'The Americans' follows the 'Homeland' blueprint


The best, most inventive dramas are on cable. That's been true for a while, and it's not just because of the more lax regulations for creating shows. Sure, sex, violence, and language make a show more "real." But on cable, the real reason dramas have found a creative home is because of the format.

On cable shows don't have to fit neatly into the doctor, lawyer, or cop show niche to survive. A few million eyeballs is enough to be a hit. And, oh year, the episode runs are shorter. Creatively running 10-13 episodes cuts out all the fat found in a 22 or 24 episode order.

Into this fray comes "The Americans," a show that would be a tough sell on a network. It's set in 1981, and centers on a pair of KGB agents implanted in America to spy for Mother Russia during the Cold War. Oh year, that's the other thing cable can do — it can and almost always does center on anti heroes in central roles.

The obvious comparison here is "Homeland," and for good reason. "Homeland" has been the dominate drama on TV for two seasons thanks to its unique plot and very crisp production. There are similarities here — especially in the idea that the central characters aren't what they appear to be, though they are struggling with that calling.

But this show isn't purely cut from the "Homeland" cloth, which is where it excels. The primary focus, based on the pilot, is this couple — Elizabeth (Kerri Russell) and Phillip (Matthew Rhys) — were thrown together by their government, forced to marry and live the American dream while secretly running missions for the KGB. After more than 15 years in America, Phillip is questioning that calling. He doesn't see America as so bad, and he would be more than happy to live the America dream for real with their kids.

Elizabeth reamins devoted to a land she hasn't seen in ages. She tries to influence her children in subtle ways — never revealing the truth — and remains devoted to her mission. Phillip, on the other hand, just remains devoted to her. Their fake relationship, along the way, somehow became a real for him.

Then there's the threat from the FBI counterterrorism agent — Stan (Noah Emmerich) — who just happened to move in across the street.

After a haunting pilot that featured an engaging narrative and solid performances, it will be interesting to see how this drama plays out.

Pilot Grade: A

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