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Season guide

The Americans: Season 1

13 episodes Premiered Jan 30, 2013 Updated Jul 20, 2026

The Americans is an American period spy drama television series created by Joseph Weisberg for the FX network. The show premiered on January 30, 2013, and is set during the Cold War in the 1980s. The narrative follows Philip and Elizabeth Jennings, two Soviet KGB officers who are posing as an American married couple living in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. As sleeper agents, they must take extreme measures to contin

Season overview

The Americans is an American period spy drama television series created by Joseph Weisberg for the FX network. The show premiered on January 30, 2013, and is set during the Cold War in the 1980s. The narrative follows Philip and Elizabeth Jennings, two Soviet KGB officers who are posing as an American married couple living in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. As sleeper agents, they must take extreme measures to continue their mission and maintain the secrecy of their true identities. The situation becomes increasingly complex when Stan Beeman, an FBI counterintelligence agent, moves into the house directly across the street from them. The series is categorized as a crime, suspense, and drama production. It was developed with Joel Fields, who served as a showrunner and executive producer alongside Weisberg. The cast includes Keri Russell as Elizabeth, Matthew Rhys as Philip, Keidrich Sellati, and Holly Taylor. The series ran for six seasons, concluding on May 30, 2018. The program is rated TV-MA.

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Episodes

S1·E1

Pilot

Jan 30, 2013 · 70 min

The arranged marriage of Philip and Elizabeth Jennings grows more passionate and genuine by the day, but is constantly tested by the escalation of the Cold War. Tensions heighten u

S1·E2

The Clock

Feb 6, 2013 · 48 min

When Philip and Elizabeth are given an urgent task to plant a bug in Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger's office, they risk exposure when an unwilling maid of the Weinberger home

S1·E3

Gregory

Feb 13, 2013 · 46 min

Philip and Elizabeth discover that their murdered colleague Robert had a wife they never knew about. As they try to determine what she knows and where her allegiance lies, Stan's i

S1·E4

In Control

Feb 20, 2013 · 43 min

When an assassin attempts to kill President Reagan, Philip and Elizabeth scramble to handle the fallout within the KGB. Meanwhile, Stan pressures his source within the Rezidentura

S1·E5

COMINT

Feb 27, 2013 · 40 min

A crucial agent crumbles under emotional distress and threatens to topple a valuable network of KGB informants. Professionally, Philip and Elizabeth are tasked with infiltrating th

S1·E6

Trust Me

Mar 6, 2013 · 50 min

A mole hunt within the KGB causes suspicion amongst allies and shatters trust within the Jennings' marriage. Meanwhile, Stan's plan to keep his mole safe puts her at even greater r

S1·E7

Duty and Honor

Mar 13, 2013 · 41 min

Philip and Elizabeth's troubled marriage is further tested when a mission to discredit a Polish pro-democracy leader reunites Philip with his old flame.

S1·E8

Mutually Assured Destruction

Mar 20, 2013 · 48 min

Philip and Elizabeth must stop an assassin from taking out key US scientists, while Stan and the FBI hunt the same man. Grannie shocks Elizabeth with the truth of what happened bet

S1·E9

Safe House

Apr 3, 2013 · 49 min

Philip and Elizabeth are put to the test when a routine mission goes horribly wrong. Stan and the FBI are pushed to their limit when one of their own goes missing.

S1·E10

Only You

Apr 10, 2013 · 46 min

Stan pursues a lead that puts him on the trail to one of Gregory's crew members, closing the gap between him and Elizabeth, and reigniting some of the deepest conflicts between her

S1·E11

Covert War

Apr 17, 2013 · 42 min

Events in Moscow strike a personal chord for Elizabeth, leading her to take on a dangerous mission she can't complete without Philip's help, and placing the couple on a collision c

S1·E12

The Oath

Apr 24, 2013 · 43 min

One of Elizabeth's agents has key intel for sale, but she and Philip find themselves taking increasingly greater risks for what could well be a set-up. Meanwhile, Stan's pursuit of

S1·E13

The Colonel

May 1, 2013 · 48 min

When Philip and Elizabeth are ordered to go through with a meeting that could potentially be a set-up, they find themselves confronted with unexpected truths about their relationsh