TV Review: With 'START,' ‘The Americans’ Concludes on a Quiet, Beautiful Note

von Clayton Davis · 01.06.2018

When the era of “Peak TV” is reassessed in history, some shows will stand out. “Breaking Bad” was one of the first real signals of the new age. Building on the success of “The Sopranos” and “The Wire,” it combined an anti-hero with comedy to create something special. Then there was “Mad Men,” a series that examined an era of change in America through the perspective of the elite. While “The Americans” may not jump be the first to come to mind, it was undeniably one of the five greatest shows of this era. Last night, the show ended in a way that surprised many. With restrained silence. Yet, there are few shows that could end on that moment, and perhaps there was no show that was more suited for that moment.

We picked up in the finale with the Jennings, (Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, and Holly Taylor) coming to the realization they’ve been exposed. They are now rogue agents, caught in the United States and being hunted by the FBI. If they are caught, they go to prison. They must leave their world behind. Their longtime friend and neighbor Stan (Noah Emmerich) is angry and broken. He, more than any other agent, is taking this personally. He leaves his stakeout location to find them.

This sets up a showdown between the characters in a garage, one that goes on for seemingly ever. Stan has pulled a gun on the Jennings and demands answers for everything that has happened. Was Paige (Taylor) only attracted to his son because they were trying to get information? Did they mine Stan for information? How could they lie to him? Was their relationship real at all? It is a tense scene that lasts for more than 10 minutes and is among the best in television this year.

This is a side of Stan we’ve never seen to this point, and as he ties moment after moment of the show together, we watch Philip (Rhys) break down with each blow. Philip opens up, letting Stan know that he has been the only friend he’s ever had. They also have to stop a plot to overthrow Gorbachev. In their last moments together, they ask Stan to take care of their son Henry. He has the chance to succeed in America, and that is all they want for him. They get in the car, and we have another brief moment where we are unsure what Stan will do, his gun still on the Jennings. Then he steps out of the way, and the Jennings drive North.

Then the tide turns. Philip lets Stan know of his own fears. How he came to America to do a job. How the job turned on him and forced him to do unspeakable things for his country. The concept of loyalty to country above all else is bounced back and forth. But as this show has always returned to, it is about the relationships in our lives. Writers Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg have always prioritized this above all else. This moment proved that, leaving us in a moment of tension that only worked because of how we grew to know these characters. Through every beer, family dinner, and TV show they’d watched together, these families had become incredibly close. Now, Weisberg and Fields had to put the stamp on their show.

As the show rolls towards its conclusion, Holly, Phillip, and Elizabeth don disguises one last time. As always, the wig, facial hair, and prosthetic game are on point. They try to call Henry one last time, and both Elizabeth and Phillip talk to him. Holly can’t when the moment comes to her. They then board a train and head to Canada. The disguises fool border crossing agents, and Philip and Elizabeth pass through. Yet as the train passes the platform, it is revealed that Paige has gotten off the train willingly. As Philip and Elizabeth watch her go, they are struck with horror and grief. They are now leaving behind both their children in America, losing what made them a family.

These moments, shown in total silence, are incredible. One of the things that made “The Americans” so good was its performances, and Rhys and Russell show every emotion on their faces. They are two of the best actors to ever appear on television and were it not for so many other astounding moments this season, this might be their Emmy reel. Watching their heartbreak and realization that their family will be forever broken and torn apart is one of the most devastating moments if TV this year. Each fills these moments of negative space with the gravitas fitting of their characters.

To conclude the episode, we go on one more ride, driving through the Russian countryside. They come back into Russia and spot their old hometown. It has grown immensely in the time they’ve been gone and now looks like a burgeoning city. They look upon it and realize that Paige and Henry might have only been factory workers in this town. Paige and Henry might never have reached their potential. Philip and Elizabeth have a heart to heart and look at each other in the final moments. While the title “The Americans” may well refer to their children, Elizabeth and Philip’s relationship was always the engine that made this series go. Now, after all the death, destruction, and violence that they’ve left in their wake, they are given a quiet moment to themselves. Their mission is over.

While the finale did not have the bombast that many expect of a Russian Spy thriller set during the Cold War, it was an emotionally devastating journey. We followed these characters through some of the most traumatic moments I’ve ever witnessed on television, and they came out the other side. They at once completed their emotional journey, while also leaving questions open. After all, life does not “wrap up” nicely. There are questions and moments that we wonder about, keeping the door open for our characters to continue their lives. “The Americans” was something special, and Weisberg created something beautiful here. Hopefully, people realize what they’ve missed, and the Emmys reward them for the incredible achievement they’ve completed.