Question of the week #7

[treonb]

The marriage at the centre of the show is the one between Philip and Elizabeth, but there's another marriage that looms large as well: the one between Stan and Sandra. Both marriages have problems.

So here's this week's question: To what extent are those problems similar, or are they entirely different?  You can expect spoilers for the entire first season in the comments.

(There's no expiration date on these questions, so if you're reading this post months later and feel like jumping in, please do.)

Comments

[jae]

All of that makes complete emotional sense, but what I keep getting hung up on is the fact that he had to have sex with Irina for the mission to run smoothly (because she wanted to be able to cry rape and discredit the Polish dissident). Which makes labeling it "cheating" much more ambiguous, you know? I really like your analysis of what was going through his mind, and I do totally agree with it, but I also think that extra layer of it having been sortakinda for work is also there. He didn't exactly get caught up in her beauty and get carried away with himself--he beat her up and then they had sex, for work.

-J

[jae]

I agree with all of this, but I do also think it couldn't have been emotionless for them, not with their history. Regardless of his complete devotion to Elizabeth, there was no way they were just going to be able to be businesslike about it (and the KGB knew that when they assigned him that particular mission in the first place, and did it deliberately). I just think that adds a layer of ambiguity to it that Elizabeth isn't able to see due to her (as you point out) hot button about trust and lying.

-J

[jae]

I get what you're saying about how it could have gone down with Irina, and mostly agree with it. But I do think that the KGB knew the nostalgia factor would be strong, and that's the very reason they brought Irina back in right then.

My take on the Elizabeth-and-Gregory reunion in "Only You" is that it happened a) while Philip and Elizabeth were still broken up, and b) at a time when they both realized that Gregory only had a few hours to live. I think Philip can hardly begrudge her that, given those mitigating factors.

-J

[jae]

Hmm, that's an interesting perspective. I'll have to think about it some more (and maybe do some rewatching in light of what you're saying), but for now I guess I'm more willing to give the characters the "passes" they're giving themselves. I tend to come down harder on the one who's seeing things in a black-and-white way when things are full of shades of grey (and they've both done this).

-J

[treonb]

gave back a sentimental piece of jewelry as if to say, "Anything real we might've formed is OVER,"

I really need to rewatch, but as far as I remember: Philip was the one who asked for the jewelry, as if HE didn't care. And even though he needed it for business, it hurt Elizabeth. I mean, he needed it for his mistress. Unless Elizabeth was thinking unemotionally, it would have hurt.

[treonb]

Just goes to show that memory can be very subjective. At least mine. I could have sworn that Philip had asked for that piece specifically.

So I looked it up, and of course you're right. That scene played out completely differently. And it's almost all non-verbal too.