The 10 Best Political Shows of All Time, Ranked

The Cold War is a fascinating period in modern political history. The brilliant series "The Americans" follows Soviet Union KGB agents Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Philip Jennings (Matthew Rhys) as they pose as an American couple in the United States.

"The Americans" has a very interesting way of exploring the political debate of the time. One of the series' recurring themes is assimilation; while Elizabeth is unwaveringly loyal to her home country, Phillip begins to open up to the American point of view. The couple make the decision not to tell their children about their real profession, but later in the series they decide to start training their teenage daughter, Paige (Holly Taylor). Will Paige come to terms with this new reality or will she stay true to the country she grew up in all her life?

The series also explores how America's political and spy systems work. The Jennings' next-door neighbor Stan Beeman (Noah Emmerich) is an employee of the FBI's counterintelligence unit. It's exciting, because audiences feel empathy for Stan and the Jennings, but know they're opposites. During its run, "The Americans" took time to refine its identity. While early seasons feature relatively typical spy footage, later seasons posed more interesting ethical questions. It's only in recent seasons that the show touches on "nature versus nurture" themes. Because of the slight inconsistency, "The Americans" certainly deserves a spot on this list, but no higher.