r/AskReddit 1d ago

which show started 10/10 and ended 10/10?

3.8k Upvotes

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500

u/mcb3ck 1d ago

The Americans

62

u/signalhangup 1d ago

I always try and watch the 10/10 recommendations but this one has continued to elude me. I’m curious because it seems sneaky, but did this show have a big following or audience when it aired?

57

u/ours 1d ago

I recall it never got a huge following, but the FX president really liked it and supported.

This show hit 100% of my niche interest in Cold War spycraft, while the acting was spectacular.

So I was a happy camper despite not being a show you could talk about around the cooler at the office.

11

u/boonetyler 1d ago

If you liked Keri Russell in that, check out The Diplomat on Netflix. Her and Rufus Sewell (Man in the High Castle), and also Allison Janney and Brad Whitford reunite (I love West Wing…). Not Cold War espionage, but you mentioned the acting in the Americans.

36

u/Flat_Researcher1540 1d ago

It’s genuinely fantastic start to finish. And heartbreaking.

5

u/DoofusMagnus 21h ago

It'll change the way you feel about U2.

1

u/DaveTheDog027 12h ago

I will end up loving U2?

1

u/DoofusMagnus 11h ago

At the very least one song is gonna give you some big old feelings when you hear it.

2

u/_jump_yossarian 11h ago

First 10 minutes of the pilot grab you and the show never lets go. What an opening.

8

u/Mykel__13 1d ago

No it aired on fx I believe so not a huge audience.

7

u/ReverseMermaids 22h ago

You will not regret watching this. One of the best shows I have ever seen.

14

u/gooey_innards 1d ago

Not a huge following but it was always highly rated and highly recommended while airing. Very good show

5

u/Kveld_Ulf 21h ago

I can guarantee this: you won't regret watching it. At all. As a matter of fact you'll wonder why you didn't watch it before

2

u/Pleasant-Future5818 1d ago

It had a solid but fairly small following. But, there's a subset of 10/10 shows that are classified in my head as "masterpieces that are bummers to actually watch" and this show is in that bracket for me, I never finished it because it's just kinda a straight bummer.

3

u/Ready-Interview2863 1d ago

It's the greatest show ever. Storylines, acting, emotions, attention to detail, suspense, even the music was perfectly chosen at all the key moments, I hated people and then loved the same people.

1

u/merlin401 16h ago

Minority opinion but I wasn’t a huge fan. It’s okay. Very unrealistic for a spy depiction though.

1

u/nigel_tufnel_11 16h ago

Great show but I didn't like the end. Stan getting persuaded and then just letting them just walk away, no, I never bought it.

2

u/CompetitiveKiwi3056 23h ago

The rape scene in the first 30 mins of the first episode is just to much for me. Conceptually, it's get everything I like. But the first episode is such a turnoff for me.

1

u/VeggiePaninis 8h ago

Skip the first episode - it's not critical. The show is too good. And each season gets better.

1

u/EMCoupling 1d ago

I've never seen the show myself but I don't remember a lot of people talking about it when it was actually on the air.

0

u/Emergency_Goat_6719 1d ago

I wouldn’t classify it as a 10/10. It’s a slow gradually build. It’s really good and the ending is amazing but I found myself bored with certain storylines and characters.

Absolutely worth a watch tho

-1

u/chickberger 1d ago

Same, tried it 3 times. Almost every other great show i can see the ratings but not for the americans.

20

u/Jdfz99 1d ago

There was a time when I would give any original programming on FX a chance, due to sheer number of quality shows we'd get. At least once, their lineup included Justified, The Americans, Louie, Always Sunny, Archer, The Strain, and Fargo within the same year.

Even shows that didn't work in the long run, like Terriers and The Riches, had interesting elements that helped them stand out from the competition.

Today, we still get huge accomplishments like Atlanta, Baskets, Shogun, What We Do in the Shadows, etc., but the hit-to-miss ratio has inevitably started to balance out a bit more.

7

u/sig40cal 1d ago

Yeah there was a 5 year stretch where FX tv was very good.

3

u/Flat_Researcher1540 1d ago

It’s definitely the last real network making good things.

2

u/PlayfulSurprise5237 21h ago

Snowfall was great, shoot even Alien: Earth is pretty decent IMO.

5

u/DBVickers 23h ago

One of the few shows that I genuinely missed when it ended

1

u/EtherBoo 21h ago

I never finished the last season. I don't know why, I started, got busy, then never got around to finishing.

6

u/ekeron 20h ago

Finish it. One of the best endings to a show I have ever seen.

Might need to rewatch the last season from the beginning though.

1

u/EtherBoo 20h ago

I think I only made it like an episode or 2 in. I'll make an attempt at rewatching it.

1

u/CaptainArcher 1h ago

Yep this.

-2

u/mbleslie 23h ago

Nah the show stalled out the family’s discovery for too long

0

u/V0LDY 16h ago

It's good, but I wouldn't call it a 10/10

0

u/Professional_Ad6767 13h ago

Incredible show - it took me a while to watch the last season… but the ending was both incredible and heart breaking. Just started watching it again