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The Worst Episodes of The Americans

Every episode of The Americans ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of The Americans!

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Set during the Cold War period in the 1980s, The Americans is the story of Elizabeth and Philip Jennings, two Soviet KGB officers posing as an American married couple in the suburbs of Washington D.C.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    The Americans Season 4 Episode 10 - Munchkins
    6.8/10(19 votes)

    #1 - Munchkins

    S4:E10

    When Paige’s long-ago indiscretion threatens to resurface and destroy the family, Philip and Elizabeth find themselves scrambling – and Paige finds herself reevaluating who her parents really are.

    Director:Steph Green
    Writer:Peter Ackerman

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  2. The Americans Season 3 Episode 11 - One Day in the Life of Anton Baklanov
    6.9/10(17 votes)

    #2 - One Day in the Life of Anton Baklanov

    S3:E11

    Philip and Elizabeth's home and work lives collide in new and dangerous ways. Nina struggles to figure out her next steps. Arkady assigns Oleg and Tatiana to an operation with uncertain potential.

    Director:Andrew Bernstein
    Writers:Stephen Schiff, Tracey Scott Wilson

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  3. The Americans Season 3 Episode 7 - Walter Taffet
    7.1/10(15 votes)

    #3 - Walter Taffet

    S3:E7

    Philip and Elizabeth feel the weight of a new family secret while following up on the KGB’s interests in South Africa. Stan faces struggles both at work and at home. Martha confronts a shocking development.

    Director:Noah Emmerich
    Writer:Lara Shapiro

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  4. The Americans Season 4 Episode 9 - The Day After
    7.1/10(18 votes)

    #4 - The Day After

    S4:E9

    The Day After premieres, making the stakes - and terrible consequences - of the Cold War plain. Even with that in mind, will Elizabeth be able to complete the painful process of the "Patty" operation?

    Director:Daniel Sackheim
    Writer:Tracey Scott Wilson

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  5. The Americans Season 5 Episode 2 - Pests
    7.1/10(18 votes)

    #5 - Pests

    S5:E2

    Stan and Oleg wrestle with the harsh consequences of their complicated history as Philip and Elizabeth face a new mission with devastating implications for their country.

    Director:Chris Long
    Writers:Joel Fields, Joe Weisberg

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  6. The Americans Season 3 Episode 2 - Baggage
    7.2/10(19 votes)

    #6 - Baggage

    S3:E2

    Elizabeth and Philip come together to deal with a mission gone wrong but struggle to reconcile their increasingly opposing ideologies. Stan welcomes a Soviet defector, Zinaida, to America. Nina acclimates to her new living arrangements.

    Director:Daniel Sackheim
    Writers:Joel Fields, Joe Weisberg

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  7. The Americans Season 5 Episode 7 - The Committee on Human Rights
    7.2/10(17 votes)

    #7 - The Committee on Human Rights

    S5:E7

    As Paige becomes even more enmeshed in her parents' world, tensions with Matthew Beeman come to a head, Philip and Elizabeth's honeytraps take surprising turns, and Stan faces the consequences of overplaying his hand at the FBI.

    Director:Matthew Rhys
    Writer:Hilary Bettis

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  8. The Americans Season 2 Episode 6 - Behind the Red Door
    7.3/10(23 votes)

    #8 - Behind the Red Door

    S2:E6

    A dangerous Naval officer becomes the key to Philip and Elizabeth’s mission as well as a potential threat to their family's safety. Lucia, a Sandinista intelligence officer working with the Jennings, is tasked with getting Elizabeth access to Capitol Hill. Stan struggles with the potential costs of protecting Nina.

    Director:Charlotte Sieling
    Writer:Melissa James Gibson

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  9. The Americans Season 2 Episode 7 - ARPANET
    7.3/10(22 votes)

    #9 - ARPANET

    S2:E7

    Philip uses his agent Charles Duluth to help him gain access to an early precursor to the Internet so that the KGB can bug American government communications. Nina faces the threat of a potential FBI polygraph exam, bringing her closer to KGB colleague Oleg.

    Director:Kevin Dowling
    Writer:Joshua Brand

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  10. The Americans Season 4 Episode 5 - Clark's Place
    7.3/10(17 votes)

    #10 - Clark's Place

    S4:E5

    Philip must consider his life with Martha and make a crushing choice from which there is no coming back.

    Director:Noah Emmerich
    Writer:Peter Ackerman

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  11. The Americans Season 1 Episode 3 - Gregory
    7.4/10(29 votes)

    #11 - Gregory

    S1:E3

    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 investigation into Robert's death puts him hot on their trail.

    Director:Thomas Schlamme
    Writer:Joel Fields

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  12. The Americans Season 1 Episode 5 - COMINT
    7.4/10(29 votes)

    #12 - COMINT

    S1:E5

    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 the FBI's new communications encryption system while personally they are forced to grapple with one of the darker aspects of life as a spy.

    Director:Holly Dale
    Writer:Melissa James Gibson

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  13. The Americans Season 2 Episode 10 - Yousaf
    7.4/10(22 votes)

    #13 - Yousaf

    S2:E10

    A new mission with international stakes has Philip calling on Annelise for assistance just as an old foe returns to D.C. with a vendetta. Stan makes a discovery that could put the FBI hot on the trail of illegals.

    Director:Stefan Schwartz
    Writers:Stephen Schiff, Stuart Zicherman

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  14. The Americans Season 4 Episode 1 - Glanders
    7.4/10(19 votes)

    #14 - Glanders

    S4:E1

    Philip and Elizabeth deal with the fallout of all they’ve wrought. What will happen when the FBI finds out about Gene’s suicide? How will Pastor Tim deal with the revelation that they are Russian spies? And will they be able to handle a dangerous, new bioweapons assignment?

    Director:Thomas Schlamme
    Writers:Joel Fields, Joe Weisberg

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  15. The Americans Season 1 Episode 2 - The Clock
    7.5/10(39 votes)

    #15 - The Clock

    S1:E2

    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 refuses to cooperate. Stan closes in on a member of the Soviet Rezidentura in an effort to uncover the identities of deep cover Directorate S operatives.

    Director:Adam Arkin
    Writer:Joe Weisberg

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  16. The Americans Season 1 Episode 7 - Duty and Honor
    7.5/10(24 votes)

    #16 - Duty and Honor

    S1:E7

    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.

    Director:Alex Chapple
    Writer:Joshua Brand

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  17. The Americans Season 1 Episode 8 - Mutually Assured Destruction
    7.5/10(26 votes)

    #17 - Mutually Assured Destruction

    S1:E8

    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 between Philip and Irina in New York.

    Director:Bill Johnson
    Writers:Joel Fields, Joe Weisberg

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  18. The Americans Season 1 Episode 11 - Covert War
    7.5/10(26 votes)

    #18 - Covert War

    S1:E11

    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 course with both Grannie and the FBI.

    Director:Nicole Kassell
    Writers:Joshua Brand, Melissa James Gibson

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  19. The Americans Season 2 Episode 11 - Stealth
    7.5/10(23 votes)

    #19 - Stealth

    S2:E11

    Elizabeth makes a shocking discovery about Kate. Philip pursues a contact for information about stealth. Stan continues his pursuit of the illegals.

    Director:Gregory Hoblit
    Writer:Joshua Brand

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  20. The Americans Season 3 Episode 3 - Open House
    7.5/10(20 votes)

    #20 - Open House

    S3:E3

    Danger mounts for Elizabeth and Philip as they get closer to the inner circle of the C.I.A. Afghan Group. Stan monitors Zinaida. Agent Aderholt challenges Agent Gaad on a crucial operation. Arkady tasks Oleg and Tatiana with gathering high‐level intel. Martha proposes a lifestyle change to Clark.

    Director:Thomas Schlamme
    Writer:Stuart Zicherman

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  21. The Americans Season 3 Episode 6 - Born Again
    7.5/10(14 votes)

    #21 - Born Again

    S3:E6

    Gabriel has surprising information. Elizabeth begins to take family matters into her own hands. Stan receives upsetting news from his past and turns to Sandra for support.

    Director:Kevin Dowling
    Writer:Tracey Scott Wilson

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  22. The Americans Season 5 Episode 5 - Lotus 1-2-3
    7.5/10(18 votes)

    #22 - Lotus 1-2-3

    S5:E5

    Philip and Elizabeth receive surprising news about Henry -- and shattering news about a past operation. Stan might be falling in love, but Philip wonders if something darker is going on.

    Director:Noah Emmerich
    Writer:Joshua Brand

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  23. The Americans Season 2 Episode 4 - A Little Night Music
    7.6/10(23 votes)

    #23 - A Little Night Music

    S2:E4

    Just when Philip and Elizabeth think they have a quiet road ahead, an old friend returns to complicate things. Not only do they have to intercept a target who could prove valuable to the Soviet Union, but they also have to take on an important rogue mission without the support of the Centre. Divisions inside the Rezidentura deepen between Oleg and Arkady and there’s an upheaval at the FBI as the chickens come home to roost for Agent Gaad. Meanwhile, Martha’s frustrations threaten to blow Philip’s cover.

    Director:Lodge Kerrigan
    Writer:Stephen Schiff

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  24. The Americans Season 1 Episode 10 - Only You
    7.7/10(26 votes)

    #24 - Only You

    S1:E10

    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 and Philip.

    Director:Adam Arkin
    Writer:Bradford Winters

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  25. The Americans Season 2 Episode 1 - Comrades
    7.7/10(24 votes)

    #25 - Comrades

    S2:E1

    Elizabeth comes back from her injury and straight into what should have been a routine mission – but it goes awry, leaving her and Philip in fear not only for themselves but for their whole network… and family. Paige's suspicions have only grown in her mother's absence. Meanwhile, Stan continues to fall for the Russian agent who has started to play him.

    Director:Thomas Schlamme
    Writers:Joel Fields, Joe Weisberg

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Munchkins" is the worst rated episode of "The Americans". It scored 6.8/10 based on 19 votes. Directed by Steph Green and written by Peter Ackerman, it aired on 5/18/2016. This episode scored 0.1 points lower than the second lowest rated, "One Day in the Life of Anton Baklanov".