The Americans is Delightful.

[137th Gebirg]

And on the Paige front: Paige bravely going on into the parking lot, evidently wondering if she's ready to handle getting assaulted, and soldiering on after getting smacked in the lip. She now looks like she's getting physically abused at home, which adds a new dimension to Pastor Tim's comments in his diary about Paige's psychological damage. Paige still doesn't look like a fighter yet, but more than ever I'm wondering if she's going to have to get physical with someone before it's all over.

It actually struck me that she was going there possibly looking for a fight to try out what she's learned. She's getting bolder - sneaking around, taking photos of Pastor Tim's journal, etc. - all with increasing confidence. In prior seasons, I was afraid that the angst-ridden teenager would cause the show to suffer, but I'm very pleased to see that, this season (and starting last season), that's thankfully not the case.

Henry, on the other hand, is now likely to go into a broken-heart tailspin now that he's not going to his "not-a-girlfriend"'s school. He must really think his parents are idiots if he believes that they don't know it's all about the girl.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

It actually struck me that she was going there possibly looking for a fight to try out what she's learned. She's getting bolder - sneaking around, taking photos of Pastor Tim's journal, etc. - all with increasing confidence.

That's interesting. I didn't read it that way because she hesitated at first, but you might be right, especially given your other points.

Henry, on the other hand, is now likely to go into a broken-heart tailspin now that he's not going to his "not-a-girlfriend"'s school. He must really think his parents are idiots if he believes that they don't know it's all about the girl.

If they stay, which right now it seems they're gonna, then that changes the calculus behind Henry not being allowed to go to school, doesn't it? I suspect that Henry will be allowed to go after all, and getting the family back together will be a source of conflict when the shit hits the fan.

Oh, one other thing I found interesting. Philip could have just disappeared on Kimmy, but he didn't approach it like that. Instead, he announced the probability of his own departure to her. With that pep talk he gave her, it's like he's actually concerned about her. Maybe that's why it's so hard for him.

The same thing actually applies to Henry. There wasn't any tactical reason to tell Henry that he couldn't go to school at that point, especially if the idea was to take a family trip to Europe and drop the bomb on Henry that they were crossing over at the last possible moment. It's like Philip didn't really want to go back.

Oh, and another thing! I like how Elizabeth was looking around the house at all the things she wouldn't have: too many shoes, a dishwasher. It's like she was wondering whether she would really adapt so smoothly, even though part of her must inform herself that it's all just evil capitalist trappings.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

How is it felt so much more during the quiet scene with Martha on the park bench than Pasha's graphic suicide attempt? My heart cries for her every time we see her now. I hope she can find some small sort of happiness by adopting an orphan. I hope we see more of that in the final season.

I agree with others that Philip doesn't really want to go home, but also feels bad about wanting to be done with the operations in contrast to Elizabeth's feelings. That being said, I'm still not sure about Elizabeth. On the one hand, she likes the idea of having that "shit off our backs," but on the other hand, she's still very much mission-driven, especially with the news of Breland's promotion to the head of the Soviet Division.

Philip noticeably didn't fully commit to his break from Kimmy, simply saying he "might" be getting a job in Japan, yet he was also pretty forceful with Henry, although I can see him walking that back, too.

Whatever happens, the final season is going to be stellar and I can't wait.

Oh, and another thing! I like how Elizabeth was looking around the house at all the things she wouldn't have: too many shoes, a dishwasher. It's like she was wondering whether she would really adapt so smoothly, even though part of her must inform herself that it's all just evil capitalist trappings.

I found that very amusing as well.

 

[137th Gebirg]

^^^ Heh, yeah, I noticed that. She's definitely at a high-level conflict within herself. She's railed against the "evil capitalists" her entire life and using that as the driving force to justify the crimes she's committed on US soil, but then there's the other half that has gotten acustomed to American technology and availability of consumer items. Not waiting 5 hours in line in subfreezing temperatures for a loaf of bread and a couple potatoes can be an effective reason to stay, as well!

If they do go back, they would be returning to the USSR at a time during great termoil, where collapse is imminent, and the fall of the Berlin Wall is only about 4 or 5 years away now. Definitely not the Solcialist/Marxist pipe-dream paradise that she's built up in her head the entire time she's been here, constantly making herself feel better about her own convictions, condescendingly looking down her nose at all us "decadant Americans".

I almost kind of want to see them go home to realize what a mistake it's all been - about everything. Or, maybe they will stay and it will be like when that whole ring of Russian spies were discovered in the last decade, who were holdovers from the Cold War and just decided to stay. I could easily see that being their future.

 

[marillion]

^ Yeah.

And on the Paige front: Paige bravely going on into the parking lot, evidently wondering if she's ready to handle getting assaulted, and soldiering on after getting smacked in the lip. She now looks like she's getting physically abused at home, which adds a new dimension to Pastor Tim's comments in his diary about Paige's psychological damage. Paige still doesn't look like a fighter yet, but more than ever I'm wondering if she's going to have to get physical with someone before it's all over.

Renee's urging of Stan to stay in the bureau works either way, whichever side she's on. If she's KGB or in any other foreign service, then she's trying to keep her asset in place. If she's CIA, FBI, or in any other US service, then maybe she's genuinely being patriotic and trying to keep a good guy in service.

Exactly.. That's what's beautiful about Renee.. Red (no pun intended) flags everywhere, but no obvious answers as to which way she's leaning.. Or if it's all just a (ahem) red herring for not only Phillip and Elizabeth, but the audience as well.

I have to admit I was on the edge of my seat while Paige walked by her lonesome into the parking lot.. I thought for sure something would happen... But my biggest surprise was that she's driving solo in that big old boat!

 

[Captain Shaw]

I can't help but wonder has a mistake been made and the government are on to them in some way?

 

[137th Gebirg]

There was Marozov's handler who was giving Philip some really weird looks, like, "that's a horrible wig and 70's pornstache, dude". In fact, that's what most of Phillip's "disguises" look like, to be honest.

But I did get the impression that he thought there was something a little "off" about Philip during that silent exchange that he picked up on. Might be a thing next season.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

You know, I thought it was bizarre that the handler just left Alexei with Philip unguarded. The excuse was that he was going ahead to the hospital to watch after the mom and Pasha, but a responsible handler would take Alexei to the hospital himself, right? It's almost as if he wanted Philip to feel at ease and conclude that he hadn't been made after all, by implying that he trusted Philip. Maybe I'm overthinking it, but I was honestly surprised that the handler just left Alexei alone with Philip.

I think @Serial thread killer might be right.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I dunno I think I have missed the ending. My ep was 51 minutes long? It seemed cut off?

 

[The Nth Doctor]

The final scene was with Philip and Elizabeth on the park bench, talking about scaling back Philip's responsibilities as a compromise to staying in the U.S. and continuing their operation.

 

[137th Gebirg]

There was also the discussion about Kimmy's dad getting promoted to his organization's Soviet desk and the opportunities they can exploit because of it. Philip realizes how important it would be to continue his operation there for the "greater good", but also had second thoughts about it due to their plan to leave, which is why he considered throwing the tape away and never telling anyone.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Well fuck I missed the final scene!! I went to look at a few other sites and all the vids were the same length and now I don't really have time to find and watch the whole ep. My ep ended with Phillip walking upstairs after telling Paige he was sorry she didn't have a dog.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Well fuck I missed the final scene!! I went to look at a few other sites and all the vids were the same length and now I don't really have time to find and watch the whole ep. My ep ended with Phillip walking upstairs after telling Paige he was sorry she didn't have a dog.

What happens after that is very important to the story.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Oh god..

I'm going away for two weeks and I'm not going to be able to watch it before I get back.

Oh well, going to look forward to it.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Damn, that really sucks. I can imagine how frustrated you must feel. At least you have something to look forward to and you'll technically have to wait less than the rest of us for more episodes.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

At least this was no dramatic cliffhanger

Don't really get the point of this quiet, wrap a few things up episode and the segue into the quiet, guess we gotta stay longer finish.

I'm glad they are giving Martha a child, she lost her family fleeing to Russia and now she will have something to live for. Her life was so empty.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Oh, one other thing I found interesting. Philip could have just disappeared on Kimmy, but he didn't approach it like that. Instead, he announced the probability of his own departure to her. With that pep talk he gave her, it's like he's actually concerned about her. Maybe that's why it's so hard for him.
.

That's always been true of Philip. He actually cares about the people he's using. He took Martha's departure really hard and last week he said he didn't want Stan to end up like Martha if Stan's girlfriend is indeed a Russian agent. Also, there was the time Kimmy was making advances on him, but he talked her out of it.

 

[Borgminister]

That son's gonna rebel something serious. Rocket Man, burning up his fuse up here alone....

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Oh, yeah, another thing.

I wasn't sure how anachronistic 9-1-1 was. For example, Wikipedia says, "... by 1984, only eight Chicago suburbs in Cook County had 9-1-1 service." I've no clue how well covered the DC area was back then.

Before 9-1-1, people relied on the front of the phone books for emergency phone numbers (fire/police/ambulance), or they just called the operator, which was a live human being back then. They could have dodged the whole issue by just saying, "Call an ambulance!"

No biggie, but it's an interesting detail to ponder, IMO.

 

[Guy Gardener]

I saw something last night... Someone fell over, maybe had a heart attack, when this thin hooker in 9 inch heels, and a mini skirt that looked more like a belt than a skirt, teetered toward the downed man, bent over, took his wallet, and skipped away before any one saw what she had done.

It may have been from the TV Series "Snatch"?