee and Don to get William higher access in the lab. To be able to blackmail Don, Elizabeth drugs him and puts him in a compromising position, leading him to believe he slept with her. Elizabeth is destroying more lives and actually seems troubled this time.

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 53- Alison Wright Interview

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Season 4 of The Americans has had the most intense story yet, and Martha Hanson is at the center of it all! So it’s a perfect time to talk with the incomparable Alison Wright about her amazing performance that has won raves from critics and fans alike. We go over Season 4 and Martha’s choices so far, discuss her role in HBO’s “Confirmation”, and then she answers some of your awesome questions!

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 52- Feedback for The Magic of David Copperfield V: The Statue of Liberty Disappears

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What an emotional plane ride this week for Martha as we fly 7 months into the future! This week we are talking The Americans Season 4 Episode 8 “The Magic of David Copperfield V: The Statue of Liberty Disappears”, which aired May 4, 2016. It was written by Stephen Schiff and directed by series star Matthew Rhys.

This is Episode 52 and contains our history, tech of yesteryear, and feedback segments. Please check out Episode 51 to get the news and our episode breakdown and analysis.

Learning history involves reading, and we join Philip with the book Est (Erhard Seminars Training : 60 Hours That Transform Your Life) by Adelaide Bry before learning about the Afghan city of Herat. Next we are off to the movies for a double feature of Tender Mercies and The Outsiders then while we head home to watch David Copperfield do some magic we put on our Walkmans and listen to “End of the Line” by Roxy Music. Maybe we should stop and play some Putt-Putt (aka Miniature Golf) if we have the time! Amazingly we have no tech to report on, so it’s straight into your thoughts and ideas in some amazing feedback!

WTA 51- Season 4 Episode 8 The Magic of David Copperfield V: The Statue of Liberty Disappears

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:20:15 — 37.1MB)

This is Episode 51 and contains the news and our episode breakdown and analysis. To hear our history, tech of yesteryear, and feedback segments stay tuned for Episode 52.

Pravda newstime begins with Vox’s stupendous chart that explains all 47 episodes of The American so far, followed by GQ which believes that The Americans has joined the TV time-jump hall of fame. Then it’s time to turn the interviewing tables as Yahoo asks the fans about The Americans so that showrunners Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields get some answers, and we close with one story reported to us by regular contributor Chris G from The Guardian about the day some real-life illegals’ kids discovered their parents were Russian spies!

Then it’s time to talk about the crazy emotional ride! Will Martha get on that plane? What will happen to Philip if she does? There’s sure to be heck to pay at home as he adjusts to his new reality, that is if Elizabeth will let him. She tries to understand both him and Paige, and may only end up explosively alienating them both. Gabriel is sure to try and help, although he will need Claudia to help him figure out what to do. Poor Gaad looks like a goner from the FBI, and Stan can only offer platitudes. What is the deal with Oleg and Tatiana? And what is Lisa’s problem and what will she do about it? Can Elizabeth control her anymore? Can David Copperfield REALLY make the Statue of Liberty disappear? (Hint: maybe). Then we may even do the Time Warp again! At least for 7 months!

WTA 50- Feedback for Travel Agents

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Do you really want to use these people for your travel agents, Martha? We think maybe not, and many of you agree! This week we are talking all about The Americans Season 4 Episode 7 “Travel Agents”, which aired April 27, 2016. It was written by Tanya Barfield and directed by Dan Attias.

This is Episode 50 and contains our history, tech of yesteryear, and feedback segments. Please check out Episode 49 to get the news and our episode breakdown and analysis.

History often includes what we eat, and we have some delightful Borscht courtesy of our friend Ginger aka Joan, then we turn on the TV and check out the young Brooke Shields

In her scandalous Calvin Klein Jeans Commercial. Then it’s off to the trails in Rock Creek Park Valley and we stop and reflect with our brethren at First Trinity Lutheran Church. Of course we drove there in our Ford Granada, and we found the church using a Grid Search that we drew on a map using a cool Compass! Then we listen to all your tremendous feedback!

WTA 49- Season 4 Episode 7 Travel Agents

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:13:25 — 34.0MB)

Oh Martha, can this get any worse? And you Gaad, what are you going to do? In perhaps one of the series finest episodes, we end up asking these questions and more! This week we are talking all about The Americans Season 4 Episode 7 “Travel Agents”, which aired April 27, 2016. It was written by Tanya Barfield and directed by Dan Attias.

This is Episode 49 and contains the news and our episode breakdown and analysis. To hear our history, tech of yesteryear, and feedback segments stay tuned for Episode 50.

We have some great stories in the Pravda newsroom! We begin with The Hollywood Reporter’s chat with Alison Wright on Martha’s fate, followed by A/V Club’s opinion that there’s no escaping the best episode (so far) of The Americans’ 4th season, then Adweek reveals how ‘The Americans’ Chooses Its ‘80s Ads, and we wind up with TV Series Finale’s supposition that The Americans may already be renewed for Season Five.

Then it’s all about Martha Martha Martha! We watch as she is on the run in DC from both her colleagues at the FBI and her KGB pals. Will she call someone? Will she jump from a bridge? Who finds her first? Why do we call operator Joan “Ginger?” Plus, a respite with the teens. That leads us to the startling revelation of the true nature of the #Clartha relationship and the seeming fate facing Martha. What a gut-punch!

WTA 48- Feedback for The Rat

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Who is the rat in this episode? You are going to have to listen to us break it down, along with your help! We are breaking this into two episodes once again, and we will continue doing two eps for the rest of the season! This is Episode 48 and contains our history, tech of yesteryear, and feedback segments. Please check out Episode 47 to get the news and our episode breakdown and analysis. Of course, this week we are all about The Americans Season 4 Episode 6 “The Rat”, which aired April 20, 2016. It was written by Joshua Brand and directed by Kari Skogland.

In the world of history, we go down under to examine the potential of Australia as a Republic, and then we tune into the Today Show and watch Jane Pauley do some scintillating interviews. She should be especially interested in the world of biowarfare tech, including the nasty bacteria Tularemia! Thank goodness we have so much incredible feedback to share with everyone!

WTA 47- Season 4 Episode 6 The Rat

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Who is the rat in this episode? You are going to have to listen to us break it down, along with your help! We are breaking this into two episodes once again, and we will continue doing two eps for the rest of the season! This is Episode 47 and contains the news and our episode breakdown and analysis. To hear our history, tech of yesteryear, and feedback segments stay tuned for Episode 48. Of course, this week we are all about The Americans Season 4 Episode 6 “The Rat”, which aired April 20, 2016. It was written by Joshua Brand and directed by Kari Skogland.

There are some really cool news items this week, heavy on the Martha! We start with TV Guide revealing Alison Wright’s most memorable fan encounter, and it was with our friend Elena Georgieva! Next up is Uproxx with 20 questions for Alison Wright, and we wind up with a terrific piece in the LA Review of Books comparing the marriages of Showtime’s “Billions” and “The Americans”!

Then it’s time to pull out the Valium and relax (hah!) with Martha as the tension almost blows up our widescreen! We watch in disbelief as Philip takes Martha’s future into his own hands, all the while angering Gabriel and enraging and hurting Elizabeth! The rezidentura moves into action to assist. Stan and Dennis inform Gaad about their suspicions about Martha and do some sleuthing that doesn’t make them happy. At least Paige and Henry get a moment with Elizabeth! And that last scene between Gabriel and Martha has us screaming NOOOO!

WTA 46- Brandon J. Dirden Interview

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Almost halfway through the fourth season of The Americans, Agent Dennis Aderholt, aka actor/director Brandon J. Dirden, has taken a more prominent role. Through nefarious means, we were able to spirit Brandon to an undisclosed location and interrogate him to find out exactly what he knows about what is going on! We talk with him about his career, how he got the role of Agent Aderholt, his approach to the part, interactions with other cast members, and spoiler-free comments about what is coming up!

Plus, we chat about his role as Martin Luther King, Jr. in the hit play All The Way in which he co-starred with “Breaking Bad’s” Bryan Cranston, and we preview his upcoming role in Baz Lurhman’s upcoming Netflix original series “The get Down” airing in August.