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AZProgressive

(30,061 posts)
32. That's true
Wed Jun 3, 2026, 12:14 PM
Jun 3

I thought about mentioning The Americans as it is one of top 10 favorite shows.

I used to research intelligence agencies, it is interesting if you're into real conspiracy theories but the excerpt posted below is what the show is loosely based on.

Wikipedia:

Illegals Program

The Illegals Program (so named by the United States Department of Justice) was a network of Russian sleeper agents under unofficial cover. An investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) culminated in the arrest of ten agents on June 27, 2010, and a prisoner exchange between Russia and the United States on July 9, 2010.[1]

The arrested spies were Russian nationals who had been planted in the US by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (known by its Russian abbreviation, SVR), most of them using false identities.[2] Posing as ordinary American citizens, they tried to build contacts with academics, industrialists, and policymakers to gain access to intelligence. They were the target of a multi-year investigation by the FBI. The investigation, called Operation Ghost Stories, culminated at the end of June 2010 with the arrest of ten people in the US and an eleventh in Cyprus.[2] The ten sleeper agents were charged with "carrying out long-term, 'deep-cover' assignments in the United States on behalf of the Russian Federation."[3][4][5]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegals_Program

One thing unrealistic about the show is those that are on unofficial cover assignments rarely do risky missions because they can be arrested. They usually use those with official cover or diplomatic immunity for the risky ones.

Recommendations

2 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

I'm thinking Downton Abbey. It's not as noisy as some of more modern settings. Walleye Jun 3 #1
In the past I would have said The Wire or maybe Breaking Bad AZProgressive Jun 3 #2
Definitely good choices.... FarPoint Jun 3 #7
I'd definitely say "The Wire"... appmanga Jun 3 #39
Red Dwarf Bok_Tukalo Jun 3 #3
Gotta go with Monty Python's Flying Circus. Ray Bruns Jun 3 #4
'Breaking Bad' sop Jun 3 #5
Kieślowski's "Dekalog." ZZenith Jun 3 #6
Lonesome Dove GiqueCee Jun 3 #8
Better Call Saul -misanthroptimist Jun 3 #9
The Golden Girls NEOH Jun 3 #10
Star Trek: The Next Generation, followed by The Prisoner (British series) jgo Jun 3 #11
I am hooked on Star Trek Enterprise.... FarPoint Jun 3 #16
24... MiHale Jun 3 #12
TWD lost me when Glen popped out from under the dumpster -misanthroptimist Jun 3 #13
I understand..... FarPoint Jun 3 #14
I still go way back to The Twilight Zone rurallib Jun 3 #15
Fantastic choice! FarPoint Jun 3 #19
Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Monk. LoisB Jun 3 #17
I love Law and Order: Criminal Intent MIButterfly Jun 3 #28
I agree with your assessments 100%. Vincent D'Onofrio was my absolute LoisB Jun 3 #35
I started watching in the Natalie years MIButterfly Jun 3 #38
Monk perfectly combined humor with mystery and drama DeeDeeNY Jun 3 #40
Yah, loved Monk. a kennedy Jun 3 #36
Zero Hour LessAspin Jun 3 #18
This is new to me.... FarPoint Jun 3 #20
If you had asked me 30 years ago I probably would have said "The X-Files" FakeNoose Jun 3 #21
I am noticing that this thread reflects the lousy TV options today. FarPoint Jun 3 #22
If you are lucky to have a great local library, there are probably DVDs of the old series FakeNoose Jun 3 #23
I was born/raised around Pittsburgh....Mars Pa. FarPoint Jun 3 #42
Yes I know Mars quite well FakeNoose Thursday #43
Star Trek: DS9 Deep State Witch Jun 3 #24
All in the Family! choie Jun 3 #25
M.A.S.H Srkdqltr Jun 3 #26
Twilight Zone. The best, and we are living in the Twilight Zone Right NOW. usonian Jun 3 #27
Homicide: Life on the Streets tonkatoy8888 Jun 3 #29
Homicide: Life on the Street, what a great choice MIButterfly Jun 3 #37
Would need to go by genre... JT45242 Jun 3 #30
The Americans 3Hotdogs Jun 3 #31
That's true AZProgressive Jun 3 #32
Years ago, a retired CIA agent was on NPR (Diane Rehm?) 3Hotdogs Jun 3 #34
Spoilers LessAspin Friday #44
West Wing MoonlightHillFarm Jun 3 #33
I like so many of the shows already mentioned but for me the answer is St. Elsewhere dflprincess Jun 3 #41
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