The new Entertainment Weekly features the now already much written about big reveal of Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange and in shocking news it is the TV pages that I flipped to first. Some of the shows included in this issue are Daredevil, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Outlander, Game of Thrones (oh hey there Bran), Orphan Black (including a creepy sheep mask) and newcomers The Path, The Night Manager and SJP’s The Divorce. And The Americans.
In other shocking news it is the latter that has my full attention particularly with the unveiling of what you might consider to be a much more typically 1980s look for the Elizabeth and her new cover ‘Patty.’
The color and shapes are so much bolder, the lipstick is a lot brighter and the eyeliner has got a whole lot thicker showing the shift in style as the 1980s shake off the last vestiges of the decade that came before. This is also the same disguise Keri Russell was wearing in these recent set photos and this character clearly loves all things purple. I cannot wait to discuss this new disguise when the show returns in March.
Creator Joe Weisberg tells the magazine all about ‘Patty’ explaining “It’s a different ’80s perspective than we’ve explored before” and how Elizabeth might be getting a new friend in the form of recurring guest star Ruthie Ann Miles. However as this is The Americans the line between real and fake relationship is a little blurred.
Meanwhile, things still look every level of tense with Paige and it is interesting that in this still Philip is in a position you would normally associate with prayer. Also a quick shout-out to the production design team for perfectly capturing the teenage bedroom wall collage detail and Paige would definitely be the kind of teen to opt for photos of whales on her wall to cover the super 70s wallpaper she has no doubt grown out of. Now I really want a closer peak at the photos on her headboard because The Americans is one of the best examples of not using terrible photoshop on older family pics.
In terms of where this season will find Elizabeth and Philip in their work, well it looks like it is only going to get even harder and co-showrunner Joel Fields explains that “A lot of people refer to this exact period as one of the tensest in the Cold War. Philip and Elizabeth are going to be in the middle of some of the most dangerous operations that, interestingly, were not playing out in the headlines but were happening behind the scenes and didn’t come out until after the Cold War was over.” Because things can never be easy for this pair.
Details about Martha after the de-wigging, the status of Pastor Tim post Paige confession and giving Henry something to do so he isn’t just another Chris from Homeland are all included in the issue which is available from digital and actual newsstands now.
For a look at the whole TV preview gallery head here.
See where The Americans factored in our Best of 2015 series.
TV Ate My Wardrobe 
7 Responses to “First Look at The Americans S4 in the First Look Issue of Entertainment Weekly”