Question of the week #2

[jae]

Last week, in response to the question about what we'd like to see happen in season two, umbo said something that seemed to resonate with a lot of us: overall what I want is to be surprised by what happens instead of thinking, "oh, of course that's what they did." So in that vein: What happened during season one that surprised you most? You can expect spoilers for the entire first season in the comments.

(There's no expiration date on these questions, so if you're reading this post months later and feel like jumping in, please do.)

Comments

[jae]

Honestly, the thing that surprised me the most overall was just how sophisticated a show it turned out to be, storytelling-wise. Toward the beginning of the season, I remember thinking that it was going to be a sort of spy procedural with a story-of-the-week, cast against the backdrop of an overarching story about a marriage (sort of like the Good Wife transported to the 80s and moved to the world of espionage). I would have actually liked that show just fine, to be honest--the premise appeals to me that much--but the show it ended up being is so much better than that, and sometimes I want to give the showrunners big fat smooches for that. *g*

But in terms of plot points, the thing that surprised me the most--the thing that I remember making me jump out of my seat and yell "oh my god" while sitting under a hairdryer at the hairdresser's--was when Nina confessed to Arkady that she'd become a double agent. The show surprised me again and again in smaller ways, but that--I so did not see that coming.

-J

[soupytwist]

Definitely agree with you about just how smart a show it is! I was not expecting to like it as much as I do at ALL.

Otherwise, the bit that made me scream in shock the most was Philip having a bag shoved over his head by the KGB. I went WHAT very loudly. *g*

[jae]

Ah, yes. I think that probably would have surprised me just as much if it hadn't been for the fact that I'd been spoiled for the kidnapping by the trailers (stupid trailers!).

-J

[treonb]

That surprised me too. Despite the fact that I saw the promos and knew it was coming, I didn't expect it just then :-)

[treonb]

The show as a whole surprised me too. I gave it a try though I was sure I was going to hate it. Mainly because I assumed it would be good Soviet spies vs. bad Americans. Instead it turned out to be much more complicated, with the KGB side doing horrific things, and still managing to make our spies likable. By the end of the pilot, I was in love :-)

Specifically in the season - what most surprised me was Amador's death. I was spoiled for it by watching the next ep promo by mistake, but even so I couldn't believe throughout the ep that they were actually going to go ahead with it.

[quantumreality]

I honestly thought the KGB would try to make it look like Amador had gotten the worst of it in a bar fight and thus misdirect the FBI. No go!

[treonb]

That didn't even occur to me! You're right, they didn't even try. Maybe it was too obvious that he's gotten medical help?

[jae]

I knew I was going to love it; the premise is tailor-made for me in so many ways. What was unexpected (but welcome) was the fact that it also ended up being such a tremendous show, just objectively! :) For me the reaction came as quickly as it did for you, though--I remember watching the pilot shortly after it aired and then the next time I went back to watch another hour of television, I was kind of like: "you know, there's nothing I want to see more than I want to see that pilot again." And then it was like: "oh boy, am I a goner."

Amador's death didn't surprise me, oddly enough. Once I realized in the episode that they were going to go there, it just seemed like it was an obvious story move to heighten the tension and help move Stan closer to destruction. What surprised me there was interviews with the writers who in retrospect were talking about how they hadn't in fact planned that all along.

-J

[treonb]

Once I realized in the episode that they were going to go there, it just seemed like it was an obvious story move to heighten the tension and help move Stan closer to destruction.

Oh, I realized the episode was going there, and it was obvious they couldn't let Amador go after he saw Philip and Elizabeth. And the promo already gave me an indication that one of the agents was going to get killed - but still, it was an unexpected move on the part of the show. I didn't foresee it coming an episode earlier.

What surprised me there was interviews with the writers who in retrospect were talking about how they hadn't in fact planned that all along.

Me too :-) that's why I'm conflicted about behind-the-scenes stuff. I'm not sure I wanted to know that the entire show wasn't all completely planned in advance.

[quantumreality]

In generalities what surprised me is how easily the show gets you to accept the Soviet spies as human beings with an extra-special, extra-dangerous job. You hope (against all logic) that they get out of everything unscathed, even as you know Agents Gaad and Beeman will be hot on their tail.

Specifics?

1. When Nina confessed to Arkady what she'd been doing! Whoa!
2. Beeman killing Vlad! :O
3. Zhukov being killed off, and the reveal about Claudia's relationship with him.
3a. Zhukov's sensitivity to cultural differences between the Soviets and the Americans and grasping how to teach Elizabeth to relate to those differences - even how important it is to understand the way different cultures teach similar skills by different methods.

[jae]

Your first thing has impressed me so consistently about this show. Based on some of the comments I've read on the show's Facebook page, I'm sadly not sure that everyone who watches it feels the way about it that the writers want us to feel, but enough of them do that it's clear those writers are doing an excellent job!

-J

[treonb]

2. Beeman killing Vlad! :O

I couldn't see how they could let Vlad walk, but that scene was a surprise. Stan didn't want Vlad to see it coming, and I didn't see it coming either.