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The Americans

2013 in Review: Best New Shows of 2013

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2013 felt like a weak year, particularly for the big four networks. However, there were a handful of shows that debuted this year that felt like they moved television forward, especially on the drama side of the ledger. Without further ado, here are the shows that debuted this year that shined the brightest.

 

5 – Getting On (HBO)

 

I just reviewed this show a couple of weeks ago, and until that time this fifth slot was very much in play. I was particularly amazed at the strength with which it blended its’ dramatic and comedic elements and how the cast seemed to do an excellent job playing off type in comparison to the roles they became best known for. While it may not be the sort of series that’s for everyone due to its’ extreme darkness, it is the sort of show that could fit a niche in the HBO lineup for years to come.

 

4 – Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox)

 

This was not a banner year for the sitcom, as the big four debuted a large number of series, the vast majority of which will not or should not see a second season. However, standing head and shoulders above that pile of mediocrity was Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which mixes up sitcom elements with procedural elements and is already miles ahead of where Michael Schur predecessors The Office and Parks and Recreation were after nine episodes. Brooklyn Nine-Nine is consistently funny and much like Parks and Rec has a surprising amount of heart.

 

3 – Hannibal (NBC)

 

I spend a decent amount of time pointing out every horrendous decision the peacock makes, so when something goes right over at NBC I feel compelled to throw them a bone. If Cult was the bottom of the serial killer trend we saw this year, than Hannibal stands hands and shoulders above the rest. Bryan Fuller has done the impossible with this show, which is to make a Hannibal Lecter that is different from, but not inferior to the Anthony Hopkins version from the films. The show also benefits from strong performances by Hugh Dancy and Laurence Fishburne as Will Graham and Jack Crawford respectively. However, to me, where Hannibal truly set itself apart was in it’s visuals. For a morbid show, it’s actually downright beautiful, a trend that establishes itself from minute one when Will is dissecting the first murder scene in his head. Here’s hoping this one makes it to season four, when Fuller will finally decide to tackle Red Dragon.

 

2 – Broadchurch (BBC America)

 

Bringing the single focus Twin Peaks vibe into the new generation, we get this new mystery from the BBC. Already optioned to be produced in America by Fox, the miniseries revolves around the death and disappearance of an 11 year old child, with the investigation being impeded by an irresponsible media and the closeness of inspector Ellie Miller to the family, her son’s wholesale destruction of evidence, and the new lead inspector’s questionable past. David Tennant and Olivia Colman get particular kudos as the lead inspector pairing, and quaint resort setting provides the perfect eerie backdrop for this case.

 

1 – The Americans (FX)

 

The best new show of the year was one that FX hyped a ton in 2012, including ads during all of its’ major shows and a website takeover. The Americans lived up to that hype, providing a throwback spy thriller about two Russian sleeper agents who happen to have their lives deconstructed, down to their marriage which exists solely for appearances. Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell shined in the lead role, with Russell playing ideologically tilted wife Elizabeth Jennings, while Rhys drew the harder task as conflicted husband Philip. Throw in a mix of visuals that seem simultaneously cutting edge and historically accurate while having feeling like an homage to the Beastie Boys “Sabotage” video, and it becomes clear how The Americans came to be the best of 2013.

Next Time: Friday we look at the biggest stories of the year in what seems to have been the beginning of a long term paradigm shift for television.

The Americans Thrives with Thrills and Subtlety

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Noah Emmerich (l.) and Matthew Rhys (r.) in The Americans
Noah Emmerich (l.) and Matthew Rhys (r.) in The Americans

The Americans 10:00pm Eastern Time, FX

It takes a lot these days to truly blow me away from a pilot. I’m typically the sort of person who believes that the first episode displays what a given show can become, but often is not executed to a degree where that promise is actualized. However, the first episode of The Americans last night managed to completely blow me away.

The show loosely follows both the un-american activities and family life of two sleeper agents in America: Elizabeth (Kerri Russell) and Philip Jennings (Matthew Rhys). Their “jobs” are a sham, their marriage was dictated by their Soviet overlords, and they exist to handle missions for the KGB while living comfortably in suburban Virginia. However, they must balance this while entirely withholding the truth from their neighbors, including a recently relocated FBI agent named Stan Beemer (played by Noah Emmerich) and even their own children.

What I truly enjoy about this show is that it reminds me a lot of Mad Men in that it’s a fairly subtle period piece that truly enjoys exploring the notion of identity. This tension is particularly palpable in the scenes where Philip and Elizabeth are discussing what to do with General Timoshev, a Russian defector whom they kidnapped from his apartment in Washington. Elizabeth remains steadfast in her resolve to serve the motherland, but also would like to off him because of some improprieties he took with her back in training, while Peter seriously considers his offer of defecting under the guise that they have been living this “American” life for half of their lives and that with young children they should consider taking the money and living a more stable life.

Another small positive for the Americans was the amount of detail they put into making the show look and feel like the early 1980’s, whether it be the cheesy wigs used for spycraft (that gave me flashbacks to the music video for “Sabotage”), the use of music (the show makes incredible use of both Fleetwood Mac’s “Tusk” and Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight”), down to even the automobiles (my dad owned a boxy ’77 Cutless Supreme when I was a kid that looked not too far off from the sedan that proves to play a fairly central role in the plot).

The show, while positioned as a serious drama also likes to inject little funny moments into the show to break the tension, be it a seemingly pasted on scene (last night’s showing was an extended version of the pilot) where Philip just starts randomly dancing in the mall, while taking his daughter shopping, or the way that the FBI claims that President Reagan is trying to break them down with 7am meetings.

Where there was action in the pilot (most notably the first ten minutes, where Philip, Elizabeth, and one of their comrades kidnap General Timoshev) the action was tight, well executed and tense, especially once you come to the realization (and it took me a couple of minutes to get to this point) that these are not immigration officers checking on a random Russian, but rather the wholesale kidnapping of a Russian ex-pat.

One aspect that initially grated on me until it clicked, was that most of the action was shot in the dark (to the point where it was almost difficult to see). However, once I came to the (delayed) realization that the entirety of the spy aspects of the show occurred at night and most of the family drama during the day, it made it slightly easier for me to take. The other minor issue I had with the pilot was that it felt bloated at points (as much as I loved the scene where Philip maims the sleazebag who was making moves on his thirteen year old daughter, it felt pasted on and I can’t imagine that the scene made the 44-minute cut)

The Final Verdict: The Americans is a gripping thrill-ride of a show that grabs on to your attention and never lets go. While this version of the pilot felt a little bloated at points (it ran 90 minutes instead of the usual 60), it had the vibe of both a blockbuster action thriller and a subtle period piece all rolled up into one. This show is easily finding it’s way into my regular viewing, and it should really make it’s way into yours. Give it a shot, you won’t be disappointed.