At the New York Comic Con panel for The Americans yesterday, one thing was certain: They know how to keep a secret. Even though fans were wondering whether Paige would find out her parents’ secret, showrunners Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields were mum on what to expect from season three, which they’ll start filming on Monday. The cast, including Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, Noah Emmerich, and Annet Mahendru, were on hand to share what they could, including what they name the wigs and the “Commie Con†T-shirts they were all sporting.
1. The cast and showrunners were all wearing “Commie Con†T-shirts.
Where did the idea for the shirts originate? Naturally, from Matthew Rhys’s mind. “Growing up in a very socialist South Wales, I thought there was a convention called ‘Commie Con.’ So I went, ‘Oh great! I love Commie Con! Love the workers.’â€
2. Stan’s life probably isn’t going to get any easier.
Fields and Weisberg agreed that the agent deserved a break, but didn’t indicate one would be coming anytime soon. “It’s a morality tale: Don’t sleep with your blackmail victim,†Weisberg joked.
3. But! We’ll be seeing Stan’s friendship with Philip blossom.
“It’s a funny thing because in the first two seasons, we loved seeing them together, we loved seeing their friendship. But the story never really drove them together,†Weisberg said. “In this third season it’s finally going to happen, I’m pleased to say.†But don’t expect more squash games in their future. According to Matthew Rhys, “there were too many injuries that day.†Rhys also offered a fake plotline: “Stan goes deep cover at a sorority, and Phil goes with him! They’re friends, after all.â€
4. It’s all about parenthood.
“Well I do like to say for us the show’s working best when Philip and Elizabeth and the other characters are all struggling with things everybody struggles with,†said Fields. “But because of their situation it’s a much-heightened level. We feel like it’s life and death in our marriages, but for them it really is; that seems to be the sweet spot for us.†Keri Russell elaborated on Elizabeth’s thought process for wanting to tell Paige about her parents’ secret identity, a feeling Philip does not share. She said that for Elizabeth there were many layers to wanting Paige to know the truth, as she is not only her mother, but also because she was around the same age Paige is now when she began her spy journey.
5. Annet Mahendru will be back.
Annet Mahendru confirmed that despite Nina’s dire situation at the end of season two, she is alive in season three … for now.
6. They have a very special relationship with the wigs.
“We name them all; among our favorite of Matthew’s is one in particular we call Fernando,†said Russell. “And he speaks with a very low Spanish accent.†Rhys added that his voice actually comes from a famous animated character: “Fernando’s voice was actually stolen from Buzz Lightyear when he gets switched onto Spanish mode.†The creators also revealed a couple of other characters in disguise that will be coming back for season three “in more fully formed ways†— one of them most likely being Clark.