theamericans | Episode discussion post: "The Walk In"

Aired:
12 March 2014 in the U.S. and Canada
16 March 2014 in Israel
29 March 2014 in the UK

This is a discussion post for episode 203 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 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 two, episode three.)

Original promo trailers

"Next On: The Walk In" (Watch on YouTube)

"The Americans: Exclusive Scene from Episode 3" (Watch on YouTube)

Episode recaps

From the Washington Post
From Vulture
From Hitfix
From the AV Club
From the Huffington Post
From IGN
From Collider
From Television Without Pity
From Sound on Sight
From tv.com
From TV Ate My Wardrobe
From the Houston Chronicle
From spoilertv.com
From showratings.tv
From The Cloture Club

More to come once they're available!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

jae

A few more things upon second watching:

• The scenes in this episode are so short! There's also a lot of cutting back and forth between two things going on simultaneously--not just once, but back and forth. It really added to the tension, I think. I wonder how much of that is credit to the editing, and how much is the writing.

• The bit with Elizabeth and Paige at the beginning with the lip gloss was well done. Elizabeth was being strict, but not stern, and Paige disagreed, but didn't fight her on it. The way Elizabeth reached for her as she was walking away was also nicely symbolic of the entire episode's theme (look, this is me channelling my inner

sistermagpie! ;)

• Loved the Sandra-and-Stan bit: "What single guy does four loads of laundry?" "What married guy does four loads of laundry?" "Good point." Hee! Also, nice to see him sharing a bit (an innocuous bit, of course, but still a bit) of his work with her.

• Apparently one of the ways that American KGB agents maintain their secret life being detected is by putting American flags outside their homes. The woman we saw Elizabeth staying with while convalescing at the beginning of "Comrades" also had one, and so did "Aunt Helen."

• I'm pleased that Stan got to show competence in something, to remind us that he really is a good agent. He's still totally being taken in by Nina ("I'm proud of you, Stan"--when she's probably still internally gritting her teeth about her friend who he killed), but he got to take down his KGB walk-in. He's even going to get a medal!

• Somebody on Twitter was trying to claim that 9-1-1 didn't exist until 2001, so they wouldn't have been using it in 1982. Um, no--it was definitely around when I was in the U.S. as a kid in the 70s. And I just checked--it started in 1968.

• Katia and I were talking about the title of this episode back when it was first announced, whether it was meant to be "The Walk-In" (i.e. someone who walks in) or "The Walk In" (i.e. the journey by foot inside). I actually think it's meant to be both. The obvious reference is to the actual guy who walked into the Rezidentura last week, but this episode wasn't really about him. And "the walk in" could refer to this being the flashback episode that showed us a bit of how it all began.

• Why did Elizabeth go to the Connors home out of disguise? She even had to put one on for the visit to Jared's new family later, so why not just show up there with the disguise to begin with?

• I loved Philip being instantly suspicious as soon as Henry told him she was gone--and Henry covering up for his sister was great, too.

katiac

Somebody on Twitter was trying to claim that 9-1-1 didn't exist until 2001, so they wouldn't have been using it in 1982. Um, no--it was definitely around when I was in the U.S. as a kid in the 70s. And I just checked--it started in 1968.

Whaaaaat? Like they thought it was invented after the 9/11 attacks? Yeah, they even used to have that show "Rescue, 911" on TV too.

Katia and I were talking about the title of this episode back when it was first announced, whether it was meant to be "The Walk-In" (i.e. someone who walks in) or "The Walk In" (i.e. the journey by foot inside). I actually think it's meant to be both. The obvious reference is to the actual guy who walked into the Rezidentura last week, but this episode wasn't really about him. And "the walk in" could refer to this being the flashback episode that showed us a bit of how it all began.

One of the review sites pointed out it also has lots of people literally "walking in." (I take no credit for this geeky bit of cleverness, much as I wish I could.) Bruce Dameron into the Rezidentura (well, that was last episode), then Paige walking in to her Aunt Helen's house, and also Elizabeth walking in to the Connors' house, all uninvited and unexpected, and affecting the course of things in doing so.

I could not be more impressed with the attention to all the little details on this show.

Whaaaaat? Like they thought it was invented after the 9/11 attacks?

Yeah, I know, right? Kids these days. *g*

One of the review sites pointed out it also has lots of people literally "walking in."

Ooooh, yes, that's right! Something to watch for on my THIRD watch...

-J

alisonx

Apparently one of the ways that American KGB agents maintain their secret life being detected is by putting American flags outside their homes. The woman we saw Elizabeth staying with while convalescing at the beginning of "Comrades" also had one, and so did "Aunt Helen."

This comment made me think of Homeland and when the terrorists flew the American flag out the window as a warning signal.
Ah patriotism...