Homeland was fun. Fairly hokey at times and trite after season 3. But just after episode 1, The Americans seems superior.

What say you?

Are you wanting opinions on the first episode of the Americans, help finding the season threads for the Americans or just a general discussion of how the pilot of the americans compares to multiple seasons of a completely different show set decades apart, with subjects that are only tangentially similar?

I thought it was a really good show, especially for basic cable.

I liked season 1 and 2 of homeland better.

Proposition Joe said:

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As a whole, Top 10 drama of all-time.

... it was consistently good from start to finish.

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Agreed.

Were you the one a while back asking for advice on which one to watch (Americans vs Homeland)? If so, sounds like you just went for both. Good decision. Homeland seasons 1 - 2 were really good. Fallen off a bit as the seasons progressed, but still good. BUT... Americans. That just got better with each new season. Your going to enjoy this. And your in for possibly the best season finale ever!

I loved The Americans, and have been thinking about doing a complete rewatch soon. But it is a very different show from Homeland. The showrunners slow it down and really do their own thing in the latter seasons once they knew they didn't have to get ratings and FX gave them the blessing to wind it down on their own terms. At times it was a pretty tough watch because there isn't a lot of levity or light/humor relief, but it was a show that would stay on your mind for days after.

The marriage is the central theme of the show, not the spycraft. I think this show and Friday Night Lights have done some of the best jobs at showcasing a marriage in television, but they do it in completely opposite ways.

Homeland had better highs and worse lows than the Americans. Homeland just eventually got worse and worse, Americans got very boring to me though but if you enjoy it, the quality is pretty consistent.

Yes, I had asked a while ago. You guys were spot on!

The Americans is a better show, but season 1 of Homeland is better than any season of The Americans.

As someone else said, The Americans was consistently very good, but never jumped to great for me.

Now Keri Russell on the other hand is great.

I am going to watch the last season of Homeland, just hoping that they kill Kerri off.