Episode discussion post: "Gregory"

[jae]

Aired:
13 February 2013 in the U.S. and Canada
10 June 2013 in Australia
13 June 2013 in Ireland
15 June 2013 in the UK

This is a discussion post for episode #3 of The Americans, intended for viewers who are watching the show on the Australian/Irish/UK schedule. Please do dive in even if you've seen subsequent episodes, but take care to keep comments spoiler-free of anything that comes after season one, episode three.

FX's original promo trailer:

FX's official three-minute recap:

FX's official "Go Undercover" replay with commentary from the actors and producers:

New reviews/recaps:
From The Guardian (UK)
From Unreality Primetime (UK)
From Digital Spy (UK)

Reviews/recaps from first airing:
From Vulture
From the AV Club
From Hitfix
From Think Progress
From Collider
From Television Without Pity
From We Love TV More
From jae at dreamwidth

Comments

[jae]

All week I have been so excited for all the people who are getting to see this episode for the first time this week! The first two episodes intrigued me and had me thinking about them all week, but this one--this was the one that cemented a real fannish love for this show and its characters. I remember watching it for the first time in the early morning the night after it had aired, going to the airport and watching it again there, and then getting on the plane and watching it again there... :D

I haven't seen it in a while, but the bit that stands out for me most about this episode in my memory is the scene between Gregory and Philip in the kitchen, while Gregory is telling him that he's been having a relationship with Elizabeth for all these years and Philip is working. God, there is just so much subtle awesomeness in that scene.

-J

[treonb]

I'm watching the recap, and I'm thinking: Elizabeth is talking so much about how Gregory believed in the cause and had passion for what they were doing, I think this goes with the discussion on one of the other threads: Philip apparently wasn't a believer enough for Elizabeth, already from the beginning.

And the Gregory-Philip talk - Elizabeth came to Gregory when she was pregnant. Ouch.

The point that stuck in my mind from this episode was the KGB's decision about the baby. Philip did his best to protect his friend's wife (Joyce), and then practically handed her over to her executioner, not knowing what he was doing. It was just chilling.

[jae]

Philip apparently wasn't a believer enough for Elizabeth, already from the beginning.

Which is interesting, isn't it? I mean, Elizabeth was shocked in the pilot by Philip saying he was willing to defect for pragmatic reasons, but she has to have been aware that he wasn't a true believer long before that. It makes me wonder about what their early exchanges about their impressions of their new host country must have been like.

And the Gregory-Philip talk - Elizabeth came to Gregory when she was pregnant. Ouch.

Yesssss. That whole exchange is so fraught with tension...and it suggests so many delicious backstories. ;)

-J

[quantumreality]

On re-watching this episode, the thing that really stands out is how well Matthew does Philip's salty-yet-sulky expression when Philip has Had It Up To Here with something.