Question of the week #2

[jae]

Last week, in response to the question about what we'd like to see happen in season two, umbo said something that seemed to resonate with a lot of us: overall what I want is to be surprised by what happens instead of thinking, "oh, of course that's what they did." So in that vein: What happened during season one that surprised you most? You can expect spoilers for the entire first season in the comments.

(There's no expiration date on these questions, so if you're reading this post months later and feel like jumping in, please do.)

Comments

[quantumreality]

In generalities what surprised me is how easily the show gets you to accept the Soviet spies as human beings with an extra-special, extra-dangerous job. You hope (against all logic) that they get out of everything unscathed, even as you know Agents Gaad and Beeman will be hot on their tail.

Specifics?

1. When Nina confessed to Arkady what she'd been doing! Whoa!
2. Beeman killing Vlad! :O
3. Zhukov being killed off, and the reveal about Claudia's relationship with him.
3a. Zhukov's sensitivity to cultural differences between the Soviets and the Americans and grasping how to teach Elizabeth to relate to those differences - even how important it is to understand the way different cultures teach similar skills by different methods.

[jae]

Your first thing has impressed me so consistently about this show. Based on some of the comments I've read on the show's Facebook page, I'm sadly not sure that everyone who watches it feels the way about it that the writers want us to feel, but enough of them do that it's clear those writers are doing an excellent job!

-J

[treonb]

2. Beeman killing Vlad! :O

I couldn't see how they could let Vlad walk, but that scene was a surprise. Stan didn't want Vlad to see it coming, and I didn't see it coming either.