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The Americans in the Media

maraleia

By maraleia
in The Americans [V]

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crgirl412

crgirl412

I actually think your last few sentences are what intrigue me the most about a pregnancy storyline rather represent negatives.

The fact that they're in love would not be an interesting reason for them to write in the pregnancy for me. That's nice and all but what interests me more is how it might affect their outlooks. They may be in love but we left them seemingly with a chasm in how they feel about the work that they do. How would Elizabeth cope with her desire to do her work and the fact that pregnancy would make it harder? Will Philip have even greater misgivings?

Even though they already have children, this is one of the few TV situations where a baby could be a catalyst for plot and character change in the parents' lives.

But the season likely has already been mapped out and winter 80's fashions will undoubtedly help hide the pregnancy should they go that route.

First, I agree with sistermagpie that they probably won't write it in.  If they did though, I think that Elizabeth would be really po'd that she was being held back and it would give Philip even more reason get his family to defect. 

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sistermagpie
sistermagpie

I actually did get all of that, I just didn't see why it would be that satisfying to me. I spent seasons 1-4 hoping that Mischa was a lie created to manipulate Philip, so I was totally disappointed wh

Plums
Plums

Couple of new articles this morning about the end of the series. A Vox piece that is very nice and doesn't give away any spoilers for the finale other than to say the reviewer saw and loved it. 

SlovakPrincess
SlovakPrincess

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/19/arts/television/richard-thomas-of-the-americans-on-agent-gaads-fate-john-boy-and-jimmy-carter.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&_r=1 "Do you

sistermagpie

sistermagpie

If they did though, I think that Elizabeth would be really po'd that she was being held back and it would give Philip even more reason get his family to defect.

 

 

This is why it seems like it would almost be a no-brainer. Based on her feelings in the past, she never wanted to have kids and had these two under orders. So she'd be very careful with birth control and if she got pregnant by accident she'd have an abortion. Her having a story about wanting to have a baby is a major character reversal--which can happen, but it doesn't seems like it goes off on a tangent for her. The stakes are already super high with the kids they have.

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BW Manilowe

BW Manilowe

According to reports I've read, they've wrapped filming of S4 and S5 (if there is one) would start after Russell has given birth.

They were apparently filming as recently as Wednesday (could mean today, could mean last Wednesday; the specific date isn't clear). Entertainment Tonight's website posted a story today, including 3 pics & a short video of Keri on set, which they said were taken "Wednesday" (& today is Wednesday). The story is, obviously, about Keri being pregnant with Matthew's baby. The pics show Keri on set (which is outdoors), I think carrying a tote bag in 1 pic, & wearing 1 of those winter coats (tan colored) that's made of a material that sort of looks like it's felt-ish, but is much thicker. Anyway, it's the kind of coat which could be used to hide a "baby bump" in an actress, if need be, but Keri's "bump" is still at least slightly visible despite the coat. So she's definitely pregnant, it looks like.

http://m.etonline.com/news/179331_exclusive_keri_russell_is_expecting_first_child_with_matthew_rhys_see_her_cute_baby_bump/

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sistermagpie

sistermagpie

On Twitter Joel Fields posted a thing showing that on 1/4 they were filming episode 4/7. So they've got six eps left to shoot? So they haven't wrapped yet but it still seems way too far along to work it into the story if they even wanted to do that.

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BW Manilowe

BW Manilowe

(edited)

On Twitter Joel Fields posted a thing showing that on 1/4 they were filming episode 4/7. So they've got six eps left to shoot? So they haven't wrapped yet but it still seems way too far along to work it into the story if they even wanted to do that.

It's not necessarily impossible for the show to rewrite eps, perhaps closer to the end of the season, if they don't need complete rewrites & if they decide to write Keri's pregnancy into the show. Depending on when the producers were told about Keri's pregnancy vs. when we the public found out, they could already be working on rewriting eps; I don't know (especially since I don't actually, you know, work on the show). Other shows (& movies) have rewritten scripts in midseason/the middle of filming due to things like real-life pregnancies & extended illnesses of their actors; but mostly it's been when a prominent actor in the cast has, somehow, died during production--like The West Wing had to rewrite basically every episode they needed to film after the Christmas/New Year's Hiatus in their last season (which was something like 13 episodes, I think) because of the unexpected heart attack-related death, during the Hiatus, of actor John Spencer, who played Former White House Chief of Staff & then-Democratic Vice-Presidential Candidate/Nominee Leo McGarry on the show.

I'm sure they'll do/they've done whatever they think's best for the storyline/perhaps Keri's health, whether it's write it in or keep it offscreen as much as creative camera angles, oversized props, furniture, heavy bedcovers, & baggy wardrobe will allow. Although, like I said upthread, you can still see something of Keri's "baby bump" in the linked to pics Entertainment Tonight posted, despite the fact she's wearing a medium-heavy-ish winter coat which was probably chosen to hopefully hide the "bump".

Edited by BW Manilowe
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Duke2801

Duke2801

Keri and Mathew are one of my favorite TV couples, so this news makes me very happy.

 

Now if Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan (from Outlander) announce that they're having a baby next, then I'll really be over the moon! ;)

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sistermagpie

sistermagpie

It's not necessarily impossible for the show to rewrite eps, perhaps closer to the end of the season, if they don't need complete rewrites & if they decide to write Keri's pregnancy into the show.

 

 

It's not the rewriting of eps I don't think they can do. It's that Elizabeth being pregnant is a huge thing to be going on with the characters that would change a ton of stuff. That's what I don't think they could just quickly adjust for mid-season. This isn't just a married couple where you add a third kid with the structure already there. It's a giant change of character/change of outlook for Elizabeth that effects what she can and can't do from now on, which then also effects what Philip can do as well. 

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BW Manilowe

BW Manilowe

(edited)

http://variety.com/video/the-american-matthew-rhys-keri-russell/

Video from Variety with Matthew & Keri on why The Americans "resonates" & all those disguises.

If the entry graphic isn't immediately apparent, scroll until you find the black & white art/illustration of Matthew & Keri with guns in their hands, which are across their chests--the same thing as on the cover of the S1 DVDs, for those who have them.

Edited by BW Manilowe
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jb0495

jb0495

They started filming on 10/13. If Keri is 4 months along, they could have potentially written it in or done rewrites to the first few episodes. I guess we'll see what was done come March.

It would be such an interesting storyline but I can't imagine the show wanting to add another child, not to mention the role reversal for Elizabeth.

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BW Manilowe

BW Manilowe

They started filming on 10/13. If Keri is 4 months along, they could have potentially written it in or done rewrites to the first few episodes. I guess we'll see what was done come March.

It would be such an interesting storyline but I can't imagine the show wanting to add another child, not to mention the role reversal for Elizabeth.

The media reports say Keri's about 4 1/2 months along, or approximately halfway through the pregnancy (already); but that's only a difference of about 2 weeks. So I guess she got pregnant around mid/late-August or early September, if I'm figuring right... & I may be off a little.

I still think it would be an interesting storyline too--Philizabeth having a baby born from love instead of duty. But I also see the complications of writing the pregnancy in on the storyline. And yeah, sex with their targets & various others has been a fairly big part of their missions/deceptions, but I (& I think others, both here & when we discussed on TWoP) had assumed birth control had been involved then, on both their parts, so they wouldn't get caught in any unexpected situations as a result.

Anyway... They probably won't write it in after all, though the idea of it was interesting. The Exec Producers have been mum--& pretty scarce--on Social Media since the announcement, so who knows what way they are, or were, thinking since they were told (which I'm assuming was before the media got ahold of the news since the pregnancy/Keri's health [& Matthew's, for that matter] could affect production & they need to plan for that).

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PinkRibbons

PinkRibbons

I kind of had to laugh at this one:

 

 

I mean seriously,

Liz and Phil and what looks like a dead body? That's incredibly suspenseful and rare.

 

(Only in spoiler so you can watch the promo before reading my thoughts.)

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sistermagpie

sistermagpie

It's amazing to think that the Martha/Clark scene was originally supposed to be sort of a one-off and it wound up being such a great part of the show, especially with Martha going from total patsy to more confident and so difficult force to control, to more morally compromised character to now someone who holds real responsibility for things done to others (and knows it). And from the other previews it looks like they're exploring that with Paige too, that neither of these two can just be innocent victims anymore because they hold peoples' lives in their hands and are being asked to make the choice to destroy those lives or not.

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sistermagpie

sistermagpie

Great pictures!

 

It looks like that scene w/Stan and Philip from the promo might actually be in the first ep. (Maybe it is about Sandra since that just happened.) Not that I can say for sure.

 

That first pic of Philip and Elizabeth is possibly the most ridiculous we've ever seen them look. Philip even looks padded--interesting we don't usually see them do that. It's an easy way to change physical appearance.

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Trillian

Trillian

Great pictures!

 

That first pic of Philip and Elizabeth is possibly the most ridiculous we've ever seen them look. Philip even looks padded--interesting we don't usually see them do that. It's an easy way to change physical appearance.

Either that, or it's sympathy bloat due to Keri's pregnancy :)

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RedHawk

RedHawk

I watched a couple of movies on FX this weekend so saw a few promos. On the one hand, I'm thrilled by them and can't wait for the premiere. On the other, the promos were too spoilerish! I like to know nothing until I see the actual episode. I watch the "Next week on 'The Americans'..." but that's only because it's always so opaque that it doesn't spoil much!

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BW Manilowe

BW Manilowe

Next week FX is running some of the Season 3 episodes. The last 5 or 6, I think. They will certainly help me catch up.

They're running Eps 307-309, Walter Taffet, Divestment, & Do Mail Robots Dream of Electric Sheep?, from 2-5AM Eastern/1-4AM Central Time TONIGHT/EARLY TOMORROW MORNING.

S4 premieres 2 weeks from tonight, so they'll probably run Eps 310-313 late NEXT Wednesday night/early next Thursday morning. And the S3 DVDs were released in the US yesterday (Tuesday, March 1st).

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RedHawk

RedHawk

My cable guide shows that "Stingers" will be shown next Tuesday (late Monday night) at 2:00 a.m. (Eastern).

Then on Thurdsay (3/10, late Wednesday night) "One Day in the Life of Anton Baklanov" at 2:00 a.m. and "I Am Abassin Zadran" at 3:00 a.m. I think that leaves only the final episode of S3, which they might show at 4:00 a.m. but it hasn't appeared in my listings yet.

Perhaps there will be a marathon nearer to 3/16.

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BW Manilowe

BW Manilowe

My cable guide shows that "Stingers" will be shown next Tuesday (late Monday night) at 2:00 a.m. (Eastern).

Then on Thurdsay (3/10, late Wednesday night) "One Day in the Life of Anton Baklanov" at 2:00 a.m. and "I Am Abassin Zadran" at 3:00 a.m. I think that leaves only the final episode of S3, which they might show at 4:00 a.m. but it hasn't appeared in my listings yet.

Perhaps there will be a marathon nearer to 3/16.

Thanks for the info; I'll have to remember there's an extra day with an ep next week. They could wait & show the S3 finale late next Wednesday night the 15th/early next Thursday morning the 16th too.

Personally, I think this (what they've been doing with the repeats) probably is the marathon you've mentioned--only it's more a series of mini-marathons.

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crgirl412

crgirl412

Why do they show them at such ungodly hours?!?!?  Does Fx have original/current programming on at every other decent hour???  I get that it's probably after 10 pm content but I think that there are other shows now in syndication on earlier than when they were not. 

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BW Manilowe

BW Manilowe

My cable guide shows that "Stingers" will be shown next Tuesday (late Monday night) at 2:00 a.m. (Eastern).

Then on Thurdsay (3/10, late Wednesday night) "One Day in the Life of Anton Baklanov" at 2:00 a.m. and "I Am Abassin Zadran" at 3:00 a.m. I think that leaves only the final episode of S3, which they might show at 4:00 a.m. but it hasn't appeared in my listings yet.

Perhaps there will be a marathon nearer to 3/16.

FX's online program schedule for very early the morning of Thursday, March 10 (very late the night of Wednesday, March 9th) shows that the S3 finale, March 8, 1983, IS airing that night/morning, at 4AM Eastern. So, they're airing Eps 311-313 from 2AM-5AM Eastern/1AM-4AM Central, Thursday, March 10th (calendar date for recordings):

2AM ET/1AM CT: Ep 311 One Day in the Life of Anton Baklanov

3AM ET/2AM CT: Ep 312 I Am Abassin Zadran

4AM ET/3AM CT: Ep 313 March 8, 1983 (S3 Finale)

Ep 310, Stingers, will air late Monday night March 7th/early Tuesday morning March 8th (calendar date for recordings) at 2AM Eastern/1AM Central.

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BW Manilowe

BW Manilowe

(edited)

From Variety: The Americans' Star Matthew Rhys Sticks Up For His Character at Season 4 Premiere

http://variety.com/2016/scene/vpage/the-americans-season-4-premiere-party-matthew-rhys-keri-russell-1201723860/

This article focuses on Matthew's character, Philip. It includes a good pic of Matthew & a visibly pregnant Keri, in a long black dress (which kinda hides how pregnant she really is), with the 3 creators/showrunners at the S4 premiere showing (but they're not standing next to each other--1 of the creators/showrunners is on the left end, Matthew's next to him, then the other 2 creators/showrunners are on Matthew's other side, & Keri's on the right end).

By the way, Keri's been on *both* The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon & Late Night with Seth Meyers in the last week or 2. Unfortunately, I have no links to share.

Edited by BW Manilowe
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Inquisitionist

Inquisitionist

Alan Sepinwall interviews Alison Wright about playing Martha.  Not spoiler-y.  Hadn't realized that she's another Brit.  Here she talks about doing an American accent:

 

So what is the hardest part? I hear different actors from the UK say different things about what they find most challenging when they’re playing American. What trips you up?

 

Alison Wright: It’s definitely the Rs. Yeah. You’d say, "My brother Robert, the murderer."  That’s really hard, because they’re so high and up. There are certain things, like one time I had to say something about, "It’s in the drawer" in a scene with Matthew. It was so hard. I was like, "Can we just change this word?" So it’s the Rs and pushing them far forward enough.

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RedHawk

RedHawk

Can someone with a Netflix subscription tell me if the Season 3 episodes are available to watch there? I DVR'd Ep 311 "One Day in the Life of Anton Baklanov" last week but something happened and it only caught the first 5 minutes. I caught all the rebroadcast episodes of Season 3 except the first two and would really like to re-watch them and Ep 311 before seeing Season 4. There was so much I did not remember from the first time I saw them. If I can watch on Netflix I'll sign up for that free month they keep pushing on me.

 

So excited for the premiere on Wednesday!

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BW Manilowe

BW Manilowe

Can someone with a Netflix subscription tell me if the Season 3 episodes are available to watch there? I DVR'd Ep 311 "One Day in the Life of Anton Baklanov" last week but something happened and it only caught the first 5 minutes. I caught all the rebroadcast episodes of Season 3 except the first two and would really like to re-watch them and Ep 311 before seeing Season 4. There was so much I did not remember from the first time I saw them. If I can watch on Netflix I'll sign up for that free month they keep pushing on me.

So excited for the premiere on Wednesday!

I Googled. It looks like the only places it's available is Amazon Prime Video (you have to have an Amazon Prime Subscription to get the videos), Google Play, & iTunes. It also seems to be on Hulu but, again, it appears hard to access the eps there.

This article from Exstreamist explains your options for watching outside of FX broadcasts & official season DVDs. I'm not sure when it was written; some parts seem to have been written before S3 started & other parts seem to have been written during S3 or after S3 ended.

http://exstreamist.com/how-to-watch-the-americans-online-for-free/

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RedHawk

RedHawk

I Googled. It looks like the only places it's available is Amazon Prime Video (you have to have an Amazon Prime Subscription to get the videos), Google Play, & iTunes. It also seems to be on Hulu but, again, it appears hard to access the eps there.

This article from Exstreamist explains your options for watching outside of FX broadcasts & official season DVDs. I'm not sure when it was written; some parts seem to have been written before S3 started & other parts seem to have been written during S3 or after S3 ended.

http://exstreamist.com/how-to-watch-the-americans-online-for-free/

Thanks! I have a $10 Hulu credit but haven't signed up yet because, as you said it, seems difficult to access the episodes. I'll try iTunes.

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BW Manilowe

BW Manilowe

(edited)

From The Hollywood Reporter: The Americans' Bosses: Season 4 Reaches "the Boiling Point"

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/americans-bosses-season-four-reaches-875260?utm_source=twitter

This article could be considered slightly spoilery, but it's worth reading.

Something notable in this article, the showrunners say FX will NOT be making the decision on when to end the series. FX is leaving that solely up to the showrunners (they say in the above linked article they're looking at 5 or 6 seasons, total, before calling it quits; so it looks like this season & 1-2 more... Unless they feel like they need more time to tell the story they want to tell).

Also from The Hollywood Reporter, a review of S4 (only the first 4 eps of S4 were made available to critics).

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/americans-season-4-tv-review-875701

Edited by BW Manilowe
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RedHawk

RedHawk

Something notable in this article, the showrunners say FX will NOT be making the decision on when to end the series. FX is leaving that solely up to the showrunners (they say in the above linked article they're looking at 5 or 6 seasons, total, before calling it quits; so it looks like this season & 1-2 more... Unless they feel like they need more time to tell the story they want to tell).

 

I love that FX respects the show enough to allow the writers to deliver a worthy ending! I hope this turns out to be true. My feeling has always been that 1-2 more seasons (total of 6), after this one, would be just right. 

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