jae: (theamericansgecko)
Jae ([personal profile] jae) wrote in [community profile] theamericans2015-01-28 07:45 pm
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Episode discussion post: "EST Men"

Aired:
28 January 2015 in the U.S. and Canada

This is a discussion post for episode 301 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 three, episode one.)

Original promo trailer





Episode recaps (including some early-season generalities)

From Grantland
From Vox 1 and 2
From Vulture
From Hitfix
From the Washington Post
From TIME
From the New York Times
From Slate
From Hollywood Reporter
From Slant
From Salon
From the Washington Post
From the New Republic
From Yahoo 1 and 2
From the AV Club
From the Atlantic
From the Boston Globe
From Entertainment Weekly
From TV Guide
From Spoiler TV
From theworkprint.com
From IndieWire 1 and 2
From Slant
From Variety
From thedailynews.com
From Geeks of Doom
From Starpulse
From TV Equals
From Screenrant
From We Got This Covered
sistermagpie: Classic magpie (Default)

Re: Philip in the USSR

[personal profile] sistermagpie 2015-01-29 09:36 pm (UTC)(link)
I usually run into two thoughts on Philip's past. The more popular one--that I have too--was that he was orphaned young. For me, the only contradiction is him being sent to buy milk. That sounds like a time when he had a caregiver. Icicles are freely available to orphans in Siberia I would bet!

The other view is people who mistakenly think we've been told Philip's past and that Elizabeth's was rougher. This one always fascinates me because it's such an illusion. Like Philip's given the impression of having told all and it was comforting when he's said nothing.

On the orphan side, it just seems really based in what we do know of the guy. Psychologically it really fits with his personality in multiple ways. Plus it certainly explains the lack of any family back in the USSR. Of course it's possible his family died after he left and he used to get tapes, I guess. But it's just weird that they never come up if he had a normal relationship with a family until he entered training at 17 or so. Or left the US at 22.