The Stream

The Americans

The Americans poster art
Image courtesy of TMDB. Used under license.

Espionage has never been so stylish, so agonizing, or so utterly human. The Americans isn't just a spy thriller; it's a masterclass in tension and marital drama

Where to watch →

Suburban DC, but everyone in your neighborhood is a Soviet sleeper agent. Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys wear unhinged wigs and ruin lives for the motherland while raising teenagers who suspect nothing. Until they do.

The slowest-burning of the great prestige dramas, and the more patient you are, the more it pays off. The wig discourse is funny but the marriage at the center is devastating — Russell and Rhys (who married IRL, of course) sell every silent kitchen-table scene. The series finale is one of the best ever filmed. Stick with it through the slower middle stretch; the destination is worth it.

The verdict

10/10