The Americans, Season 4
The only thing more dangerous than a KGB spy is a KGB spy with family problems.
MOVIES
Saving Private Ryan
A bit of a change after the latest Spider-Man movie, sure, but that doesn't change that it's a brilliant, brilliant film with possibly the best military action sequences ever put on the big screen.
GAMES
Still Wakes the Deep
I've only been able to dip into this for small pieces at a time over the last week, but I'm still enjoying it despite some UI and control issues.
Also currently playing: Baldur's Gate 3, Batman: Arkham City; EA FC 26
TV
The Americans, Season 4
Season summary: The Jennings struggle to maintain their cover while confronting the consequences of their work and facing growing threats from the FBI and within their own home.
Episode 1, “Glanders”
My least favourite season premiere so far as everyone is acting like unlikeable arseholes and it also doesn’t feel like a season opener either – more like just another episode. [7/10]
Episode 2, “Pastor Tim”
Okay, so a much better episode this time out and what felt like the real first episode of the series, setting up what looks like might be a longer story, raising the stakes and more family drama for the Jennings. [9/10]
Episode 3, “Experimental Prototype City of Tomorrow
A pretty good episode as expected, although with that irritating aspect to the FBI side of things where characters suddenly become suspicious of things exactly when the plot needs them to. [8/10]
Episode 4, “Chloramphenicol”
My favourite episode in quite a while, with possibly the first “holy shit” ending, although once you think about it, it does make you wonder why so much time was spent on that character and a very blunt reminder that there aren’t any good guys in this show. [9/10]
Episode 5, “Clark’s Place”
Another really good episode that makes things feel like they’re ramping up to a big event soon, increasing the tension with every scene and I hope the show doesn’t blow it. [9/10]
Episode 6, “The Rat”
Honestly, I’ve never liked Martha as a character, so an entire episode based around her character was never going to be my thing, but the quality of the show carries it. [7/10]
Episode 7, “Travel Agents”
Almost another entire episode devoted to Martha and it ends basically at the same point the previous episode did – easily the most inessential episode so far. [4/10]
Episode 8, “The Magic of David Copperfield V: The Statue of Liberty Disappears”
A welcome return to form and, despite being mid-season, the episode that has most felt like a season finale so far, with multiple threads being cut and a time-skip too! [9/10]
Episode 9, “The Day After”
The show feels refreshed now and this was another really great episode – and it’s good to see Elizabeth really starting to struggle with how she has to treat unaware agents. [9/10]
Episode 10, “Munchkins”
Another really good episode, although I really don’t like Alice and how quickly she turned against the Jennings without cause, but it is good to see Paige growing slowly more comfortable with things. [9/10]
Episode 11, “Dinner for Seven”
I’m not one for awkward scenes normally, but the tension at the titular dinner cancelled at the normal skin-crawling cringing feeling I normally get – and quite the shocking ending, for Paige at least. [9/10]
Episode 12, “A Roy Rogers in Franconia”
Yes, this was mostly set-up for the season finale, but it was very well done set-up – and it’s interesting to see how Paige is subtly being changed over time by what she knows. [9/10]
Episode 13, “Persona Non Grata”
At times it felt like a series finale – I think this is one of those episodes that might well have been a “holy shit” episode when first broadcast, making people wonder if the show was going to continue – but knowing there are two seasons left to watch does seriously undercut the tension. [8/10]
Another really good season despite containing the worst episode of the show's run so far, but also one of my favourites and a really strong final episode which has only one weakness: me watching it years after it was first broadcast.
The Americans' fourth season continues to maintain the show's excellent standards and it does feel for the first time like some major threads are being cut now we're in the second half of the show's life. [9/10]
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