SEASON PREMIERE:
The Americans begins Season 5 with an unexpectedly heightened profile, thanks to Russian espionage becoming headline news of the most important kind these days. The new season begins with a clever jolt, then resets to focus strongly, as it did last season, on the family dynamics of the Russian operatives who were placed as a couple outside Washington, D.C., to have and raise two children and blend in, while completing a series of missions for their Russian handlers. Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell star as the sleeper agent Jennings couple, and Holly Taylor, as their daughter Paige, continues to come of age, and become aware, of her parents’ true occupations and intentions. For a full review, listen to my report on today’s
Fresh Air with Terry Gross on NPR, or
visit the Fresh Air website later this afternoon, and read Ed Bark's
Uncle Barky's Bytes and David Hinckley's
All Along the Watchtower. Also, Alex Strachan, on his
TV That Matters page, addresses the "reel life vs. real life" aspect of the show as it makes its Season 5 premiere.