After six phenomenal seasons, FX's espionage drama The Americans wrapped in 2018. However, a couple of minor plots weren't given their proper conclusions. It's always satisfying to the viewer when all hanging threads are tied up, but given that no screenwriter or showrunner is perfect, most TV shows tend to leave a couple of unresolved storylines.
The Americans followed two KGB spies namely Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Philip (Matthew Rhys) who were working undercover in America during the Cold War. The two posed as a married couple living in the Virginia suburb of Washington DC.
Here are 10 storylines that The Americans left unresolved.
Elizabeth And Philip's Relationship In Russia
After pretending to be a couple for a long time in America, Elizabeth and Philip ended up falling in love and becoming one of the best TV couples ever. In the final moment of the series finale, we saw Elizabeth and Philip staring at the Russian landscape while imagining what life would have been like if they never left America.
In a way, finally being in Russia was a win for them because they got back home without ever getting caught or killed. But it was also a sad moment because they've now been separated from friends as well as their children who had stayed in America. What will life be like for them? Will their relationship remain strong despite leaving so much behind?
Sparing Pastor Tim
Pastor Tim and his wife found out that Elizabeth and Philip were Russian agents after Paige mentioned it. Tim never reported them to the authorities, and he must have had his reasons. But what were they? The show never bothered to explain. It's also surprising that Elizabeth and Philip never killed him as he had the ability to compromise their mission in a major way.
Elizabeth even murdered a security guard in a hotel because she felt he would compromise the mission. So, why allow the pastor to roam freely? The show also needed to explain why the KGB never did anything after finding out what Paige did. Elizabeth and Philip's superiors could have at least given an order for the issue to be taken care of.
Will Oleg Stay In Jail Forever?
Oleg must be the unluckiest character in the series. And by the time it was over, he was screwed up even more. He wound up behind bars after the FBI charged him with espionage. What's worse is that his father was the one to break the terrible news to his wife and son.
So, despite being the least evil, Oleg ended up being the only character to face serious consequences. All he ever wanted was to help. He teamed up with Stan to save Nina, and he also gave crucial information to the FBI. And he only returned to the world of espionage because he was sweet-talked by Arkady. Hopefully, in the events we will never see, the FBI will give Oleg a deal and let him go free so that they can get the bigger fish.
Who Facilitated General Zhukov's Movements In The US?
In the eleventh episode of Season 1, flashbacks show Elizabeth meeting with General Zhukov (her mentor) several times on American soil. Who facilitated the movement of a high-ranking Russian general in America? Where was he hiding? It would have been interesting if there was a mole in the CIA that protected him.
Otherwise, given the complexity of American surveillance, it's a bit weird that no one knew about the general's presence. And if someone knew, why didn't they talk? Also, why would the KGB choose a Russian general to communicate with Elizabeth instead of just using a disposable handler? This really turned out to be a major plothole.
Paige's Future
Younger people have their own way of doing things, and the inquisitive Paige surely did. When Elizabeth and Philip were leaving the country, Paige detached herself from them and went to New York. Clearly, she loved America, but this is a dangerous move for her. Will the FBI arrest her and try to use her to get her parents back?
Paige's decision to stay in America was shocking because she was initially so devoted to her family. Now she'll likely never see them again. She could try to find Henry but their relationship isn't so good. So, what really happens to her? Sadly, we can never know.
Is Renee In The KGB?
The last season also hinted that Renee was a Russian spy but it was never made clear. The series co-creator Joel Fields confirmed in an interview that this is one of the things that they just decided not to address further. But why? Given that Renee was introduced quite late in the series, a revelation would have made her more of a solid character.
A revelation would also have provided closure to her FBI husband Stan, who clearly had his suspicions. Stan has never had an easy life in the show and denying him the opportunity to know the truth makes life unnecessarily harder for him. Time to demand a spin-off?
What About Henry?
Henry Jennings was an underused character throughout the series. The excuse was that he was always in college. Like his sister, he was left in America when his parents fled the country. It was even suggested that he only learned about his parents' escape from their FBI neighbor, Stan.
It's really hard to imagine what his future looks like. Will he be dragged into the life of espionage now? Will American agents use him as bait to get his parents back? The idea of using "family" as leverage always happens in espionage shows. So, it wouldn't be surprising if his college life isn't so smooth.
Elizabeth And Philip's Fake Mission
In Season 5, Elizabeth and Philip were sent on a fake mission. Their understanding was that there was a plan to target the Russian supply of grain with a mega bioweapon. In order to get to the bottom of it, they infiltrated a number of facilities, most of which were not well-secured. This should have been a red flag.
Elizabeth also got her hands on crucial information by just opening the lock of a greenhouse at night. Philip naturally had the ability to sense when things were off. But why didn't he sense anything was wrong early enough? A reason to explain their sloppiness would have made sense.
The Deputy Attorney General's Leniency
In The Americans, the Deputy Attorney General was the only character whose real name was not provided. During the Cold War, the Deputy AG was Edward C. Schmults, but perhaps the show doesn't mention him by name because the character isn't based on him. Why not give him another name, then?
In the show, Stan threatened the Deputy AG after he confessed to being involved in Vlad's murder . Surprisingly, the Deputy AG never got him fired or gone to the extreme lengths of killing him. An event explaining the Deputy AG's leniency would have made a lot of sense.
The Consequences Of Using Their Own Car
A spy using their own car for a mission? You rarely see that even in bad movies. But when Elizabeth and Philip did this, we can argue that they were still novices. It was only the first episode, after all. And they've rarely been that sloppy since.
While going after a defector who was meant to be on a ship heading back home to Russia, the couple used their car but only swapped the plates. If anything went wrong, they could have been exposed. Good TV shows rarely leave moments like these unaddressed.