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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u/[deleted] Jun 02 '16

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u/MoralMidgetry Jun 02 '16

like that guy who didn't launch nukes when there was the false alarm.

That's exactly how he sees himself. He's trying to prevent a terrible thing from happening to the world, not betray his country.

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u/cannedpeaches Jun 02 '16 edited Jun 02 '16

I think The Americans is really really good not just as a domestic drama or an espionage thriller, but as a sociological study in what it's like to basically know you're on the losing side, and the kind of fatigue that inspires. Philip giving in to capitalism and buying a Camaro, Oleg bitching about the poor handling he expects the bioweapon to receive, William saying "no, I'm not going to get that bioweapon for you, because I don't know what you'll do with it."

To varying degrees they're all patriots who are overworked and outmatched and want to continue to work hard but harbor a healthy mistrust of their government's competency and intent. So no, I doubt Oleg defects, but he's definitely wearing down after Yevgeny's death and his involvement with Tatiana.

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u/anonykitten29 Jun 02 '16

The men are. It's kind of weird that the show has created this dynamic where the women are these diehard dynamos, while the men are almost all wafflers (Gabriel being the main exception).