Episode discussion post: "Echo"

[jae]

Aired:
21 May 2014 in the U.S. and Canada
25 May 2014 in Israel
7 June 2014 in the UK

This is a discussion post for episode 213 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 you should also 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 thirteen.)

Original promo trailer

"The Americans Season 2 Episode 13 Promo - Echo [HD] The Americans 2x13 Promo" (Watch on YouTube)

Episode recaps

From Grantland
From Time
From the Washington Post
From Rolling Stone
From the AV Club
From Hitfix
From IGN
From the Huffington Post: Karen Fratti, Maureen Ryan
From Vulture
From Variety
From the Tampa Bay Times
From Sound on Sight
From Collider
From Paste Magazine
From Gawker
From the Cloture Club
From tv.com
From tvrage.com
From Headline Planet
From spoilertv.com (in French)
From TV Ate My Wardrobe
From GAMbIT Magazine
From showratings.tv
From Comments Enabled
From Boob Tube Dude
From Unreality Primetime (UK)

Comments

Re: On terminology

[treonb]

They're not illegals, but they do face problems and issues that are specific to them, as the kids of a parent generation of illegals.

So, if not 'second generation', what would you call them?

Re: On terminology

[jae]

"Second generation" isn't the issue--they are second-generation spies. It's calling them "illegals" that's technically incorrect.

I'm sure the show came up with that term by analogy with the term "second-generation immigrant" (who are called that even though they're not actually immigrants at all), so I don't really have a problem with it as such. The reason I jumped in with my terminology explanation was that a couple of people seemed to be assuming the second-generation group would end up being the same sort of spy that Philip and Elizabeth are because the show was using the term "illegal", but they're really much more like the sort of spy that Fred or Gregory is.

-J

Re: On terminology

[treonb]

But then we go back to the reason why the term 'second generation immigrant' is used. Because the second generation pulls in some of the qualities of the immigrants.

If the kids of illegals are just like any other American spy that the KGB could pull in, then why put such an emphasis on them? My assumption is that they expect family loyalty and connection to play an important role, and that therefore the 'illegal' part of their identity, is quite important.

That is, they are not themselves illegals, but just like immigrants, have some aspects in their personality (which, again, all supposition, is expected to be imparted from birth), that the sons of non-illegals wouldn't have.

Re: On terminology

[treonb]

All of which, btw, is based on how the KGB seems to see things.

I'm not fully convinced that Paige really has any advantage over Fred (for example).

Re: On terminology

[jae]

That's the idea. Whether or not that will actually be the case as it plays out on the show remains to be seen (as you point out yourself). :)

I was really talking about training and development, though. The training and development of this sort of spy would not really resemble illegals training very much at all, but there would be a lot more similarities to the way someone like Gregory or Fred would be trained and developed.

-J