Episode discussion post: "The Summit"

[jae]

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

This is a discussion post for episode 608 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 eight.)

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Treon's thoughts

[treonb]

I didn't understand at first why Philip feels the need to confess to Elizabeth all the time, but turns out it was a good idea, because Philip's 'inhuman' comment hit the spot. At least Elizabeth will end the show with some humanity.

Was Philip preparing for his funeral? Why would he think he's about to die? And if he thinks so, is he really going to die? I'm back to not being sure who's not going to make it.

Re: Treon's thoughts

[sistermagpie]

Philip had told Elizabeth that he betrayed her so probably had good reason to think he might be killed for it, if not by Elizabeth by someone she told about what he did.

I don't know if that means he will die, but it just seemed like everything he was doing in this episode, whether he knew it or not, was like someone preparing for death.

When he was confessing I remembered how in the first season they separate in large part because he lied to her. He really learned his lesson there. All his other secrets he's wound up telling her rather than being caught.

Here, though, I thought it was because of what he was thinking at the end of last week's ep. He was sorting through what his beliefs were and he knew he valued his marriage so he decided he would feel more right being truthful with her. It's like that EST thing again in Darkroom--he doesn't know where he is but instinctively feeling his way forward in the dark he moves towards her.