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Season 1 – The Americans

Play trailer Poster for Season 1 – The Americans Jan 2013 Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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88% Tomatometer 59 Reviews 93% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Co-starring Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys,"The Americans" is a period drama about the complex marriage of two KGB spies posing as Americans in suburban Washington, D.C., during the Reagan administration. The arranged marriage of Philip and Elizabeth Jennings grows more passionate and genuine by the day, but as the pressures and demands of the job grow heavier, the personal toll becomes almost too exhausting to bear, especially when it comes to protecting their American-born children, Paige and Henry. They also face the risk of discovery by their friend and neighbor FBI agent Stan Beeman, who is tasked with uncovering Soviet illegals hiding in plain sight.
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The Americans — Season 1

The Americans — Season 1

What to Know

Critics Consensus

The Americans is a spy thriller of the highest order, with evocative period touches and strong chemistry between its leads.

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Critics Reviews

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Jared Richards The Age (Australia) Jun 23
5/5
The period detailing, political tensions and high-adrenaline chases are excellent, but The Americans’ true hook is its clever, morally complex examination of US life. Go to Full Review Kelly Lawler USA Today 11/10/2021
Thoughtful, insightful, thrilling and even funny at times, the series is the best show of the 2010s. Go to Full Review Graeme Blundell The Australian 07/19/2021
You'll be thrilled by shootouts, car chases, countless disguises and those wigs, and the seemingly endless near misses... Go to Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand 08/19/2022
... uses the era and the tension between appearance and reality to create a character study and a cultural portrait, in this case a fascinating domestic drama inside an espionage thriller. Go to Full Review Jim Rohner Battleship Pretension 04/15/2021
Watch it now and become the guy or girl who months from now can claim that you liked the show before it was cool. Go to Full Review Randy Dankievitch Processed Media 02/20/2020
B+
But what's really surprising about The Americans is how its balances spy antics with a grounded drama about an atypical marriage and two people coming to a crossroads in their relationship. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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James C. @jecavs May 12 Absolute masterpiece. This show has so many layers. It is so well written and the actors are great. See more Matthew B. @WeyrleaderZor Feb 10 Season one is amazing and it just kept getting better. The show was a masterpiece about Cold War spy work and constantly keeps you guessing or playing out different scenarios for the characters. See more Michele M @RT51308584 01/18/2025 We've seen enough women getting sexually assaulted as a cheap plot fluff on TV. Do better. See more Ted C @RT13659009 07/20/2024 same goes for other seasons. so detailed, thoughtful, and engrossing See more Massoud H @Massoud 12/30/2022 Will there ever be a better show on television? Serious question. Waiting for it. See more 05/19/2021 I have seen movies or TV shows where I hated most of the main characters, but I have never seen so many conniving, murderous liars that I was supposed to become interested in as in this show. And for 6 seasons? I bowed out in the middle of the 2nd season. The story line where Philip marries the unsuspecting Martha, who is supposed to be "ugly", was especially revolting. What was I supposed to be feeling? Congratulating Philip on the well-done deception of a less-than-popular woman? All I was hoping for was for Martha to get smart and blow his miserable balls off with a 45 magnum. Or was I supposed wax philosophical on poor Elizabeth's psychological tension between being a mother and a woman who whores herself before killing? This was an endless stream of vile images from a bunch of really sick minds. See more Read all reviews
The Americans — Season 1

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Joe Weisberg

Creator

Keri Russell

Elizabeth Jennings

Matthew Rhys

Philip Jennings

Noah Emmerich

Stan Beeman

Holly Taylor

Paige Jennings

Keidrich Sellati

Henry Jennings

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Jan 30, 2013 Pilot Phillip and Elizabeth Jennings pose as Americans in Washington, D.C., after Ronald Reagan is elected president. Details Episode 2 Aired Feb 6, 2013 The Clock Philip and Elizabeth are given an urgent task to plant a bug in Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger's office; Stan closes in on a member of the Soviet Rezidentura. Details Episode 3 Aired Feb 13, 2013 Gregory Philip and Elizabeth discover that their murdered colleague Robert had a wife they never knew about; Stan's investigation into Robert's death puts him hot on their trail. Details Episode 4 Aired Feb 20, 2013 In Control An assassin attempts to kill President Reagan; Stan pressures his source within the Rezidentura to find out if the KGB was responsible for an attempted assassination. Details Episode 5 Aired Feb 27, 2013 COMINT A crucial agent crumbles under emotional distress and threatens to topple a valuable network of KGB informants; Philip and Elizabeth are tasked with infiltrating the FBI's new communications encryption system. Details Episode 6 Aired Mar 6, 2013 Trust Me A mole hunt within the KGB causes suspicion amongst allies and shatters trust within the Jennings' marriage; Stan's plan to keep his mole safe puts her at even greater risk of discovery. Details Episode 7 Aired Mar 13, 2013 Duty and Honor Philip and Elizabeth's marriage is further tested when a mission to discredit a Polish pro-democracy leader reunites Philip with his old flame. Details Episode 8 Aired Mar 20, 2013 Mutually Assured Destruction Philip and Elizabeth must stop an assassin from taking out key U.S. scientists; Grannie shocks Elizabeth with the truth of what happened between Philip and Irina in New York. Details Episode 9 Aired Apr 3, 2013 Safe House Philip and Elizabeth are put to the test when a routine mission goes horribly wrong; Stan and the FBI are pushed to their limit. Details Episode 10 Aired Apr 10, 2013 Only You Stan pursues a lead that puts him on the trail to one of Gregory's crew members; when Gregory is compromised, the KGB offers to bring him to Moscow. Details Episode 11 Aired Apr 17, 2013 Covert War Elizabeth takes on a dangerous mission she can't complete without Philip's help and places the couple on a collision course with Grannie. Details Episode 12 Aired Apr 24, 2013 The Oath Elizabeth and Philip find themselves taking increasingly greater risks; Stan's pursuit of Directorate S suddenly begins to yield unexpected results. Details Episode 13 Aired May 1, 2013 The Colonel Philip and Elizabeth are ordered to go through with a meeting that could potentially be a set-up; Stan's investigation puts him and the FBI even closer to Philip and Elizabeth. Details

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The Americans — Season 1

The Americans View more photos

Season Info

Director
Jim McKay, Adam Arkin, Alex Chapple, Bill Johnson, John Dahl
Creator
Joe Weisberg
Executive Producer
Joe Weisberg, Joel Fields, Graham Yost, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank
Screenwriter
Joshua Brand, Joel Fields, Bradford Winters, Melissa James Gibson, Joe Weisberg
Network
FX
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date
Jan 30, 2013