Episode discussion post: "Cardinal"

[jae]

Aired:
5 March 2014 in the U.S. and Canada
9 March 2014 in Israel
22 March 2014 in the UK

This is a discussion post for episode 202 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 if you're reading this later and have already seen subsequent episodes, but please take care to keep comments spoiler-free of anything that comes after season two, episode two.)

Original promo trailers

"Next On: Cardinal" (Watch on YouTube)

"The Americans: Exclusive Scene from Episode 2" (Watch on YouTube)

Episode recaps

From Vulture
From Hitfix
From The AV Club
From The Huffington Post
From IGN
From Think Progress
From SpoilerTV
From Zap2it
From Television Without Pity
From TV Ate My Wardrobe
From Filmthrasher
From showratings.tv
From Newsmanone
From Screenrant
From the LA Times
From Geekbinge
From tvrage.com
From Unreality TV (UK)

Comments

[alisonx]

I just hope that "they're together now" isn't a sign that the focus is going to be taken off the relationship entirely. I think that's still one of the strongest draws of the show

SAAAME. As much as I dig the multifaceted spy/parallel/character beats of this show, the relationship parts are the ones that get my heart fluttering - whether it's angst or fluff.

I love how different Elizabeth is when you compare last season to the first two episodes of this season. She was the kick-ass competent spy, and now everything has turned on its head and she's so frazzled and shaken but still managed to hold it together for the Costa Rican spy. I love how Keri is playing those moments of paranoia and how much Elizabeth doesn't want to leave her children. Philip is really carrying so much of the emotional and physical burden and still very much guilt-ridden about pulling Henry into it, probably a guilt multiplied ten-fold after having to hear the son's screams.

Though it was completely great that they showed them calling time after time and that he knew to come home even when she said he shouldn't just by the tone of her voice. Her "you're home" was just perfectly done.
YES TO ALL OF THIS :))) The last scene was done really well too, even though we'd seen a bit of it in the trailers. They're just talking and sharing all their worries and hardships with each other and being each other's pillars of strength!!

I really liked the Nina/Stan montage as she's writing her report. That was a real nice (and sad) touch. And poor Martha... She's going to be such a headache for Philip but ... she just wants a nice husband who loves her :( (I totally chuckled at the AV club review "“Clark, I don’t want to be a victim.” Oh, Martha. Martha, Martha, Martha... [GK]").

I am still more engaged on a P/E family level than I am on the FBI/Rezidentura front, which is sad because although I like all the characters, I'm not as invested in the storylines. I'm liking the chemistry between Oleg and Nina.

I spent a fair few moments in the episode racking my brain as to where I've seen 'Fred' before. And I eventually had to pause it and IMDB it. Turns out it was 'Catch that Kid' HA.

[katiac]

SAAAME. As much as I dig the multifaceted spy/parallel/character beats of this show, the relationship parts are the ones that get my heart fluttering - whether it's angst or fluff.

I love how different Elizabeth is when you compare last season to the first two episodes of this season. She was the kick-ass competent spy, and now everything has turned on its head and she's so frazzled and shaken but still managed to hold it together for the Costa Rican spy. I love how Keri is playing those moments of paranoia and how much Elizabeth doesn't want to leave her children. Philip is really carrying so much of the emotional and physical burden and still very much guilt-ridden about pulling Henry into it, probably a guilt multiplied ten-fold after having to hear the son's screams.

YES! And I love all the individual personal stuff I'm seeing too... I just hope in the next episodes they're going to also bring them together more and start having that play off each other. I love so many facets of the show. But it's Philip and Elizabeth's relationship, the marriage story, that I feel is the heart of the show.

YES TO ALL OF THIS :))) The last scene was done really well too, even though we'd seen a bit of it in the trailers. They're just talking and sharing all their worries and hardships with each other and being each other's pillars of strength!!

Yes. And I do love the easiness of it--the little touches. Hands on each other, little kisses, the phone calls, the missing each other... I just need them together having a moment on screen together every now and then :)

[https://me.yahoo.com/a/2cl73ukouOPLb3eEcwaOru5o0Qo.lDJW#40de1]

Yay, I was looking for a mention of the Nina/Stan montage. I really liked the extra layer of Nina's formal descriptions.

-Emma

[quantumreality]

It almost kind of smacks you in the face, how bluntly clinical her description is of what (to Stan, anyway) is heaven on Earth, and for her, probably an unwelcome repeat of what she did with Vasili.

I really hope she can get into a position where she doesn't have to do that again.