Which 1983 Pop Culture Moments Will Make Their Way Into ‘The Americans’ Season Three?

By Mark Graham @unclegrambo and Jaclyn Kessel @jaclynelise
Published Jan. 29, 2015, 8:00 a.m. ET

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Last night’s episode of The Americans laid a lot of groundwork for the arc of the show’s third season, but those paying close attention were able to decipher the timeline of the season from one key event that took place: The death of Leonid Brezhnev, leader of the Soviet Union. After suffering from both a stroke and a heart attack in 1982, Brezhnev eventually passed away on November 10, setting the stage for the (brief) reign of Yuri Andropov.

More importantly, though, this means the show is headed squarely into 1983, a year that was chock full of momentous pop culture events. How exactly will The Americans deal with moments as riveting as the unveiling of Michael Jackson’s moonwalk, Tom Cruise’s infamous pantsless dance to Bob Seger, and Cabbage Patch Kids? Well, Decider was able to procure some advance production stills from the show* and, as you’ll see, the results are typically breathtaking.

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Just take those old records off the shelf...Photos: Everett Collection, Art: Jaclyn Kessel
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Will there be a plotline that involves either Elizabeth or Philip getting an Xavier Roberts tattoo on their tush this season?Photos: Everett Collection, Getty, Art: Jaclyn Kessel
"The kid is not my son..." Keep telling yourself that, Agent Beeman!Photos: Everett Collection, Youtube, Art: Jaclyn Kessel
I pity the fool that doesn't think Yuri Andropov is the bomb!Photos: Everett Collection, Shutterstock; Art: Jaclyn Kessel
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It's the Endor of the world as we know it.Photos: Everett Collection, Getty; Art: Jaclyn Kessel
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*And by “procuring,” what we really mean is that we made it all up ourselves.

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