theamericans | Episode discussion post: "Harvest"

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theamericans

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.)

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From:

beer_good_foamy

No, I agree that it makes sense on a logical and character level. Something about it just still seemed like I could see the writer's room behind it all. Maybe, just like Stan doesn't want to think that about his friend, I just don't want the show to end...

Philip should have just told him they were swingers. I have a feeling that would have thrown Stan off more.

From:

jae

Oh, absolutely. If Philip had confided to him about the marriage being in trouble instead of the business being in trouble at that very juncture, the whole thing would likely have been headed off.

-J

From:

lovingboth

'Well, Stan, we're so short of money, Elizabeth is working as an escort, that's why she keeps going out late at night.'

From:

jae

HA. I think Stan would have seen that one as a joke!

-J

From:

quantumreality

It probably even would've worked, sending Stan up a blind alley with Stan concluding Elizabeth must have a *very* select clientele if none of the town madams know about her.

From:

lovingboth

I'd be shocked if the KGB weren't ultimately running at least one Washington prostitution agency, just for the blackmail potential.

From:

sistermagpie

I honestly don't see how it would have. If he doesn't think the business the guy built is enough to make him look like he's walking off to his own execution (which he is) I don't see how his marriage being in trouble would do it.

Plus it doesn't explain their regular late nights or why Elizabeth and then Philip are running out on Thanksgiving.

From:

saraqael

Stan only just now linking together bothersome weird little facts about the Jennings did work for me. Of course the writers held this moment back to the end of the series out of necessity, but the way it's all coming together now for Stan feels authentic to me. It felt like those time you hear about researchers who 'dream' the solution to their problem, or who seem to have an 'A-HA!' moment out of the blue after stumbling around a problem for a long time. All of the clues were percolating around in their head but their conscience mind kept pushing them away or not linking the clues together. Stan's observed little things wrong with the Jennings for years but ignored them because of his friendship with Philip. But the Harvest cast happening with both Jennings vanishing mysteriously was enough for Stan's mind to start putting all the clues together. I don't think he's 100% on to them yet, but the fact that they've risen back on his radar enough that he was willing to set aside his friendship and break into their house to snoop around is a bad sign.

From:

beer_good_foamy

It felt like those time you hear about researchers who 'dream' the solution to their problem, or who seem to have an 'A-HA!' moment out of the blue after stumbling around a problem for a long time.

Now I have this image in my head of Stan going through the Jennings' house, finding a moldy old sandwich in the bin, and going "I've just discovered penicillin!" :)

Edited Date: 2018-05-11 11:44 am (UTC)

From:

saraqael

See? This is why Elizabeth had to throw out that Russian peasant stew she made. Stan would have nosed around in their fridge and discovered the leftovers had gone moldy and declared, "Penicillin! Wait a minute!!! SOVIET Penicillin!!!" and the show would have ended.

Thinking back over times from earlier seasons when Stan just strolled in and rummaged through their fridge to get a beer and bite to eat, that's not entirely implausible. :D