S04.E12: A Roy Rogers in Franconia

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

As Paige deals with last episode's trauma, she sees her mother in a new light... and finds she has inherited some of her parents' skills. Plus, has Oleg reached his breaking point with Stan?

[ptuscadero]

OH. MAH. GAHD. I'm so, so sick of Paige. The End.

[AimingforYoko]

Holly Taylor is nailing the whiny, moody, melodramatic, annoying teenager. The stakes are just a little higher for her than with most teens.

Oleg, this is not going to endear you to Tatiana. I kinda like that his relationship with Stan bore fruit without him being completely turned. Should be a tense last episode.

[FormerMod-a1]

I wanted to hug Oleg so bad after his call to his mom.  And then thoughts turned elsewhere.. picturing the hug with my arms and legs around him.. and... (giggle)

How does Paige not see how Tim & Alice is different than Stan.  Tim and Alice know they are spies.  Stan (and Matthew) do not.  And why didn't Philip or Elizabeth say that?

Loved the FBI figuring out the mail robot.  I am looking forward to next week to see how that impacts William and/or Philip.

[Umbelina]

Aw William...

Next week looks GOOD!

[Primetimer]

When events force Elizabeth to admit to Paige that the downtown vagrant wasn't quite the first person she ever killed, Aderholt starts unraveling the mail robot mystery, and Oleg gets cold feet about both Tatiana and biological warfare.

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[Ina123]

William ain't going back to Mother Russia.

[JennyMominFL]

1 minute ago, Ina123 said:

William ain't going back to Mother Russia.

I'm really glad he gave us the graphic description of how he will die.

[sistermagpie]

1 minute ago, aquarian1 said:

How does Paige not see how Tim & Alice is different than Stan.  Tim and Alice know they are spies.  Stan (and Matthew) do not.  And why didn't Philip or Elizabeth say that?

Seriously, Paige was being a bit dim in that conversation. Not a time that felt like a good moment to decide to run all missions by her if she still doesn't get why she has to do all this with Pastor Tim and Alice and how that doesn't mean she should start trying her hand at jr. spy kid.

Btw, Paige and Elizabeth were watching Grant and Celia on General Hospital. Grant was the Illegal character. What was Elizabeth not getting about that story? Grant defected because he fell in love with his fake wife. Since they didn't even say anything about this hilarious coincidence I wonder if they knew what they were showing...but what are the odds of them focusing on Grant himself? (Or Andre Chernin, as his name really was!)

I liked Henry's concern over Paige and Elizabeth reminding us that he's like his father that way.

Also funny but believable that Paige wouldn't understand how "I wanted to serve my country" is a logical answer to "Did you know it would be dangerous?"

Though again, Paige, how are you still not getting how this is a dangerous job whether or not you're having to karate chop anyone?

I will always hold it against Oleg for throwing William under that bus. Come on, he just betrayed an Illegal. He must know what a big deal that is.

[Chaos Theory]

Another Awesome episode.  I am loving Paige more and more each episode.  Her scenes with both her parents and Mathew were made of win.  I am not sure if she w was actively trying to seduce the boy or not buy my thoughts where "Paige's first Honey trap.  They grow up so fast."  

The real hero of the episode however was the mail robot who finally got its day in the sun thanks in large part to Aderholt and his bug hunting. 

I think the funniest moment though was before the intro when Elizabeth and Paige walked into the house and Philip asked "what happened?" and the look on Elizabeth was like "We got mugged and I killed a guy.  No big."  

[AimingforYoko]

Just now, sistermagpie said:

I will always hold it against Oleg for throwing William under that bus. Come on, he just betrayed an Illegal. He must know what a big deal that is.

Oh, he absolutely knows the stakes. That's why he did it.

[TimWil]

Well, on tonight's episode there could have been an announcement, daytime soap style, "The role of Oleg's mother is now being played by..." Because the mother who Oleg was talking to on the phone was not played by the same actress who was last seen sobbing at the burial of her younger son about five episodes ago. The one tonight looks similar to the other one. I guess the other one couldn't speak Russian?

Edited June 2, 2016 by TimWil

[Umbelina]

Why didn't Henry mention the mugging when he said his sister was 'sick'?  Did they TELL him not to say anything, and if so, what possible excuse did they give?

The only hope that William doesn't give up the Jennings is his death.

Yeah, Paige, I'm going out to secure a dangerous weapon to use against the USA if we need to.  That'll reassure her!

Edited June 2, 2016 by Umbelina

[sistermagpie]

1 minute ago, Umbelina said:

Why didn't Henry mention the mugging when he said his sister was 'sick'?  Did they TELL him not to say anything, and if so, what possible excuse did they give?

Yeah, I was surprised they told him because why wouldn't Henry repeat that story? And wouldn't it be relevant when other people at the church know about the murder nearby? Or maybe that's not going to be an issue?

[dramachick]

I've had more than enough of Paige.  I just can't...   The fear of being raped and murdered is so ingrained in the psyche of women and girls in this society that I have a hard time believing she would see her mother in a negative light for saving their lives.  Realistically, she would want her mother to teach her that kind of self-defense!  This is one of those times that the predominance of male writers is evident.  I can accept all that other whiny angst coming from a pampered middle class teenage girl in the suburbs, but having a problem with her mother killing a murderous rapist before he killed them?  Naw, I don't buy it.  Terrible characterization.

Oleg, your heart is in the right place, but  I don't want to see you end up like Nina!

[hellmouse]

When Elizabeth tells Philip that Paige was reporting to her (about Matthew, Stan and Martha), it seemed to me like they did not think it was a good thing. It must be a huge conflict between their instincts as parents and their instincts as agents.

[shura]

"It's not logical, Mom. It's emotional." Gee, thanks, honey.

So why are they telling her everything every time Paige demands to know things? You must tell me where you are going, you must tell me how many times you killed, you must explain yourself... Must? Why? The only reason she could possibly come up with if they asked her would basically be "Because I want it!" Guys, you are her parents, why are you feeding this sense of entitlement?

[benteen]

Excellent episode and a really strong set-up for the Season 4 finale.

Dylan Baker has been a great addition to this season but it’s not looking good at all for William.

Glad to see the FBI actually found out something about the mail robot.

Great stuff on the Elizabeth, Philip and Paige front.

Nice to see Henry actually roused to concern over his mother and sister.

About the General Hospital episode, even Paige’s choice of shows is passive-aggressive towards her parents.

[Shriekingeel]

This made me laugh:

"So mom, how many people *have* you killed?"

"I don't know." In other words, "so many I've lost count" 

The mail robot scenes were so welcome. I just want the FBI to be, y'know, competent. 

When he's not eager to run off to Nairobi with you, he's just not into you  

[dramachick]

8 minutes ago, Umbelina said:

Why didn't Henry mention the mugging when he said his sister was 'sick'?  Did they TELL him not to say anything, and if so, what possible excuse did they give?

The only hope that William doesn't give up the Jennings is his death.

Yeah, Paige, I'm going out to secure a dangerous weapon to use against the USA if we need to.  That'll reassure her!

I think Henry didn't say anything because it was the kind of family business you don't go blabbing.  His parents might have told him not to, but Henry has always had more common sense than Paige.

[sistermagpie]

Oh, I forgot, another favorite line was Matthew saying Stan hadn't been home in a few days. LOL! So much for Stan being concerned about Paige and Henry's parents out of town.

Okay, I know Matthew is older, but for people who really care about that stuff he's not old enough. It was just a nice touch that of course Stan would still be Stan even if he wants Matthew there. It's really a sad little arc they nodded to in this ep with Matthew saying Stan was good with "little kids" - iow, referring to how he and Stan were close when he was young but not when he got older, and also a reminder that Matthew has stepped up and become friends with Henry now. With Henry not really caring since Stan's not his dad--his dad was playing with him at the start of the ep and assured him the others were okay when they almost got mugged. Then Matthew also pointed out that Stan was the one who wanted him there a couple times a week but now is never there so he might as well be at his mom's, but doesn't care where he sleeps.

So in a way Matthew is another one of those "fake" home set ups. He seems to be living with his dad a few days a week, but he's actually just living in his dad's house a few days a week. With dad trying to make up for it by dropping info about the FBI like he used to try to give him videos. Meanwhile Matthew might start spending more time at the Jennings...

ETA; When Paige said "I feel sick" I blurted out "Do you feel raped? Because feeling raped would be worse."

Edited June 2, 2016 by sistermagpie

[blixie]

12 minutes ago, dramachick said:

I've had more than enough of Paige.  I just can't...   The fear of being raped and murdered is so ingrained in the psyche of women and girls in this society that I have a hard time believing she would see her mother in a negative light for saving their lives.

Seriously she could have spared a thank you for saving my life/sparing me from being raped Ma. I can understand a certain amount of shock from seeing a dude die, but honestly it's not like she is little Miss Emoticon either. I did love how much Elizabeth opened up to her about how different life was for her and why "danger" wasn't a deterrent to serving her country to the absolute max.... Ugh it was such a phenomenally bad idea by the Center to tell her the truth, least reliable recruit ever.

I can't imagine Oleg thinks he's going to get away with blowing up Tatiana's work, and not have her figure out it was him.

I really love Henry, he was totes the one who should have been recruited.

Edited June 2, 2016 by blixie

[shura]

I had to laugh at how Henry was completely satisfied with Philip's "Two guys tried to mug Paige and mom, but they scared them away."  Because he thinks his mom and sister are scary? I'm telling you, Henry knows all about Elizabeth. 

[hellmouse]

34 minutes ago, AimingforYoko said:

Holly Taylor is nailing the whiny, moody, melodramatic, annoying teenager. The stakes are just a little higher for her than with most teens.

Oleg, this is not going to endear you to Tatiana. I kinda like that his relationship with Stan bore fruit without him being completely turned. Should be a tense last episode.

I wonder if Oleg will admit his role in this to Tatiana. Or if he will just say nyet to Nairobi and let her go on her way. My guess is it's the latter.

[madam magpie]

4 minutes ago, dramachick said:

I've had more than enough of Paige.  I just can't...   The fear of being raped and murdered is so ingrained in the psyche of women and girls in this society that I have a hard time believing she would see her mother in a negative light for saving their lives.  Realistically, she would want her mother to teach her that kind of self-defense!  This is one of those times that the predominance of male writers is evident.  I can accept all that other whiny angst coming from a pampered middle class teenage girl in the suburbs, but having a problem with her mother killing a murderous rapist before he killed them?  Naw, I don't buy it.  Terrible characterization.

Oleg, your heart is in the right place, but  I don't want to see you end up like Nina!

Oh, I don't know. I think a lot of people in America even today have no idea what danger really looks like before it actually comes, so they make broad, overreaching, outraged judgments about things like vaccines or kids who fall in gorilla enclosures or cops or gun owners or whatever. The guy didn't rape or murder anyone. We know and Elizabeth knows that he and his buddy were headed there, but the only killer Paige saw was her mother. Elizabeth wasn't totally wrong in the past when she talked about "a weakness in the people" or Paige being "delicate." For a sheltered kid who has zero experience with danger or death, I can understand why she freaked out. Plus, it's Paige, so you know...

Grant and Celia!!! Oh how I loved General Hospital. I used to run home from the school bus stop to make it in time for the title credit. That shout-out could only have been better if it had included super spy powerhouse Anna Devane being awesome...though this might be a year or two early for her.

Quote

"So mom, how many people *have* you killed?"

"I don't know." In other words, "so many I've lost count" 

Right?! That was great!

[sistermagpie]

1 minute ago, hellmouse said:

I wonder if Oleg will admit his role in this to Tatiana. Or if he will just say nyet to Nairobi and let her go on her way. My guess is it's the latter.

If he admitted it wouldn't he be killed like Nina? He handed over an Illegal who may now give up other Illegals.

 

2 minutes ago, madam magpie said:

Grant and Celia!!! Oh how I loved General Hospital. I used to run home from the school bus stop to make it in time for the title credit. That shout-out could only have been better if it had included super spy powerhouse Anna Devane being awesome...though this might be a year or two early for her.

Yeah, she shows up in '85 as I recall. But damn 83 was my favorite year.

[mjc570]

Add me to those who are  completely sick of Paige and the way Philip and Elizabeth are caving in to her every demand.  I can see why this SL looked appealing - it beings up all kinds of generational/religious/moral/family/political issues, but it's just awful now.  Maybe I don't have a lot of family feeling, and the point is to show that Philip and Elizabeth's strengths - understanding and manipulating people  - are of no use in a family setting, but I simply don't understand why they are continually giving her information she is clearly unable to process.  Why didn't Elizabeth stress that she acted in self defense and to protect Paige, and that Paige was going to be going to self-defense school ASAP?  Why didn't Elizabeth explain that she wasn't calm, she was in shock and had to handle the situation as best as she was able for everyone's (including Paige) sake?  Why did she say she couldn't remember how many people she's killed, without any context whatsoever?  Ugh.  If the writers want to increase tension by the will they/won't they be exposed, they could have done it without all this family drama.  Sorry, but I cannot think of any show that's been successful in focusing on indulged, self-focused teenagers (I'm thinking of Homeland, Tyrant).

I have to say how much I love Oleg.  He's such a decent guy, trying to do the right thing.  I thought his good-bye call to his mother shows that he knows he's in for a bad time since it's likely he'll be identified as the leak (or will be defecting, I guess).

[madam magpie]

4 minutes ago, sistermagpie said:

Yeah, she shows up in '85 as I recall. But damn 83 was my favorite year.

I can see it...though as a kid (12-ish) I wanted to BE Anna Devane. She was so cool and fabulous and spy-awesome, having babies in secret and nursing wounded hearts while continuing to kick ass and take names. And she had the very best hair. The thing with Paige and Elizabeth and GH just made me laugh. My mother never got it either.

[tennisgurl]

I cannot believe next week is the season finale! It feels like we just started!

Paige Paige Paige. Do you really think ANY country, let alone the USSR, would send out spies who cant take out a few loser muggers? Its like she goes from pretty clever to pretty stupid scene to scene. Which is not a knock on the writing at all, I think its realistic to a teenager in this ridiculous situation, plus one who seems to be pretty sheltered. 

The true hero of the story...the mail robot! 

I was so convinced that Oleg was going to bite it in this episode I was pacing my living room nervously. I felt so worried after that near tearful call home, especially the last few minutes of the episode. He really just wanted to do the right thing, and keep people from getting hurt, but I fear this is going to end very badly for him. 

Figures William would get busted just one week before retirement.  

Edited June 2, 2016 by tennisgurl

[madam magpie]

2 minutes ago, mjc570 said:

Add me to those who are  completely sick of Paige and the way Philip and Elizabeth are caving in to her every demand.  I can see why this SL looked appealing - it beings up all kinds of generational/religious/moral/family/political issues, but it's just awful now.  Maybe I don't have a lot of family feeling, and the point is to show that Philip and Elizabeth's strengths - understanding and manipulating people  - are of no use in a family setting, but I simply don't understand why they are continually giving her information she is clearly unable to process.  Why didn't Elizabeth stress that she acted in self defense and to protect Paige, and that Paige was going to be going to self-defense school ASAP?  Why didn't Elizabeth explain that she wasn't calm, she was in shock and had to handle the situation as best as she was able for everyone's (including Paige) sake?  Why did she say she couldn't remember how many people she's killed, without any context whatsoever? 

Because Elizabeth doesn't want to lie or be lied to by her husband and daughter, and she promised Paige she'd tell her the truth. That doesn't mean Mama is actually prepared for the truth telling. I think it's tripping her up.

[zibnchy]

Oh for crying out loud, Paige. It isn't as if Elizabeth dropped a car on the guy.

[hellmouse]

17 minutes ago, madam magpie said:

Because Elizabeth doesn't want to lie or be lied to by her husband and daughter, and she promised Paige she'd tell her the truth. That doesn't mean Mama is actually prepared for the truth telling. I think it's tripping her up.

I know that we don't see every conversation but it often seems like Philip and Elizabeth would benefit from deciding on what they will say/not say to Paige. 

Given that she doesn't understand how Pastor Tim and Alice are different from Stan and Matthew, I feel like they should err on the side of saying less to Paige. But I guess they can't say they don't trust her, because that would make her potentially more unpredictable.

I suppose it's a parenting analogy. You figure it out as you go along and you sometimes make mistakes. But in this case the stakes are super high. 

Edited June 2, 2016 by hellmouse

[izabella]

I have to keep reminding myself that it really sucks to be Paige right now, but her incessant demand for truths she cannot handle is getting on my nerves. 

[hellmouse]

18 minutes ago, madam magpie said:

I can see it...though as a kid (12-ish) I wanted to BE Anna Devane. She was so cool and fabulous and spy-awesome, having babies in secret and nursing wounded hearts while continuing to kick ass and take names. And she had the very best hair. The thing with Paige and Elizabeth and GH just made me laugh. My mother never got it either.

Yes, that was such a perfect "Mom" moment. Trying to understand what your teenager likes, and not getting it. And Paige's response was perfect too - she sort of gently teased Elizabeth. It was actually kind of sweet.

[madam magpie]

29 minutes ago, hellmouse said:

I know that we don't see every conversation but it often seems like Philip and Elizabeth would benefit from deciding on what they will say/not say to Paige. 

But given that she doesn't understand how Pastor Tim and Alice are different from Stan and Matthew, I feel like they should err on the side of saying less to Paige. But I guess they can't say they don't trust her, because that would make her potentially more unpredictable.

I suppose it's a parenting analogy. You figure it out as you go along and you sometimes make mistakes. But in this case the stakes are super high. 

I think that's it, actually. This is new territory for them, and they're just winging it. I like that what's tripping up these incredibly brave, accomplished, in-control people is their teenage daughter. It's so incongruous, yet totally believable. Plus, to be honest with Paige, they have to face what they really do. "How many people have you killed" was a great exchange, but it was also a gotcha moment for Elizabeth.

That said, I agree that it seems dim for Paige not to get why Tim/Alice are different. It's because you blabbed to them, Paige!!!

Also, I agree that it seems Philip and Elizabeth don't want Paige working everyone, Matthew in particular. They seem disturbed by or at least uncomfortable with that. 

Edited June 2, 2016 by madam magpie

[Bcharmer]

1 hour ago, ptuscadero said:

OH. MAH. GAHD. I'm so, so sick of Paige. The End.

I came here to say exactly the same thing. Sick of the way they give in to her, too.

[blixie]

I should say I don't mind Phillip/Elizabeth telling her stuff, or faltering when they do, that makes sense, the Center dictated this and they are kind of stuck with it, even though they remain ambivalent about how much she should know or be contributing to the cause. And since Paige is obviously determined to be OBTUSE, they are gonna have to explain things to her like five year old, aka Pastor Tim/Alice are different because they know about us, and Stan/Matthew don't, and if your amateur ass keeps probing they might be two more new problems.

I do wish they had shot back when she questioned their trust in her, she has to trust that they know what they are doing. They're trained for this, she isn't , she has to follow their lead because they are her effing parents, and as they've told her now multiple times they want to keep their family safe/together.

[madam magpie]

13 minutes ago, blixie said:

I should say I don't mind Phillip/Elizabeth telling her stuff, or faltering when they do, that makes sense, the Center dictated this and they are kind of stuck with it, even though they remain ambivalent about how much she should know or be contributing to the cause. And since Paige is obviously determined to be OBTUSE, they are gonna have to explain things to her like five year old, aka Pastor Tim/Alice are different because they know about us, and Stan/Matthew don't, and if your amateur ass keeps probing they might be two more new problems.

I do wish they had shot back when she questioned their trust in her, she has to trust that they know what they are doing. They're trained for this, she isn't , she has to follow their lead because they are her effing parents, and as they've told her now multiple times they want to keep their family safe/together.

And yet, when Elizabeth has shot back, she's criticized for being too harsh. Like most moms, she can't win.

[Knuckles]

I will miss William...Dylan Baker is an actor I have seen so often on Law and Order, but this role has given him some scope. It's not a huge part, but William is completely there, i feel I do know this guy. And his line readings are wonderful. Describing dying from Lassa fever as undignified. Yeah, that's one way to call it.

Aderholt should be promoted to take charge of the FBI...he's the man. And after remembering how terrible that scene was when Elizabeth killed that very brave woman..to see her son be so cavalier about her death was shocking.

That Paige was flipped out about her mother killing the would be rapist felt ok to me...she may well have never seen a dead body before, or even attended a funeral, and the first death is deeply troubling. That her mother took this guy out so fast and with a concealed knife (??) is a far distance from the suburban mom Elizabeth has been playing with Paige all these years...no wonder the kid is freaked and trying to process that. I doubt she has even considered the possibility of rape yet...she's trying to put together the ninja killer with mom/travel agent. 

Oleg is never going to Nairobi...and I figure that Tatiana and her "success" now makes his skin crawl. I hope he defects before he get shipped back to mother Russia.

[gwhh]

Elizabeth needs to tell Paige the facts. I killed a robbery/ rapist.   Who would have robbered us and than raped and killed us and probably not in that order. If I had the time. I would have broken there knees caps, yanked down there pants cut off there men bits and than stuff them in there mouths until they chocked and died on them. And than I really have gotten serious!   

 

Does anyone else hear the song lyrics "back in the USSR" every time someone's says the jenning may have to go back to Russia?  

Edited June 2, 2016 by gwhh

[La Tortuga]

I get that Philip and Elizabeth don't think it's a good idea for Paige to spy on Stan via Matthew--there are so many ways for Paige to screw that up without meaning to. But I do find it odd that P&E are surprised that Paige reported what she heard to her parents. That's exactly what she's been doing every single day for the last seven months whenever she sees Tim and Alice. It's just a habit now. The fact that she's now reporting on someone else too, specifically about something that she believes might be important to her parents, is not a big leap for Paige to make. And yeah, it's weird that her parents need to explain to her how the situation with the Groovyhairs is different than their relationship with Stan, but that doesn't change the fact that they've trained her to assess moods, gather information, and report it back to them. That is literally the reason the Center wants to recruit her in the first place; they just wanted her to get older and work for the American government first.

I did think it was both funny and sad that what was possibly Paige's first kiss came across as a beginner's honey trap. Very interesting stuff! I'm enjoying watching Paige muddle through both the awkward teen stuff and the my-parents-are-KGB-spies stuff at the same time.

[La Tortuga]

22 minutes ago, gwhh said:

Elizabeth needs to tell Paige the facts. I killed a robbery/ rapist.   Who would have robbered us and than raped and killed up and probably not in that order. If I had the time. I would have broken there knees, yanked down there pants cut off there men bits and than stuff them in there mouths until they chocked and died on them. And than I really have gotten serious!   

I was rolling my eyes at Paige for not being more grateful--or even conscious--that her mom had just saved her from being raped. But then I remembered that when the two muggers approached them asking for cigarettes, Paige was naïve enough to tell them where to find the nearest grocery store. One of them even chuckled at her for not realizing what was going on. This kid has no practical idea what the world is like outside her suburb, because that's the life her parents carved out for her. She also has no idea that Elizabeth has been raped before and has nightmares of the same happening to Paige. So, eyerolls notwithstanding, I can forgive Paige for being clueless about that part.

As the mother of a teenager myself, I can even forgive Elizabeth for having no idea how to handle Paige, as she never thought there'd be a need for these kinds of conversations with her children. Even perfectly normal parents who plan ahead often find themselves inadequately prepared for the reality of raising teens.

[izabella]

5 minutes ago, La Tortuga said:

As the mother of a teenager myself, I can even forgive Elizabeth for having no idea how to handle Paige, as she never thought there'd be a need for these kinds of conversations with her children. Even perfectly normal parents who plan ahead often find themselves inadequately prepared for the reality of raising teens.

I guess I can't agree with that, because Elizabeth thinks and plans carefully.  How could she have children without, at some point, giving a lot of thought to what would happen to them and what she would have to tell them and what she would be able to tell them?  If nothing else, how could she not have seen this coming after the whole Pastor Tim thing started?  I'd expect she would think of almost nothing else over the last 6 months she's been on vacation, and she would have a plan for how much to tell Paige and how.

[madam magpie]

26 minutes ago, izabella said:

I guess I can't agree with that, because Elizabeth thinks and plans carefully.  How could she have children without, at some point, giving a lot of thought to what would happen to them and what she would have to tell them and what she would be able to tell them?  If nothing else, how could she not have seen this coming after the whole Pastor Tim thing started?  I'd expect she would think of almost nothing else over the last 6 months she's been on vacation, and she would have a plan for how much to tell Paige and how.

She did think about it. She and Philip agreed that the kids would be kept away from their jobs and would never know the truth. They did that for 15-ish years. Then the Centre sprung the second generation recruitment thing on them, and Philip and Elizabeth have been barely treading water since. They've been dangerously exposed, Groovyhair is totally out of their control and they can't get rid of him, and it's Paige's fault. And then when Elizabeth tries to direct Paige, the kid is all over the place: terrified one minute and working Matthew the next. I think Elizabeth is struggling to keep up.

Edited June 2, 2016 by madam magpie

[PinkRibbons]

I think that Paige has started coming around in this one. Sure she has her initial shock and horror over the murder, but she seems more with-it now than she has been for quite a while. I felt like she wasn't so much focusing on the fact that her mother could kill, but that she was realizing how much danger her parents are in and becoming concerned for them. That's why I thought she started consciously working Matthew, because she's developing a (or rebuilding an existing) protective instinct for her parents. That's always a weird time in your life, when you start realize that you have to look out for your parents the way they have done for you. I still remember when my mother was in the ER and I found out that it was perfectly okay for me to sign all her paperwork.

(Also, "I'm with you" from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince kind of encapsulates the entire shift in responsibility. I love that line.)

[AliShibaz]

I couldn't take this episode seriously.

Paige asking, "Do you trust me or don't you trust me?", followed by her demanding to know who was calling and the details of where P was going and what he was doing. Then ... worst of all ... her parents actually tell her.

When I compare that to the previous scene where she is talking with Matthew and one of her eyebrows is running at a 45 degree diagonal, I started to question myself as to why I like this show as much as I do.

Tonight's episode had a whole lot of unbelievable events. I was very disappointed. Just my opinion, but parts of this episode were real crap.

[La Tortuga]

7 minutes ago, izabella said:

I guess I can't agree with that, because Elizabeth thinks and plans carefully.  How could she have children without, at some point, giving a lot of thought to what would happen to them and what she would have to tell them and what she would be able to tell them?  If nothing else, how could she not have seen this coming after the whole Pastor Tim thing started?  I'd expect she would think of almost nothing else over the last 6 months she's been on vacation, and she would have a plan for how much to tell Paige and how.

I thought and planned carefully, too. And then I actually had to sit down and have the awkward conversations with my kids, and all my plans went out the window when confronted by the reality of their curiosity, stubbornness, and level of understanding. And that was just talking to them about normal stuff they had no control over, like puberty. Conversations about danger or self defense or keeping secrets get weird and scary.

I think Elizabeth DID plan out how to talk to Paige for these last few months, but she is clearly finding her plans thwarted when Paige calls her out on giving these pat, uninformative responses about "making the world safer" instead of genuinely answering the question. Paige is pushing for real answers, which is what kids do, and Elizabeth is having to rethink her entire parenting strategy. I don't think Elizabeth should have told Paige about the weapon, but I get how E is up against a wall here trying to protect her work and identity while maintaining this new and very different dynamic with her daughter.

[Bannon]

Eh, mediocre dialogue. More plotting which revolves around people being stupid (really, they are only just now checking the robot for recording devices?),  and now we have a teen romance between a son of a FBI counterintelligence agent, and the daughter of illegal KGB agents. Ugh.

I know they have been signaling that development, but I was hoping they'd resist the temptation. 

[hellmouse]

I'm trying to understand Paige saying that there's no difference between Pastor Tim & Alice and the Beemans. Obviously there is a difference in that one knows the truth about the Jenningses being spies, and they only know because Paige told them. 

But over the past seven months or so, Paige has been reporting back on Pastor Tim and Alice. So maybe what she means is that she thinks she should report back on anyone who seems like a threat to their family. So Matthew and Stan don't know the truth, but they could still be a threat, so Paige is reporting what she learns, as she's been taught to do. She also may still feel responsible for the threat to their family, so she feels that she must do all she can to protect the family. When her parents tell her she doesn't have to keep tabs on the Beemans, she doesn't understand why, because she sees them as a threat, and she has to protect the family. 

Plus, she seemed inspired by Elizabeth's words about Smolensk. She wants to make a difference. Here she is volunteering information, without the deadened expression she has with the Pastor Tim reports, but her parents aren't pleased. She doesn't understand why. 

Plus, she is a teenager.

[kokapetl]

Poor William, his shitty lonely life will be capped off with a betrayal by that yuppie Oleg.