S02.E07: Arpanet

[radishcake]

 

Philip uses his agent Charles Duluth to help him gain access to an early precursor to the Internet so that the KGB can bug American government communications. Nina faces the threat of a potential FBI polygraph exam, bringing her closer to KGB colleague Oleg.

 

[AimingforYoko]

Nothing like teaching a girl to beat a polygraph to make her want you.

[dramachick]

Oleg, Oleg, Oleg.  He was so smooth:  "Close your eyes..."   And then later in the hotel room : "You have no armor except your wits...You're a very good liar."  He and Nina are made for each other!  I didn't have much faith in his skills after he shrugged his shoulders when Arkady asked him for reassurance about beating the polygraph, but I'm a believer now.  

Poor computer dude.  At least Phillip felt bad about it.  Stupid Charles Duluth.

That Intellivision must have been some addictive stuff.

[Tara Ariano]

Here's my post on the episode!

[lucindabelle]

T me that did not look like Nina and Olegs first time, though I suppose they could have gone out to celebrate and then ended up there. Have to say they looked very merry and right together and she seemed as happy as we've seen her.

[parandroid]

Sigh. Somebody on the writing staff must have scoured the internet on how to beat lie-detector tests and not read through carefully the documentation they found. The key idea on squeezing the anal sphincter is to elicit the stress response in the body. You can also achieve this by causing yourself pain (for example, by stepping on a thumbtack you've placed in your shoe). But the real trick is to do this when "control questions" are being asked. These are questions that are typically asked at the beginning of the session to calibrate the responses from the individual being tested. The questions are always of the sort where the interrogator knows the answer, and expects a truthful answer from the subject. If you stress yourself out during your answers to the control questions, the interrogator can't really distinguish between the stress levels shown during the control questions, and the stress levels shown when you lie.

Nina did not use the technique during the control questions and was told to use it during her lie. This is stupid, and would make it easier for the interrogator to detect the lie.

[attica]

On the other hand, at least these tv-polygraphers were depicted asking only yes-or-no questions, which is something tv and the movies never get right. Progress!

I really wanted the exposition nerd to use the 'series of tubes' descriptor for the Arpanet. Because as we know, it's not trucks.

[Boundary]

In any given episode I ma never sure which side Nina belongs to. I know she screwed Stan over in this one and then went over to just screw Oleg, but somehow I suspect she's playing Oleg for a sucker too. Also, I'm now convinced this Larrick guy is as dangerous as the Jennings fear. He killed the Connors in the first episode and in this one the change of plans seems too convenient. He knows something is up, he's been surveilling Philip and Elizabeth since the second episode and knows their lackeys. 

[ahpny]

Having been subjected to several polygraph tests coincidentially during the same time period in which this show takes place, I took particular interest in how this was depicted.  I found the portrayal of mechanics of their adminstration consistent with my experience and what else I know, but question why the FBI would seeming put so much stock in their "conclusion."   At least in my experience, polygraphs of that era (which I don't think are all that different than now) are extraodinarily easy to manipulate and can be mucked up merely by breathing more slowly and purposefully lowering your heartrate, which isn't all that hard to do.  Indeed I did exactly that just to mess with the adminstrators of mine - I was then an obnoxious teen who resented being put through this just to begin work at a department store.  Anal clenching was new to me, however.

What makes less sense to me is why, knowing how unreliable they are and how a skilled test subject, like say a master spy, could skew the output, why would the FBI rely so heavily on this.  While such tests do tell you something, it's not that much.  Indeed, the questioning clearly indicidated that the FBI suspected she was a triple agent with her (or the KGB's) own agenda.  No results in reality should have allayed those suspicions - at least by those not in love with the test subject.

And I still don't get what her deal is with Oleg.  I half expected Oleg to strangle her in bed, especially after he complimented her on her "absence of armor" and skill at lying.  It seems that he suspects she's a bit in love with Stan despite her denials, which may or may not be lies, skillful or otherwise..

[dramachick]

In any given episode I ma never sure which side Nina belongs to. I know she screwed Stan over in this one and then went over to just screw Oleg, but somehow I suspect she's playing Oleg for a sucker too.

I tend to think that Nina is too smart to believe she can play Oleg.  Oh, she might toy with him for giggles, but a man of his guile with his connections is far more dangerous to Nina and her family than Stan could ever be so she will be very, very careful with him.  Arkady already knows that Nina plays for Team Nina, because even though she came to him and voluntarily confessed as to how Stan had turned her, the truth remained that she had been turned.  I don't think she's gonna get another free pass if she jerks Oleg around.

And then again, I may not be seeing the situation clearly because I honestly cannot fathom that she would have genuine feelings for a man like Stan, who forced her to use sex to get information for him and then forced her to have sex with him.  I deliberately use the word "force" because he held all the power in the situation and threatened to hurt her if she didn't comply.

[Helena Dax]

"Squeeze your anus" is my new mantra.

Nina's amazing. She's playing a very dangerous game but she is doing it so well...  Anyway, I think her feelings for Oleg are more honest than her feelings for Stan, maybe because I can see someone like Nina being attracted to someone like Oleg and his interest for capitalist luxuries.

I also can see Nina as someone who loves Russia, but doesn't love communism. If she survives, she'll adapt gadly to the new Russia and she'll probably end up marrying a Russian tycoon or becoming a high-rank politician (or both).

 

This is stupid, and would make it easier for the interrogator to detect the lie.

Maybe the writers didn't want to help criminals in the audience to pass that test XD 

Sometimes I think someday Philip will say "I quit" and that'll be the end of  his career as spy.

Edited April 10, 2014 by Helena Dax

[picklesprite]

A couple of things. . .

I'm worried about Nina. I think Oleg would let her be killed in a Moscow Minute, so whether she's honestly attracted to him or she's trying to con him, she's playing a really dangerous game. Good job, writers!

I'm so impressed with Keri Russell's acting. When an actress is as physically delicate as she is, I think it takes a whole lot of talent to portray "hard" and/or "tough" convincingly, and she does, in my opinion. I never watched "Felicity," and now I'm thinking I missed a good thing.

 

 

[bengeee]

Did anyone else get the feeling that this episode was just light? There were some dark parts to the show (bugging the Arpanet, killing lab guy, et. Usually this show has so many dark scenes that some people have to adjust their settings just to see what's going on. But this episode had a lot of bright snow shots, the diner scene, and even the polygraph scene was kind of light. Content wise the episode wasn't as intense either. I found a lot of the characters responses to be very charming. When E is describing Lucia to P and he says "sounds like someone I know." I thought that was adorable. I loved all the Oleg and Nina scenes. I believe that this is the first time Nina has appeared remotely happy. (But I'm pretty sure she's playing all of them) I love the Rezidentura, especially Nina, and it was clear that this was her breakout episode. Kudos to Annet Mahendru.

Despite lack of intensity, tonight was still a great episode. I think they want us to get a breather before hell breaks loose in the upcoming episodes.

I'm curious as to how you all function throughout the week when the show isn't on? I literally feen for Wednesday nights.

[Boundary]

I tend to think that Nina is too smart to believe she can play Oleg.  Oh, she might toy with him for giggles, but a man of his guile with his connections is far more dangerous to Nina and her family than Stan could ever be so she will be very, very careful with him.  Arkady already knows that Nina plays for Team Nina, because even though she came to him and voluntarily confessed as to how Stan had turned her, the truth remained that she had been turned. 

Oh I totally agree that Nina only plays for Team Nina. But on which side of the line does Team Nina lie? So far she's proved loyal to the KGB (well, since she was caught) but really not much has been asked of her, save for the intimacy. Ever since Stan killed Vlad she's been totally deceitful to him. When she told him about the walk in a few episodes ago, I was convinced she was giving more information than the Russians wanted but that turned out to be Arkady's ploy. Same thing with the Oleg ploy; as soon as I think that maybe she's siding with Stan, she reveals the opposite. And she is so convincing. That's why I don't believe she was genuinely happy with Oleg in that hotel room. I think she's sleeping with him to have more control over the situation, as sad as that sounds. Yet, having said all that, I believe Oleg gets her. His "how are you still alive?" was so astute an observation - Nina's wits are keeping her alive. I think she confessed to Arkady that she'd been turned in order to jump in front of events when Stan proved unreliable. Now that she's got Stan wrapped around her finger, she's working on doing the same with Oleg. I think Arkady has her number though, despite putting his reputation on the line for her.

One other thing. She told Stan she's waiting for Moscow's approval to get more access to the Illegals program. That must be delayed information because I remember her taking an oath some time ago. And 2 weeks ago she was working hard with Oleg and Arkady to ensure Philip safely exchanged the Mossad agent for the scientist. I think the delay is just to keep Stan hooked. Still, until Nina significantly risks her personal security for Philip and Elizabeth's safety, I will not trust that she's on their side completely.

Kudos to Annet Mahendru indeed, this character fascinates me no end.

Edited April 11, 2014 by Boundary

[dramachick]

That's why I don't believe she was genuinely happy with Oleg in that hotel room. I think she's sleeping with him to have more control over the situation, as sad as that sounds.

Heh-heh, I don't think it would be too much of a stretch for her to pretend.  Oleg saved her life with that polygraph prep, and he's a very sexy guy.  All lean and long... (let that marinate a minute).  He's got great taste in music.  He's a sharp dresser.  He knows how to show a girl a good time in a hot tub with a heated floor.  And did I mention how sexy he is?

Edited April 12, 2014 by sukeyna

[Haleth]

What are there, a couple episodes left?  I need the Russians to screw something up.  I was rooting for Philip to fail and not get whatever info that thing he plugged in was getting.  (Didn't understand the whole "bug the interwebs" plot.)  Something needs to go majorly wrong by the end of the season.  I'd reaaaally like to find out that Oleg is working for the Americans or maybe Larick (sp?) is conning Phil & Elizabeth.  The Russians are way too competent.

[pithy]

I have a question - and I feel like I may just be uneducated on this front - but can someone explain the Russian naming conventions to me? All the folks at the Rezidentura call Nina "Nina Sergeevna" which I had dumbly thought was her full name, but then during the polygraph, the FBI guy added a third name. Same deal with "Arkady Ivanovich," I had thought but now I think I might just not get how they deal with names. Can anyone explain to this clueless American what the deal is?

(I swear, I really am just a clueless American -- I'm not a travel agent or anything!)

[MargotWendice]

I have a question - and I feel like I may just be uneducated on this front - but can someone explain the Russian naming conventions to me? All the folks at the Rezidentura call Nina "Nina Sergeevna" which I had dumbly thought was her full name, but then during the polygraph, the FBI guy added a third name. Same deal with "Arkady Ivanovich," I had thought but now I think I might just not get how they deal with names. Can anyone explain to this clueless American what the deal is?

(I swear, I really am just a clueless American -- I'm not a travel agent or anything!)

In formal settings Russian use patrynoms--the names of one's father. So Nina's father is Sergei and Arkady's father is Ivan. The -evna is for daughters and -ovich is for sons. Russians would use these in a work setting but not among friends.

[whiporee]

During the lie detector, Nina says she knows who killed whatever-his-name was, and she looks at Stan when she did it and she passed the question. 

Had he ever admitted to her he killed him? I thought he had flat-out lied to her about it. Maybe that was the genesis for the her "we are together forever now" stuff -- that she was telling him she forgave him. 

It seemed a major plot point that I either had missed, or that no one has mentioned. 

[pithy]

In formal settings Russian use patrynoms--the names of one's father. So Nina's father is Sergei and Arkady's father is Ivan. The -evna is for daughters and -ovich is for sons. Russians would use these in a work setting but not among friends.

 

Thank you so much!

[Hanahope]

So I learned something from the show.  Even though I was a kid during the 80s, I didn't recall Intelivision and I see its just an early Nintendo/X-box.  Funny seeing all those huge computers.  Its amazing how technology has changed and I found the explanation of the "internet" hilarious.

[Boundary]

During the lie detector, Nina says she knows who killed whatever-his-name was, and she looks at Stan when she did it and she passed the question. 

Had he ever admitted to her he killed him? I thought he had flat-out lied to her about it. Maybe that was the genesis for the her "we are together forever now" stuff -- that she was telling him she forgave him. 

It seemed a major plot point that I either had missed, or that no one has mentioned. 

You are right, Stan flatly lied to her about that but she never believed him. In fact, that's when she specifically went to Arkady to confess her crimes because she was so upset by his actions. I believe he's always suspected that she knew but both of them never confirmed it either way, until this episode. The "we are together now" stuff was just Nina reeling Stan in: he must fall in love and be in such a compromising situation that they'll start using him. At least that's the stated plan, with Nina it's entirely possible that she has genuine feelings for Stan but if so, I'd say she has a funny way of proving it.

[magdalene]

I want to believe that Nina has no genuine feelings for Stan because of the way he coerced her sexually. I can't stand Stan. As to what's happening between Oleg and Nina - I think they are playing each other mixed in with some genuine attraction? I find the actor playing Oleg and the character very interesting.

[Hal25]

I want to believe that Nina has no genuine feelings for Stan because of the way he coerced her sexually. I can't stand Stan. As to what's happening between Oleg and Nina - I think they are playing each other mixed in with some genuine attraction? I find the actor playing Oleg and the character very interesting.

I don't have any fondness for the Nina/Stan relationship. I don't even see it as a relationship because of the way he coerced her. I know the show likes to deal in the gray areas of how relationships form, but I see it differently with Philip and Elizabeth who were coerced by a 3rd party (the KGB) versus Stan/Nina where one of them held power over the other and used it to start a sexual relationship one couldn't really say no to. Oleg and Nina I'm not yet sure about, but it at least has potential. They haven't done much of anything with Stan all season that I find interesting.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Okay, I have to call shenanigans on one part of the polygraph...in that one cannot, just cannot sit with their legs crossed the way Nina's were. They have to be planted flat on the ground.

Then again, the last time I saw and participated in a polygraph, was during my Criminalistics class in college about 20 years ago...so what do I know? Only that my professor worked for the NSA (he couldn't tell us that until AFTER the class was over, because he wasn't allowed to,) and got permission to bring in and use the polygraphs they used.

But here, we had Nina sitting in the chair, legs crossed sexily. Totally took me out of the moment, along with the questions to determine the base line by not having her answer questions untruthfully. Jeebus cripes.

[lucindabelle]

What's this, call and response.l. Said in bed... Was just delightful. Nina seemed so joyful. They would actually be a cute couple. I'm a straight woman but damn Nina is gorgeous, almost unbelievably pretty to be anything but a model, but I buy it because this is atv, where detectives usually look like models, and because it's soviet Russia where celebrity wasn't supposed to matter. But I just have to say her distinctive striking beauty is hard to look away from... And makes her role even more compelling.

How many episodes are left?

[Hal25]

6 episodes left! Such a shame. I could watch this show all year!

[John Potts]

I liked the fact that Oleg told Nina he could teach her to beat a lie detector... and then confessed to Arkady that it was pretty much touch and go. I think the way they actually presented it was... well, let's just call it "Dramatic License" - tensing your anus on the Control question ("Is your name Nina?") and then relaxing on the "real" question ("Are you a double agent?") will spoof the test, it's not a panacea. I was rather surprised at her getting into bed with Oleg at the end - I can definitely see her surviving through the upheavals in Russia and ending up running the Rezidentura today (if she were real, obviously!). In contrast, Stan is looking ever more like an idiot (duped by his neighbours and his mistress) - we really need a competent antagonist for Phil & Elizabeth.

 

For all Paige's investigations, I'm starting to wonder if Henry's not going to inadvertently stumble on his parents' spy activities with his furtive sneaking about to play computer games (totally believable, IMO).

 

Hanahope Its amazing how technology has changed and I found the explanation of the "internet" hilarious.

 

 

Would have loved it if the explanation of ARPANET had gone from "Well, it's a way for scientists and technicians to communicate amongst themselves - but in a couple of decades time, it'll mostly be used for porn and sending pictures of cats!"

[tardistravler]

@John Potts. Haha I bet those scientists wouldn't believe us. I think that at least one of those computer guys thought about the cats. Either that or some of the Futurama cats infiltrated Steve Jobs or Bill Gates and subconsciously put that idea into them. THis is all for their plan for world domination. 

Edited July 22, 2014 by tardistravler

[ToxicUnicorn]

And she is so convincing. That's why I don't believe she was genuinely happy with Oleg in that hotel room. I think she's sleeping with him to have more control over the situation, as sad as that sounds.

Making my way through Season 2, and loving Nina.  At this point, I completely believe she was playing Oleg.  With a plan to get him killed.  In any case, I love the fact that she is a woman with smarts.

 

I don't dislike Stan as much as others here seem to.  Could be because I thought Nina initiated the seduction.  Am I wrong about that?

 

All in all, I thought this episode was very meaty, probably the most tasty one since the other Directorate S couple got killed.

[Chaos Theory]

A bug the size of a rat.  

Honestly my guess is that government is notoriously slow with changing with the times.  They probably did think that they could at least get a better read on a person from a liar detector test even if they knew it wasn't full proof and Stan just wanted to know it Nina loved him which was the one question he couldn't ask. 

Its always interesting the people that see the Jennings "true face".    Charles is a communist but is he a Russian?  Would there be any reason for him to actually know what P&E look like?  I get Grannie and Kate and even Emmett and Leanne but why would Charles need to know what Philip looks like?

I guess its the same with Lucia.   Lucia may work a lesser avenue and not actually be Russian but she does do the same job-ish as Elizabeth so I guess wigs off.  Still the girl runs way to hot.  Same with Charles.   I guess that's the lesson.   It a cold business.  You can't run hot.  

Remember when computers took up entire rooms? 

[sistermagpie]

3 hours ago, Chaos Theory said:

Its always interesting the people that see the Jennings "true face".    Charles is a communist but is he a Russian?  Would there be any reason for him to actually know what P&E look like?  I get Grannie and Kate and even Emmett and Leanne but why would Charles need to know what Philip looks like?

I don't know whether the issue is that they *must* see what they look like. It's more that some people are in deep enough that they're considered safe enough to do that with. And at a certain point that probably helps reel them in more, since after years of loyal service they might feel a bit put off by disguises. Also I guess we don't know the circumstances of all the meetings. When Elizabeth and Philip met Gregory and Charles they were young and blending into protest movements. Maybe their disguises were lighter to begin with, and after many years they'd presumably have to change it up a little anyway--they're not still going to look like hippies or whatever. Charles and Gregory seem, at this point, to be the only people who see P&E's true faces and while both are American they've also been working for them for a really long time and in very important ways. Gregory was supplying a lot of cover and cars and Charles is under deep cover himself, so they've got enough skin in the game to be considered safe, I think.

[Roseanna]

On ‎11‎.‎4‎.‎2014 at 1:24 AM, Helena Dax said:

Maybe the writers didn't want to help criminals in the audience to pass that test XD 

That.

On ‎12‎.‎4‎.‎2014 at 6:02 AM, Boundary said:

You are right, Stan flatly lied to her about that but she never believed him. In fact, that's when she specifically went to Arkady to confess her crimes because she was so upset by his actions. I believe he's always suspected that she knew but both of them never confirmed it either way, until this episode. 

I agree. Maybe Nina could have forgiven Stan for killing her friend, but when he lied about it, she knew that he couldn't be trusted to protect her. So instead of only waiting for the disclosure that would come sooner or later, she seized the initiative and went to Arkady. It was a risk but at least it included a chance. 

On ‎10‎.‎3‎.‎2015 at 2:31 AM, ToxicUnicorn said:

I don't dislike Stan as much as others here seem to.  Could be because I thought Nina initiated the seduction.  Am I wrong about that

I agree: it was Nina who seduced Stan. At that time I thought it was because she was attracted to him, and maybe she was, but perhaps she even then knew that it was the way she could have power over him, not vice versa.