We might be slowly getting the seeds of Stan to turn. He's not happy with what the government is going to do to Oleg.
The Americans is Delightful.
- Thread starter Guy Gardener
- Start date
In my mind, they won't have to turn him in the traditional sense.. He's going to find out about Liz and Phil and realize he is in so deep with them, he'll be tried for treason no matter what, despite the fact that he's never been a target for them. The fact that they lived across the street from him and used people around him has essentially cooked his goose.. Phillip will feel horribly about that because he really does view Stan as a friend, but in the end, Stan will either have to defect or go into hiding...
OR... Phillip and Elizabeth work it so that they defect and use Stan to make that happen.. Stan becomes a hero for turning two of the USSR's most entrenched spies and they all live happily ever after once the wall comes down (which at this point isn't THAT far off)...
Of course, while all this is happening, Stan's partner will come to the realization that Phil and Liz have been living across the street from Stan for years... Hmmmmmmm... LOL
OR... Phillip and Elizabeth work it so that they defect and use Stan to make that happen.. Stan becomes a hero for turning two of the USSR's most entrenched spies and they all live happily ever after once the wall comes down (which at this point isn't THAT far off)...
Of course, while all this is happening, Stan's partner will come to the realization that Phil and Liz have been living across the street from Stan for years... Hmmmmmmm... LOL
^^^ I agree with everything here except the wall statement. They're currently in 1984 (based on the magazine dating they've been throwing into some shots at the beginning of the season), and that event is still about 5 years out. There's only a little over a season-and-a-half left and each season, so far, has represented a full- or partial-year. I suppose it's always possible that they'll fast-forward for the final season, but that would likely stretch credibility to have a multi-year gap where nothing happens, especially considering how fast things are moving now, and how many danger-close calls they've all had with everyone finding everything out.
I think the shit's gonna hit the fan between Stan and Phil and Liz, probably around the same time he finds out that Oleg gets clipped, either by his own people or ours, and he completely loses his mind and turns, or defects, or swallows a bullet. Everything will completely melt down way before Berlin.
I think the shit's gonna hit the fan between Stan and Phil and Liz, probably around the same time he finds out that Oleg gets clipped, either by his own people or ours, and he completely loses his mind and turns, or defects, or swallows a bullet. Everything will completely melt down way before Berlin.
I guess they're in the Summer of '84. They mentioned that they were going to watch the Olympics (Even though the USSR boycotted that year.)
Fair point.. I should have been clearer.. I only mean that by "not that far off," it was a few years... We've seen plenty of time jumps that aren't too far fetched in TV before... I guess, in my own mind, I'd love to see the show end with the fall of the wall. I watched it live on TV from my dorm room and it was monumental in its impact...
OMG !!
We saw her.
It's a small world after all...
That was a great surprise.. I wonder though, if it will be a one-off.. I wonder if the KGB has her doing something clandestine there as well... Something for next season, perhaps.
Something is definitely stirring within Phillip.. That thousand yard stare into the mirror really said a lot to me.
The Soviet defector guy is starting to grate on my nerves.. And maybe that's the point.. I don't know.. But I know that even if Phillip and Elizabeth weren't spies and were just "friends" with the couple, all that constant bleating about how bad life was in the USSR would have me wanting to spend less and less time with him.. Maybe the writers have done that to make the character less sympathetic.. He's like Yakoff Smirnoff, but without the jokes...
Something is definitely stirring within Phillip.. That thousand yard stare into the mirror really said a lot to me.
The Soviet defector guy is starting to grate on my nerves.. And maybe that's the point.. I don't know.. But I know that even if Phillip and Elizabeth weren't spies and were just "friends" with the couple, all that constant bleating about how bad life was in the USSR would have me wanting to spend less and less time with him.. Maybe the writers have done that to make the character less sympathetic.. He's like Yakoff Smirnoff, but without the jokes...
Considering she's "coincidentally" in the same city as Oleg, I have a feeling we'll see more of her. 
"Should we tell Paige about this?"
What a great line to end the episode on. Within three episodes, we've seen both Phillip and Elizabeth kill someone in cold blood rapidly without blinking an eye. While they might be having doubts now (especially Phillip), they're both clearly very invested in their mission. And let's not lose track of one very simple truth: They're both killers. Could Paige ever accept that fact, no matter the circumstance?
As for Oleg, it's good to see he's trying to resist the CIA's attempts to pressure him, but that tape is pretty damning for him. Poor bastard.
"Should we tell Paige about this?"
What a great line to end the episode on. Within three episodes, we've seen both Phillip and Elizabeth kill someone in cold blood rapidly without blinking an eye. While they might be having doubts now (especially Phillip), they're both clearly very invested in their mission. And let's not lose track of one very simple truth: They're both killers. Could Paige ever accept that fact, no matter the circumstance?
As for Oleg, it's good to see he's trying to resist the CIA's attempts to pressure him, but that tape is pretty damning for him. Poor bastard.
I don't think Paige will ever be able to accept the killing part of this, except when defending themselves. You could make the argument that they WERE defending themselves (against disease and then being discovered), but still...
Paige would have to go through serious indoctrination at the Center for her to be conditioned to be ok with killing when its needed on a mission. Otherwise, I don't see her ever coming around to the idea.
Paige would have to go through serious indoctrination at the Center for her to be conditioned to be ok with killing when its needed on a mission. Otherwise, I don't see her ever coming around to the idea.
Yeah, they're both killers. That's what I told a friend of mine who just started watching the show. She wanted to know if they could eventually defect and claim asylum. I told her I doubted it, because they've killed way too many people. I don't know how the show will end, but they aren't going to be let off. The "trapped in a burning house" theme will only intensify, even if Philip's conscience is yelling at him ever-louder.
I loved seeing Martha, but....poor Martha.
I loved seeing Martha, but....poor Martha.
I'm still thinking they're going to royally screw something up based on the current near-panicked conclusions they've been drawing. They might even wind up clipping the defector at some point (or being shot by the Vietnamese kid who so badly wants to do it himself) only to find out he was just looking for pest-resistant wheat strains. They really bent over backwards in this episode to get the audience to believe that there's something nefarious going on with the experiment, with the unnamed faceless points-of-contact from the unknown-faceless company that contracted them to breed the bugs.
It's all clearly a front for what's clearly a US FedGov agency and something bad is clearly going on!
They're almost being too obvious about it now, when this show really only works best when it's being subtle. I'm saying it right now - it's all a huge red herring. And everyone is going to be left sitting gob-smacked once they figure out the truth amidst the piles of the innocent dead they rendered to get there. It might be what finally drives Phil over the edge and turn on his masters for being such profoundly catastrophic knee-jerk phuck-ups.
It's all clearly a front for what's clearly a US FedGov agency and something bad is clearly going on!
They're almost being too obvious about it now, when this show really only works best when it's being subtle. I'm saying it right now - it's all a huge red herring. And everyone is going to be left sitting gob-smacked once they figure out the truth amidst the piles of the innocent dead they rendered to get there. It might be what finally drives Phil over the edge and turn on his masters for being such profoundly catastrophic knee-jerk phuck-ups.
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On a lighter note, Elizabeth makes a great cowgirl!
But, yes, Paige still hasn't been forced to confront the reality that her parents' "work" occasionally involves killing people. Heck, she's still uneasy about the fact that they lie and pretend to be friends with people in order to manipulate them.
But, yes, Paige still hasn't been forced to confront the reality that her parents' "work" occasionally involves killing people. Heck, she's still uneasy about the fact that they lie and pretend to be friends with people in order to manipulate them.
I think you've got it. It's a pest-resistant grain and they are wrongly-interpreting it to be a plot to kill the grain supply. It would fit the paranoia that infected the KGB in the 1980's from the few documentaries I've seen.I'm still thinking they're going to royally screw something up based on the current near-panicked conclusions they've been drawing. They might even wind up clipping the defector at some point (or being shot by the Vietnamese kid who so badly wants to do it himself) only to find out he was just looking for pest-resistant wheat strains. They really bent over backwards in this episode to get the audience to believe that there's something nefarious going on with the experiment, with the unnamed faceless points-of-contact from the unknown-faceless company that contracted them to breed the bugs.
It's all clearly a front for what's clearly a US FedGov agency and something bad is clearly going on!
I agree that makes a lot of sense. The show isn't one for being twisty, but you're right about that one of the show's greatest strengths is handling situations subtly. They're already gently pushing Phillip and Elizabeth to question things and this blowing up in their faces would push them further along. Add that with a timely arrival of Mischa...I think you've got it. It's a pest-resistant grain and they are wrongly-interpreting it to be a plot to kill the grain supply. It would fit the paranoia that infected the KGB in the 1980's from the few documentaries I've seen.I'm still thinking they're going to royally screw something up based on the current near-panicked conclusions they've been drawing. They might even wind up clipping the defector at some point (or being shot by the Vietnamese kid who so badly wants to do it himself) only to find out he was just looking for pest-resistant wheat strains. They really bent over backwards in this episode to get the audience to believe that there's something nefarious going on with the experiment, with the unnamed faceless points-of-contact from the unknown-faceless company that contracted them to breed the bugs.
It's all clearly a front for what's clearly a US FedGov agency and something bad is clearly going on!
We Have not seen much of their son?
You think 2 spies would be worried about a missing son.
You think 2 spies would be worried about a missing son.
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Was thinking that myself. He only seems to be mentioned and/or shown when their concern grows for whether or not they should tell him about their true identities, or when they debate about what they'll do when they need to pop smoke and run once their cover has been compromised. He doesn't really have anything meaningful going on in the storyline.
The show's greatest weakness is its inability to properly utilize Henry. Hell, mail robot has had almost as much screen time and character development as Henry. The best thing they've done is his bonding with Stan, but that's not much to show for after four plus seasons.
Henry's main function to date has been to provide a contrast to Paige. He's the clueless little brother who is too young to pick up on anything fishy or to be let in on the Big Secret. He's the innocent they all have to keep in the dark--and who will be utterly blindsided if and when they have to cut and run.
Not a big part, granted, but it serves a purpose. I'm not sure he needs to be developed any more than that. Lord know I'm not tuning in every week to find out what's up with Henry.
Not a big part, granted, but it serves a purpose. I'm not sure he needs to be developed any more than that. Lord know I'm not tuning in every week to find out what's up with Henry.
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