The Americans [FX - Spoilers]

Kirby

Well, it finally happened. The next three episodes are going to be very interesting.......

The Black Oil

Holy feck!

The Black Oil

3.10 - The episode. The feckin' episode!

The opening with the pastor discussing Paige mirrored the Kimberley situation somewhat. Stan's a board game nerd, who'd a thunk it? Henry brought some much needed levity as usual and now we know he's multi-talented. Stan's kitchen mess reflects his life in general at the moment. Also, his off duty clothing - best. jumper. ever. His chat with Taffet - his face did flicker slightly when he said ' there was no other woman', and then that pause when asked about the pen...

Fancy hotel op means a slightly more high end wig for Elizabeth. Telling Paige - the small nod from Philip, then Holly Taylor just knocked it out of the park, tbh. Glued to the screen for that and the subsequent scenes. So much going on in that final segment.

expectationlost

I fear for pastor Tim

MagicMarker

God I love this show.

Fred Swanson

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tricky D

The Black Oil wrote: »

Also, his off duty clothing - best. jumper. ever. His chat with Taffet - his face did flicker slightly when he said ' there was no other woman', and then that pause when asked about the pen...

...and then the look for Martha afterwards and her empty chair.

Can't see Paige telling Stan any time soon but if pastor Tim has an accident, you never know. It's a bit of a Sword of Damocles.

Upside for Paige is if wants a pony, she'll get it:pac:

Stan and Oleg are now in dangerous territory due to their potentially treasonous actions against the defector who we now know is some sort of plant, but what game is she playing and for whom? Even if Stan and Oleg get the defector, it's not quite clear how to be sure it's Nina who would get swapped. And what if Oleg is forced home?

In relation to the Kimmy strand, I can't see the writers going down the underage line. It's just too much of a can of worms and will get wrapped up. That in mind, I can see the hotel op somehow leading to shutting down the Kimmy op.

FloatingVoter

Paige won't tell. However, when Frank Langella finds out about the curious child, she will be the victim of a hit and run. What the grieving parents do next is anyone's guess.
My first instinct was "take the bone" and go with witness protection, my next when she was told the truth was "kill the brat". Langella has about as much parental protective instinct as I do - she goes.

jack presley

No way Paige will tell Beaman . Then series 4 is just 13 episodes of them in jail.

I'd love to know where they stash all the wigs.

MagicMarker

God can you imagine if they start working as double agents? Then it'll get truly epic. So many avenues this show could go down...

FloatingVoter

jack presley wrote: »

No way Paige will tell Beaman . Then series 4 is just 13 episodes of them in jail.

I'd love to know where they stash all the wigs.

Basement....behind the washing powder and in front of the Barry Manilow LPs.

tricky D

jack presley wrote: »

I'd love to know where they stash all the wigs.

Offside, along with cars and clothes. A safe house somewhere, maintained by the 'answering service' or similar logistics person who is a bit like Nicky Parsons in the Bourne Identity.

The Black Oil

FloatingVoter wrote: »

Oh....and yes, Philip has awoken a sleeping monster. You don't hire Frank Langella and ask him to play chess.

Everyone looks huge compared to Kristin Chenoweth. :pac:

Fred Swanson

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iguana

FloatingVoter wrote: »

Paige won't tell. However, when Frank Langella finds out about the curious child, she will be the victim of a hit and run. What the grieving parents do next is anyone's guess.
My first instinct was "take the bone" and go with witness protection, my next when she was told the truth was "kill the brat". Langella has about as much parental protective instinct as I do - she goes.

Why would Gabriel be pissed off that Paige knows? His main purpose since he arrived has been to make Phillip and Elizabeth tell Paige who they are. This is all going exactly to plan for him.

FloatingVoter

iguana wrote: »

Why would Gabriel be pissed off that Paige knows? His main purpose since he arrived has been to make Phillip and Elizabeth tell Paige who they are. This is all going exactly to plan for him.

In his own time on his terms, and that was probably a test of the parents' loyalty. She reads as a curious little monkey in love with a pastor and access to a Federal agent. Not a hope of having the entire thing blown because she has a teenage hissyfit. If killing her is a step too far, the ticket to Kenya is one way - it buys her a conscience and themselves a few years of relative security.

The Black Oil

Todd VanDerWerff over at Vox has a piece up about the show following a Shakesperian structure. Worth a read.

iguana

FloatingVoter wrote: »

In his own time on his terms, and that was probably a test of the parents' loyalty. She reads as a curious little monkey in love with a pastor and access to a Federal agent. Not a hope of having the entire thing blown because she has a teenage hissyfit. If killing her is a step too far, the ticket to Kenya is one way - it buys her a conscience and themselves a few years of relative security.

If they'd done it in Gabriel's time they'd have told her by episode 3. He's been pushing them and pushing them to do exactly what they did in this episode and to do it yesterday. He is going to be creepily ecstatic when they tell him what's happened. His next proposed step will probably be to have her over for dinner so he can charm her and show her what lovely, grandfatherly old men the USSR is full of, so she will change her opinion of scary knife wielding Russians.

Black Menorca

Paige knows!

OMG, Paige KNOWS!!!!!!

Black Menorca

I can still see the final episode of this season being Stan and Clark head to head in an interrogation room.

Stan stakes out Martha's apartment, following his hunch, or Martha confesses.

Either way, Philip is sussed.

Then the big decision.

To go double behind Elizabeth's back.

FloatingVoter

iguana wrote: »

If they'd done it in Gabriel's time they'd have told her by episode 3. He's been pushing them and pushing them to do exactly what they did in this episode and to do it yesterday. He is going to be creepily ecstatic when they tell him what's happened. His next proposed step will probably be to have her over for dinner so he can charm her and show her what lovely, grandfatherly old men the USSR is full of, so she will change her opinion of scary knife wielding Russians.

That is a possibility....on mature reflection as the politicians say. Either that or a trip to the Motherland to visit extended family and receive proper training. No way is she remaining one tantrum away from blowing the entire operation. She'd willingly spy for the motherland and yooman rights and all that crap....I'm sure she has a Che poster in the bedroom. But in the cold light of day, would she kill, main or torture for it ?

The Strawman Argument

Black Menorca wrote: »

I can still see the final episode of this season being Stan and Clark head to head in an interrogation room.

Stan and Philip, you mean? It'd be seriously insulting to just about everyone to expect Stan to not recognise Philip in the costume there. CCTV or however else he may have previously seen an alias of either of them's one thing, being in the same room is totally different.


Great episode, they done a good job with the Paige thing of giving enough to make it clear she's aware something's up across three seasons without making it feel dragged out at all. Really into the end stretch of the season now, it's been fantastic so far.

thegreengoblin

Superb stuff yet again. Philip's face said it all as Paige let it out. Shock, guilt, relief...I really felt for him because you know he means it when he says that the kids mean everything to him. The same when Pastor Tim was in at the travel agency. He just has these expressions which say so much.

It's the same with Stan. When Paige looked at him at the end, I knew she wouldn't say anything but we know that Stan is very much in tune with people's behaviour. Great tension there.

These last three episodes are genuinely going to be edge of the seat stuff, can't wait.

jamesoneill

Can't believe they told her, I was sure they'd spin a yarn

It seems to risky telling her al

jamesoneill

Can't believe they told her, I was sure they'd spin a yarn

It seems too risky telling her

Same thing calling to Martha with the bugging thing going on

Doesn't quite fit in with their cautious approach to their work

Kilkenny14

Fell behind on this show in the last month and just caught up. I didn't think it was possible, but the show got even better! The necklacing, Philip calling out Gabriel, Elizabeth with the old lady, and now Paige knowing. :eek:

It will be very interesting to see how Stan will pick up on Paige being different towards him. He knows Martha is the chief suspect now, and he has to worry about the defector too.

Also, Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys are killing it with their acting right now. The wordless nod between the two as they decided to tell Paige was brilliant.

God I love this show. Thank God it has being renewed, it will make it easier to push it to my friends.

FloatingVoter

Kilkenny14 wrote: »

God I love this show. Thank God it has being renewed, it will make it easier to push it to my friends.

And do. This is going to be like the GPO in 1916 - everyone will say they were there when the reruns start. We actually were. We should get little shiny badges and a pension from Vlad the Putupon.

Black Menorca

The Strawman Argument wrote: »

Stan and Philip, you mean? It'd be seriously insulting to just about everyone to expect Stan to not recognise Philip in the costume there. CCTV or however else he may have previously seen an alias of either of them's one thing, being in the same room is totally different.


Great episode, they done a good job with the Paige thing of giving enough to make it clear she's aware something's up across three seasons without making it feel dragged out at all. Really into the end stretch of the season now, it's been fantastic so far.

I mean Stan and Clark. Because it is Clark who meets with Martha, not Philip.

Stan obviously would not recognise Philip at first, but once arrested, how could Philip keep the charade up..?

iguana

Stan would recognise Phillip in 3 seconds flat. He's a highly trained counterintelligence operative and Phillip is not only his best friend but a man who he initially felt suspicious of. A wig, a pair of glasses and a slightly nervy manner wouldn't fool him for a minute. If he even gets a look at Martha's wedding photo the jig is up for Misha Sr.

johnire

When is this starting on RTE2 anyone know?

Kilkenny14

Nice slow down in pace this week; Paige is going to take time to get used to last weeks bombshell.

I must remember Martha's nose trick the next time I do an interview.

Fred Swanson

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johnire

johnire wrote: »

When is this starting on RTE2 anyone know?

I followed it on ITV but they have dropped it after the first two seasons,so hopefully RTE2 will show it soon!

Kirby

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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For Elizabeth to have really great sex and then feel guilty about it.

FloatingVoter

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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She needed to copy the room key. Some Mujaheddin heads are visiting and one or two of them will be leaving their heads behind. And yes...we needed a gratuitous sex scene. Call it practice for Game of Thrones next week.

MagicMarker

Martha's game is up methinks, I reckon yer man knows she's married.

jack presley

MagicMarker wrote: »

Martha's game is up methinks, I reckon yer man knows she's married.

She could be in line for a trip in a suitcase!

Black Menorca

Subdued and weak episode it has to be said. One weak part was how Anton would think Nina was different from the other women the KGB set him up with. Like all of a sudden this stunner comes to the complex and starts chatting him up. HELLO!!!

But Nina is going to keep his secret which redeems the situation to some extent.

Another weakness was the undressing of Elizabeth twice. Unecessary for such a top quality show. Clearly a time filling week.

Elizabeth and Paige in the car was a highlight. Sharing about her mother in Russia. then at the end both of them being honest with Paige about her grandmother being very ill.

Roll on next week.

jamesoneill

I enjoyed taffets quizzing of martha

"thank-you for your forbearance "

It still seems a tad ridiculous that so much work goes into an investigation afterwards when they didn't bother with a preventative sweep anytime beforehand

Kirby

Black Menorca wrote: »

Subdued and weak episode it has to be said.

I didn't think it was weak at all. I quite liked it. We've been waiting for Paige to find out for ages and I'm really enjoying her questions to the pair of them and how she is piecing it all together.

Black Menorca

Kirby wrote: »

I didn't think it was weak at all. I quite liked it. We've been waiting for Paige to find out for ages and I'm really enjoying her questions to the pair of them and how she is piecing it all together.

The parts with Paige were the highlights as I said previously. But the gratuitous Kerri Russell naked scenes just weren't needed and the show is better than that.

I still love the series, but its open to criticism like every other show.

DMcL1971

I couldn't help but laugh out loud when Paige and Elizabeth were in the car talking about Henry's Eddie Murphy impression and Elizabeth said ' Yeah, that kids nuts.' It is not often that you get a laugh in The Americans.

expectationlost

is paige going to help her mother see her mother?

FloatingVoter

expectationlost wrote: »

is paige going to help her mother see her mother?

I think Paige is already formulating a plan to go see gran and the Soviet Union for herself. She's a resourceful kid. And the parents will back her.

Any news of when season 3 of The Americans will start on Rte? I see that ITV have amazingly dropped it!

kn

zorro2566 wrote: »

Any news of when season 3 of The Americans will start on Rte? I see that ITV have amazingly dropped it!

I'd imagine it will be in the Autumn schedule like last year. Its great though being able to watch it in your time, without ads, and not worry about it 'clashing' with something else.

The Black Oil

The official UK Twitter (link) has been dead since last June. That tells you what you need to know about any broadcaster over there showing an interest. It's probably best to contact RTE directly.

3.11 was very much within the show's style. Taking a step back from the big scenes and more fired up moments of a previous episode, hence the family beats coming to the fore for everyone. Paige, Philip and Elizabeth, the scientist and Jacob, Elizabeth and her mother. Most of the main scenes involved someone who is a parent or had some familial/relationship responsibility (even though this is already a major theme of the show). It's tradition now that the finale will crank things up again, funky 80s tune and all. I'm not worried. See AV Club's 'the art of the show burn', here.

I also read it that Taffet knew Martha wasn't being entirely honest. There was just something about how that scene played out, nose emphasis and all. Clark's quick interrogation drill made her feel bad for her, again. Taffet's looking for emotional pressure points, but perhaps something less obvious, too. Paige's curiosity is quite teenage and human, feigning normalcy in front of Henry following the bombshell that's fallen on her head. Philip told Gabriel he was fine and yet again called him out. Chunks of the episode were built on lies. People commenting on Hitfix.com seem to be interpreting the sex scene in a few ways. I read it as a reminder, quite brutally I might say, of how isolating this gig can be. The garage scene and going to Philip seemed to reinforce that and the guilt.

The talk of beheadings reminded me of current groups doing the rounds, must be said. The Northropp gig sounds like a real opportunity for someone to get burned. Another aspect that sears through the series was the scientist/Nina scene 'I understand. Do you?', plus the us vs. them vibe to the whole piece.

Poor Gaad and Arkady were hip deep in paper trails. It was fun to see Oleg chuckle, and yes, that and the line about Henry's impressions brought some nice levity, too. Also, the EECO computer, that's some bitchin' black and green high tech right there, though no competition for Mail Robot.

Fred Swanson

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FloatingVoter

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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They did. But most of the suspects would be trained to beat a lie detector.

Kirby

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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Sure do you not remember Nina and the lie detector? "Squeeze your anus...."