Episode discussion post: "Urban Transport Planning"

[jae]

Aired:
11 April 2018 in the U.S. and Canada

This is a discussion post for episode 603 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 three.)

Original promo trailer

Watch on YouTube

Comments

Re: My review

[selenak]

Elizabeth needs to believe she represents the USSR.

Yes, I think that's what her entire self justification is build on, and if you take that away, introduce doubt, she will break down. BTW I agree with Elizabeth's conviction she'll die a death-for-the-cause, the show is bound to give her instead survival and having to live with witnessing the destruction of all she believed in, of all her certainties, too. And even retrospectively her life's justification. She always told herself that giving her life (in a metaphorical as well as a literal sense) for her country, commiting any number of crimes was worth it because in the long term, she'd be one of the people ensuring that the Soviet Union and Communism not only survives but wins its historic struggle. And very soon, instead if will feel that it will all have been for nothing, that not only any future purpose is gone but any past purpose and justification never existed.

re: courier couple - yes, that would give those scenes a point. Especially since Elizabeth (in disguise) was the whom Stan actually physically struggled with before, and he might recognize her - not as Elizabeth but as the female half of the couple he was pursuing some years back - if he comes across her going after the couple, which would motivate him to go back into the evidence he collected way back when, only this time it might finally lead him to the Jennnings. Alternatively, of course, this could happen if he ever comes across a Philip and Oleg sighting.

Re: My review

[lovingboth]

The more Elizabeth goes on about dying for the cause, the less likely I think it is that it will happen.

Re: Elizabeth and noble death

[sistermagpie]

It's interesting that she seems to see that noble death looming so close and has decided to use her last days to make sure her daughter is the next red shirt for the cause. She's not frantically training her so she'll be prepared either. She just keeps telling everyone and herself that Paige is so good at this and will have a special cushy spy job where nothing bad is demanded of her.

Re: Elizabeth and noble death

[treonb]

Now I'm concerned for Paige. That would be quite an ending