Episode discussion post: "Tchaikovsky"
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theamericansAired:
4 April 2018 in the U.S. and Canada
This is a discussion post for episode 602 of The Americans, intended for viewers who are watching the show on the U.S./Canadian schedule. (Feel free to dive in to the discussion even if you're coming in late--and you should also feel free to start a new thread if it seems too daunting to read through what's already been posted first. If you're reading this at a point where you've already seen subsequent episodes, though, please take care to keep comments spoiler-free of anything that comes after season six, episode two.)
Original promo trailer
4 April 2018 in the U.S. and Canada
This is a discussion post for episode 602 of The Americans, intended for viewers who are watching the show on the U.S./Canadian schedule. (Feel free to dive in to the discussion even if you're coming in late--and you should also feel free to start a new thread if it seems too daunting to read through what's already been posted first. If you're reading this at a point where you've already seen subsequent episodes, though, please take care to keep comments spoiler-free of anything that comes after season six, episode two.)
Original promo trailer
My review
Date: 2018-04-05 08:11 am (UTC)Now the new General Up To No Good had explicitly ordered Elizabeth not to tell her husband about the whole summit mission, but the fact that Elizabeth goes out of her way not to talk to Philip in general and during their one and only conversation in this episode when having the chance invents a worry with Paige instead of talking about the actual worrisome Paige-related event last episode (i.e. the security guard) does not augur well. Now it could be that Elizabeth simply does not want to worry Philip - Paige slipping up with a name sounds more harmless than "security guard confiscated fake ID with Paige's photo on it, hit on her, then I killed him", an action which Philip more likely than not would have undertaken as well (see: past record). But in these two keeping secrets from each other in this show never ends well, especially when it's not even necessary by plot. Mind you, I buy it completely as part of their psychological make-up, given their chosen profession for decades. Keeping secrets and lying is their default. Note that Philip also doesn't insist on another conversation or tries to bring up that interesting encounter he had again. Which would indicate he's already at least considering what Oleg suggested.
At a guess, this is also the point of the whole losing-a-client mini subplot which otherwise seems a bit random. Philip at first blames losing his client of 15 years on Stavros, but as both Stavros and Henry point out, Philp is the one who had formed the relationship, and just handing the man over to Stavros already is a step to enstrangement. Now it had been Elizabeth who suggested to Philip he should quit and let her carry on the spying alone, but still, they both know in that profession, you're in or you're out, and their relationship, long before it became romantic, started as a professional partnership first and foremost. Take that element away, on which all others were built, and can the remainder survive?
Meanwhile, back at the FBI: Aderholt tells Stan Oleg is back in town, and not on a diplomatic via, but alas the show is making us wait for that extremely interesting reunion for another episode. Instead, we get treated to Stan Beeman, worst marriage guidance counsellor ever, and seriously, who thought Stan could work with this part of being a handler? (Actually, I don't think Stan is good at being a handler in general, and not just because of Nina; he's not capable of adjusting parts of his personality to what the asset needs, the way we've seen both Elizabeth and Philip do over the course of the series.) Lastly, did I mishear or did Stan address Aderholt as "Gus"? I thought Aderholt's first name was Dennis?
Speaking of handlers: I note that Claudia is careful to make it clear she's "not supposed to be curious" about what the orders for Elizabeth she's handing over from the Centre are about, i.e. that she does not know anything of the matter. Could be significant on either a Doylist (the show's writers want to make this clear) or Watsonian (Claudia points this out, whether or not it's actually true, in order to have cover and plausible deniability when things go sideways) level. That she plays the Tchaikovsky record for Elizabeth and Paige (who is not into classics) is one of the few times we've seen Claudia share something personally important to her and would indicate she's made Elizabeth and Paige a replacement family, but of course as with anything, it could be manipulation as well.
Elizabeth continues to run herself ragged, working (and smoking) nonstop and slipping in and out of different roles, which is perhaps why she makes a catastrophic mistake at the end by bringing Paige as back-up. Seriously: meeting a jumpy high level official whom you're attempting to blackmail alone in a park is not something you bring a rookie like Paige to as back-up. Even the late Hans early on would have been a questionable choice. That's the kind of mission you need a complete professional as backup for, and even if Philip is no longer available, there's the woman we saw Elizabeth with last episode. With the end result being Paige as an almost-witness to the gory death of an US admiral and definitely liable for the resulting clean-up. Never mind Paige's shock and the sight of her mother covered in brains, she's due to a lengthy prison sentence too now.
Incidentally, how old is Paige by now? Because I'm not sure I'm buying the naivete of her "is there sex involved?" question about spying. I mean, not having an idea of just how completely both of her parents were sexually used by the state is one thing, but the basic concept of a honey trap is really not something that you need books to read for in 1987.
Let's see, what else: Reagan's senility as a factor, which is interesting, since I did buy Claudia's complete surprise in this regard, and also her having no idea of what that means for the USSR - good or bad? The guide's little speech at the Lafayette bust about how sympbolism matters more than the truth - how Lafayette actually looked like is besides the point, only what he symbolizes for US history. Could be read as meta; Reagan's image not just in conservative US circles versus the reality?
While watching thoughts
Date: 2018-04-05 11:31 am (UTC)Smoking again. I do love the bokeh'd light of her lighter in the background, through the door window, as the shot focuses on Philip.
A very different looking FBI department from Stan's old one! Case meetings in the open and everything...
'I'll come down soon.. I'll come down now'.
The shot of the mail robot was deliberate too.
Ah, they do know Oleg is there. Pointed reversal of authority between the pair of them.
Why's Philip using a calculator rather than a spreadsheet?
I am now wondering where I've seen the actor playing Patrick in the bookshop now. Oh, of course, Frank's VP in House of Cards.
People you wouldn't ask for advice on your relationship: #1 Stan.
"You're a good friend." "Yeah..."
Is Elizabeth going to use him killing his wife as leverage or offer to do it herself as leverage?
Ah, the classic morphine overdose method and, yes, she is offering.
There should have been a lot more supervision meetings like this in the show - a really interesting mix of personal and professional, even in the short bit we see: keeping her alive, despite the pain, until the end of the summit.
"Don't tell her we talked about this". Does Paige know Philip is retired and what does she think about it?
Dealing with "murderers, drug dealers and corrupt politicians" - this is what Stan was doing in his previous department!
I like the way that he leans back on the toilet to make sure he's out of the way of the x-rays!! I do wonder about anyone coming into the room though.
Another spend on the music licensing budget, another Talking Heads. As no-one's talking...
Philip working in another way.
Nice shot of the newly un-blonde Elizabeth going off in the distance.
"You have to keep this to yourself" - Reagan's dementia wasn't exactly a secret.
Skipping over Tchaikovsky's homosexuality there..
Oh come on, Elizabeth, be honest with Paige about the sex. You can tell she doesn't believe you.
.. especially as you get to 'yes' anyway.
I'm still amused / annoyed that there are so many scenes in parks at night (and toilets come to that) and not once do we see any cruising.
"And whose fault is that?"
Elizabeth is going to kill her at some point.
Yet another work debrief in this episode, this time from Henry.
How long has it been since someone pointed a gun at Elizabeth?
Ah, this is more like Elizabeth! She's a bit lucky the angle of the gun was right..
.. and along comes Paige. 'No, I don't have sex with them, but I do sometimes get their brains splattered all over my face...'
Why is she whispering when she would be deafened by having three gun shots go off very close to her ears?
The lighting is very dim, but is there something incriminating left on the ground as she leaves?
The deal between Elizabeth and Philip
Date: 2018-04-05 12:07 pm (UTC)In s6e1's musical intro to the series, one of the early shots is Elizabeth arriving late and them just exchanging glances and the barest of smiles before she goes off, alone, upstairs.
So is it 'don't ask, don't tell', up to the point where there's something about Paige?
no subject
Date: 2018-04-05 02:18 pm (UTC)Elizabeth's willingness to embrace death as her fate is completely opposite to the artist who actually is dying. Elizabeth seems utterly blind to the fact that at any moment she could choose a different fate for herself. She's so devoted to her rigid view of herself as ideologically pure warrior that she'll willingly (and unnecessarily) die for the Cause. The artist seems to want to deny death right up until the last unbearable moment by creating new art, but at the same time the pain she's suffering is so overwhelming that death would be a welcome release. Elizabeth would like to ease her suffering and help her achieve an efficient, painless death, but she also needs to keep her alive (and suffering) until the summit is over. And Elizabeth still can't figure out why the dying artist insists on feverishly creating art (life) with every waking moment. Hopefully Elizabeth will see the point before the series ends, but maybe not. It's entirely possible that the series will end with Elizabeth choosing death-by-ideology over life.
On a lighter note, how hilarious was it to see Stan Beeman providing marriage counseling to Gennady and Sofia? Comedy gold. "Hey, uh, guys. Um. Relationships are hard. Please keep spying for us, kthanx!"
I was even more amused to see how easily Aderholt was able to lure Beeman back over to counter-intelligence ops. Forget how much fun it is to work on cases involving drug dealers, murderers, and corrupt politicians. "Hey Stan. Guess who's back in town. Your old pal Oleg Burov!" Stan: "Really? Damn. Guess I'm going to play an active role in the end of this series after all!" My current crack speculation is that Oleg is going to manipulate Stan into sending intel back to Arkady in Russia, because there's no other easy way for Oleg to get updates back home without drawing attention to himself from the hardliner wing of the KGB. We'll see.
Right now I'm not feeling too good about Elizabeth's fate, but of course the show wants us to feel that way so I still can't figure out what's going to happen to her. I know what I want to happen, but the great thing about the writing on this show is that it's unpredictable.
Random thoughts:
- How hilarious was it when Paige asked Elizabeth about honeytrapping? Elizabeth: "Who told you about me?!? I mean, NO, that never happens! I mean, it probably does happen, but what do I know? Nobody ever tells me anything! I mean... hey look over there!" Tries to distract Paige.
- How hopeful for Paige that she revealed that she is doing her own side-research into espionage. Maybe there's still a chance that she'll figure out all on her own that spying isn't a harmless, feel-good frolic.
- Henry's brief phone call with Philip was quite endearing. That kid is the only one in the family who is actually succeeding to have a life of his own. Good for him. Being the overlooked, latch-key kid probably saved his life. At least for now.
Re: The deal between Elizabeth and Philip
Date: 2018-04-05 03:05 pm (UTC)Re: While watching thoughts
Date: 2018-04-05 03:13 pm (UTC)Hm, not sure about this. I seem to recall the stories didn't start until his last year in office or therabouts, but then again I wasn't in the US at the time. Or, wait - we're in 1987. That is about that time.
Skipping over Tchaikovsky's homosexuality there...
Which didn't exist as far as official Russian history was concerned at the time, methinks. (Depressingly, it got written out of history again more recently.) Certainly not when Claudia was young. Otoh "he had a lonely life" was maybe her euphemism. Though I thought she was more drawing a parallel to herself.
Sistermagpie's thoughts on Tchaikovsky
Date: 2018-04-05 04:55 pm (UTC)I realized watching Gennady that I know him from this Russian movie and it was hard to not think of him as the ad executive whose long lost daughter showed up to try to get her parents back together. LOL!
When Elizabeth said "at least her husband's doing something" about the artist I felt like that was central to Elizabeth's character now because...what is she doing? That is, what's she doing it for? She thinks she's saving the world, but what for since she holds all humanity in contempt? She thinks art's a waste of time, doesn't really respect people who like life and are happy for dumb reasons, doesn't value relationships. She's nobly handing off Paige to the woman who tried to break up her family because why shouldn't Paige's main relationship be with a person who gets paid to manipulate her and would shoot her in the face if necessary? Because the KGB obviously values their sources so much. Would Claudia would stick her neck out for her like Philip did for Martha?
In fact, when Elizabeth gave her little "it'll be better for her" speech as if she'd just have a 9 to 5 job, it's funny she didn't think of 9 to 5 Martha. Who the KGB would have let swing if not for Philip. (I like that it seems she's not just dead to life she's almost afraid of life--afraid to even try to draw a cup because art is too much like life.)
But then, it seems like Claudia suckered Elizabeth in with her mommy issues long ago, much as Paige caved to Elizabeth.
If I were Marilyn I'd be seriously looking for a way out. I thought she was acting as lookout on that job at the end too but man, why bring Paige and her knitted tam hat?
The Paige/Claudia/Elizabeth scene seemed again sad. I'm sure Paige has sat through plenty of a filmstrips about Tchaikovsky already in school. He's kinda famous. (I wondered if Elizabeth saying Paige didn't like classical music was supposed to echo Elizabeth's disinterest in art at all. Cause it's not like Paige seems like she's interested in any other music.)
More importantly was Claudia's waxing rhapsodic about the war. It reminded me of that review that talked about some people just wanting to hang onto their misery. Not to mention, how awkward with them all having to stand there and listen to a record. It just seems like the out of touch club. Paige has no connection to The War at all--and if she did it certainly wouldn't be from the perspective of a Russian who remembered it. We know Claudia couldn't connect to her actual Russian family when she went home. Much easier to deal with blank slate Paige.
Paige once again behaves as a daughter rather than a spy. Not only does she run toward a gun shot after being told to stay in the car but she runs in yelling, "Mom!" to reveal what a great hostage she'd be if the guy wanted one. Or just a prisoner. So much for that inspiring "You kept your cover!" speech from last week. Maybe just let her keep her leather jacket and pretend she's doing stakeouts from now on.
I do like that the guy didn't give Elizabeth what she wanted. He and Philip were on the same page way back when. He and Elizabeth not so much. The guy wasn't a traitor.
Gotta say, my favorite scene was when Henry called. Talk about an injection of energy and charisma--but sounding natural. It didn't feel over the top to me and it could have, having him clown around.
The thing that really struck me about the scene--and I hope this was intended--was that we have all these intense bonding scenes with Paige who allegedly knows the "real" Elizabeth, but they're full of manipulation and lies. Elizabeth lies about using sex, she'll presumably lie about the guy committing suicide. She lied about Paige's mistake, doesn't want Philip to know they talked about her. She can't say anything that isn't selling the Centre but also isn't give her the "tough talk" stuff. Paige doesn't seem to notice that her mom's a zombie. She's too busy focusing on the Cause and her big important part in it.
Then Henry calls and immediately zeroes in on the fact that his dad's really down, that he sounds like he wants to "jump out a window," that he's at the office long after he should have gone home. Philip can't tell him what's really weighing on him, but he does have a handy metaphorical alternate scenario to explain to him. And Henry once again zeroes in on exactly what Philip's problem is--he feels like he's walked away from his responsibilities. Then he cheered him up with his bad Stavos impression.
I really really hope that's intentional, despite all the lead-up to the season being as per usual about how Paige and Elizabeth are so similar and bonding etc. Because the show has always looked at all sides of how this stuff can bring people together or apart and all and if you put the Centre first, you are putting the relationship second. You're either Gregory or Philip.
Re: My review
Date: 2018-04-05 05:03 pm (UTC)Seems like Elizabeth's fencing herself in with lies on all levels here. She probably doesn't want to worry Philip, but there's also the issue of Elizabeth never wanting to admit she's wrong or that she needs help. Plus she's so invested in Paige doing this with her and it all working out the way she plans.
She seems pretty afraid of anybody offering a more life-affirming view these days. She doesn't even want to think about art except to dismiss it as a waste. She can't talk to Philip because even without him knowing the details he can see things are going bad.
And not just Elizabeth here, but the USSR. He's passed off his part in protecting it to others and some of those are people like the ones Elizabeth's working with. I think we're going to see that Philip and Elizabeth really do have very different views on the country where Philip can't just assume things are getting done by someone. There's a reason Arkady sent Oleg to him personally.
She should be...almost 19 I guess? I thought 20 but no, it would 19 in a month or so. Just starting her sophomore year of college.
It also seems significant that all the adults still treat Paige like the child that needs to be nurtured and managed and taken care of. Elizabeth lies to her and answers her questions, praises her, worries a bit about her behind her back, suggests Claudia could "finish with her" if Elizabeth died because Paige has "taken to her" so much.
Henry, by contrast, is transitioning into a more adult relationship with his father that echoes his relationship with Stan the way Paige's relationship with adults echoes that she had with Pastor Tim. It's not that they're completely equal, but Henry's able to give Philip advice, even mildly critical advice, and Philip respects it.
And more reason for people like Claudia to want things to stay exactly the way they are, with the Cold War going on forever.
Re: While watching thoughts
Date: 2018-04-05 05:05 pm (UTC)I think she definitely knows. If he was working he'd be training her too and they'd be talking about whatever she's doing.
Besides the big corpse? LOL.
no subject
Date: 2018-04-05 05:10 pm (UTC)I almost wonder why Elizabeth fought her early on.
Yes, Elizabeth is really gearing up for yet another potential heroic death scene. Only this is the first one where when she thinks about Paige after her death she's passing her off to Claudia and the Centre rather than Philip, who seems to have become just a figure of terror for Elizabeth for everything he represents.
That's why I feel like she can't get that ending. She sees it as the solution to her problems too much.
Ooh, I hadn't thought of that. Until Philip changes his mind Oleg doesn't have any other allies and Stan would be working against the KGB here. Or not. Not sure how Stan will relate to it all.
I would actually give Henry more credit than that. That is, he wasn't overlooked so much as he was independent from the start. Paige was constantly jumping up and waving her arms to get her parents attention and get inside their relationship. Henry was simply more interested in the world from the very start.
Apart from the big corpse...
Date: 2018-04-05 05:24 pm (UTC)It was a very short cut, but it looked like some blonde hair.
Philip and Paige
Date: 2018-04-05 05:32 pm (UTC)Here she is, risking her freedom - and if it's not clear that it's also risking her life too after this episode, it never will be - for an abstract notion and there he is stopping helping defend his motherland, the country of his birth.
If he's prepared to do that, why wouldn't he be prepared to betray them?
(One of the options for the 'what happens in the end' poll: Philip attempts to save Paige and/or Elizabeth from something by turning, and probably fails to do so...)
Elizabeth's fatalism
Date: 2018-04-05 05:34 pm (UTC)Re: Philip and Paige
Date: 2018-04-05 05:57 pm (UTC)She'd be following in Mom's footsteps to a point there. But that might get complicated because Philip isn't really betraying them, he's working for Russia too.
Quick thought on Elizabeth's comment about being a fast learner
Date: 2018-04-05 07:59 pm (UTC)Elizabeth told Philip about Paige getting the naval guy's name wrong as a way to deflect Philip away from what was really bothering her (the suicide mission). She feels free to tell Philip that Paige made a little mistake, because that helps her trick Philip into thinking that he's being kept in the loop about Paige's training. All good. But what struck me in their conversation was when Philip commented that everybody makes little mistakes and they eventually learn, etc., Elizabeth replies very quickly that she was a fast learner. What prompted that crack? She was a fast learner compared to who? Paige.
I think that Elizabeth actually realizes that Paige is not nearly as ready as she should be by now. I think she expected Paige to become adept as quickly as she herself did but that's not happening. Whether she's ready to openly admit it to herself, I suspect that Elizabeth knows that Paige is failing as a trainee.
Re: While watching thoughts
Date: 2018-04-05 08:10 pm (UTC)Re: Sistermagpie's thoughts on Tchaikovsky
Date: 2018-04-05 08:30 pm (UTC)Exactly. It seems, like I think I wrote last week, that she's just playing teams now - she's not fighting for anything, just playing it out to the end she thinks is inevitable.
And when they're telegraphing her upcoming death so clearly, there has to be a twist. What would be more heartbreaking than someone who has lost all their motivations and accepted their death... only to have to live on?
If I were Paige, I'd ask Claudia for a bulletproof vest.
no subject
Date: 2018-04-05 08:36 pm (UTC)What about the time?
You were rollin' over
Fall on your face
You must be having fun
Walk lightly!
Think of a time.
You'd best believe
This thing is real
Put away that gun
And this part is simple
Try to recognize
What is in your mind
God help us!
Help us lose our minds
These slippery people
Help us understand
What's the matter with him? (He's alright!)
I see his face (The lord won't mind!)
Don't know no games (He's alright!)
Love from the bottom to the top
Turn like a wheel (He's alright!)
See for yourself (The lord won't mind!)
We're gonna move (Right now!)
Turn like a wheel inside a wheel
I remember when
Sittin' in the tub
Pulled out the plug
The water was runnin' out
Cool down
Stop acting crazy
They're gonna leave
And we'll be on our own
Seven times five
They were living creatures
Watch 'em come to life
Right before your eyes
Backsliding!
How do you do?
These slippery people
Gonna see you through...
no subject
Date: 2018-04-05 08:52 pm (UTC)Who's the animal and who's the enchanter here?
Of course, his other most famous work is about Russian triumph in the face of a seemingly superior foe, so...
no subject
Date: 2018-04-05 08:57 pm (UTC)I was wondering why they brought Gennady the courier back into play as a character this season. If Oleg could get access to him somehow, he might be able to use Gennady to pass intel back to Arkady. The only way to get to Gennady is via Stan. That gives more justification for the scenes of Stan playing marriage counselor too. It won't have been just for comedic effect in this episode if it turns out that Oleg's plan relies on keeping Gennady in the game. This is just tenuous speculation on my part and it relies a lot on how much Oleg and Stan feel like they can trust each other 'for the greater good.' Of course, if Stan knows then Aderholt is bound to find out. Dennis doesn't have the same loyalty to Oleg that Stan does. And if Dennis finds out that there is a pair of embedded illegals right there in DC, I suspect that he'll just want to capture them immediately regardless of what else may be going on. We could end up with spy vs spy vs agent vs agent. That would be intense.
Gennady and Sophia
Date: 2018-04-05 09:16 pm (UTC)Re: Sistermagpie's thoughts on Tchaikovsky
Date: 2018-04-05 09:46 pm (UTC)Yes, and see everything she's spent her life fighting for destroyed. It's actually more cruel.
no subject
Date: 2018-04-05 09:50 pm (UTC)Talking Heads
Date: 2018-04-05 09:58 pm (UTC)Or, even better, of Paige killing people.
Re: Quick thought on Elizabeth's comment about being a fast learner
Date: 2018-04-06 12:12 am (UTC)