Episode discussion post: "Jennings, Elizabeth"

[jae]

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

This is a discussion post for episode 609 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 nine.)

Original promo trailer

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Comments

Re: general stuff

[maidenjedi]

I'm not sure what system it was exactly, but I think he was looking to see if the names "Elizabeth Jennings" or "Philip Jennings" brought up possibly deceased individuals from whom the names might have come. Or he was looking for priors with identifying information (like on the Philip Jennings he did find). Likewise in looking up Dupont Circle Travel, just to see if there were investigations or anything relevant.

I don't think Stan knew exactly what he was looking for, either. Just throwing things at the wall, at this point, seeing what sticks, because his gut is telling him he already knows what's going on.

Re: general stuff

[theplatonicnonyeah]

That was my impression also, but I wasn't sure. And in any case, finding one deceased Philip Jennings doesn't rule out there is also an alive one living somewhere else. It would have to be a really unusual name to there not exist one duplicate in the whole of the US.

Re: general stuff

[sistermagpie]

It looked like it was said it was for assistance on cases so he was looking for criminal activity. If he was looking for death records he'd have used Elizabeth's maiden name. And he'd have found them!