By Spencer Coile
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It is difficult at times to sum up what makes The Americans such gripping and thought-provoking series. I have encountered many friends grow tired of it quickly, claiming that it is too slow, too methodical in its approach to domesticity, to marriage, to the U.S. government. Aided by a delicious 80's fused soundtrack (you'll never hear "Tusk" by Fleetwood Mac the same way again) and tremendous performances, though, it is altogether unsurprising why many have remained drawn to the meticulous storytelling that is the FX original series, The Americans. In fact, after gathering a cult-like following for its first three seasons, it finally received the Emmy traction it so deserved, earning nominations in Drama Series, Actor, Actress, Writing, and winning Margo Martindale yet another in Drama Guest Actress.
As the Emmy race heats up, The Americans is primed to sustain its momentum and score major nominations once more for its fifth season. But does it hold up to its previous four seasons?
Picking up right where the fourth season finale left off, Elizabeth and Philip Jennings (Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys) are left grappling with their daughter Paige's (Holly Taylor) decision to date thei neighbor's son... whose father (Noah Emmerich) works for the FBI. Of course, that is only to imply the drama takes place inside the home. Elizabeth and Philip are saddled with extraneous work that involves sneaking, breaking and entering, murdering, anything you could possibly imagine. This all takes a major toll on Philip, leading to the season's ultimate question: how long before our patriotic duty crushes our devotion to a particular cause?
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The beauty of The Americans lies in Elizabeth and Philip's relationship. As we have learned in past seasons, they were not each other's soul mates. They were a part of an arranged marriage, as a team trained and paired together by the Soviet Union. However, what emerges )through the writing and through Rhys and Russell's performances) is a true and sincere devotion to one another, to an unspeakable bond that does not draw attention to itself. Through brief moments of intimacy, it is clear that Elizabeth and Philip count on the other to keep their family, their American identities at bay. The haunting final scene of the season depicts a choice that they must make together. Will it drive a wedge between them, or will it make them even stronger than before?
Of course, The Americans has never been interested in taking the easy way out, nor does it concern itself with answering any questions for the audience (another cause for people to be turned off from it). Take the time to really indulge in the slowness of these stories, watch them unfold, and you will pick up on the intricacies that are laced through snippets of dialogue, of the complexities that emerge from Elizabeth and Philip's relationship with their children. All this to say, season five ends on as much a cliffhanger as it has in the past. And with only one season left, only time will tell if the ambiguities presented through Elizabeth and Philip's relationship will carry over into its sixth season. As it stands, though, season five is equally as haunting and as tense as the seasons before it.
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As far as its Emmy chances are concerned, bank on nominations in Drama Series, Actor, and Actress. Rhys and Russell may not have the scenery-chewing roles that others in the category may have, but they have created such uniquely dimensional characters, it would be odd and slightly horrifying to see them miss out after both getting in last year. The series only submitted its season finale "The Soviet Division" into Drama Writing and Directing, and considering it got in last year for Writing, it stands a probable chance of getting in once more. Apart from those, some categories remain up in the air. Martindale is no longer eligible for Guest Actress, but will instead compete in Supporting Actress. And while they clearly love her, does her role stack up against her competition? Could Holly Taylor squeeze into a field that is clear of Game of Thrones for the year. She would be equally as deserving as Rhys and Russell.
Regardless, this season of The Americans was as twisted and intelligent as the seasons before it. Whether we are immersed in Elizabeth and Philip operating as KGB spies or as parents struggling to keep their family together, the series offers a fascinating portrait of marriage and of the lengths we will go to in order to keep that relationship afloat.
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