The spies who hated U.S.

• Author: Suderman, Peter
• Position: Briefly Noted - The Americans - Television program review - Brief article

In The Americans, a team of deep-cover Russian agents lives in the D.C. area during the Reagan era. They have two kids and a house in a suburban cul-de-sac. At night they put on wigs and run spy ops, stealing classified information, aiding Soviet allies, and occasionally engaging in bloody firefights with FBI agents--one of whom happens to be a friendly neighbor. The spies participate in American life even as they try to ruthlessly undermine it.

The Americans, which entered its third season this year on the FX Network, is a thriller as well...