Episode discussion post: "EST Men"
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theamericansAired:
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
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
QR's usual Rambliew
Date: 2015-01-29 08:12 am (UTC)- The sexism of the 1970s and 1980s nearly bit the CIA in the ass, considering it led to Lady whatshername nearly selling out for good.
- What the hell was Gaad doing on a thing like this? :O The only thing that saved him was probably that Elizabeth recognized him in the first place. Also, great gambit on her part to put them in the way of the motorcyclist to distract the agent!
- The EST thing seemed quite absurd to me, but eh.
- Stan's brainbox is starting to click! I think he's gonna start figuring out Phil and Elizabeth this season XD
- Gaad with his nose taped up and the other dude even more banged up were both kinda funny :P
- We finally meet old Gabriel! Wonder if he's like, the equivalent of a retiree from the KGB they let stay in the USA for his years of service. (Also: Frank Langella XD ) He seems very tactile and hands-on which probably lent a personal style to his job as handler that Claudia lacked.
- Paige being sweet on the young guy from church was kind of amusing. And she has big poofy 1982 hair! XD
- Elizabeth and that tape! She is first happy, then sad. What happened???? :O
- Stan and Sandra just can't get along :(
- Elizabeth seems to be trying to have it both ways with the whole "fob off the Center and Philip simultaneously" thingo.
- In that light Philip holding his knife after being denied his brownie looked oddly menacing.
- In light of the mess the US got into with Afghanistan and Iraq it's rather eerily strange to see the Soviet side of things involving much the same sort of being-stuck-in-the-bog sensation without necessarily any clear plan for a way out.
- Speaking of, I like Arkady's continued circumspectness contrasted with Oleg's relative outspokenness. Also, an interesting point they addressed re: Nina! They bugged the safehouse, and Stan was a complete idiot for not considering the possibility.
- Martha doing her gun practice is interesting. I wonder if Phil's been messing with her gunsights or her glasses.
- PHILIP AND MARTHA KAMA SUTRA SEX OMFG DED OF LOL NOW
- Elizabeth's peace offering to Philip in the travel agency. Aww :)
- Unfortunately it segues into a sad revelation of the contents of the tape :( Poor Elizabeth's Mom. Chances are she'll never be able to go see her mom one last time :(
- USA and Canada institute person. In real life a person named Georgy Arbatov was one of their high officials and he was actually quite sympathetic to the notion of closer international cooperation.
- And now Elizabeth meets random cute young guy. She's training him! :O Wonder how he got into the spy game.
- Henry! Wonder how he's been holding up. And Elizabeth comes in, and we hear of Brezhnev's death! Of course, for her it doesn't really mean anything, but for Philip and Elizabeth it will mean something more and they'll be wondering what comes next.
- Annelise! :O Looks like Mr. ISI guy made a big mistake, since Philip has something he can hold over him now.
Re: QR's usual Rambliew
Date: 2015-01-29 11:25 am (UTC)Re: QR's usual Rambliew
Date: 2015-01-29 12:40 pm (UTC)Re: QR's usual Rambliew
Date: 2015-01-29 03:20 pm (UTC)I don't know why, but this line seems to completely sum up Philip in some wonderful, accurate way. I love it.
I suspect he'd consider that even more dangerous. You don't want Martha working with a gun that doesn't shoot straight!
Re: QR's usual Rambliew
Date: 2015-01-29 10:32 pm (UTC)Re: QR's usual Rambliew
Date: 2015-01-30 12:04 am (UTC)Why Gaad was doing in-the-field crap in the first place
Date: 2015-01-29 07:43 pm (UTC)I was asking myself this too. I felt like explaining that was a missed bet, as well--you could have easily had a throwaway line where he said it was because they were shortstaffed or something.
-J
Re: Why Gaad was doing in-the-field crap in the first place
Date: 2015-01-29 11:33 pm (UTC)Everyone in that department who was around would be racing for the cars.
Re: Why Gaad was doing in-the-field crap in the first place
Date: 2015-01-30 01:26 am (UTC)-J