The Americans [FX - Spoilers]

mrkite77 · 10-04-2015 8:43pm

expectationlost wrote: »

is paige going to help her mother see her mother?

That's what I was thinking. There's that trip with the church youth group coming up, it's possible they could use that as an excuse to get out of the country.

zeffabelli · 10-04-2015 9:11pm

mrkite77 wrote: »

That's what I was thinking. There's that trip with the church youth group coming up, it's possible they could use that as an excuse to get out of the country.

Travelling to the Soviet Union was as hard back then as it is now to go to North Korea.

Paige is also a minor.

FloatingVoter · 10-04-2015 10:33pm

zeffabelli wrote: »

Travelling to the Soviet Union was as hard back then as it is now to go to North Korea.

Paige is also a minor.

It was easy enough to get in from Ireland or any other third party country. Plenty of people used to go (including half the then Workers Party on junkets).

Fred Swanson · 10-04-2015 10:35pm

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zeffabelli · 10-04-2015 10:37pm

This series doesn't take place in Ireland.

FloatingVoter · 10-04-2015 10:39pm

zeffabelli wrote: »

This series doesn't take place in Ireland.

10/10 for observation.......someone of your wit will have noticed the upcoming trip to Kenya. I'm sure Aeroflot had flights to and from Nairobi.

Fred Swanson · 10-04-2015 10:41pm

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Arghus · 11-04-2015 12:56am

Surprised no-one has mentioned the miraculous Lazarus like resurrection of the alcoholic estranged husband of Elizabeth's AA Friend/Source of information.

Was I imagining it that Elizabeth dropped a car on his head a few episodes back?

expectationlost · 11-04-2015 1:55am

Arghus wrote: »

Surprised no-one has mentioned the miraculous Lazarus like resurrection of the alcoholic estranged husband of Elizabeth's AA Friend/Source of information.

Was I imagining it that Elizabeth dropped a car on his head a few episodes back?

no that was another employee, the wife got his job.

but i was bit confused at the time too

MagicMarker · 11-04-2015 10:45am

Arghus wrote: »

Was I imagining it that Elizabeth dropped a car on his head a few episodes back?

Wasn't he white?

Fred Swanson · 11-04-2015 10:46am

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FloatingVoter · 11-04-2015 11:20am

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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Yup. It wasn't made very clear. Just a passing mention that a job would open up should an employee leave the higher security clearance workplace. Cue Elizabeth taking a late night stroll and bumping off a random extra who fitted the bill. Job problem sorted.
The reappearance of the husband makes sense - from an outsiders point of view, he knows damn well that cash for information regarding hush hush security work is well dodgy to the point of treason. If it wouldn't raise suspicions, Elizabeth would probably have plans for him too. Given that he's already guessed she's the driving force, he may well find himself staggering under a bus.

The Black Oil · 11-04-2015 11:31am

FloatingVoter wrote: »

Oh....and yes, Philip has awoken a sleeping monster. You don't hire Frank Langella and ask him to play chess. He runs deeper, same as the character he's playing.

Scrabble, n'est pas? :cool:

HH Barbara Allen · 11-04-2015 7:24pm

zeffabelli wrote: »

Travelling to the Soviet Union was as hard back then as it is now to go to North Korea.

Paige is also a minor.

That's not actually true. One of the teachers at my US school took a group to the USSR each year throughout the eighties. I went myself in 89.

That said, it would be incredibly problematic for Elizabeth to go. Her cover depends on her not appearing to have any ties there.

Fred Swanson · 11-04-2015 7:26pm

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The Black Oil · 11-04-2015 7:29pm

Agency's closed until season 4.

https://twitter.com/joel_fields/status/586705725809803264

Black Menorca · 11-04-2015 7:45pm

I don't think the Centre would allow Elizabeth to return home to her mother's death bed.

Surely Gabriel would have suggested it by now.

If she's going home, it will have to be behind the Centre's back.

HH Barbara Allen · 12-04-2015 5:19pm

I have some real problems with this woman, but also some real sympathy. Can we discuss?

The Black Oil · 12-04-2015 8:30pm

Can you elaborate?

HH Barbara Allen · 12-04-2015 10:10pm

I can't quite get over the pressure she put on "Clark" in series 1. I get that she's lonely and thinks she's in love, but still. Maybe it's just that I know about Elizabeth and resent it all, but still! No one has a right to be so stupid, wilfully or not.

Fred Swanson · 16-04-2015 10:41am

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Black Menorca · 16-04-2015 9:29pm

Amazing episode!

Poor Martha.

This could be the final straw for Philip. Will Stan come back to apologise to Martha just in time?

I'd be surprised if the Centre would allow Elizabeth go home, so I'm thinking this will be a rogue journey.

FloatingVoter · 16-04-2015 10:59pm

Matha is dead. Been fun knowing you. At least you lived to see some serious wig action.
Elizabeth is a travel agent. They are one of the professions who regularly took trips to the Soviet Union in the 1980s (lawyers / politicians and left-leaning teachers make up the rest). Scouting for hotels suitable for the general population etc. It was about as exotic as taking a trip to Cuba is nowadays. Not the Canaries but a fun trip and if you were lucky you might get your own KGB tail.
They do need to take Paige far, far away to sort her little head out. The alternative is nigh on unthinkable for any mother, no matter how cold and professional - even Joe Stalin would sign off on that.

Black Menorca · 16-04-2015 11:17pm

I'm thinking if Philip kills Martha that will be it for him. He'll walk away, or at least try to.

Fred Swanson · 16-04-2015 11:36pm

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FloatingVoter · 16-04-2015 11:42pm

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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...you were left to wonder exactly how inept these fools were to a) be so easily made and b) be following you about in the first place.

There is another comedy drama to be made about the lads and lassies who didn't pass the exams that Philip and Elizabeth did. Doomed to follow stoned schoolkids about in ever decreasing circles.

The Black Oil · 17-04-2015 10:28pm

Elizabeth probably worked for Eircom with that whopper of a phone, back in the day.

Slightly more tempo with 3.12, a very ominous penultimate episode. Two key elements. Firstly, next week will bring death and secondly, uncertainty and the weight of responsibility seared right through this one. Paige, Martha, Stan, P & E are all carrying something. Not to mention the maternal and paternal themes shone through with Gabriel and Claudia, too.

The start with lonely drive home to the garage. Plenty of key scenes take place there, and in hotels. Despite knowing her folks lie for living, Paige's anger's somewhat controlled, but it's a fine line. Stan's a neighbour, FBI agent, a threat, and when something doesn't smell right, we know his form as a check-er-upperer. Agent Adlerholt ain't going to go away. Martha's situation is sad, there's no other word for it. I'd like to bet slightly against them killing her. In a way, so many signs point to the obvious to make me doubt it a little, but it's hard to not seeing them going there. How it unfolds might have implications for next year.

I did enjoy Oleg and Tatiana getting Arkady to reconsider. One imagines that counter-arguing in the Residentura ain't easy. The mission comes first, though. The chat in the car with the mujahideen guy, damn. 'My country's always at war'...what's changed?

As a piece of TV, the wig removal was both horrifying and calculated brilliance.

DMcL1971 · 17-04-2015 10:55pm

I don't quite get why most people seem to be shocked by Philip/Clark's wig removal and are assuming that Martha is now a goner. I didn't get that feeling at all. Martha knows that he wears a wig but she had never seen him without it. He had no murderous or evil intent in his eyes when he removed it.

The impression that I got was that he did it as a gesture to show that he was willing to no longer hide anything from her. Symbolically the wig represents his deception and lies. He is now willing to show her his real self without any more deception. If it works then it should bring her closer to him and make her trust him again. If it doesn't work, then yes, she will have to go.

The Black Oil · 17-04-2015 10:58pm

Not shocking. Just the tone of that scene, imo...

expectationlost · 17-04-2015 11:54pm

i was wondering how he gets his wig on by himself, if it takes that much doing to get it off, but the show podcast, said they wanted that scene to go on aslong as possible so they stretched out the process as much as possible.

Kilkenny14 · 18-04-2015 12:29am

DMcL1971 wrote: »

I don't quite get why most people seem to be shocked by Philip/Clark's wig removal and are assuming that Martha is now a goner. I didn't get that feeling at all. Martha knows that he wears a wig but she had never seen him without it. He had no murderous or evil intent in his eyes when he removed it.

The impression that I got was that he did it as a gesture to show that he was willing to no longer hide anything from her. Symbolically the wig represents his deception and lies. He is now willing to show her his real self without any more deception. If it works then it should bring her closer to him and make her trust him again. If it doesn't work, then yes, she will have to go.

I'd agree with that. I'm watiing to see what Stan is going to do next? Tell Gad of his suspicions or trail Martha? Or confide in his good neighbour Stan?

The Black Oil · 18-04-2015 9:59am

Anyone know what Lisa's husband's up to?

https://twitter.com/leo_girl/status/589189763661484032

thegreengoblin · 18-04-2015 11:54pm

I think they got the wig cliffhanger spot on. It really could go either way. I don't think Philip will kill Martha but...it's the kind of show where it can easily happen and we shouldn't be surprised by it. Maybe he'll try to do it and Stan will turn up again.

Which leads me to ask this: if Philip knew Stan was at Martha's surely he could never risk going there again so why did he go back? Surely he would think the FBI now have her apartment under surveillance, despite him trying to convince Martha that they don't suspect her. But it was a fantastic reveal. I can't wait to see what happens.

On a side note, I loved hearing Vienna by Ultravox. That song has such a cold war vibe to it, the video too. It has a real eerie feel to it, it always reminded me of dark, wintry nights and I think it slotted in nicely...even if it was a very truncated version of the song!

expectationlost · 19-04-2015 12:04am

The Black Oil wrote: »

Anyone know what Lisa's husband's up to?

https://twitter.com/leo_girl/status/589189763661484032

about 10k? more in cash

MagicMarker · 19-04-2015 12:10pm

It sounds to me like Phillip does actually love Martha.... or am I way off?

zeffabelli · 19-04-2015 3:08pm

MagicMarker wrote: »

It sounds to me like Phillip does actually love Martha.... or am I way off?

I think Phillip is not as good as his wife is as compartmentalising.

Im not sure in this scene, if it is true vulnerability or of its a tactic to to reverse Martha's decision by displaying such trust.

She is definitely going to have to go. Phillip will be ordered to kill her off. I wonder if this + Paige would be enough to trigger Phillip into turning. It would be facinating, maybe impossible for the writers, to have Phillip still married to Elizabeth as a turned agent.

Black Menorca · 19-04-2015 3:57pm

I said two weeks ago that Philip go double, reporting to Stan, while still married to Elizabeth.

It would be epic next season.

expectationlost · 19-04-2015 11:18pm

MagicMarker wrote: »

It sounds to me like Phillip does actually love Martha.... or am I way off?

i think he feels sorry for her, what i wonder is what have they been doing for the last 15? years that they are just tackling these dilemmas now

expectationlost · 20-04-2015 1:32am

Black Menorca wrote: »

I said two weeks ago that Philip go double, reporting to Stan, while still married to Elizabeth.

It would be epic next season.

he would have to lose a child first.

Kirby · 20-04-2015 3:51pm

expectationlost wrote: »

he would have to lose a child first.

Everybody expects it to be Paige.....so it will be Henry. Calling it now. :P

FloatingVoter · 20-04-2015 5:04pm

Kirby wrote: »

Everybody expects it to be Paige.....so it will be Henry. Calling it now. :P

I'd nearly expect. Paige is old and wise enough to be at least discreet. If the younger dimmer lad gets half the story it would be around the playground before noon.
Were Philip's co-worker Elizabeth * to get wind of that, she might just do it.

* I'm using assignations not marriage vows here.

The Black Oil · 20-04-2015 9:39pm

Given the proper training, some field experience and a time jump, Paige could be a spy in the Clinton administration.

Her soundtrack would have to change, naturally.

FloatingVoter · 20-04-2015 9:51pm

The Black Oil wrote: »

Given the proper training, some field experience and a time jump, Paige could be a spy in the Clinton administration.

Her soundtrack would have to change, naturally.

Buy her a blue dress and give her a field name - Monica for example.

squonk · 21-04-2015 10:11am

Aw poor Paige. I actually really feel sorry for her. Holly Taylor is doing a fantastic job this season. She's a sweet young girl who's trying to find herself and what she believes and suddenly has the most insane revalation every just land in her lap. It's not helped by the fact her mother is a cold, hard-ass bítch intent on having her follow in her footsteps. I'm hoping that she sides with Philip.

I can see Henry getting into trouble though. He's awfully close to Beeman and if he hears something he shouldn't, it mightn't be beyond the bounds of possibility that the information could make it's way to Stan. I think the show is really getting into some fascinating terriroty at this point.

The Black Oil · 21-04-2015 7:38pm

I don't think they've developed Henry enough beyond some light relief, his porn collection, etc.

Checking out some podcasts based around the show. One's called Watching The Americans, the other, Rise Comrades. :pac:

DMcL1971 · 21-04-2015 9:32pm

The Black Oil wrote: »

Checking out some podcasts based around the show. One's called Watching The Americans, the other, Rise Comrades. :pac:

I have been listening to both of these this season. Watching The Americans, in my opinion, is the better of the two. They release an episode each week covering that weeks episode. They are pretty quick about getting the episodes out, whereas Rise Comrades are nearly two weeks behind at this stage. Watching The Americans also cover what was going on in the news at the time the episode was set and fills in some back story of the politics and technology. Also in the last couple of weeks they have had interviews with Kelly AuCoin (Pastor Tim) and Alison Wright (Martha Hanson).

The two guys on Rise Comrades tend to go off on tangents and end up chatting to each other about off topic stuff. Also they don't seem to understand any of the politics. They got particularly mixed up about apartheid.

The official podcast is the one at Slate TV Club Insider. This is also great. Unfortunately it is a bit short but they have had interviews with the creators, writers, stunt people, hair and makeup. Also all the main actors.

The Black Oil · 21-04-2015 9:44pm

Yeah, I listened to one episode of Rise Comrades on the bus today. There's a bit of waffle and they discuss the episode as it plays in the background. Some dissection as they go along. Not the most in depth analysis around, but hey. Is it worth going back through the archives of the other one, or indeed the Slate one?

Can't wait for the finale. Confident they'll maintain the quality of previous ones.

DMcL1971 · 21-04-2015 10:27pm

I would definitely recommend going through all the Slate ones as they are very good and only about 20 minutes each. You could try a couple of the 'Watching The Americans' ones too although they are about 90 minutes each.

http://theamericans.audio.slate.com/

DMcL1971 · 21-04-2015 10:41pm

Podcast Episode 2 has an interesting breakdown of how they shot the scene of folding Annelise's body into the suitcase using a combination of the real actress, a body double, a contortionist and a puppet.

Episode 5 has an interview with Matthew Rhys.
Episode 6 has an interview with Keri Russell.
Episode 7 has an interview with Noah Emmerich about the episode that he directed.
Episode 8 has an interview with Alison Wright and with the stunt co-ordinator about how the did the tyre burn of Venter.
Episode 9 has an interview with costume people.
Episode 10 has an interview with Holly Taylor which unfortunately gets cut very short.
Episode 12 has an interview with hair and makeup people with plenty of wig talk.

Black Menorca · 22-04-2015 7:47pm

Alison Wright is a Geordie lass, well from Sunderland but you know what I mean. What a shock to hear her real accent.

The Americans [FX - Spoilers]

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