The Americans : espionage :: The Sopranos : organized crime.
The Sopranos was not especially realistic. But realism wasn't the point; there was just enough verisimilitude to serve the narrative, which was a kind of morality play. It's the same with The Americans, which is at bottom more of a relationship story than one about espionage. (We agree, I think.)
A lot of research went into the show, but it shows up in the same ways research shows up in Mad Men.
Don't watch it expecting to learn a bunch of stuff! That's not the point.
The Sopranos was not especially realistic. But realism wasn't the point; there was just enough verisimilitude to serve the narrative, which was a kind of morality play. It's the same with The Americans, which is at bottom more of a relationship story than one about espionage. (We agree, I think.)
A lot of research went into the show, but it shows up in the same ways research shows up in Mad Men.
Don't watch it expecting to learn a bunch of stuff! That's not the point.
(A top 5 series for me.)