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

[katiac]

I loved the tie thing and the little goodbye kisses, though especially the way he came home because he knew she needed him. So sweet. And such a great contrast with how they're showing love in so many little ways where the "Love you" between Clark and Martha at the beginning couldn't have felt more empty and false.

It feels like it's been an almost frantic start to the season. Which probably mirrors how Philip and Elizabeth are feeling given she's only been home for a week or so. There have been a few moments that the episodes have slowed down however they seem to have mostly been spy related so far (such as Philip looking around Fred's place). It's probably a necessary evil at this point in any season though.

Yeah. Part of me likes it, but part of me hopes that once they get things established they'll slow down more. The slower parts are the ones I end up rewatching time after time.