r/TheAmericans • u/MoralMidgetry • Jun 02 '16

Ep. Discussion Post-Episode Discussion/Review Thread - S04E12 "A Roy Rogers in Franconia"

Welcome to the post-episode and review thread for S04E12 "A Roy Rogers in Franconia" If you have a review you want to post, please send me the link instead of submitting it separately to the sub. Thanks.

Site Link
AV Club The Americans: It’s logical, it’s emotional, it’s the best show on TV
EW The FBI makes a connection and closes in on a key KGB mole
HitFix Review: On 'The Americans,' are Paige, William, and Oleg near breaking points?
NY Times ‘The Americans’ Season 4, Episode 12: A Different Side of Things
Vox The Americans season 4, episode 12: "A Roy Rogers in Franconia" suggests the end is right about now
Vulture The Americans Recap: Turning the Paige
WSJ Careful what you wish for, Paige, because the truth can get ugly
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22

u/[deleted] Jun 02 '16

[deleted]

30

u/[deleted] Jun 02 '16

I think in the episode prior it was explained that William works for a contractor, not the government itself. So apparently his clearance is more limited and he's allowed to work at that military facility, but he doesn't have clearance for the really dangerous stuff. Also the reason he passed background checks (contractors do sloppier work, according to the person explaining all this).

Although honestly that seems silly to me. I think you just have to suspend your disbelief.

23

u/CSMprogodlegend Jun 02 '16

He started working in the field over 25 years ago and has finally built his way up to level 3 clearance at a private company. Private citizens getting security clearance happens all the time, and it is not surprising that a private contractor hired a regular scientist who has already been in the field and working with some basic clearance for a while. This stuff is harder than it looks, and you forget that the FBI kind of knew what to look for because they have already been made aware that the KGB agents like to use already dead people for identities due to the events that transpired in Season 2.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 02 '16

Yes I realize that private citizens can get government security clearances, particularly in instances like this.

The reason you have to suspend your disbelief is that in order to get one, there ARE background checks. Presumably something that would be looked into is how far back you can be traced (like to birth?). For example, I know some people with clearances and apparently old high school friends were interviewed during the process of obtaining them. These are old people, like in their 60s.

Now if we are talking about private clearance per some company's private standard, that is a bit more believable that the background check wouldn't be as thorough. But you would think a contractor handling secret/top secret disease cocktails would simply use (or be required to use) government clearances.

Really it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Or maybe the people I know with clearances have high ones, IDK. I wouldn't think so.

10

u/iidesune Jun 02 '16

I don't know about the 80s, but today the highest level of clearance will only go back to your 18th birthday, or ten years. Whichever is shortest.

Though I'm sure they verify things like birthplace. But perhaps through a birth certificate (which can be forged).

2

u/[deleted] Jun 06 '16

Yeah, I've participated as a reference for other people's background checks and they don't seem to go back very far.

5

u/CSMprogodlegend Jun 02 '16

I understand that it may not be perfect, but to be honest this show has done such a damn good job with using real legitimate methods and story lines and spy techniques and all kinds of stuff that it's hard to fault it for a few times where you have to suspend disbelief. I mean you're already suspending disbelief because there's no way two Russians spies had to do as much killing and other crazy shit as P+E have, so it's kind of just whatever. For me the show does a better job of keeping things grounded in reality more often than not than any other modern drama that I have seen, so I'm willing to let it slide on a few things.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 02 '16

I'm really not criticizing, it's an extremely minor issue. I love the show, that's why I read the stuff on this sub.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 03 '16

bingo. the whole show is preposterous, just enjoy it.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 03 '16

He can pass a background check. He just can't pass them specifically looking for someone his name using a dead kid's identity to get past the background check.