The article does mention "The Americans":

"If Tim and Alex’s story sounds eerily familiar to fans of The Americans, the television drama about a KGB couple living in the US with their two children, that’s because it’s partly based on them. ..."

Except for this one:

> If Tim and Alex’s story sounds eerily familiar to fans of The Americans, the television drama about a KGB couple living in the US with their two children, that’s because it’s partly based on them.

Ok people, no need to be so harsh about a simple mistake. We all do them.

I think they tried to use a softer introduction and then harden them up once the audience got to know them. They are brutal killers, you aren't necessarily supposed to like them.

SPOILERS

They eventually reveal themselves to the daughter and she tells her priest. It's really pushing suspension of disbelief for me that the several additional mouths stay shut.

I agree. The only way such a casual reaction is plausible is if they are also KGB agents.

The problem I'm having is that it doesn't really invoke any Cold War aspect any more.

They basically just are Americans, meeting with other "Americans", watching American movies or David Copperfield, visiting EPCOT or EST, alongside some rather tedious non-political espionage. They (very suddenly) don't seem to have any solid association with the Soviet Union or "the cause" any more.

The now sadly all too rare Rezidentura scenes (with some of the most interesting aspects and characters of the show IMO) and Reagan clips just seem like tacked-on lip-service to the original concept.

Oh, my. I tried to turn my head away when I read the spoilers sign, but couldn't.

Thanks for ruining the season for me. =(

Jon Snow dies. I think the reasonable statute of limitations on politely saying nothing is something like 6 months (it's been almost a year).

Except, from the little I read, there was no murders attributed to these "illegals".

No doubt a bit of TV license. Just like the top spies or doctors spend time doing boring labwork a low level worker could do.

Dramatic TV shows, movies and books are about entertainment, not telling the truth as it really happened. Almost all such things carry the disclaimer "based on" and anything can be changed and be different.

Yeah, I was talking about the characters.

I did read over 2/3 and was surprised not to see the reference to that point. I also did a search but included "s which found the commenter who also expressed surprise at the "omission" so I thought I was on firm ground. My apologies.

I actually did read most of the article and did a ctrl-f for "the americans" (with quotes) and the only instance it found was in a comment that also didn't see the reference. Sorry about that.