The Americans

[scrabblequeen]

Ah, thanks. I was wondering if she might squeal to a politically-minded professor or something. But now it seems too late in the series to make that an option.

[Carolina]

Please let Oleg survive the finale.
Please let Oleg survive the finale.
Please let Oleg survive the finale.

[Ladybug]

Wow wow wow. I loved it. Perfect ending.

The garage. The train. The phone call. So much to process.

[Deleted]

It was so good, so tragic for every single character but perfectly fitting for this show. I’m not even mad that we’ll never know the truth about Renee.

[scarlet]

I'm so, so, so satisfied with that finale. What a fitting ending to a great show.

[riosamba]

I’m the outlier; I was not satisfied. There was a lot of beautiful acting, but for my taste, there was too much unresolved. I’m also extremely irritated that all we got of Oleg is a scene of him slumped in his prison cell. He deserved a better fate, and a meatier farewell.

I’m not sure that I can buy into Stan committing treason. He drank the Reagan Kool Aid, had no understanding of Gorbachev’s importance, and he let Soviet spies go? And there’s no follow up with Renee? Yes, he had a deep, personal relationship with Philip and Henry, but I’m just not sure the Stan we’ve come to know would let them go.

Would Paige really have the courage to strike out on her own? Maybe it was impulsivity and overestimation of her skills and ability. That I could buy.

I thought the scene with Philip and Elizabeth was beautiful. The dialogue could have been anything, I didn’t care much for what they said, actually, but their faces, wow. They looked, younger, lighter, refreshed. Whatever is really to come, they felt free, unburdened of their constant lying and guardedness.

I wanted more.

Due to Mr. Rio acting like a prize ass, I did not stay in a hotel, so I’ve just finished watching it. I’m still processing.

[scarlet]

May 31, 2018 9:53:01 GMT -4 riosamba said:

I thought the scene with Philip and Elizabeth was beautiful. The dialogue could have been anything, I didn’t care much for what they said, actually, but their faces, wow. They looked, younger, lighter, refreshed. Whatever is really to come, they felt free, unburdened of their constant lying and guardedness.

I thought the exact opposite: they were, technically, "home," but without their kids and with the great cause they had worked for for decades falling apart. The "you'll get used to it" was more a sign of resignation and uncertainty than relief.

[celerydunk]

I'm also underwhelmed. I liked the struggle of leaving Henry. I thought Paige jumping off the train shows her impulsiveness and stupidity. She's going to have a nervous breakdown when she finds out how many people her parents killed.

Stan letting them go was too TV ending. Especially since he has also proven himself to be impulsive and emotional. It would have been more within character for him to shoot someone or die trying.

[Ladybug]

This was always the ending that I wanted. They have to go back to a country that is now pretty foreign to them, to a cause and political philosophy that is dying, and live with all that they have done. Their actions have caused them to lose their children. Let’s be honest, they were both pretty shitty parents. Philip was better than Elizabeth but they both raised these kids in a huge lie, neglected them over and over, and basically asked Paige to give her life over to the same lie. I cheered when she got off that train. She could not abandon Henry and could not give up her own life in service of a cause that was mostly about pleasing her mother (who didn’t even want her, according to the dream sequence).

The scene in the garage was a master class. Wow, there was no action, just dialogue. Elizabeth would’ve brutally killed Stan if she’d had too (her talent was violence) but Philip relied on his special spy talent, based in emotion and trust, to mess with Stan’s head and heart and convince him to let them go. That scene was so real and honest, but full of double meanings. And even though Philip confirmed Stan’s hunch, they were spies for Russia, he never gave on sliver of detail. He called it “a job,” never revealed how long they’d been there, denied killing people (another lie for Paige).

We got Oleg’s ending last week, but his fathers bitterness over the loss of both his sons was heartbreaking. I guess the audience has the foresight to know that Oleg will probably, eventually reunite with his family, but it was still so sad. His character was truly honorable and this was really the only ending that could’ve worked for him.

Philip still has another son in Russia. Despite all he lost with Paige and Henry, maybe he will get to meet his other child. The audience knows the Cold War will end soon, so we can imagine all of these people possibly meeting up again someday.

Renee. I wanted to know so badly, but honestly the ending with her was perfect and fit with the theme of the show, which was trust in a marriage. The fact that they left it open was perfect to me, as was Paige asking Stan to take care of Henry.

I just thought it was fantastic and will probably watch the finale a couple more times. I’m going to miss this show so much.

[riosamba]

May 31, 2018 10:52:39 GMT -4 scarlet said:

May 31, 2018 9:53:01 GMT -4 riosamba said:

I thought the scene with Philip and Elizabeth was beautiful. The dialogue could have been anything, I didn’t care much for what they said, actually, but their faces, wow. They looked, younger, lighter, refreshed. Whatever is really to come, they felt free, unburdened of their constant lying and guardedness.

I thought the exact opposite: they were, technically, "home," but without their kids and with the great cause they had worked for for decades falling apart. The "you'll get used to it" was more a sign of resignation and uncertainty than relief.

I think what you saw was there as well. Complicated emotions about the children, trepidation about “re-entry,” but also relief that they would no longer be living the lie.

Oleg’s father killed me, and Arkady too. Their weariness and their strength wrestling within. At least Oleg’s wife and son have his strong parents to help them.

I will watch this show over and over. It’s been six seasons of incredible work. But I may have to write my own finale.

ETA: Entirely leaving out Philip’s son seems like another huge plot hole. There was just way too much ambiguity for me.