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

[quantumreality]

I actually thought Philip's travel agency spiel was interesting. He's a spy, and he knows (or should!) how to read people and connect with them. And given that the US economy as a whole is in an expansionary phase, it's perfect timing for him to want to motivate his staff to sell more travel packages and find ways to get more money from customers.

And I don't get the vibe that he's ever been a bad boss - but his employees clearly are pretty diffident types for the sales and travel world. I wonder if he originally hired people who he knew wouldn't ask a lot of questions about his comings and goings and it's biting him as he tries to get the money rolling in.

So hopefully motivational!Philip gets some extra $$ coming in. :)

(Aside: I did wonder if he was manufacturing that financial problem for extra realism with the school, but it is indeed equally likely he'd rather not have the Centre subsidizing Henry's education.)

Re: Philip's motivational speaking

[sistermagpie]

I wonder if part of the point here is that some of the stuff he talks about that aren't naturally connected to his upbringing will never come that naturally to him. He's not a big salesman, even manipulative as he is.

So he's got the books that people read about business and tries to follow them, but it's not a natural fit.

Likewise, even five or so years in, he's still incapable of speaking naturally about emotions as if he's a human who's learned things. He still always has to reference these "meetings he sometimes goes to" and then tell the person (usually Paige) what THEY say.

And then, to make it even more ironic, he responds to Paige's actual question about his experience by saying he has no idea how he got through it. He just sucked it up, buttercup.

Re: Philip's motivational speaking

[quantumreality]

That said, I think he connected with Paige on a more natural level than Elizabeth did. He gets the spy life, but he's not willing to run roughshod over Paige's feelings when she's just seen a man get shot and her mother covered in blood from it.

EST was good for him and some of its teachings could help Paige process if she intends to continue the spy life the whole hog.

Re: Philip's motivational speaking

[sistermagpie]

Oh yeah, I agree. He was trying to talk to her as a person there--I think that was obviously meant as a contrast with Elizabeth claiming she was "talking to" Paige when she was yelling at her.

But at the same time, what Elizabeth was saying was just as important.

Re: Henry's tuition

[sistermagpie]

(Aside: I did wonder if he was manufacturing that financial problem for extra realism with the school, but it is indeed equally likely he'd rather not have the Centre subsidizing Henry's education.)

The thing is, it just makes no sense that this is an issue AT ALL. Henry was given a full scholarship last season and he should absolutely still have it. That's how those private schools work. He has an academic scholarship which means his grades have to be kept high and they are. Plus he's a hockey star. Ivy Leagues would already be courting him and Philip wouldn't be paying anything. That school would never consider letting go.

They're just making Philip look bad to play out the financial worries story as if he's some overreacher capitalist when he isn't.