Episode discussion post: "Harvest"

[jae]

Aired:
9 May 2018 in the U.S. and Canada

This is a discussion post for episode 607 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 seven.)

Original promo trailer

Watch on YouTube

Comments

Re: While watching thoughts

[lovingboth]

Ah, on first view, I missed that Harvest took his suicide pill in the van, hence Philip's look towards Elizabeth was more of a 'is this how you're going to die?' one.

I do love the contrast with the 'Why are you trying to start the car? I've got to chop yet another person up first' look he gives her in the next (garage) scene...

Re: While watching thoughts

[quantumreality]

I actually thought the illegal just bled out - I didn't see him actually pop his pill. :O

Re: While watching thoughts

[sistermagpie]

I think they showed the open necklace and the way he was turning purple was meant to tell us he'd taken the pill.

Making the whole thing pointless. He could have done that to begin with.

Re: While watching thoughts

[treonb]

I went back to rewatch. They do indeed show him swallowing, and then Philip pulls away, knowing there's no point.

Well, he didn't expect to get shot, and he had important work to do.

Re: While watching thoughts

[sistermagpie]

Right, I get why they tried to save him. But the fact that he ultimately killed himself made the whole thing even more pointless.

Re: While watching thoughts

[lovingboth]

Yes.

Him being dead makes it slightly more likely that P&E will get away, but he doesn't even check if they know a safe doctor in the area to take him to before taking it.

If he's dead in the van, it's also less likely that his death will be successfully concealed from the authorities and the possibility that he's alive would waste plenty of their time looking for him as well as P&E.

(See also: leaving Amador for the FBI to find back in S1. Much better to have him disappear, because that makes them wonder if he's defected or...)