The Americans has been keeping audiences on the edge of their seats as Elizabeth and Philip Jennings, two deep cover Cold War spies, try to juggle their duties to their country and their family. But what takes this show to the next level is that they aren't brave US soldiers fighting for God and country. They're Russian KGB operatives fighting for the downfall of capitalism. Making the protagonists of the show the enemies of the US is brave for any show, let alone one created in America. It forces the viewers to see the world from a different point of view. To admit that Russian's aren't all evil and have their own moral view they are fighting for. It possibly even goes as far as to suggest that communism isn't that bad; or at least as bad as some politicians would have you believe. Not playing from the set rulebook of 'US good, everyone else bad' means this show treats the audience as intelligent agents that are able to make up their own minds when it comes to good versus evil.