SusanSunflower

I thought the primary added value of born-in-the-USA second generation spies was that they would be able to pass security checks (having a deeper verifiable backstory) ... so they could be placed "inside" as long-term embeds. Elizabeth and Phillip have had remarkable careers never being embedded (instead they used "marks" as their proxies). As "small business owners", they weren't answerable to anyone. (I wonder if they have corporate/government clients ... if so, they may survive longer than many local travel agencies) No matter how good Elizabeth's secretarial skills might be ... she could never be another "martha" because she likely could not withstand security clearance scrutiny. Remember the buzzing gossip at the FBI when it turned out Martha had a boyfriend who was not one of them ... immediately wanting to know who he was and how she met him. Why use Paige to do Elizabeth's job(s)? Why would they leave Paige without the infrastucture / support? Skills like decoding and photography / bugging etc. aren't hard to learn (and in a pinch could be done by KGB support personnel -- not critical or special to native born second generation)

Martha became an incredibly valuable "asset" -- although unwitting, being personally unexceptional (not a honey trapper) and without special spy skills -- my point being only that properly placed even "lowly secretaries" can have access to useful information ... as Phillip also could use Kimmie's proximity to her dad to make her (Kimmie) an invaluable asset. Paige (or Henry) as some new member of Kimmie's social whirl would not (necessarily) take some long-range planning (and would be closer to Elizabeth as many targets "new best friend" strategy to get close to targets/assets.) Remember the housekeeper who planted the high level official's bug . That's all. Of course, Elizabeth would shudder at such a boring deep-embed career path for her darling daughter ... and I don't think you need to use an invaluable first-generation "real american" for those tasks, no intense security clearance needed, although Martha likely was intensively cleared

I'd add that if Paige were a different person, she could plausibly enroll in the police academy with an eye to go to Quantico and become an FBI agent or, if a Foreign Affairs degree holder, go to Langley for a CIA career or attempt a state department diplomacy career (which are all careers you can volunteer/apply for, if you've got the "right stuff" ... Stan would surely given Paige (and/or Henry) a glowing referral and might well be able to wrangle a few other letters of recommendations from associates. I think Henry harbors greater personal ambitions than that (whatever they may be) ... and has generated his own network of useful friends and mentors.

While I have little interest in Joyce or Cully, I admit they do provide color and shading. I watched an episode last night and was impressed (again) by Joyce's wardrobe ... age appropriate, unfussy and great use of color -- and also her unchanging but perfect haircut. Without Cully, the show would have have to stretch even harder to create stories involving anyone under 40 or even 50 years of age, and also young and struggling .... Many of Midsomer's towns (hamlets?) appear to be wealthy, stuffy and snobby retirement villages. Cully's ever changing career aspirations and hair styles and boyfriends (then lovers) also helps place stories and the series in time without being too loud about it (Endeavor and George Gently are very clearly deeply rooted and all-about social changes of the 1960's in contrast) I also don't care about the dog ... and like some side-kicks better than other ... and yet again without these peripheral characters it would be Tom Barnaby's world and the world according to Tom Barnaby. I do like that none of them are overwhelming intrusive or particularly loathsome (although I was amused by George Gently's loathsome idiot sidekick John Bacchus in small doses)

I've seen (I think) a fair number of post suggesting that Henry would have been the better choice ... natural talent ... and I don't remember much discussion about either "telling Henry" the family secret now or when to break the news (and/or enroll him in the family business). The whole "plan" is is confusing since I assumed that Paige would be planted in the government (or academia) as a long-term asset and informant, even as a possible recruiter of other informants (witting or not) -- not honey-trapping, not assuming identities to seduce and abandon (and kill) folks under false pretenses. (The story of this long-term planting was complicated by Paige having no particular interests -- political or otherwise. As I think I said before, I can see her "infiltrating" the secretarial pool to become a new more effective "Martha" ... not so much infiltrating scientific projects as either as scientist or project manager (like William). That said, I think Paige likely believes herself favored (and likely "chosen") because of her loyalty/worship of Mom and the Motherland ... Henry, in contrast, has largely spun out of the orbit of dependence that would make him willing and eager to join the family business (although yes, as has been mentioned, he might be blackmailed into doing so to save the family.) I'm hopeful that either Oleg or Phillip survive to help raise / reunite / support the other's children ... Oleg as a new Gabriel for Paige, Philip as a kind Uncle substitute for Oleg's children (and possibly even Martha's, even a back in Russia surrogate son to Gabriel, if his own family is "out of reach" or dead.

not.to.be.contrary. -- but wasn't Paige "always going to be the one" because she was the older (first born) and good student and adult-temperment. God help all of us who adopted the identity of being "mature" at a young age because it got praise (although, I came to expect, not because of respect, but because we could be left to fend for ourselves -- less work for Mom and Dad!!) The youngest kid often both "gets away" with plenty and becomes a bratty problem child, not least because Mom and Dad are tired of policing children (neglect). Henry at this point seems more mature than Paige (not just choosing his own course but also living independently) but he was the dweeby and quite animated little brother originally. I suspect Paige would be shocked if she found out she was "chosen" simply as a matter of birth order ... and in a fair "competition", all things being equal, knowing then what we know now, Henry might well have been the chosen one. Of course, for all we know, Elizabeth may still vaguely hope to enlist Henry, once Paige is trained and independent (never gonna happen, right?)

Someone (prior to the premiere) asked how the kids view the marriage and each of their parents, which made me think about it, but I had no answers beyond assuming that they knew that Elizabeth ruled the roost while Philip kept the peace .... not necessarily "weak" but determined to avoid conflict. I thought about Philip teaching Paige to drive (of course Elizabeth would be a wreck trying to "let her learn"without holding the wheel). Philip also spending after work hours playing hockey with Henry and helping Paige with homework ... not because he's "the Dad" but because he's the more accessible while Elizabeth is folding laundry or declaring me-time reading in the bedroom. On an advice column forum recently, a woman raged that after 15 years of marriage, her husband still was not doing his share or appreciating all she did. Reminded me of my parents, and reminded me that although "mom" was the good guy/rock of my family (dad was a scary grouch), her constant unhappiness was really annoying (15 years worth!!) and a sign of her genuine helplessness. Dad might be the "bad guy" but she was no "winner" -- it wasn't like she was gonna leave (until she did of course) Phillip may be the "weak one" but I suspect he's also the "safer" one and the one more likely to notice or respond to a plea for help (be it ever so minor). I suspect for the final season to work, Henry and Paige also needed to be separated and Henry kept from witnessing his mother's utter crispy-fried burn out. Kids can be pretty oblivious, but not that oblivious ... when Paige (Elizabeth's task obsessed mini-me) will notice is another question. Is part of Paige's worship of her mother, seeing her as a "feminist" role model in the marriage and life -- the kick-azz, take no sh*t Superwoman? I think there's also some reversal of the gender stereotype with Philip and Elizabeth. "Usually" it is the wife/girlfriend who always wants to "talk" about "things" and the man is stereotypically eyeing the door fearing he's going to either get trapped into something or open a can of worms by saying the wrong thing -- you do want to marry me some day doncha honey? Do these pants make me to look fat? Elizabeth has never really wanted to discuss (much less deeply think about) a lot of things -- and not just because it throws clouds her perfect marriage facade.

yes, our "standard of living" now 50 years later is no longer enviable or proof of our superiority (except for some in the abstract, and the very wealthy many of whom inherited at least a nest egg ... the sort of seed capital most never accrue.

Don't forget that in the post-war era, there were good years, bad years, better years and alway both optimism (rather than just "hope") that things would improve with better engineering and the belief that progress was being thwarted, undermined, sabotaged by the USA. Often this was true-enough, but it helped keep hope alive (that without obstruction things might advance as they should have -- and the (bad) planning was not the reason for failure). As a young boomer American, I was always skeptical that the Soviet Union and communism represented a genuine threat (beyond having nuclear weapons they might be incited to use). The Soviets (rather as China is doing with one bridge one road currently) attempted to build an necklace of beholden-on-Russian-aid new communist states both a markets and allies ... the idea that these impoverished 3rd world countries "going communist" emperiled the USA also seemed far fetched. (Most of all, I've never seen how capitalism has ever dragged any backward undeveloped country into the 20th century (full stop) but more importantly without turning them into corrupt often strong-man republics (see South America regimes America supported) in which most people (peasants) lived in want and poverty without even hope of things getting better as government control expanded to uphold such tyranny and to protect the profits of the (often American) large industries, bananas or mineral exports or sugar. Look at Afghanistan and the rebuilding of Iraq where free market capitalism and deep pocket American interests have had a free-hand to improve things .... glacial, but the corruption keeps growing because foreign money is being thrown around ... and unemployment is staggering .... nuff ... sorry for the rant, but I always thought our standard of living was all the advertising we really needed.

Perhaps not intentionally, but this does mirror a "deep state" coup vigorously defending the status quo (at least wrt defense and MAD), perhaps not actually extending into other policies.

nor are diner waitresses likely to "invite attention" by doing so.... (because it's always the woman being provocative, don't you know) Paige was behaving like the privileged good-neighborhood suburban born and bred girl she is... Working class diner waitresses know all about men who loiter around the shop at closing time ...

A woman alone at night reading in her car would not remotely be "acting suspicious" if she drove away when startled by a stranger's knock on her closed window .... If he saw her again "loitering" in the same spot, same car, on another day or hours later he might be more curious and more aggressive .... but this is fiction ... and maybe he has tomorrow off or Paige would be more vigilant or be driving a different car with a different colored hat, etc.

Regardless, the foot soldiers of war and espionage are recognized as exactly that ... they are, in fact, only following orders, not setting policy or creating the plots and intrigues they carry out. It's part of why things like the Christmas Armistice in WWI and other ceasefires become legendary for kindnesses shown ... because the soldiers are the cannonfodder, far from "driving the bus." After all these years, I doubt many of P&E's crimes can be traced back to them or of actual interest to investigators (particularly if discovering the common thread, the authorities look derelict in realizing they had "serial killers" on the loose. That's how and why spy swaps happen and why it's always good to have some prisoners of value or notoriety to trade (see Bridge of Spies)

or it's a tiny enough (and unsuccessful) plot that it was successfully covered up ... fictional or rumored to be true.

They assumed she'd agree the Gorbachav was a traitor to all that was holy and needed to be brought down before he destroyed the republic. ("by any means necessary" -- but particularly if he agreed to "give away" Dead Hand (removing the Mutually Assured Destruction from beyond the grave) which they see (I think) as virtually inviting a first strike ... like people who believe that ending capital punishment would remove a significant deterrent (even if consideration of "deterrents" is fairly rare). I think they were correct as to Elizabeth's stance seeing capitulation (backing down) as treason. Apparently Putin currently deals with a vocal contingent of hardliners outraged by his being soft (negotiating, conciliating) in response to "Western provocation". Let's not think about the current issues wrt the proliferation of "tactical" or "battlefield" (limited) nukes.

Worse, Paige lost "situational awareness" and the security guard "snuck" up on her .... the guard could have just as easily been a mugger or someone attracted to messing with a young woman alone ... I hope her car door was locked. I remember Elizabeth chastising Henry for losing situational awareness of his 360-degree surroundings ... it's not a small thing to drop that sort of vigilance and if she had caught sight of the officer, there might have been no encounter, no ID theft, no murder.

Well, there certainly are plenty of parents in real life who overestimate their childrens' talents and aptitude, beyond "wishful thinking", into trying to control and steer their kid fruitlessly. The stage or sport parent who sees "talent" in what may be good but unexceptional performance. Also, I suspect still there are parents who project their own dreams -- of going to medical school or becoming some other professional -- onto a child who's not academically inclined or motivated. A parent may see future financial security while the kid experiences daily drudgery and boredom. Elizabeth may also underestimate how hard the job is ... because she's been doing it a long time and because she was thrown into the deep end of the pool and survive. Parents do sometimes assume that because they are good at something, their kid will be too. (My mother assumed that I would be bad a the same things she was bad at or disliked. Drove me crazy. "Just like me." No, really, not.) Paige -- so far -- has not (imho) shown natural aptitude. In fact, I realized the now dead navy security guard "snuck up on her" -- really bad rookie move. Of course, she wants to be good at her job as a spy, not least to please her mother but also for her own sense of worth and competence. Elizabeth wants her daughter to succeed, not only for her own sake and safety, but also as it reflects of her and her devotion to contributes to "the cause". That said, I don't think that's the what's going on here. I remain doubtful also about Paige's "resiliency" ... say, if something "bad" happened to Claudia, worse if instigated by Elizabeth and/or more "innocent bystander" murders given Elizabeth's now hair-trigger. Yes, I think the murder of the naval security guard is likely to snowball, not least because I doubt anyone is going to think it was a "mugging" for long. Claudia and Elizabeth may be loosely on the same side wrt "reforms", but afaict, Claudia has no authorization or need to know and Elizabeth is without a cover story about why she went to Mexico City. With Claudia, as with Philip, just how much, how far can she trust either with her new secret mission, if at all. (Did I miss or overlook something here?)

I'm almost willing to ignore the part of this in which Paige should have known her rights if questioned by "authority" while doing surveillance.... This was arguably a "sensitive" location to be inexplicably loitering in .... 24/7/365 ... but likely doubly so in the run up to the summit. A single woman sitting in a car late at night in a "bad neighborhood" (which I think included most of D.C. for a decade or two) probably needs to have some explanation for being at "loose ends" -- consulting a map??? maybe --- rather than just hanging out in a dangerous abandoned location for no reason. Police do abuse their authority ... I was pulled over "to make sure everything was okay" at 1 am on the San Diego Freeway driving down to see my boyfriend after getting off work at 11:30 pm ... he said I was "weaving' but I was stone cold sober and had had cups of coffee (I was tired). About a year later, a cop in that area was arrested (and eventually convicted) for murder and sexual exploitation of women driving alone though his corridor. He would accuse them of "weaving" (drunk driving) and "let them off with a warning" in exchange for sex ... except for a couple he beat up and another he killed. For a lot of reasons, I dislike plot points suggesting that women (or men) can simply turn on the charmn and use sex" as some magic get-out-of-trouble-free card. Many women discovered that actually they're going to be murdered anyway because they now "know too much" .... and/or in the eyes of their abuser they're simply whores ...

sorry, my bad -- but I don't think he had authority to confiscate either ... if he wanted to take them to "the station" to get a photocopy, fine -- Paige could follow him there and wait while he did that ... again -- not immediately "suspicious" ... I think an "outraged phone call" might be useful, particularly if this officer decided to pursue or harass or make demands on Paige (to get her ID back)

Funny, oddly enough, I was just thinking that an outraged telephone from "Paige's mother" to the security guard's employer reporting his ridiculous abuse of authority might well have been quite effective .... and evoked zero suspicion ... Even an outraged phone call from "Paige" demanding the return of her (needed) identification would have evoked zero suspicion .... he had no right or authority to confiscate and to walk away with her necessary identification (what if she got stopped for a traffic violation or simply wanted to buy beer?)

It's really crazy how badly prepared to do promotional interviews / talk show guest spots so many actors are these days ... in the olden days (Johnny Carson / Merv Griffen, even early Letterman era), there appeared to be some advance preparation and actors came on with a "funny story" to tell with the host nudging the actor along when they digressed or became incoherent (as Taylor did). The spots were short and controlled (even sometimes, it felt, rehearsed) and meant to be entertaining. Similarly, a young actor would be asked about older more established cast members -- Isn't it great to be working with .... -- where they could be effusively grateful for the opportunity. I'm doubtful there were a lot of die-hard Holly Taylor fans wanting to know more about her (and her emotional response) rather than mention of her next project and/or how doing the series has helped her "grow". eta; This is not specific Taylor -- I've seen Julia Roberts and other actors "lose the thread" of the "funny story" they were trying to tell ... for me, with extreme stage fright, truly excruciating to watch ....

Depends on the city, depends on the park ... but yes, the gay community had designated hookup park bathrooms when I was a kid in Los Angeles (where famous stars sometimes got arrested). The culture of park use in the big city is different. Residential areas where I grew up had parks filled with people with children in the day time, sometimes had picnickers at dusk in warm weather, but were deserted except for transients at night, except probably for an insomniac dog owner. However, the big city is not the suburbs where folks can get some fresh air and sunshine in their backyard or easily find uncrowded peace-and-quiet or take a private time-out walk to cool down. In high density cities that never sleep, there are shift workers traveling to and from work, catching a bite to eat or an end of shift drink. There are also joggers and insomniacs and dog walkers. In Santa Monica where I grew up the Palisade Park was chock-a-block with pensioners getting the sun and older folks taking exercise and/or walking the dog (the area has/had a lot of fairly high-rise residential buildings and so was high-density unlike my low-density low-rent Ocean Park neighborhood where parks hosted baseball diamonds and uninvitingly mangy grassy areas and were often empty when not in use for "practices."

yes, the Russian Refuseniks and Solzhenitsyn's best sellers (and as someone pointed out Chernobyl and that apparent coverup) made it very hard to find "nice things to say" or even maintain past-justifications for the abuses and hardships. Crop failures stop being "acts-of-god" when they are revealed to be the result of incompetent management and corrupt practices become widely suspected. Like famines that are about problems with food distribution rather than actual food scarcity. There was a lot to give pause even to folks sympathetic to the real struggles of wrenching the underdeveloped USSR into the 20th century (see also China)

yes, it's "cheating" the story to make Bhaer so attractive .... like the various incarnations of Mr. Rochester ... Michael Fassbender / Toby Stevens versus Orson Welles / George C. Scott ... removing that 20+ year age gap and Rochester's unpleasantly anti-social, even misanthropic tendencies and the story alters considerably ... (Timothy Dalton as Rochester .... be still my heart!) http://pop-culturalist.com/ranking-rochester/ On the other hand, alpha-male and gorgeous Ralph Fiennes as as a particularly poisonous Heathcliff added considerable (and I thought helpful) dimension to that story ... Heathcliff was not just a bastard child of unknown origins, he was also a fiery and competent seize-the-day rival to the gentry eta: Cathy (like Jo and the sisters) also has to transform from a heather-running girl into a socially appropriate woman and wife and I've always taken her ongoing affection (love, longing) for Heathcliff to be a longing for that freedom and innocence of childhood (free of class distinctions and worrying about paternity, and bloodlines, etc.)

I couldn't take more than the first minute of Holly Taylor who appears to me to be even younger and less mature than Paige Jennings, and rather "self-involved" ... (not that the interviewer was any help). She (and the interviewer) expected filming her last scene would be "emotional" but the weather was so bad and disrupted filming (they had to move locations), that everyone was just to be glad to be done for the day .... anti-climax of an ending to this story certainly, but Taylor isn't nimble enough to make her garbled-spoiler story interesting ... (there is an apparent spoiler but I'm not sure what it was)