1) The Americans
If history is any indicator, next year’s season of The Americans will be even better than the consistently superb one that preceded it – it just might be nigh unwatchable. Season 3 was a dark year for the show, and that’s saying something for a series about KGB sleeper agents lying, killing, and torturing for Mother Russia in the hours between taking the kids to church and putting supper on the table. Season 3’s violence was at-times Hannibal-level disturbing, but the emotional weight every hour carried was always what kept you coming back for more.
The Americans continued being TV’s most densely and intricately layered viewing experience, whether that meant untangling knotty espionage plots, parsing the motivations behind the complexly written and delivered performances, or savoring the understated brilliance of its top-tier direction. This is as rewarding as serial dramas get these days, even if watching it sometimes means you should have a bottle of Xanax handy.
Published: Dec 30, 2015 11:39 am