Second linkspam of the week

[jae]

Yes, I'm back already with another linkspam! I could maaaaaybe have waited another day, but some of this stuff has been so good, and I feel moved to share.

I'll start with a really very different sort of interview with Joel Fields from spoilertv.com that took questions in advance from the fans and got him to answer them. There are spoilers galore, but I suspect that a couple of people in this community will be very excited to see some of the responses there. :)

And then there's this other interview from tv.com with Joel and Joe Weisberg, which also has some spoilers in it.

And then there's another interview with the two of them from the Huffington Post, which also has some spoilers in it.

And one more from iamrogue.com, also with the two of them and also with some season two spoilers.

There are also four short videos from the Bryant Park interview of two days ago with Joe Weisberg, Joel Fields, and Noah Emmerich: on nuclear launch codes, creating 1980s D.C. in New York City, designing spycraft for The Americans, and on the secret life of Stan (none of which are particularly spoilerrific).

Next, nerd-utopia has got screenshots of the terrific The Americans spread and multi-page article in TV Guide: 1, 2.

And a lovely profile on Holly Taylor (Paige) from Canadian newspaper The Ottawa Citizen.

And The Saratogian has a great review of season two from the screeners.

And speaking of which, guys, I don't know how much you've all been following the early critical response to this show's second season, but it's been so fantastic. Over at the americansfan tumblr, Emma put together a representative compilation of it. And, like, the only negative comments I can find about the show at all (and I've looked!) are from critics like rogerebert.com's Brian Tallerico who wasn't completely on board with season one but still thinks season two is amazing. The critics have always been good to this show, but this is truly unprecedented.

Fast Company has a terrific interview with The Americans' music supervisor PJ Bloom.

The website kerirussellsource.org has a bunch of shots of the filming of the season two finale, which is currently ongoing.

Over at Tumblr, darjeelingandcoke is doing a countdown list of eight reasons to watch The Americans in the last eight days before the season two premiere: here's #8.

And finally, this already got linked separately, but in case there's someone out there who's only got a subscription to certain tags: part one and part two of quantumreality's essay on symmetries in The Americans.

Five days, 10.5 hours to go!

Comments

[quantumreality]

Part 2 is up, by the way:

http://quantumreality.dreamwidth.org/11383.html

[jae]

Got it! Thanks.

-J

[quantumreality]

Could you edit the post to add part 3? :)

http://quantumreality.dreamwidth.org/11539.html

[quantumreality]

First: Elizabeth in fuck-me boots again. NGL, kind of hot.

Also: OMFG PHILLIP'S PONYTAIL MULLET. *ded of LOL now*

[sistermagpie]

So much great stuff here--nice to see Philip will be looking absolutely ridiculous in the finale! A mustache AND a ponytail? Work it, Philip!

One of the juiciest bits for me is that line about the KGB sex-training. It really made no sense that they *wouldn't* have this sort of thing given that Philip and Elizabeth are obviously both expected to go out there and seduce people and you can't just tell somebody to do that with no guidance and expect them to have their own gameplan. So I loved them saying that both of these people are basically sex abuse victims, particularly since, as usual, Elizabeth's experiences are laid out on the table where Philip's aren't.

It brings up what we were talking about in the wishlist thread about jealousy--we saw this even earlier when Elizabeth said about Anneleise "You didn't say she looked like that." We've seen a lot of sexist assumptions in the way all the characters on the show interact, and the other side of that is being dismissive of anything like male victims of sex abuse.

Love Elizabeth going all Joan Crawford (but Russian) on Paige--at least that's what it sounds like. I wonder if Philip will be wandering into that scene at all and if so what he'd think of it.

Also--religion is actually coming up? That's interesting since it seems like Philip and Elizabeth would just be happily atheist with kids who were nominally Christian by default. I did love that religion was set down as one of the things Philip really wanted nothing to do with in season one. Especially since his wife seems to have a rather religious fervor for her non-religious beliefs.

[katiac]

One of the juiciest bits for me is that line about the KGB sex-training. It really made no sense that they *wouldn't* have this sort of thing given that Philip and Elizabeth are obviously both expected to go out there and seduce people and you can't just tell somebody to do that with no guidance and expect them to have their own gameplan. So I loved them saying that both of these people are basically sex abuse victims, particularly since, as usual, Elizabeth's experiences are laid out on the table where Philip's aren't.

I know, right? I really hope they get into that, and it sounds like at least they will be in the neighborhood so it's a fair possibility.

[sistermagpie]

I also loved the stuff about the compartmentalization breaking down, but not always in a healthy growth way. It sounded like there would just be more clashes between their "true" selves and the people they have to play. Which would presumably encompass Elizabeth's new reluctance to use herself sexually when not with Philip and her jealousy over him being with other people. But it seems like it will be in other areas too. It seems like Elizabeth's making a real effort to not only be a real wife but a real mother as she understands that, and that might mean her taking more stands in that area than she had before. Not that she clearly wasn't involved before, but she obviously felt there were things she was holding back, and that's obviously going to come from her own memories of her mother--which leads me to hope that might bring out Philip's own memories of growing up. Because it seems like in many ways he's taken more of a hands-on role with the kids from the beginning, but so far there's never been any little moments where I feel like he's translating anything specifically Russian or even copying anything from his own past.

[katiac]

Also--religion is actually coming up? That's interesting since it seems like Philip and Elizabeth would just be happily atheist with kids who were nominally Christian by default. I did love that religion was set down as one of the things Philip really wanted nothing to do with in season one. Especially since his wife seems to have a rather religious fervor for her non-religious beliefs.

Just saw this in an article linked on TWOP:

"At the same time, she is lying to her parents about where she is and what she's doing. Typical teenager, right? Not when she's an unwitting player in her parents' duplicitous conceit. And her lie isn't about seeing another boy: It's about finding herself drawn to Christianity, which is bound to upset her parents."

That's about the last way I thought they were going to bring up religion, but it's actually kind of an interesting one and plays perfectly into the family theme and no one quite being who other family members think they are or want them to be. For as much as I'm interested to see Elizabeth's reaction on that one, it's Philip who was the more strongly spoken with the whole, "People who believe in God always make the worst targets," remark. And yet will he find a way to understand his daughter?

[sistermagpie]

Oh god, poor Philip. ;-) I didn't see that coming. I'll have to see how it's done, though. There's a lot of ways a kid can be drawn to religion. I'm hoping Paige isn't doing it in an annoying way.

But it's also kind of funny because it really fits for her being sort of like Elizabeth. For all she would probably claim that she thinks it's just the weirdest thing ever, Elizabeth is totally somebody with that same impulse. She longs for something bigger in her life, some purpose she's dedicating herself to, something that makes her part of a bigger plan. If she's wondering about her parents, it makes sense Paige might look for something like that, and in the US religion's an obvious choice. So I feel like that might be a situation where Elizabeth is freaked out more obviously because for her it's like she and Paige have conflicting faiths, where for Philip it's a more fundamental difference that he's always going to see that sort of thing as more of an outsider, even while talking Elizabeth down.

Oh god, now I kind of want to see Philip reading The Brothers Karamazov to try understand Paige.

ETA: Also how chilling is it that Philip was the one identified as "The Devil" by Viola in season 1. I think they might have some really interesting thoughts going on with this story.

[georgley]

Love the SpoilerTV interview with Joel Fields. He really is very good at interacting with fans, particularly on Twitter. He really seems to appreciate how invested people are in the show.

[alisonx]

Joel Fields REALLY has perfected the art of tease, so many hints and exciting possibilities where the season can go. "There must be something about Philip's upbringing or past that makes him work hard for his family" - yesss to Philip backstory even if it takes a while to get there

That seedy finale disguise for me is too much I can't tear my eyes away
This interview has also been floating around tumblr recently
http://www.iamrogue.com/news/interviews/item/10723-iar-exclusive-interview-writers-joe-weisberg-and-joel-fields-talk-the-americans.html

[jae]

Huh, that was actually on my list originally, but it must have gotten knocked off somehow. I'll add it now.

-J

[katiac]

I am excited about the Philip history as well! I think Spoiler TV may have made an error in what was bolded there... I remember the first part of what they attributed to the answer as actually being the last part of the person's question... so I think JF's answer was, "There will indeed be more of Philip’s backstory sneaking through in season two… but, remember, Philip and Elizabeth aren’t exactly big talkers, so be patient – it may take some time! “-)"

But still, that's great news! I will take any Philip backstory I can get, even in small snippets from our less than verbally communicative spy couple!

[sistermagpie]

Yeah, I'm so dying to know what they mean there. They could mean an odd flashback that's barely explained (like we don't know the context of it, but we know Philip's remembering something or whatever) or they could even mean him saying something cryptic that even Elizabeth wouldn't quite understand at the time.

I guess I'm just now sort of intrigued at the idea of things "sneaking through" without the characters meaning it too, or without it being revealed to the other person, or maybe the opposite where something might mean something to Elizabeth as someone from a similar background that wouldn't mean anything to us.

[soupytwist]

Urgggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh so exciting! yay!!!!! HOW IS IT NOT NEXT WEEK YET.

Also I may be weird among Philip/Elizabeth shippers but I really like the implication that while they may be on the same page as of the season opener, they might not stay there? I love them as a team SO MUCH but I am also really glad that what I think are important strains in the relationship are still going to be part of things. (not surprised, at all, but really glad.)

And OMFG THE FINALE OUTFITS WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO PHILIP AHAHAHHAAHAHA

[sistermagpie]

You are totally not alone. I love that this is a show that realizes that it can be just as fascinating to be in conflict with someone you really love as with someone you're not sure about. There's so much about each other they don't know, so many sensitive spots they have no clue about, so many stresses coming from different places--oh man, there's so many ways for them to struggle.

I've also been thinking more and more about the line in that one interview about how Elizabeth has an intense scene with Paige where she's just being a Russian mother, because she's trying to be a better parent and more engaged. So I think we might even see some Russian vs. American parenting in there (which of course would make me ask why exactly Philip would be representing American parenting if indeed he is...).

[katiac]

I just can't wait for the Russian mothering scene. I am so intrigued by mother/daughter stuff, both for the Elizabeth/Paige aspect and the Elizabeth/her mother aspect (hope we eventually get to learn her name.)

[soupytwist]

YES, exactly, and also, to me, those struggles have more emotional weight BECAUSE they care about each other so much. They have years of life together, kids together, to really add weight to the conflict. And it's a kind of conflict that isn't done very often. Like you said, it's usually "do I love them/do they love me?", with the being in love being the solution to the problem at the end, rather than the beginning of a story.

And I can't wait for more about them as parents! That does sound so exciting. Obviously the differences in expectations between Soviet and American children and parents were a theme in s1, but not all that much given how MUCH there could be to talk about. I mean, any generation experiences things differently than their parents or grandparents, but there's usually continuity of a sort. Paige and Henry have a different childhood than their parents on a massive scale. SO excited that they're doing more with that. :D

[katiac]

I feel the same way (both about Philip's outfit and about seeing conflict in the relationship.) I love seeing them happy but also enjoy seeing the struggle as they work to establish true intimacy with each other. That's not an easy thing, particularly not for two people who've been through what they have, and I would feel cheated if everything was just sunshine going forward. I feel like the struggle they go through to find each other and connect despite the difficulties just speaks that much more strongly to how deeply they feel for one another. It's NOT always easy, and yet they want and need each other that much.

[georgley]

Another new interview here.

More season 2 spoilers although not a lot of new stuff.

[sistermagpie]

"Early in Season 2, Paige rebels in the most adorable, all-American way imaginable, and Elizabeth's reaction is bananas."

OMG, this sounds hilarious and also scary.

[jae]

Yep, thanks! Got that one for next time. :)

-J

[sistermagpie]

I loved this review:

http://www.indiewire.com/article/television/the-americans-season-two-review-fx

[jae]

Oh, that's SO AWESOME. Man. This show.

*incoherent*

Ahem. Thank you.

-J

[katiac]

Me too! And particularly:

"The series has its effective action setpieces, but the new season's most resonant scenes are often the quieter ones in which emotional honesty temporarily gleams through the subterfuge. Whether it's Phil and Stan (Noah Emmerich) having a conversation made up of real confessions amidst all the obfuscation or Elizabeth having a moment with a mark, the luxury of a sliver of truth, even in the context of a sea of lies, is something these characters value."

Can't wait!