The Americans 4.03.
Mar. 31st, 2016 02:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selenakAh, the 80s. Time of cosmetic saleswomen doing the door to door, and amusement parks branching out in Florida.
I don't know yet why Elizabeth is targetting Yeung Lee (spelling?) the Mary Kay saleswoman as a new asset, but she was evidently having fun doing so - the opening scene made me think "of course, Elizabeth has to know all about make-up for professional reasons!" - , and connected to her potential asset beyond the needs of duty, which is interesting. There were very few marks for whom I can say Elizabeth felt genuine sympathy.
Meanwhile, Paige is FINALLY getting disillusioned about Pastor Tim when she finds out he told his wife what she told him, but this disillusionment couldn't happen at a worse time, because until the Tim situation resolves, they need to keep him sweet. Given that Philip has been consistently and vehemently against Paige as a future spy, it's ironic that he ends up as the parent to first teach Paige an actual spy skill, and he does so without hesitation - how to "work" someone, how to manipulate them. I think Paige got the gist of it but is yet too upset to actually do it when confronting Tim. Which is when we find out the Jennings have already told Gabriel about the Pastor Tim leak, they just have to update him on Tim's wife Alice now being in the loop as well. On the one hand, this is economic storytelling, on the other, this robs me of Frank Llangella's expression when Gabriel finds out for the first time a key KGB operation is in the hands of a youth pastor.
Anyway, not surprisingly, both Gabriel and later Claudia think killing Tim (and wife) is overdue, though Gabriel privately voice doubts to Claudia and thinks Philip's counter suggestion of extracting the entire family might be better. The Philip and Elizabeth conversation on their own about this is another scenario where everybody has a point: of course Philip is right that Paige would figure out whose fault the "accidental" death of Pastor Tim and Alice truly is. But Elizabeth isn't wrong, either, about both Paige and Henry coming to hate their parents as well if they're suddenly relocated in Russia, where they don't speak the language, don't know anyone and have been taught by everyone not Elizabeth and Philip that the country is the Evil Empire.
What fascinates me is that this is the first time when we see Elizabeth admit to herself that she doesn't want to return to Russia. Sure, she has that daydream about Odessa, for half a sentence. My guess is this was what young Nadeshda thought and hoped would happen - she would serve her country and the cause for a few years, and then live at the Black Sea in beautiful Odessa. But when Elizabeth discards the idea and says "our lives are here", I have no doubt she means it, independent from the current crisis.
Pastor Tim, of course, leads a charmed life. Truly. That man definitely has some supernatural agency looking out for him ever since he survived a confrontation with a depressed and murderous feeling Philip in season 2. Last week Paige inadvertently saves him by coming clean to Elizabeth, this week Gabriel saves him by getting infected by the super secret bio weapon which Philip returned to him early in the episode, which in turn contaminates Philip and Elizabeth when they find him in the safe house, which means a quick drafting of William as help and the need of the Jennings, Gabriel, and William to stay quaranteed for the next 36 hours so they find out who lives and who dies.
Or maybe Pastor Tim will die after all, because unless our antiheroes have a way to tell the Centre they're not off to Florida with Paige and Henry but currently awaiting possible gruesome death by bio weapon together with their already infected handler and the bio weapon mole , the Operation Kill The Pastor And His Wife will proceed. Now they could use the phone and code words from the safe house - presumably the call center of spies has been replaced since it was torn apart in late s2 - but the Centre being the Centre, I think both Philip and Elizabeth are aware that one possible solution to this crisis would be to burn the house with everyone infected in it. And neither of them is feeling suicidal right now.
Also: if Paige, in her current frame of mind, is alone with Henry for the next 36 hours right after a trip to Florida has been promised, and then gets the news about Tim, how long before she a) tells Henry, and b) someone else?
Meanwhile, in another subplot: looks like the mailbot bug will FINALLY pay off for the KGB, because Stan discussed going after Martha with Aderhorst right next to it. This does not look good for Martha, especially with Philip, who might have pleaded her case /helped her somehow out of commission right now. Martha's opening scene with staring at Philip's undisguised face is what I've wanted to see since he removed his Clark get up, btw.
Nina in the gulag: just what did Baklanov say about her? Somehow it will allow her to survive, undoubtedly, and her dream about Stan and him surrounded by all the death signalling white lilies makes me think Baklanov will pay the price, of his own choice. Think about it. He's miserable where he is, with no prospect of release. Against the odds, Nina has become his friend, not by tricking him as originally planned, but by truly be willing to risk all so that his son might learn the truth. It would make sense for Baklanov to repay her by sacrificing himself on her behalf. I just haven't worked out how, since Nina's lawyer says they believe her about Baklanov not having known she would do this.
Sandra stops by at the Jennings: and Philip, presumably bearing Elizabeth's advice to make up with Stan because they really need him in friendly mode again in mind, manipulates her into deciding to improve the Stan and Matthew situation, and possibly the Stan and herself as well. My guess is that what Philip hopes will happen is that Sandra mentions this was Philip's advice to Stan. Who still might see it as interference, but as a positive one, reclassing Philip as a faithful friend who only met Sandra in order to help his buddy instead of a potential rival and Sandra stealer.
Now I can't wait for next week, not least because I love episodes where part of the cast is locked together with no posssibility to escape due to an emergency situation. William is a sardonic wild card through into the mix, and I don't expect Gabriel to die before he and his two charges have some long overdue soul baring conversations.
And who knows, we might actually finally get rid of Pastor Tim. Though I suspect he's like Keith Richards and will survive the apocalypse, with his track record. For what it's worth, his expression when Elizabeth and PHilip tried "we're peace workers just like you" on him made his continued existence worth while.
I don't know yet why Elizabeth is targetting Yeung Lee (spelling?) the Mary Kay saleswoman as a new asset, but she was evidently having fun doing so - the opening scene made me think "of course, Elizabeth has to know all about make-up for professional reasons!" - , and connected to her potential asset beyond the needs of duty, which is interesting. There were very few marks for whom I can say Elizabeth felt genuine sympathy.
Meanwhile, Paige is FINALLY getting disillusioned about Pastor Tim when she finds out he told his wife what she told him, but this disillusionment couldn't happen at a worse time, because until the Tim situation resolves, they need to keep him sweet. Given that Philip has been consistently and vehemently against Paige as a future spy, it's ironic that he ends up as the parent to first teach Paige an actual spy skill, and he does so without hesitation - how to "work" someone, how to manipulate them. I think Paige got the gist of it but is yet too upset to actually do it when confronting Tim. Which is when we find out the Jennings have already told Gabriel about the Pastor Tim leak, they just have to update him on Tim's wife Alice now being in the loop as well. On the one hand, this is economic storytelling, on the other, this robs me of Frank Llangella's expression when Gabriel finds out for the first time a key KGB operation is in the hands of a youth pastor.
Anyway, not surprisingly, both Gabriel and later Claudia think killing Tim (and wife) is overdue, though Gabriel privately voice doubts to Claudia and thinks Philip's counter suggestion of extracting the entire family might be better. The Philip and Elizabeth conversation on their own about this is another scenario where everybody has a point: of course Philip is right that Paige would figure out whose fault the "accidental" death of Pastor Tim and Alice truly is. But Elizabeth isn't wrong, either, about both Paige and Henry coming to hate their parents as well if they're suddenly relocated in Russia, where they don't speak the language, don't know anyone and have been taught by everyone not Elizabeth and Philip that the country is the Evil Empire.
What fascinates me is that this is the first time when we see Elizabeth admit to herself that she doesn't want to return to Russia. Sure, she has that daydream about Odessa, for half a sentence. My guess is this was what young Nadeshda thought and hoped would happen - she would serve her country and the cause for a few years, and then live at the Black Sea in beautiful Odessa. But when Elizabeth discards the idea and says "our lives are here", I have no doubt she means it, independent from the current crisis.
Pastor Tim, of course, leads a charmed life. Truly. That man definitely has some supernatural agency looking out for him ever since he survived a confrontation with a depressed and murderous feeling Philip in season 2. Last week Paige inadvertently saves him by coming clean to Elizabeth, this week Gabriel saves him by getting infected by the super secret bio weapon which Philip returned to him early in the episode, which in turn contaminates Philip and Elizabeth when they find him in the safe house, which means a quick drafting of William as help and the need of the Jennings, Gabriel, and William to stay quaranteed for the next 36 hours so they find out who lives and who dies.
Or maybe Pastor Tim will die after all, because unless our antiheroes have a way to tell the Centre they're not off to Florida with Paige and Henry but currently awaiting possible gruesome death by bio weapon together with their already infected handler and the bio weapon mole , the Operation Kill The Pastor And His Wife will proceed. Now they could use the phone and code words from the safe house - presumably the call center of spies has been replaced since it was torn apart in late s2 - but the Centre being the Centre, I think both Philip and Elizabeth are aware that one possible solution to this crisis would be to burn the house with everyone infected in it. And neither of them is feeling suicidal right now.
Also: if Paige, in her current frame of mind, is alone with Henry for the next 36 hours right after a trip to Florida has been promised, and then gets the news about Tim, how long before she a) tells Henry, and b) someone else?
Meanwhile, in another subplot: looks like the mailbot bug will FINALLY pay off for the KGB, because Stan discussed going after Martha with Aderhorst right next to it. This does not look good for Martha, especially with Philip, who might have pleaded her case /helped her somehow out of commission right now. Martha's opening scene with staring at Philip's undisguised face is what I've wanted to see since he removed his Clark get up, btw.
Nina in the gulag: just what did Baklanov say about her? Somehow it will allow her to survive, undoubtedly, and her dream about Stan and him surrounded by all the death signalling white lilies makes me think Baklanov will pay the price, of his own choice. Think about it. He's miserable where he is, with no prospect of release. Against the odds, Nina has become his friend, not by tricking him as originally planned, but by truly be willing to risk all so that his son might learn the truth. It would make sense for Baklanov to repay her by sacrificing himself on her behalf. I just haven't worked out how, since Nina's lawyer says they believe her about Baklanov not having known she would do this.
Sandra stops by at the Jennings: and Philip, presumably bearing Elizabeth's advice to make up with Stan because they really need him in friendly mode again in mind, manipulates her into deciding to improve the Stan and Matthew situation, and possibly the Stan and herself as well. My guess is that what Philip hopes will happen is that Sandra mentions this was Philip's advice to Stan. Who still might see it as interference, but as a positive one, reclassing Philip as a faithful friend who only met Sandra in order to help his buddy instead of a potential rival and Sandra stealer.
Now I can't wait for next week, not least because I love episodes where part of the cast is locked together with no posssibility to escape due to an emergency situation. William is a sardonic wild card through into the mix, and I don't expect Gabriel to die before he and his two charges have some long overdue soul baring conversations.
And who knows, we might actually finally get rid of Pastor Tim. Though I suspect he's like Keith Richards and will survive the apocalypse, with his track record. For what it's worth, his expression when Elizabeth and PHilip tried "we're peace workers just like you" on him made his continued existence worth while.
