theamericans | Episode discussion post: "Urban Transport Planning"

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theamericans

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.)

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From:

sistermagpie

During that scene with Elizabeth and Philip in the kitchen, I had to think of those passages in the above named book.

I feel like both of them in their own way knows they'll never go home. Elizabeth is basically planning to die and maybe Philip is too now.

Though I think Philip understands his position more realistically. He probably could go back to Russia and make a life for himself just as he could in the US. He just wouldn't completely belong in either place, but he's used to that. Elizabeth needs to believe she represents the USSR. Personifies it almost.

(BTW, have to repeat what I said in the review of the season opener - this is far more interesting than if it was a self conglaturatory US versus USSR finale we're steering towards.)

Absolutely. Elizabeth seems to be really projecting all her frustrations on the US, blaming it for changing the USSR, even, as well as all her personal unhappiness. But as the general said when she said her country was in trouble, "Who's fault is that?"

I'm assuming they really meant "someone not in the spy business" anyway, because of course they did talk to other Russians

To me the line really means "someone who lives in Russia now" as well. Claudia would consider herself someone from back home, but she's just as disconnected as they are. Oleg and General Up-To-No-Good are knee deep in the conflict there.

I do actually wonder if Elizabeth's being happy that Philip is "doing something" for the motherland could override her anger at his working against her ideas of what's good for the motherland.

The anger that burst through at Paige's panicking (which was also directed at herself) gets eventually surpressed in favour of yet more declarations that Paige is good at spying (to the priest).

It occurred to me, too, that both Elizabeth's reactions to Paige's mistakes were the same, although they had opposite expressions. She killed the Navy guy to protect Paige from the ugly side of the business. She yelled at Paige for exposing herself to the ugly side of the business--she didn't want Paige to see her hunched over a fresh kill.

I will not be surprised if Elizabeth slaughters the Courier couple next week. She's got to keep up her weekly tally!

From:

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.

From:

lovingboth

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

From:

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.