SEASON FOUR OF "THE AMERICANS" PREMIERES MARCH 16 ON FX

Named Top Drama Series of 2015 by Both The Television Critics Association Awards and The Critics' Choice Television Awards

LOS ANGELES, January 16, 2016 - The acclaimed FX drama The Americans will return for its fourth season on Wednesday, March 16 at 10pm ET/PT, it was announced today by Chuck Saftler, President of Program Strategy and COO, FX Networks.

The Americans is one of the most critically acclaimed series on television and the winner of numerous awards, including Outstanding Achievement in Drama from the Television Critics Association Awards (2015), Best Drama Series from the Critics' Choice Television Awards (2015), a 2015 Primetime Emmy(R) Award (Margo Martindale, Guest Actress in a Drama Series), and a Peabody Award (2015). The series also received an AFI Award for TV Program of the Year in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

The Americans was created by Joe Weisberg who, along with Joel Fields, serves as an Executive Producer and Writer. Graham Yost and Chris Long are also Executive Producers, along with Amblin Television heads Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank. The Americans is produced by Fox 21 Television Studios and FX Productions.

The Americans is a period drama about the complex marriage of two KGB spies posing as Americans in suburban Washington D.C. during the Reagan administration. The arranged marriage of Philip (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth Jennings (Keri Russell) grows more passionate and genuine by the day, but as the pressures and demands of the job grow heavier, the personal toll becomes almost too exhausting to bear. Having revealed their true identities to their teenage daughter Paige (Holly Taylor), Philip and Elizabeth must keep their daughter's best interests at heart while ensuring that their cover identities, and thus their lives, remain protected. Their previous missions have already placed Philip and Elizabeth in great jeopardy. Martha (Alison Wright), a valued secretary at the FBI whom Philip married while undercover, has been an invaluable source of intel. However, when her cover is nearly blown, Philip must make increasingly difficult decisions to ensure her safety and allegiance. The Jennings' neighbor, FBI Agent Stan Beeman (Noah Emmerich), could also prove to be a renewed threat. His KGB lover/asset Nina (Annet Mahendru), having failed to turn him against the U.S., was sent back to Moscow to face an unsure fate. With Nina gone, Stan has made an effort to become closer with his family, and has formed a bond with the Jennings' 12-year-old son, Henry (Keidrich Sellati). He has also cultivated his relationship with KGB officer Oleg Burov (Costa Ronin), behind the back of Oleg's boss, Director of the KGB Rezidentura Arkady Ivanovich (Lev Gorn). Stan's newfound dedication to wiping out Directorate S has also led him to become suspicious of Martha's uncharacteristic behavior. As he begins to investigate what's been in front of him all this time, he might finally get closer to uncovering the "Illegals" - Philip and Elizabeth - that have eluded him for so long.

The premiere episode, "Glanders," picks up on the heels of last season's finale. Philip and Elizabeth are dealing with the fallout of all they've wrought. What will happen when the FBI finds out about Gene's suicide? How will Pastor Tim deal with the revelation that they are Russian spies? And will they be able to handle a dangerous new bioweapons assignment? The episode was written by Joel Fields & Joe Weisberg, and directed by Thomas Schlamme.

ABOUT FX

FX is the flagship general entertainment basic cable channel of FX Networks, a business unit of 21ST Century Fox. FX Networks is comprised of FX, FXM and FXX. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in 93 million homes. The diverse schedule features a growing roster of critically-acclaimed and award-winning hit dramas series, including The Americans, The Strain, Tyrant and the upcoming Taboo; the critically-acclaimed limited series American Horror Story, Fargo and the upcoming The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story; acclaimed hit comedy series including the award-winning Louie, Archer, Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll and the upcoming Baskets, Better Things and Atlanta. FX is the former home of the critically-acclaimed and award-winning hit drama series The Shield, Nip/Tuck, Rescue Me, Damages, Sons of Anarchy and Justified. The network's library of acquired box-office hit movies is unmatched by any ad-supported television network. FX's roster of acquired hit series includes Two and a Half Men, How I Met Your Mother and Mike & Molly.