Promo discussion: Episode 2x06

[treonb]

 This post is intended to allow discussion of the upcoming episode, as reflected in the promos.  It will be updated as more promos appear.

Please keep the comments spoiler free from anything not mentioned in these promos.

"Next On: Behind the Red Door" (Watch on YouTube)

 

"The Americans: Exclusive Scene from Episode 6" (Watch on YouTube)

Comments

Re: Philip as "Clark"

[katiac]

And the whole "What kind?" where he says "You're kidding, right?" like, is he saying "You really think I'm being a certain type of animal?" or "You really want details like that?" and she says "I don't know."

I know, right? They seem to do a lot of very vague questioning like, "How'd it go?" which suggests the details of what they do aren't something that's shared. So I read it as the second way, where he's unsure they're REALLY going to go there. And then she answers it with the "I don't know" to shrug it off but then a flirtatious smile that kind of says the opposite. It's like she definitely wants to go there, and Philip probably also wants to go there a little too... like I can't imagine him arguing with the idea of them being freer/less inhibited/more playful in bed as their relationship becomes more comfortable. It's probably even something he's craved because it's another form of emotional intimacy and that seems to be what he's wanted from the start. But the way she's doing it to avoid touching on any of *her* sensitive buttons is inadvertently poking a lot of Philip's sensitive buttons.

Like her whole teasing attitude isn't even real in itself. Like, she's teasing him, but as a cover for actually being curious and eager. And maybe that's the part that makes him wary, that he doesn't know what kind of complications this could bring. So when he says, "Scared, no" you wish you knew what he actually was.

Right! Like that's totally her MO to avoid getting pegged with having the feelings even when it's clear that's what it is. It's the whole "the kids need to feel rooted" just about a different topic. And definitely I think Philip would worry about what it could really mean. It mixes spy work and their sex life in a way that's kind of scary and uncomfortable for someone who wants to keep that in separate heads. Like if she had come up to him in their bedroom and said she wanted to try some new stuff, he'd probably have been all for it, just like he probably would've come home that night at the motel if she'd said, "I want you back. Come home," rather than sidestepping it with excuses about the kids. But here's it's from the start been attached to Martha calling "Clark" an animal, and then her teasing that he has some explaining to do, which seems like another excuse to bring it up in addition to making it sound like it's really *Philip* who has some explaining to do (to her!), and then her wanting "Clark" in bed, which stirs things up in a way he doesn't like to do.

She probably thought Clark was the same idea, but then here's this suggestion of a disconnect. Which means you could be getting more than one guy with Philip...

And I think it's further upsetting in the same way the revelation about Gregory was to Philip... it's not even so much the sex part, but rather the secrecy and the holding back of something that could represent a "truer" version of oneself. It's almost like here even though they're talking about sex, it's really the emotional aspect of holding back that he, Philip, might have this side of what he personally might find enjoyable in bed that he never shows her, Elizabeth, that would be more upsetting than just that he was doing whatever because it was what Martha would respond to. Not that when he's doing it with Martha that he's enjoying it at all, but rather that from watching them on the couch together all snuggled and spooned as they talk, it's a very intimate moment in what they're discussing about their histories and it would feel like a betrayal of sorts if there's this repertoire of things that are on the table when he's going over to Martha's, perhaps even things that he'd like to do in their real relationship, and he's carefully holding that back just like she held back her feelings all those years.

I think I'm failing to put into words what I mean, but the two moments kind of feel similar to me.