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Reviews
The Americans (2013)
Very close to the Soviet reality
I lived in the former Soviet Union during 1980s. The show has a ring of authenticity to it, people did a lot for their ideals. I had no idea there was such a fear hysteria of the Soviet Union, until I moved to this continent. Soviets didn't hate the Americans. I come from the high ranking naval aviation officer family and nobody I knew hated the Americans. People remembered that the Americans were the allies in WWII and the lend- lease program that was helping the country at the war. Moreover, when the movie Red Dawn was released, Gorbachev has forbidden it to be shown in the former Soviet Union, because it would produce hatred towards the Americans. Some of the things in the movie like when Burov was not in the Young Pioneers, is a total nonsense, since it was not a summer camp thing, and it was not optional either. Every kid at school was a pioneer, worn a red tie and a button with Lenin's face and the flames in the background. But the rest is pretty solid and believable even for the Soviets. I am curios how easy it is even for the most experienced in people reading skills, spies to underestimate their daughter's character. I wonder what would happen in Season 4. Would they eliminate the pastor? Would they claim insanity for Paige? They wouldn't kill their own kid for the cause, or would they?
Allegiance (2015)
Has a ring of authenticity to it
I was born in the former USSR in 1960s, grew up behind the Iron Curtain and as a rule, I don't watch the local versions of the reality or probabilities presented on TV for the lack of authenticity. The choices that people made, why they made these choices, their motivations, struggles, challenges, at least we could get a glimpse of them in this episode. American viewers are so used to certain views of the Soviets "sold" to them by the local press. I can't tell you how many times my American friends would tell me " If you only knew how much I hated you, guys while growing up". They feel ashamed that the media "sold" them the idea of regular people being trap behind the Iron Curtain, as some sort of two-head monsters. This new TV series does feel authentic to me. Great acting by the cast. Enough of danger without sliding into a parody of it. I plan on watching, hope that the steam would not go out of the is show after the pilot episode.