The Americans

[Ladybug]

Nov 7, 2016 20:59:33 GMT -4 riosamba said:

Renee is so hinky. There’d better be a payoff there or I’m going to feel like they’ve been toying with me.

I think there's a pretty good chance she's an illegal like Philip and Elizabeth. Stan has been duped.

I can't believe there are only four episodes left. The preview for next week . . . ermagerd! Henry has always been the smarter kid, and the one they should've been grooming for spydom. "Mom's showing an interest in me, something weird is going on."

Stan's Thanksgiving toast, wow. He's sitting there with two Russian illegals (Philip and Renee), and a Russian spy in training (Paige) talking about the Pilgrims' America and how great Reagan is. Yeesh. He's toast. Renee is going to kill him bodily and/or emotionally. He's another Martha!

So the young film kid that works in Sam Nunn's office, is that the guy that Paige has been interested in? I thought it was a frat-type of guy? Elizabeth won't let her daughter honey trap an asset, but she'll move in on her daughter's crush to do it.

[riosamba]

May 3, 2018 10:35:51 GMT -4 Ladybug said:

Nov 7, 2016 20:59:33 GMT -4 riosamba said:

Renee is so hinky. There’d better be a payoff there or I’m going to feel like they’ve been toying with me.

I think there's a pretty good chance she's an illegal like Philip and Elizabeth. Stan has been duped.

I can't believe there are only four episodes left. The preview for next week . . . ermagerd! Henry has always been the smarter kid, and the one they should've been grooming for spydom. "Mom's showing an interest in me, something weird is going on."

Stan's Thanksgiving toast, wow. He's sitting there with two Russian illegals (Philip and Renee), and a Russian spy in training (Paige) talking about the Pilgrims' America and how great Reagan is. Yeesh. He's toast. Renee is going to kill him bodily and/or emotionally. He's another Martha!

So the young film kid that works in Sam Nunn's office, is that the guy that Paige has been interested in? I thought it was a frat-type of guy? Elizabeth won't let her daughter honey trap an asset, but she'll move in on her daughter's crush to do it.

I just finished watching. I lean towards thinking Renee is an illegal, but is that too easy? I think the show does a great job of creating a sense of paranoia. Philip and Elizabeth must be suspicious of everything all the time, and so are we.

Elizabeth is long in the tooth for that intern, and she’s really off her game.

This episode was so full, it left me really sad that the show is ending. I liked the early scenes with Dennis and Stan at the Bureau. The cloak and dagger stuff is more intersting to watch, but it was a good reminder that there’s a lot of boring grunt work that’s just as important. And that’s what’s going to bring Philip and Elizabeth under suspicion. I’m guessing the cars will be Stan’s light bulb moment. Why do they keep showing us the robofile? That can’t be an accident.

After the early scene between Philip and Elizabeth, I yelled out loud, “Defect now, just do it!” Whatever emotional connection she may feel with him is completely outweighed by her contempt. I loved what he said to her, but it wasn’t smart for him to divulge so much. It’s one thing for him to quit, but now he’s told her that he’s actively working against the Center. I’m convinced she’s willing to kill him herself. And if she discovers that he’s spying on her for Oleg, she will. Philip will get a much better deal if he approaches them first.

The call from Elizabeth to Henry was sad. She has so little connection with her son, and I totally agree, he would have been a much better pick to groom as a spy, but I’m awfully glad they didn’t. I want Philip to sell out in a way that lets Henry stay at St. Andrew’s and just live.

Why is Philip going to Chicago? Is he really going out of love for Elizabeth, to protect her? Is he going to spy on her? To derail the operation?

And I still want to know about the townhouse. Also, Paige needs some girlfriends. Even in the 80s we weren’t supposed to look that bad in jeans.

#nottalkingmoreaboutolegbecauseicanthandlethestress

[celerydunk]

I was also confused on the purpose of Elizabeth trying to hook-up with the intern. It's a little late to introduce a new character when we need all the Phillip/Oleg/Stan time we can get.

I cant believe Phillip is back in the game. I cant decide if he is going to help or sabotage Elizabeth.

I never watched Felicity, so this is the first I've seen of Keri Russel, but she is nailing it. Her and Matthew Rhys make up for Holly Taylor's portrayal of Paige. The character is very annoying, but I think a better actress would have been able to make her more likeable. The actress who played Kimmy for example, would have been able to play her with more than her single "confused puppy with eyebrows" look.

[scarlet]

What if the last scene of the series exposes Renee as an illegal now working in the FBI alongside a clueless Stan, who still can't believe P/E were right under his nose all those years?

[Carolina]

May 3, 2018 13:26:08 GMT -4 riosamba said:

Elizabeth is long in the tooth for that intern, and she’s really off her game.

Don't get me wrong, Keri Russell is stunningly beautiful, but that intern was looking at Elizabeth like "that's nice, old lady." If the show weren't ending, I'd be curious to see a storyline about what happens when Elizabeth starts aging out of her sexpot years and can no longer just honeytrap any man the Center wants her to.

Why is Philip going to Chicago? Is he really going out of love for Elizabeth, to protect her? Is he going to spy on her? To derail the operation?

Honestly, I figure it's a complicated mix. First, he genuinely doesn't want Elizabeth to die but she may, secondly, also be getting a taste of her own medicine. She slept with Phillip last week to butter him up for the Kimmy-Greece mission and now him riding to her rescue might loosen her lips when it comes to sharing details about what she's up to, which helps Phillip help Oleg help Arkady help Gorby. I think he realized this episode given how things started off that being on the outs with Elizabeth isn't going to help his mission to keep Gorbachev from being overthrown. Thirdly, while catching this sleeper agent may help the FBI, I'm not sure it would help the negotiations. It's probably better for Gorbachev if Phillip, Oleg, Arkady & co. thwart the hardliner faction rather than the FBI at the moment. Unfortunately, at the moment I think Phillip defecting would hinder his ability to help Gorbachev. I'd like to see him defect in the last episode after the negotiations have been successful.

Part of me wants to see some payoff for the Renee storyline, but mostly I don't want to waste time on her since there are only four episodes left. They've had five other seasons for this storyline. Why cram it in now?

[scarlet]

May 3, 2018 14:06:33 GMT -4 Carolina said:

Honestly, I figure it's a complicated mix. First, he genuinely doesn't want Elizabeth to die but she may, secondly, also be getting a taste of her own medicine. She slept with Phillip last week to butter him up for the Kimmy-Greece mission and now him riding to her rescue might loosen her lips when it comes to sharing details about what she's up to, which helps Phillip help Oleg help Arkady help Gorby. I think he realized this episode given how things started off that being on the outs with Elizabeth isn't going to help his mission to keep Gorbachev from being overthrown. Thirdly, while catching this sleeper agent may help the FBI, I'm not sure it would help the negotiations. It's probably better for Gorbachev if Phillip, Oleg, Arkady & co. thwart the hardliner faction rather than the FBI at the moment. Unfortunately, at the moment I think Phillip defecting would hinder his ability to help Gorbachev. I'd like to see him defect in the last episode after the negotiations have been successful.

Yeah, I think no matter how much Philip is done with his past, he'll never be done with Elizabeth--and that may be his ultimate downfall.

BTW, spying as a hobby? I'm into it. Spying as a business? Looks exhausting and complicated. When Oleg had to concoct that potion just to get the legend to decode whatever Philip gave him? How do you not say screw it and go make yourself a sandwich?

[scrabblequeen]

May 3, 2018 14:06:33 GMT -4 Carolina said:

May 3, 2018 13:26:08 GMT -4 riosamba said:

Elizabeth is long in the tooth for that intern, and she’s really off her game.

Don't get me wrong, Keri Russell is stunningly beautiful, but that intern was looking at Elizabeth like "that's nice, old lady." If the show weren't ending, I'd be curious to see a storyline about what happens when Elizabeth starts aging out of her sexpot years and can no longer just honeytrap any man the Center wants her to.

I noticed that as well and it would be interesting to watch unfold. 

Things are not coming as easily to her as they once did: aging out of being able to attract whoever she wants, probably not having the same physical strength when it comes to killing, and just the job taking it's toll in general. Will that make her find other coping mechanisms and stay a loyal party member or will she step back and say nope I've done enough and don't want to see my daughter end up like this. Maybe Claudia was a honeypot extraordinaire in her day and part of the handling process is to slowly guide aging agents to using different talents as they get older. 

It does look like Henry will somehow unwittingly spill the beans to Stan, but it seems like next week Phillip is going to cop to an affair to cover up their odd schedules. Right? At least that's what I thought I saw in the previews. 

[danadel]

Apr 27, 2018 16:26:31 GMT -4 riosamba said:

Is anyone else wondering what’s up with Philip and Elizabeth’s house? In real life it’s a triplex, but the way it’s shot in the show makes it look like a development of duplex townhouses. I nosed around the internet but didn’t find answers. I’ve always wondered who is living on the other side of the duplex? Why would super secret agents live in a duplex with a shared wall? That seems like an unnecessary risk. Has this ever been addressed in the show?

Yes! I’ve always wondered. First why spies would want to share walls with someone, and also why would an FBI agent? I don’t think it’s ever been addressed.

[Deleted]

Stan is starting to figure it out. Finally! I like that it wasn’t an aha moment for him or because of some big mistake the Jennings made. Instead it was a bunch of little things that he realized didn’t add up. Now he just better not tell Renee about it in case she is a sleeper agent.

The hacking off of the hands and head of their fellow spy was the most disturbing thing on this show since the suitcase.

[Ladybug]

Feb 10, 2008 11:29:03 GMT -4 @bronze said:

Now he just better not tell Renee about it in case she is a sleeper agent.

Oh, yes. If he relays his suspicions to Renee, he's a goner. She was probably put there to keep tabs on the Jennings. I'm trying to recall the timeline, she met Stan at the gym. Who made the first move? What was going on with E&P at that time? Wasn't this around the time Philip got out of the spy game?

I couldn't breathe while he was snooping around their house. Obviously he wasn't going to find anything, but wow, he got so close. Just a couple of tugs on that breaker board and he'd see their spy stuff.

Pretty sure Philip's not going to make it. He will sacrifice himself for Elizabeth, then she will have to live with 1. losing her husband and 2. losing the Cold War.