The Americans (FX)

[AUS-97HORN 11809]

2 hours ago, PilotsError said:

I really thought they were going throw a curve at us and kill Elizabeth in the park.  

 

pretty sure both elizabeth and Phillip are both safe until theres only 3 eps left. 

 

Paige or even Henry on the other hand, could both be killed at any moment, and we then get to watch Phil and Elizabeth debate their lifes work and decisions

[usmc0331horn 953]

Elizabeth is looking rouuuuuuugh. There's no way that cyanide goes to waste. Someone's going to take it. Stan's gonna figure this all out at some point as well. Fuck I love this show. Can you imagine coming up on your mom with brains all over her face? PTSD is real and spectacular Paige.

[bamachine 1231]

Next episode will likely have Paige screwing somebody but no nudity on her part. just showing her with her top on, in bed with some mark.

[JimmyHoffa 1188]

13 hours ago, bamachine said:

Next episode will likely have Paige screwing somebody but no nudity on her part. just showing her with her top on, in bed with some mark.

 

I like how Elizabeth walked back her "spies never sleep with targets" to basically admitting that it could happen. Paige isn't that big of an idiot to not read between the line there. 

[WBT 20618]

Liz giving the cyanide to the dying artist wife would be too obvious right?  Seems like her conscience was getting to her over talking/tricking them out of the suicide.  She's usually able to keep her conscience in check though for the good of the mission.

Edited April 6, 2018 by WBT

[AUS-97HORN 11809]

3 hours ago, WBT said:

Liz giving the cyanide to the dying artist wife would be too obvious right?  Seems like her conscience was getting to her over talking/tricking them out of the suicide.  She's usually able to keep her conscience in check though for the good of the mission.

why give cyanide when the husband flat out admitted hes been stockpiling morphine to give her an OD?   as soon as the summit is over with, shes gonna kill the wife, and probably pin it on the husband

[elfenix 34318]

using the cyanide on the wife is a bit too telegraphed i think. 

[RTF Horn 46]

I don't get why Elizabeth is sheltering Paige from the realities of being a spy.  Is she just protecting her daughter or is she fucking up and not realizing what she's doing?  I know we'll get the answer, but part of me thinks that Elizabeth doesn't feel that Paige is really cut out for this work and she'll eventually just say "yeah, no thanks, mom".

I loved seeing the mail robot in this episode.  

[TexArcher 37980]

Elizabeth by rear naked choke to neck break, 0:14 of Rd 1.

[APMP 688]

Man I was sure it was the Russians that'd get the kid while FBI were picking up Gennadi and the chick.

[PilotsError 2296]

Stan's gonna take the general's suicide and run with it, probably how everything comes unraveled.

Really enjoying this season.  Constant tension.  I have no idea who lives and who dies.  

[AUS-97HORN 11809]

I am really confused by the intelligence long-game of having Stan's girlfriend stay with him for 3 years after he got booted from counter-intelligence. 

I dont care if she is a Russian plant or an American plant, either way, having her stay with a guy who basically torpedoed his career by insisting the CIA back off of Oleg doesnt really seem to make sense. 

Stan is only getting dragged back into the counter-intelligence group three years later because he was the handler of the 2 soviets who they gave political assylum to last episode.

and man, they are really foreshadowing that Oleg dies trying to "save Russia", and it will probably end up being an American who kills him, not a Russian.

[TrashMaster G 17565]

1 hour ago, AUS-97HORN said:

I am really confused by the intelligence long-game of having Stan's girlfriend stay with him for 3 years after he got booted from counter-intelligence. 

I dont care if she is a Russian plant or an American plant, either way, having her stay with a guy who basically torpedoed his career by insisting the CIA back off of Oleg doesnt really seem to make sense. 

Stan is only getting dragged back into the counter-intelligence group three years later because he was the handler of the 2 soviets who they gave political assylum to last episode.

and man, they are really foreshadowing that Oleg dies trying to "save Russia", and it will probably end up being an American who kills him, not a Russian.

I was really left wondering about Stan's gf last night.  What the hell was up with her ham-handed "I want to join the FBI" stuff?

[elfenix 34318]

paige seems to be smuggling some sweater puppies when she's tailing the negotiators. 

i think showing stan and his girlfriend be domestic was to contrast how philip and liz are not talking.  philip is obviously under financial pressure but can't share that with liz, and liz ain't talking about her problems, though philip obviously needs to get her to do so. 

 

somehow just (re)discovered that vox's critic has been writing whole articles about each episode of this show for several seasons now.  kinda want to go back and read them all in order once the show is done.

https://www.vox.com/the-americans

Edited April 13, 2018 by elfenix

[thrillhammer 684]

On 4/6/2018 at 8:24 AM, JimmyHoffa said:

 

I like how Elizabeth walked back her "spies never sleep with targets" to basically admitting that it could happen. Paige isn't that big of an idiot to not read between the line there. 

yes she is.  but she is getting hotter by the day.

[thrillhammer 684]

has there been one scene yet this season where both phillip and stan are in it? it's been pretty common to see them every couple of episodes passing each other on the street, at a bar, coming over for a beer, etc.   

i always thought this show shared a theme with breaking bad, walter being a meth dealer and his brother in law being dea. the suspense of how you get away with your archenemy in such close proximity and seeing them so often.

[WBT 20618]

19 hours ago, AUS-97HORN said:

I am really confused by the intelligence long-game of having Stan's girlfriend stay with him for 3 years after he got booted from counter-intelligence. 

I dont care if she is a Russian plant or an American plant, either way, having her stay with a guy who basically torpedoed his career by insisting the CIA back off of Oleg doesnt really seem to make sense. 

Stan is only getting dragged back into the counter-intelligence group three years later because he was the handler of the 2 soviets who they gave political assylum to last episode.

and man, they are really foreshadowing that Oleg dies trying to "save Russia", and it will probably end up being an American who kills him, not a Russian.

I think she's just his girlfriend and it's not going anywhere.  Kind of like how nothing really came of Phillip's lost older son in Russia.

[JimmyHoffa 1188]

1 hour ago, thrillhammer said:

has there been one scene yet this season where both phillip and stan are in it? it's been pretty common to see them every couple of episodes passing each other on the street, at a bar, coming over for a beer, etc.   

i always thought this show shared a theme with breaking bad, walter being a meth dealer and his brother in law being dea. the suspense of how you get away with your archenemy in such close proximity and seeing them so often.

They were just all at dinner together the last episode I believe. That is how Stan's (whatever she is) was complaining to Stan's partner's wife about not ever talking about work at home while Elizabeth was spying on them in the kitchen. 

[JimmyHoffa 1188]

53 minutes ago, WBT said:

I think she's just his girlfriend and it's not going anywhere.  Kind of like how nothing really came of Phillip's lost older son in Russia.

 

Part of me felt that way but there is no way they would spend this much time on her if she doesn't play some sort of role in how Stan's story line ends. She might not end of being a spy (I still think she is) but something will happen. 

Although they might just be using her to show how much she wants Phil and Elizabeth's perfect relationship on the surface that is so very flawed and more distant now than it has ever been before. Who the hell knows! 

[Saint Austin 745]

Elizabeth was honestly worried that having some leftover Russian dish could result in them being discovered??

[PantsTent 2002]

2 hours ago, Saint Austin said:

Elizabeth was honestly worried that having some leftover Russian dish could result in them being discovered??

It was more about "you filled up on Americanized Chinese food?...well I just dump this down the drain since you obviously won't appreciate it".

 

[yoshi 137]

2 hours ago, Saint Austin said:

Elizabeth was honestly worried that having some leftover Russian dish could result in them being discovered??

Elizabeth has always been about covering her tracks even when it seems like a very minute detail.  

[PilotsError 2296]

She's a female.  He refused her gift, she immediately destroyed it.

[Gale Snoats 242]

love the show and loving this season in particular but Stan's girlfriend's "i wanna be an FBI agent" was nonsensical.  it reminded me of George telling Jerry he wanted to get into broadcasting.  

[elfenix 34318]

Kimmy appears

*Surly loses its gotdamn mind*

[bamachine 1231]

Told you pervs that, once they had Paige do a sex scene, they would skip right to her fully covered in bed. She may be fully legal but she also hasn't reached that age where she feels the need to be artistically nekkid.

[PilotsError 2296]

Breaking Bad has ruined me.  They knew how to do a final season.

[JimmyHoffa 1188]

9 minutes ago, PilotsError said:

Breaking Bad has ruined me.  They knew how to do a final season.

I don't think it's been horrible but last night's episode was pretty meh.

Starting off with basically shit going down in pitch black so you couldn't see a damn thing (yes I know they wanted it that way)

I also don't get the Henry "we can't send you to private school next year" angle other than it allows him to still be on the show. 

 

[bamachine 1231]

47 minutes ago, JimmyHoffa said:

I don't think it's been horrible but last night's episode was pretty meh.

Starting off with basically shit going down in pitch black so you couldn't see a damn thing (yes I know they wanted it that way)

I also don't get the Henry "we can't send you to private school next year" angle other than it allows him to still be on the show. 

 

It is just illustrating Phillip's newfound respect for the pitfalls of capitalism. He has always been the one that liked everything about the US, while Elizabeth hates it. This just gives him a little pause. Not that where he was from was better, just that he finally sees that capitalism is not perfect. They offset that some with the whole line dancing bits, showing he still loves the freedom he has here.

[APMP 688]

I think they're trying to show that Philip is finding that the American Dream isn't easy. Especially if you go to spy school, not travel agency management school.

The Henry tuition thing, I think, is there to show just how detached/ compartmentalized Elizabeth has become. I know she's not a typical momma, but the "well, he's your responsibility" line was still pretty jarring.

[Guest Lobo]

17 hours ago, Gale Snoats said:

love the show and loving this season in particular but Stan's girlfriend's "i wanna be an FBI agent" was nonsensical.  it reminded me of George telling Jerry he wanted to get into broadcasting.  

Well, you know Renee...they tend to give those jobs to ex-cops and people that are, you know...in law enforcement

[pied 252]

Good takes and more in depth than my initial thoughts on the tuition deal.  I was thinking it might make Phillip vulnerable to do something for cash leading to him getting back in the game for one side or the other.

[TrashMaster G 17565]

1 hour ago, bamachine said:

It is just illustrating Phillip's newfound respect for the pitfalls of capitalism. He has always been the one that liked everything about the US, while Elizabeth hates it. This just gives him a little pause. Not that where he was from was better, just that he finally sees that capitalism is not perfect. They offset that some with the whole line dancing bits, showing he still loves the freedom he has here.

He was sitting at his desk, troubling over the struggles of his business and how he may not be able to pay for his son's private school tuition next year, feeling totally sorry for himself.  But, as bad as things are, he has a perfectly good sandwich and chips, nice contrast from the kitchen scraps he would beg for as a kid in Russia.

I think this is all making him appreciate capitalism even more. He IS an American and is going to stay that way, if he has any choice.

 

This episode didn't have the drama, but it definitely pushed the narrative forward.

[bamachine 1231]

^Yep, forgot about that, when I was framing my response. Don't get me wrong, I was not saying he was thinking that capitalism was bad, just that he finally saw that it requires not only work but some luck and timing.

[TrashMaster G 17565]

32 minutes ago, bamachine said:

^Yep, forgot about that, when I was framing my response. Don't get me wrong, I was not saying he was thinking that capitalism was bad, just that he finally saw that it requires not only work but some luck and timing.

No doubt

[naija 2868]

it's worth remembering, that of the two, Philip is the more talented killer.

[AUS-97HORN 11809]

cringed during the Kimmie sex scene..... cheered when Philip grew some balls and told her not to go outside of Greece.

and holy shit, Paige packs a whallop now....

[HornOnTheBayou 8931]

Does anyone else roll their eyes and look at their phone when Dying Wife shows up? 

[RPM 26323]

2 hours ago, AUS-97HORN said:

cringed during the Kimmie sex scene..... cheered when Philip grew some balls and told her not to go outside of Greece.

and holy shit, Paige packs a whallop now....

Pretty much my take except Paige pack a sucker punch and not much else. I think Philip made that clear to her.

[bamachine 1231]

7 minutes ago, RPM said:

Pretty much my take except Paige pack a sucker punch and not much else. I think Philip made that clear to her.

What he made clear to her is that she might can handle some drunk college dudes but when it comes to trained people, different story.

[SpiralOut 1818]

Gah.  After all these years Phil finally got there with Kimmie.  I guess she's legal now, but still.

Was nice seeing him show Paige who the better operator is.  Think Dad's a pushover?  Yeah, honey.  Not so much.

Right now I'm leaning 70/30 towards Phil spilling the beans to Stan and Elizabeth going down for the cause.  But who the fuck knows.  Only thing I'm sure of is that everyone ain't making it off the island.

Edited April 26, 2018 by SpiralOut

[Catdaddyhorn 3446]

2 hours ago, SpiralOut said:

Gah.  After all these years Phil finally got there with Kimmie.  I guess she's legal now, but still.

Was nice seeing him show Paige who the better operator is.  Think Dad's a pushover?  Yeah, honey.  Not so much.

Right now I'm leaning 70/30 towards Phil spilling the beans to Stan and Elizabeth going down for the cause.  But who the fuck knows.  Only thing I'm sure of is that everyone ain't making it off the island.

He already spilled the beans by telling Kimmie not so go to a communist country. I wonder if anything will come of that if Elizabeth tries to continue on with the operation while Kimmie is in Europe. 

[JimmyHoffa 1188]

2 hours ago, Catdaddyhorn said:

He already spilled the beans by telling Kimmie not so go to a communist country. I wonder if anything will come of that if Elizabeth tries to continue on with the operation while Kimmie is in Europe. 

Yeah, although Kimmie isn't going to do shit with that info it's a huge crack showing Phil doesn't give a shit about Mother Russia anymore and instead wants to save the people he cares for. 

 

6 hours ago, bamachine said:

What he made clear to her is that she might can handle some drunk college dudes but when it comes to trained people, different story.

 

This. And just like Kimmie he is trying to save her before she gets herself hurt or killed. 

 

Also Stan's GF has to play into all of this at some point another pointless scene with them if she doesn't somehow turn into a story line in the last half of the season. 

[PilotsError 2296]

Oleg is not safe in America.  He's not safe in Russia. 

Fuck.

[txhorns 2409]

At this point I think things end this way:

Oleg dies

Paige gets out of the spy business

Elizabeth is asked to kill Philip but she can't do it.  She gets captured.

Philip turns on Russia and becomes a FBI informant for Stan

[TrashMaster G 17565]

10 minutes ago, txhorns said:

At this point I think things end this way:

Oleg dies

Paige gets out of the spy business

Elizabeth is asked to kill Philip but she can't do it.  She gets captured.

Philip turns on Russia and becomes a FBI informant for Stan

Agree, except I think Elizabeth dies instead of getting captured.

[txhorns 2409]

13 minutes ago, TrashMaster G said:

Agree, except I think Elizabeth dies instead of getting captured.

I think they will have a hard time killing her off.  I see it going down more like Philip helping Stan and the FBI to capture her and she ends up rotting in prison while Philip lives a great American life.

[JimmyHoffa 1188]

Someone needs to die if you ask me. Elizabeth is Walter White. 

[ATLLonghorn 857]

3 hours ago, txhorns said:

I think they will have a hard time killing her off.  I see it going down more like Philip helping Stan and the FBI to capture her and she ends up rotting in prison while Philip lives a great American life.

I don't know what you've seen over the past couple of seasons to think "happily ever after" is in the cards for anyone, let alone Phillip.

 

[AggieFactFinder 31]

Had to watch late last night after a party.  My dumbass thought the episode ended as Stan was at the scene of the Teacups' murder.  It was only upon reading Sepinwall's episode recap this morning that I realized I missed the ending. 

I'd been wondering if Philip might have to choose between killing Elizabeth or killing Stan/letting Elizabeth kill Stan.  But with the Teacups out of it, I'm not sure how Elizabeth and Stan will cross paths working.  Could Stan finally show some meager competence for the first time in 6 seasons?  And at this point Philip has to be wondering if Elizabeth has ever given one shit about him- even the secret wedding could have been a long play.  Will she tell him that right before she kills him to really twist the knife?  Love that we have no idea which way this will go.