SEASON PREMIERE: When this series began, Russia was viewed as much more of an international “friend” than what has happened since, as Vladimir Putin began encroaching on neighboring countries and the Cold War began to freeze again. Today’s headlines have a way of informing and deepening this Reagan-era drama series about sleeper Soviet agents in the United States – and so do yesterday’s headlines, because the story line of The Americans, this season, brings us to 1982, when Afghan rebels were fighting in Afghanistan. But they were fighting the Russians then, and with overt and clandestine backing from U.S. forces – a different prism than today’s refraction of global conflicts. The Americans, this season, features an even more complex conflict closer to home: Married spies Elizabeth and Philip (Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys) are ordered by the KGB to recruit their teen daughter, Paige (Holly Taylor), into the double-agent fold – a move the mother supports, but the father resists. Meanwhile, there are FBI agents to elude, other Russian spies to direct and handle, and, before long, a body count. This series keeps getting better – which is impressive, because it was very good when it started.