A "Preview" Of The Americans' Season 6, From Someone Who Hasn't Watched It Yet

I have a confession, one that might elicit a reaction of “Huh?” from the general public, but will likely render me an object of ridicule in esteemed cultural circles: I only recently learned of the general truth that ‘The Americans is the best show on television.’ I don’t really have an excuse either; I was told about the show by an older sibling back in 2015, and it had all the makings of a program I’d love. A critically-acclaimed political thriller, set in the Cold War era, whose drama was as much in its relationships as it was in its action? Yes please.

I tried to begin the show in the Fall of 2015, during my abroad semester in Budapest. For whatever reason, I wasn’t able to dive into the series beyond its first few episodes. I’m not entirely sure whether the culprit for my lost interest was unfamiliarity with the slower pace of plot development or a noble desire to not waste limited time in a beautiful country by binge-watching TV. I do imagine at least a contributing factor was the increasing similarities between Hungary’s government and Russia’s.

At any rate, the pure tonnage of television content I had to catch up on caused The Americans to slip out of my conscience until this past Fall, when— inspired by a rewatch of LOST with a friend —I realized I missed having a good drama show in my life.

I wish I could have caught up to Americans in real time, and finished the show at the same time as everyone else. But alas, being 5 seasons behind rendered that too great a task. It didn’t help that the show was unavailable on Netflix or Hulu, so my ‘binging’ always involved needing to locate and load links from questionable (but totally legal!!! Hahaha!!!) websites. It also didn’t help that the subject matter, images and conversation are just so gritty and dense; it’s not exactly an Office level of bingeability that we’re talking about, in other words.

So it was that I finished Season 5 last Thursday night, about 24 hours after all other avid watchers had (reportedly) had their mind blown by the finale of the entire series. I’ve been a good soldier and summoned every ounce of my small reserve of will power to ignore any potential spoilers from entertainment outlets or from family members.

As I enter the final chapter of this phenomenal program blind and alone, here are the storylines whose progression (and hopefully resolution) I am most eager to see:

Is Paige joining The Force?

It's been more than 2 seasons now that Paige has known the true identities of her parents. Initially, despite their daughter's shock and anger, Phillip and Elizabeth (particularly the latter) attempted to do the KGB's bidding by subtly convincing Paige to eventually pledge loyalty to Russia. Once it appeared to be a losing battle, especially with Paige blurting the confession to her mentor Pastor Tim, they called off the recruiting. However, over the course of Season 5 in particular, Paige seems to be warming to the cause on her own. Aided of course by Elizabeth's attention and gentle guidance, might Paige actually go full circle and begin to help the KGB? What she may lack in her mother's physical prowess, she certainly makes up for in her own sharpness and problem-solving. She may be wide-eyed and innocent in a 'classic teenager' regard, but she's not naïve.

Does Henry learn?

One thing the show has not really devoted much time to in the last couple seasons, however, is the fact that, you know Phillip and Elizabeth have another kid. In mid-to-late Season 5, we learn essentially at the same time his parents do that Henry is an extremely impressive student, and holds his own socially, as well. He's an impressive kid, in other words; so impressive that he asks his parents to let him attend a boarding school where he'll be pushed academically and athletically. It's the first real development we've seen of Henry's character in 5 seasons, and it may hint that the parents have a real decision to make of when to tell their younger child of their true identities; that is, if they tell him at all. How would Henry react? Something tells me that despite his calm demeanor, it may not end well for Phillip and Elizabeth. Henry doesn't seem to have the same connection and relationship with his parents as Paige does; in fact, he's arguably closest with Stan, the FBI Agent, and as a result, may feel less of a responsibility to protect their secret and their well-being.

Is Stan's girlfriend 'one of them'?

Not too long after Renee entered Stan's life, Phillip began to be suspicious of his friend's new flame. Though the Jennings' mentor Gabriel denied that Renee was "one of them" (a KGB agent), Phillip remains wary of the possibility that she could be executing a long con. It makes sense-- it would help the KGB on two fronts. Besides slowly ascertaining FBI information from her boyfriend, Renee could keep an eye on the Jennings, and make sure they (Phillip in particular) aren't slowly slipping away to the other side.

I genuinely don't know how this one will end up, but the most humorous and intriguing argument I heard for Renee being a spy was that, in a seemingly throwaway scene wherein she tells Stan about a college road trip gone awry, she refers to Indiana University as "U of I." As this online commenter pointed out, it is very well-known (and trust me, MY girlfriend has hammered this home) that Indiana is "IU." Of course it's more likely just a misnomer by one of the screenwriters, but do the writers of The Americans make mistakes? Real question.

Meanwhile, in Russia...

What about the extent of the plot taking place in the USSR? That has to be leading to something, right? That's not to say that the proceedings in that country and amongst those characters is not interesting enough to warrant its own plots and timelines. But my guess is there's a reason Oleg Burov, for example, has remained a main character for this long; will there be some sort of convention between him and the Jennings? Or perhaps a fateful reunion with Stan Beeman?

Does Stan find out?

The 'reveal' I most want to see is probably the same one most Americans fans wanted: does Stan Beeman ever learn that his neighbors and close friends are KGB agents? He has to, right?! They teased him discovering the truth in the pilot episode, for heaven's sake. It'd be incredibly ballsy and commendable if The Americans finished with Stan still in the dark. And it wouldn't be all too unlike the show's creators, either; after all, "high-intensity, low-action" has essentially been this show's mantra.

But, selfishly, I hope he does learn the truth, if for no other reason than to watch him attempt to make sense of it and decide what to do. Really up until about late Season 4, I would have no doubt Agent Beeman would #lockherup in his continuous fight to #draintheswamp. But as we saw in Season 5, Beeman's fatigue is starting to match that of Phillip's with the KGB: he's tired of doing this. He's tired of devoting hours scoping out potential spies, he's tired of endangering and imprisoning people that aren't necessarily bad people. When Season 5 ends with him talking to Renee about how he wants a new gig at the FBI (and of course she tries to talk him out of it because SHE'S A SPY!!), it seems to perhaps tip the hand that even if Stan did know the truth about his friends, he might not necessarily do them in.