In 2008, a TV crime drama premiered with an alarming opening scene: a man driving an RV, parking haphazardly in the desert, and rushing out of the car. The fact that he’s wearing a gas mask and white underwear makes it even wilder. In just a few minutes, we learned that this man was Walter White (Bryan Cranston), who would become one of the most famous TV protagonists, thanks to his unique character arc. After all, when you watch a high school chemistry teacher who knows he’s dying of lung cancer begins selling meth, you know this is a show that you can’t miss.
While Breaking Bad remains one of the most popular 2010s TV shows (and one of the most intense and surprising of all time), another show premiered a few years later that many felt would take its place in popular culture. It has as many memorable characters, shocking moments, and smart themes. And 13 years after it premiered, it feels even more compelling than it did before.
Why ‘The Americans’ Is Still a Perfect Thriller Series
The Americans premiered on FX on Jan. 30, 2013, and stars Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell as Philip and Elizabeth Jennings, who aren’t your average married couple. (That’s an understatement.) They’re KGB agents who live in Washington, D.C., and supposedly have a flawless and peaceful life with their kids, Henry (Keidrich Sellati) and Paige (Holly Taylor). The actors also began dating while filming and are still together today.
Over six seasons, the series explores Philip and Elizabeth’s chilling and memorable lives as spies. Thanks to the 1980s setting, the series examines communism and the politics of the time, and anyone interested in history and international relations will find it captivating.
Like Breaking Bad, The Americans features main characters who appear to be villains in some storylines and are more sympathetic in others. At the time, it was a perfect show for any fans of Walter White’s story, as it also featured characters living double lives and keeping dark and heavy secrets. However, as 13 years have passed since the show’s premiere, The Americans feels particularly poignant and relevant. Although Philip and Elizabeth’s marriage didn’t begin as an epic love story, every episode makes you wonder if they actually care about each other, and you never know exactly what’s going to happen to them.
If the writers had chosen to present this marriage as a happy and warm-hearted one, the show would still keep viewers interested, thanks to its intriguing questions about truth and power. However, Philip and Elizabeth’s unique connection is what sets this show apart.
The series remains compelling because of its themes of love, loyalty, honesty, and family, as well as its examination of political beliefs. Similar to TV shows inspired by real spies, The Americans has action, manipulation, double-crossing, and twists. Rhys and Russell also give impressive performances, particularly Russell. It’s a more mature story than Felicity, her iconic 2000s TV role, and was an exciting moment in her career.
‘The Americans’ Ended Perfectly
Of course, the big question throughout all six seasons of The Americans is whether Philip and Elizabeth can keep their secret forever, or whether the FBI will learn the truth about them. No spoilers for the series finale, which is as beautifully done and emotionally affecting as the rest of the series. However, after getting to know these complex characters for several seasons, you’ll likely feel that this was the only natural ending for them.
Although Breaking Bad led to the smart spinoff prequel series Better Call Saul, The Americans ended for good in 2018. According to Variety, during the screening of the series finale in May of that year, co-showrunner Joel Fields said of a spinoff:
“I think the story’s told — I think we finished it. We’ll let tonight bring the curtain down.”
If you’re a Breaking Bad fan who has rewatched the series more than a few times, check out The Americans, which is equally emotional and surprising. It definitely deserves as much love as Bryan Cranston’s iconic anti-hero tale.
- Release Date
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2013 – 2018
- Network
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FX
- Showrunner
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Joe Weisberg
- Directors
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Daniel Sackheim, Thomas Schlamme, Daniel Attias, Kevin Dowling, Stefan Schwartz, Adam Arkin, Matthew Rhys, Nicole Kassell, Noah Emmerich, Andrew Bernstein, John Dahl, Kevin Bray, Roxann Dawson, Steph Green, Sylvain White, Alex Chapple, Alik Sakharov, Bill Johnson, Charlotte Sieling, Christopher Misiano, Constantine Makris, Gavin O’Connor, Gregory Hoblit, Gwyneth Horder-Payton
- Writers
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Melissa James Gibson, Stuart Zicherman, Hilary Bettis, Bradford Winters, Angelina Burnett, Sneha Koorse
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
