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The Americans - S3 of the KGB spy drama - Keri Russell & Matthew Rhys - Wed on FX

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I pretty much have no idea how Phillips feels about Martha. Sometimes I get the idea that he actually cares about her a lot more than he lets on. But then I can't tell how much of it is an act. Like is he doing everything he's doing right now revealing himself because he genuinely likes her and wants her to stay or because he doesn't want to lose an asset. The lines are blurry! Martha is such a good woman that you just know Phillip cares for her.
 
Next week looks amazing. Can't believe it's the season finale already.

So we got a pool going on who exposes the Jennings to Stan? Martha or Paige?

I think Martha is more likely to be the one than Paige but I'm not sure it will happen this season. However my money is on the darkhorse Henry :p

Edit: Mindlog beat me to it lol
 

IronRinn

Member
-Sepinwall's review

That was really a hell of an ending. I'm glad there was no dialogue.

Sepinwall said:
The Paige rebellion scenes throughout the episode illustrate how effectively the series uses the spy material to enhance the family material (which has always felt like the show's true subject matter). On another show, the teenage daughter acting out because she feels betrayed by her parents would run the risk of making them feel like the sympathetic party, or simply elicit eye-rolling. Here, our sympathies are entirely with Paige — even Philip's and Elizabeth's are, to a degree, though they're annoyed with how she's choosing to act out — and the stakes of her rebellion are so much higher.
Speak for yourself, Alan.
 
Was that ending supposed to be shocking? I thought she already knew he wore a wig, and presumably had seen him without it, cause you know, they live together.
 

-griffy-

Banned
Was that ending supposed to be shocking? I thought she already knew he wore a wig, and presumably had seen him without it, cause you know, they live together.

She said she knew he wore a wig, but it seemed like she assumed he was actually bald or something and wore the wig because of that. Her dialog was something like "I know you wear a wig Clarke, and it's okay." I don't think she expected a full head of different colored hair and the glasses being fake. In any case he just fully revealed his true self to her, which is what was more impactful than just taking the wig off alone.
 

Clevinger

Member
"Henry was worried about a bear eating him."
"I didn't know that."
"He made me promise not to tell anyone."

LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS, PAIGE
 

Dan

No longer boycotting the Wolfenstein franchise
There are so many plots still running. I have no idea how the finale is already next week.

"Henry was worried about a bear eating him."
"I didn't know that."
"He made me promise not to tell anyone."

LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS, PAIGE

Haha, I had the same thought.

This season is going to end with the twist to end all twists: Henry is already working for the Centre.
 

KarmaCow

Member
There are so many plots still running. I have no idea how the finale is already next week.

I was thinking the same thing but I'm not sure how many are still actually running for this season like Hans being in love with Elizabeth, Philip dancing around Kimberly, or smaller things like if Martha is actually caught from various different breadcrumbs instead of it just being setup for what happened this episode.

Oh and Nina but no one cares about Nina.
 
Paige is acting like a normal person within the confines of the story they shoe is trying to tell. It would be weird for her to be hung ho about her parents chosen profession. This isn't an opportunity to be a badass or action hero. She's trying to process at the age of 13/13/15, a life that seems like it has been based on lies. Who are her parents really? Can she honestly trust them? And if she can't, what else could they be lying to her about. Everything she's done or said is absolutely reasonable to me.

As for Philip and Martha, that reveal shows more than a wig. That's a proper disguise. The "Clark" ruse is dead now. I was expecting him to off her and just leave the bug on her body. Guess not on that one.

I'm worried about Henry. Phillip and Elizabeth are putting in some serious neglect

He got dem videogames to play. The kid is oblivious to what's going on and it's for the best.

Also part of my work duties involves similar work that Elizabeth was doing with the phone lines. Although I'm just toning out a line or tracing one so I know where the analog line goes. No snooping or spying involved. :p

Only one more left in the season. Doesn't feel like it though.
 

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
Whoa, didn't see that one coming!

Also, Claudia. *bow*

lol no shit. I mean, I understand the sentiment, but she still needs to chill.

Her parents are enemies of the United States and her entire existence has been a lie, as far as she knows. That's not something you just get over after a few days. Especially not at 15.

Paige is acting like a normal person within the confines of the story they shoe is trying to tell. It would be weird for her to be hung ho about her parents chosen profession. This isn't an opportunity to be a badass or action hero. She's trying to process at the age of 13/13/15, a life that seems like it has been based on lies. Who are her parents really? Can she honestly trust them? And if she can't, what else could they be lying to her about. Everything she's done or said is absolutely reasonable to me.

Nailed it.

He got dem videogames to play. The kid is oblivious to what's going on and it's for the best.

"videogames"
 

Dan

No longer boycotting the Wolfenstein franchise
I was thinking the same thing but I'm not sure how many are still actually running for this season like Hans being in love with Elizabeth, Philip dancing around Kimberly, or smaller things like if Martha is actually caught from various different breadcrumbs instead of it just being setup for what happened this episode.

Oh and Nina but no one cares about Nina.

Kimberly + Mujahideen stuff
Martha's jeopardy between the FBI and Philip
Paige craziness
Nina + Stan/Oleg's plot + the defector
Northrup

A lot of that's interconnected as well, like the Northrup plans looping back into what Nina's doing with the scientist. I would imagine some of these will at least reach interim conclusions.
 

IronRinn

Member
Paige is acting like a normal person within the confines of the story they shoe is trying to tell. It would be weird for her to be hung ho about her parents chosen profession. This isn't an opportunity to be a badass or action hero. She's trying to process at the age of 13/13/15, a life that seems like it has been based on lies. Who are her parents really? Can she honestly trust them? And if she can't, what else could they be lying to her about. Everything she's done or said is absolutely reasonable to me.

Her parents are enemies of the United States and her entire existence has been a lie, as far as she knows. That's not something you just get over after a few days. Especially not at 15.

On an intellectual level I know and understand these points, and they make sense. It does not change the fact that for two episodes now her scenes have consisted mostly of her barging into a room to ask questions in an increasingly shrill manner. I feel bad for feeling this way, but I'm starting to dread the Paige scenes because the character as written has become so obnoxious.

It also seems that the whole plot line with Kim might have simply existed to convince Philip to tell Paige the truth, which is kind of shitty. Hopefully this isn't the case.
 

bob_arctor

Tough_Smooth
It does not change the fact that for two episodes now her scenes have consisted mostly of her barging into a room to ask questions in an increasingly shrill manner.

Isn't that the point though? Philip and Elizabeth always had these quiet moments alone at home where they could discuss and digest what they go through--the audience has become accustomed to these scenes throughout--and now that's completely gone. So, now, as a viewer, we are not only annoyed at the intrusion, we are forced be even more conscious of everything going on without the respite those quiet scenes usually provided.
 

Niraj

I shot people I like more for less.
Her parents are enemies of the United States and her entire existence has been a lie, as far as she knows. That's not something you just get over after a few days. Especially not at 15.

Well no shit lol. That's just me as a selfish viewer. It makes perfect sense in terms of the story. I don't think it's unreasonable to separate the two.
 

IronRinn

Member
Isn't that the point though? Philip and Elizabeth always had these quiet moments alone at home where they could discuss and digest what they go through--the audience has become accustomed to these scenes throughout--and now that's completely gone. So, now, as a viewer, we are not only annoyed at the intrusion, we are forced be even more conscious of everything going on without the respite those quiet scenes usually provided.
I mean sure, I suppose that could be the point. The only problem there is that while Philip and Elizabeth are stuck being annoyed with their petulant teenager, as a viewer I can just get so annoyed that I drop out all together.

(I'm not going to stop watching the show for something like this, I'm just pointing out the risk in such a move I guess.)

I'm also perfectly willing to admit that some of this may have to do with not having or wanting kids, so that could be why this is not landing with me. I thought the scene where Paige found out was great. I like Holly Taylor. It's just that the past two episodes her scenes are her angrily playing 20 Questions.

Also, I didn't mention it before, but I really liked the scene between Gabriel and Claudia, both for the history hinted at between them, and because it showed that even Gabriel has his doubts.

Well no shit lol. That's just me as a selfish viewer. It makes perfect sense in terms of the story. I don't think it's unreasonable to separate the two.
This too.
 

bob_arctor

Tough_Smooth
I'm also perfectly willing to admit that some of this may have to do with not having or wanting kids, so that could be why this is not landing with me.

Heh. As the father of a 13 year old daughter, these scenes are all too familiar. Barring all the espionage talk, of course.
 

IronRinn

Member
Heh. As the father of a 13 year old daughter, these scenes are all too familiar. Barring all the espionage talk, of course.

fry.PNG


Sounds exactly like something someone who regularly engages in espionage talk would say.
 
- IndieWire review
- Variety: John Oliver, Amy Schumer, ‘Black Mirror,’ ‘Rectify,’ ‘The Americans’ Among Peabody Winners
Here is the Peabody org’s rundown on this year’s winners:

The Americans (FX)
Fox Television Studios and FX Productions
In this ingenious, addictive cliffhanger, Reagan-era Soviet spies – married with children and a seemingly endless supply of wigs — operate out of a lovely 3BR home in a suburb of Washington, D.C. Between their nail-biter missions (and sometimes in the midst of them), the series contemplates duty, honor, parental responsibility, fidelity, both nationalistic and marital, and what it means to be an American.
 

Mindlog

Member
"Henry was worried about a bear eating him."
"I didn't know that."
"He made me promise not to tell anyone."

LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS, PAIGE
Yeah, that one was a little on the nose. Let's recap.

1. Largely neglected.
2. Parents and sister acting weird.
3. Bonded with Mr. Beeman over a football game and last seen playing a football game.
4. Bonded with Mr. Beeman over Mrs. Beeman.
5. Mimics Eddie Murphy who is well known for his hatred of communism.
6. We are reminded it was the son who killed the other illegal family.
7. Henry is afraid of the bear.
7xxMxx4.jpg


One of these may not be true. I'm missing a few other things.
Henry goes into witness protection and becomes Ethan Hunt.
 
- Slate podcast: An Inside Look at the Most Important Part of The Americans: the Wigs
In this installment about the twelfth episode, “I Am Abasing Zadran,” Peggy Schierholz from the show’s hair and makeup department joins script coordinator Molly Nussbaum and executive producers Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg to discuss arguably the most important part of The Americans—the wigs. Spoiler: She hates Clark’s wig. Plus, a quick check-in with actress Alison Wright about her character Martha’s shocking discovery.
 

Linius

Member
No one is mentioning Ultravox then? Great addition to their usage of epic eighties music.

And damn, that ending was quite a shocker. Even though the finale is next week I'm not too worried about too many pots. It's not a series finale after all. I'm totally fine with them picking up some stuff next season again. Really curious to see how the finale plays out though with the Clark cover out of the window.
 
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