S04.E13: Persona Non Grata

[ElectricBoogaloo]

SEASON FINALE!

Quote

The explosive season finale of The Americans finds Philip and Elizabeth in a high-stakes race against the FBI to recover a hazardous package. Will they get there in time? And will Paige follow her parents into the family business?

Promo:

[Umbelina]

OK, who is Stan throwing up against the wall at 0.21?

[madam magpie]

"The job wasn't meant to be forever"? I love how Elizabeth and Philip look at him like, "Uh, thanks for letting us in on that little secret, chump. Can we have our kid back now?"

[sistermagpie]

28 minutes ago, Umbelina said:

 

OK, who is Stan throwing up against the wall at 0.21?

 

Philip. It's from Glanders. They love that clip.

[Bubbetv]

I'm thinking that, "Job isn't for life" speech is Gabriel saying he's got to take medical retirement now. 

I'm also verrrrry frustrated with the non-response to Paige's snotty inquisition. Maybe they're so great at playing people that the training keeps them so cool all the time. But this week was the last nerve for me! 

Oh Paigeeeepoo, I am a highly skilled officer of an international superpower, and an honor graduate of the school of hard knocks. You are not my peer. You do not demand a single fucking thing. And certainly not demand it of me. 

Puhleeeze somebody spank this lil asshole back to her actual place in the world.

ahem. Rant over. Thank you for indulging.

[Umbelina]

Check your recorder if you are taping this finale, apparently there is a different 20 minute show in the middle of the early morning and some recorders are skipping tonight's show for that one.

[RedheadZombie]

22 minutes ago, Umbelina said:

Check your recorder if you are taping this finale, apparently there is a different 20 minute show in the middle of the early morning and some recorders are skipping tonight's show for that one.

Thank you!  That's exactly what my DVR did.

[scowl]

Damn these DVR's! Or damn FX for sending out bogus scheduling information. 

[stagmania]

Tonight's episode also runs long, til 11:14 pm. That is way past my bedtime, but it's tempting to stay up and watch it live.

[crgirl412]

The fact the Paige -a 15 year-old- is walking Elizabeth through the social constructs of visiting a family after the birth a baby is highly disturbing to me. 

It was like a scene from the Big Bang Theory where Sheldon just doesn't get it and the others are explaining it to him but without any humor.   

[AimingforYoko]

Paige was actually tolerable this ep. She's seems like she's up for the game and that scares the hell out of Philip. 

So is William's deathbed monologue going to start the dominoes? I suppose we'll see. And I guess we'll see about Philip, Jr. as well.

[Umbelina]

Dylan Baker (William) broke my heart.  Oh William...spilling the married thing!  He must be dead right?  Since Stan came home?

So, the Jennings may have a new son soon, and a son not all that loyal to the motherland?  He looks so much like Henry!

I loved that song when they were sitting in the car absorbing that they were supposed to pack up the kids and move back to Russia.  Neither looked thrilled about that, and I don't think it was because they couldn't be good patriots anymore.

Arkady gone!  Oleg gone!  Oh hell NO!  Tatiana in charge and doesn't suspect Oleg at all?   Well, I surmised she wouldn't suspect Oleg, but not that Arkady would be the PNG.  I thought it would be whomever picked up the Mail Robot tape.

Paige: "Shit happens, you know..."  HA! 

Damn, the one time I wanted Stan to spill something, but he's never talked about current cases. 

Lot's of puzzle pieces in play for next season!  I will miss you show.

[Shriekingeel]

Laughable. All 25 FBI agents can't outrun one middle aged man?  All of them are positioned behind him, none in front? He evades them long enough to inject himself by...going behind a pillar? 

Do svidanya, Arkady. A class act for a commie. 

[Primetimer]

When William proves how right he was about certain disease samples getting in the wrong hands (literally), Elizabeth and Philip are forced to consider the nuclear option (not literally).

View the full article

[SeanC]

Will Phillip and Elizabeth return to Russia and thus end the show?  Quelle suspense!

Jokes aside, a somewhat quiet finale, but good stuff all the same.  This show seems less and less concerned with seasonal arcs.

Stan's material has been so angsty for so long (indeed, he's probably the most consistently grim corner of the show, now that Nina is gone), I enjoyed his clear delight at walking in on Matthew and Paige.

Edited June 9, 2016 by SeanC

[Umbelina]

1 minute ago, Shriekingeel said:

Laughable. All 25 FBI agents can't outrun one middle aged man?  All of them are positioned behind him, none in front? He evades them long enough to inject himself by...going behind a pillar? 

Do svidanya, Arkady. A class act for a commie. 

They were trying to catch his accomplices at first, then contain him, which they did in less than a minute by surrounding him.

Yes, he was a class act. 

[AimingforYoko]

5 minutes ago, Shriekingeel said:

Laughable.

Speaking of laughable, I choked as hard as William at Aderholt's, "You want a Coke?"

[SailorGirl]

ok, Stan's reaction to catching the kids going at it, while mildly entertaining, seemed very immature to me -- and that he would think Philip would find it as equally amusing given it was his 16-year-old daughter? Stan really has no clue about parenting, or the world outside the FBI, does he? 

And did we really need to hear the "squick" sound as the biological did its damage to William? The verbal description would have sufficed. 

Lots of questions to ponder . . . . 

[hellmouse]

The pace of this episode was brilliant. It was like listening to a classical music piece with different movements, some slower, some sadder, but all leading to an incredibly foreboding ending. 

The only part I didn't love was Mischa Jr. It seemed a bit too contrived to have him appear and be so intent on finding his father. Almost like a soap opera plot. BUT I adore this show and trust the show runners so I will give them the benefit of the doubt. 

I do expect somehow that Oleg and Mischa Jr will be connected to do some anti-Soviet type activities next season. 

But Arkady! I don't want him to go. He's the best. Maybe he will work with Oleg and Mischa Jr too. 

[hellmouse]

Just now, SailorGirl said:

ok, Stan's reaction to catching the kids going at it, while mildly entertaining, seemed very immature to me -- and that he would think Philip would find it as equally amusing given it was his 16-year-old daughter? Stan really has no clue about parenting, or the world outside the FBI, does he? 

And did we really need to hear the "squick" sound as the biological did its damage to William? The verbal description would have sufficed. 

Lots of questions to ponder . . . . 

Totally agree. It was almost like he thought he was talking to Henry, not Philip. But he's been shown to be this kind of guy before, and honestly back in the 80's it wasn't that unusual. 

But it did show that he has NO IDEA that Philip and Elizabeth are the couple William was talking about. Here he is seeing Philip as the father of the bride!

[Chaos Theory]

I am really loving Paige more and more each episode.  I love how much she was manipulating Stan's son.  I guess should learn his name.  I found it hilarious that Stan walked in on them and was overjoyed that he would actually get to be a part of the Jennings family if his son married Paige.  My God do the Jennings have the Beemans  played.  Paige has her mothers talent with the men and her fathers talent with the Beemans.     The last scene was really well done.  The full weight of everything finally hitting Phillip.  What he thinks Paige's future will be if she continues down the path he thinks she is on.  

Quote

The fact the Paige -a 15 year-old- is walking Elizabeth through the social constructs of visiting a family after the birth a baby is highly disturbing to me. 

It has been shown many times that Elizabeth doesn't have many friends so I can see that subtle social  constructs would be above her.  She could do them when it involves manipulation but honest emotional moments are above her ability to grasp.

Williams stuff was both beautiful and awful.  I loved how he described The Jennings.   They are someone who the FBI would never suspect.  The American dream,  A couple of kids.  She is pretty.  He is lucky.  

 

And Mischa.  International road trip.  I was half expecting him to show up in the last few minutes of the finale.  But hey two seasons to go.  Plus how many travel agents do you think there are in America?  

Edited June 9, 2016 by Chaos Theory

[RedHawk]

21 minutes ago, SailorGirl said:

ok, Stan's reaction to catching the kids going at it, while mildly entertaining, seemed very immature to me -- and that he would think Philip would find it as equally amusing given it was his 16-year-old daughter? Stan really has no clue about parenting, or the world outside the FBI, does he? 

And did we really need to hear the "squick" sound as the biological did its damage to William? The verbal description would have sufficed. 

Lots of questions to ponder . . . . 

Stan had been up for a couple of days at least, so he was kinda punchy, but still... yeah, such an immature and skeevy reaction. Even worse, making a joke of it to Philip! He really just didn't think that through. "Father of the bride, you pay, haha!" Uh, not funny Stan.

This show loves the icky sounds. Remember when a certain lady got wedged into a suitcase?

Edited June 9, 2016 by RedHawk

[crgirl412]

5 minutes ago, SailorGirl said:

ok, Stan's reaction to catching the kids going at it, while mildly entertaining, seemed very immature to me -- and that he would think Philip would find it as equally amusing given it was his 16-year-old daughter? Stan really has no clue about parenting, or the world outside the FBI, does he? 

And did we really need to hear the "squick" sound as the biological did its damage to William? The verbal description would have sufficed. 

Lots of questions to ponder . . . . 

None.  He was way too amused by something that is not funny and lead can lead to all kinds of hell for both families.  

No, we didn't sound effects like that.  Ick.  I just wanted someone to put supplemental oxygen on him since he was on CMO (comfort measures only.)

[benteen]

Once they announced a sixth season for The Americans, I knew we wouldn't have a game-changing event tonight.  Still, those last few minutes were tense as hell.

Really good episode.  Poor William, what an awful way to die.  I'll miss Dylan Baker on his show.  Not only was his performance stellar but he added some much appreciated humor to this show.

I'm very much looking forward to how Mischa Jr. will shake up the family dynamics with the Jennings.

Interesting development with Arkady.  He really screwed up with Gaad.  Hopefully this isn't the last we've seen of his this season.

Yeah, Stan telling Philip about his daughter making out with his son is skeevy.

I do laugh though with all the props Keri Russell holds in front of her to hide her pregnancy on the show.

20 FBI agents not being able to catch up with William isn't surprising considering Stan and Aderholt couldn't chase down Martha either.

The Super Bowl, so we're in 1984 now.

Loved the music choice when Philip and Elizabeth learned they could go back to Russia.  I think we'll be in Russia at some point before the end.

GREAT season of The Americans.  Hopefully this show will finally be recognized by the Emmys but I'm not holding my breath.

[RedHawk]

Am I terrible for hoping in the beginning that Paige would be the one to get the Lassa virus? And then give it to Tim, Alice, and their innocent babe? Ok, maybe spare the baby. I just can't get into the Paige storyline and was bummed at the end. More Paige coming next season and I just. don't. care. Pastor Tim and Alice? Nope, getting to where I can't stand them. Sigh.

Otherwise, some good stuff. Poor William. Not sure I can stand it if we don't see Oleg again. I have such a crush on him. Arkady being accused of killing Gaad -- ah, the look on his face. That actor is so good.

So I never thought of this before, but when Philip was in EST talking about being a travel agent and getting to go all over the world, to all different sorts of places, I realized, no, he doesn't. Maybe when the kids were younger he did missions in other cities, but as far as we've seen he and Elizabeth don't go far from DC. Even if he did go to Boston or Los Angeles or Tulsa, it's not like he'd take in the sights. Funny to think that someone, like Stan, would ask him, "So how many cities have you visited, Phil?" and he'd make up a number. Then what if they asked about a certain city, and he couldn't describe any details well? Seems like not such a clever cover job after all. 

Edited June 9, 2016 by RedHawk

[Blakeston]

Is Aderholt really that stupid, that he would think it was appropriate to offer William a Coke, at that moment?

[hellmouse]

13 minutes ago, Chaos Theory said:

I am really loving Paige more and more each episode.  I love how much she was manipulating Stan's son.  I guess should learn his name.  I found it hilarious that Stan walked in on them and was overjoyed that he would actually get to be a part of the Jennings family if his son married Paige.  My God to the Jennings have the Beamns played.  Paige has her mothers talent with the men and her fathers talent with the Beamens.     The last scene was really well done.  The full weight of everything finally hitting Phillip.  What he thinks Paige's future will be if she continues down the path he thinks she is on.  

It has been shown many times that Elizabeth does;t have many friends so I can see that subtle social  constructs would be above her.  She could do them when it involves manipulation but honest emotional moments are above her ability to grasp.

Williams stuff was both beautiful and awful.  I loved how he described The Jennings.   They are someone who the FBI would never suspect.  The American dream,  A couple of kids.  She pretty.  He is lucky.  

 

And Mischa.  International road trip.  I was half expecting him to show up in the last few minutes of the finale.  But hey two seasons to go.  Plus how many travel agents do you think there are in America?  

Your last sentence made me literally LOL. 

It will be hard for Philip and Elizbaeth to explain some Russian guy showing up on their doorstep out of the blue. 

[AlliMo]

The part that got me was Paige offering to make her mother something to eat after a long day/night at work. She may get mouthy sometimes, which, frankly, I find understandable considering the position she's been put in, but people seem to forget how much adult responsibility she's actually taken on. In many ways, she's basically taken over a lot of the duties of running the household; it's only natural that she's going to resent to what she perceives as being treated like a child.

[AGuyToo]

So Misha is real.

I had wondered whether Gabriel and the Center were just lying to Philip about Misha in an attempt to manipulate him. But apparently they were telling the truth; he exists.

How easy will it be for Misha to get to America? His mom left him cash and fake passports, but I assume border security in Soviet Russia was pretty tight -- especially for a recently imprisoned enemy of the state like Misha.

Edited June 9, 2016 by AGuyToo

[RedHawk]

2 minutes ago, Blakeston said:

Is Aderholt really that stupid, that he would think it was appropriate to offer William a Coke, at that moment?

I laughed because it seemed strangely appropriate. Hey, some people still think Coke is good for a stomach ache!

[Umbelina]

Hmmm, a lot of our cast is moving to Russia lately.  Martha, Oleg, Arkady, so far Philip's son is there.  If Gabe is advising the Jennings to bug out, will he go as well?  That would be 5 more.  I think it would be too expensive to shoot in something resembling Russia, but honestly, this show could end up there.

 

Nah.

[benteen]

7 minutes ago, Blakeston said:

Is Aderholt really that stupid, that he would think it was appropriate to offer William a Coke, at that moment?

It got a laugh out of William, which was a pretty funny moment.

Small thing.  Did Hans have any dialogue this year or was he just in the background throughout Philp and Elizabeth's missions this season?

[Umbelina]

Yeah, Hans had dialogue, remember the license plate and being asked if a car had cut him off from seeing it?

6 minutes ago, AGuyToo said:

So Misha is real.

I had wondered whether Gabriel and the Center were just lying to Philip about Misha in an attempt to manipulate him. But apparently they were telling the truth.

How easy will it be for Misha to get to America? His mom left him cash and fake passports, but I assume border security in Soviet Russia was pretty tight -- especially for a recently imprisoned enemy of the state like Misha.

Yeah, Gabe seems to be more honest than I thought.

I'd think it would be pretty tough to escape, but he's been south, maybe picked up some language skills, and he has a LOT of cash and fake passports.  That will help.

[RedHawk]

5 minutes ago, hellmouse said:

Your last sentence made me literally LOL. 

It will be hard for Philip and Elizbaeth to explain some Russian guy showing up on their doorstep out of the blue. 

Yeah, I look forward to the intro to Stan. "Here's the exchange student we're hosting indefinitely. He's from, uh, France. Isn't it funny that he and Henry look so much alike?" I don't think we'll be seeing Misha Jr. at the Jennings household anytime soon. Or sure, why not? Philip can share with Stan his "youthful indiscretion", and immature Stan can elbow Phil in the ribs and wink, guy-style.

Gabriel, Philip, and Elizabeth seemed quite sad to no longer be able to meet in that filthy safe house. I still don't know why Gabriel isn't allowed to clean.

[shura]

5 minutes ago, AGuyToo said:

How easy will it be for Misha to get to America? His mom left him cash and fake passports, but I assume border security in Soviet Russia was pretty tight -- especially for a recently imprisoned enemy of the state like Misha.

Yeah, I don't see this happening realistically. His dad might as well run a travel agency on Mars. There is no way he would be allowed an exit visa, so he can't leave officially. He'll have to cross the border somehow without being detected. It will be difficult to do without major help. Btw, what was that about Misha having some influential friends? What friends was that guy referring to?

[Umbelina]

Anyone get a close look at those passports?  What was the green one?  We need a screen shot!

2 minutes ago, RedHawk said:

Yeah, I look forward to the intro to Stan. "Here's the exchange student we're hosting indefinitely. He's from, uh, France. Isn't it funny that he and Henry look so much alike?" I don't think we'll be seeing Misha Jr. at the Jennings household anytime soon. Or sure, why not? Philip can share with Stan his "youthful indiscretion", and immature Stan can elbow Phil in the ribs and wink, guy-style.

Gabriel, Philip, and Elizabeth seemed quite sad to no longer be able to meet in that filthy safe house. I still don't know why Gabriel isn't allowed to clean.

He's been sick.  I doubt cleaning up is high on his priority list.  Ha.

[crgirl412]

Philip about William to Gabe, "He bitched and moaned and was...an asshole....."  ha ha ha!!!

I'm surprised that they all don't trust William more.  If they thought that he was so easily swayed, why didn't they stop using him??  Would either side stick with someone they thought would turn so quickly?  I doubt it.  That seems like a misstep on the part of the show.

[sistermagpie]

3 minutes ago, RedHawk said:

So I never thought of this before, but when Philip was in EST talking about being a travel agent and getting to go all over the world, to all different sorts of places, I realized, no, he doesn't. Maybe when the kids were younger he did missions in other cities, but as far as we've seen he and Elizabeth don't go far from DC. Even if he did go to Boston or Los Angeles or Tulsa, it's not like he'd take in the sights. Funny to think that someone, like Stan, would ask him, "So how many cities have you visited, Phil?" and he'd make up a number. Then what if they asked about a certain city, and he couldn't describe any details well? Seems like not such a clever cover job after all. 

I’m honestly not sure if that’s supposed to be the case or if they actually are traveling a lot and we just don’t see it. They are travel agents, after all, and we did see Elizabeth once in Italy. Of course, Philip could have just meant he got to travel to the US, which he’d never seen and was foreign.

 

I’m not sure how I felt about the finale. A lot of it was great, but I think I have to go back and watch it without expectations that I didn’t really know I had but may have been messing with me. For instance, I was really not happy to see Mischa Jr. It just seems completely silly that Irina has yet apparently devoted her life to detonating little bombs in Philip’s every so often. How did she even get to tell her kid he was a travel agent? She saw him for the first time right before she ran away, right? Was she getting updates before that? Does Mischa Jr. know his dad’s an agent too? How does he intend to see him without blowing his cover? I liked the actor (he was on Orphan Black!) but this is such soapy material. Plenty of guys who father children and don’t know about it never see their kids, but Philip’s love child he didn’t even know about is going to travel all the way from Moscow to meet him. I almost want them to go back home just so Mischa Jr. can just miss ‘em. They certainly are nice to him on Philip’s behalf, given his mom seems to be a traitor.

 

Heh. Matthew Rhys must be really hoping that kid doesn’t show up so he doesn’t have to talk to him in Russian. Although the actor speaks perfect English—maybe they’ll avoid it. Wouldn’t want Philip to do anything too Russian.

 

I guess the grandfather’s story about the two of them kissing is supposed to explain Stan’s weirdo behavior, but no, it really didn’t.

 

Also, I am officially sick of EST. Seriously, this ep I started to just agree with Elizabeth about it. I know Philip hates his job. I have no idea how he actually got into the job, because his entire life in the USSR seems based around that bland, irritating Irina. He doesn’t respond to any of Elizabeth’s openings about the motherland but he’ll pay money to say he hates being a travel agent for the advice of “Why don’t you quit?”

Nothing with Henry yet, I guess. Even Matthew’s focused on Paige instead of him. Don’t worry, Henry. Your real big brother is far cooler than Matthew. He fought in Afghanistan and then got thrown into a Soviet mental institution for speaking out against the government.

[RedHawk]

1 minute ago, Umbelina said:

Anyone get a close look at those passports?  What was the green one?  We need a screen shot!

He's been sick.  I doubt cleaning up is high on his priority list.  Ha.

That place looked way more run down and dirty than just a couple of years of the old man being sick. I just never could see that as realistic. They showed the bathroom sink when Martha was there and it was beyond dirty. Philip and Elizabeth could have dressed as a cleaning crew and did him a favor...

[Umbelina]

4 minutes ago, crgirl412 said:

Philip about William to Gabe, "He bitched and moaned and was...an asshole....."  ha ha ha!!!

I'm surprised that they all don't trust William more.  If they thought that he was so easily swayed, why didn't they stop using him??  Would either side stick with someone they thought would turn so quickly?  I doubt it.  That seems like a misstep on the part of the show.

It's not about trusting William though.  Yes, he could have turned, because he made it very clear he did not want to give this bioweapon to Russia, but more than that?  He disappeared.  Obviously the FBI has him, one way or another.  They have no idea he's killed himself before interrogation makes him spill his guts, and instead he voluntarily spilled his guts to avoid giving them up.

It's the prudent thing to do.  Run. 

I hope Stan doesn't blab this, I really do.  That would leave the Jennings in America, but he really would look like a complete idiot.

[shura]

6 minutes ago, sistermagpie said:

Nothing with Henry yet, I guess. Even Matthew’s focused on Paige instead of him.

Now there's a storyline nobody's expecting - Matthew focusing on Henry the way he's focusing on Paige.

[hellmouse]

11 minutes ago, shura said:

Yeah, I don't see this happening realistically. His dad might as well run a travel agency on Mars. There is no way he would be allowed an exit visa, so he can't leave officially. He'll have to cross the border somehow without being detected. It will be difficult to do without major help. Btw, what was that about Misha having some influential friends? What friends was that guy referring to?

I assumed it was the KGB. Remember when Gabriel told Philip that they could make Mischa leave Afghanistan? But if it is the KGB, why did they decide to pull strings to get him out of that place now? If he's doing anti-Soviet stuff, wouldn't they want him to stay there? 

[AGuyToo]

As creepy as Stan's weird sex dance was, I found it (oddly) endearing how excited he was about the prospect of officially becoming part of the Jennings family if Matthew marries Paige. Outside of work, it's like the Jenningses are his whole world. It's going to be so awful when he finally discovers the truth ...

[Gella]

No one had those apartments in 1984. And that was supposed to have been somewhere in Moscow? I thought I was watching a scene out of some 1950s movie...
Misha didn't look like he came back from Afghanistan. Those guys had a way about them. Thousand yard stare thing. And why would anyone get him out of a psych ward? He was a son of a traitor with no official father, right?
I don't know. If they plan to do more scenes in Russia they should work on authenticity.
Paige is totally getting into the game. And Phillip doesn't like it one bit.
So Arkady Ivanovich is done... he would probably just get another posting somewhere out west. Doubt he would be posted back to Russia.

[Umbelina]

We don't really know where Misha was do we?  What part of Russia?  I need to know which countries those passports are from!

[AGuyToo]

Season 2 also ended in a deathbed monologue (Jared expositing his way through all the unanswered questions), but William's was so much better. It could have been cheesy or ridiculous (like Jared's), but instead it was affecting. Maybe the writers/showrunners learned something, or maybe it's just that Dylan Baker is really good.

[Knuckles]

I for one was glad that Tatiana took a big fall. No Oleg, no Kenya, no big job in Washington, just a little " continuity". See, that's what you get for trying to poison the whole east coast with Lassa fever. Arkady looked none too pleased to be deported...was he concerned about his activities being itemized by the FBI, or the fact of being sent back to, presumably, Russia. Probably not great for his career. Wonder if the Centre will blame Arkady for Oleg's leak to Stan.

I loved Aderhold asking William if he wanted a coke...lukewam coke is my go to for an upset stomach..seems to work. And farewell to William, he added so much to this season. Stellar work.

[Umbelina]

I don't think it's that much of a fall for Tatiana to be, even temporarily in charge of  one of the most important stations the KGB runs.

So far, I've posted a few reviews and interviews worth reading in the media thread, the reviewers are raving about this finale, and the entire season.  I agree.  This show almost never goes where I expect it to go, and I wish they hadn't included William infecting himself in the previews last week.  That would have been a much bigger moment if we didn't already know it was going to happen.  The chase would have been more tense too.

Edited June 9, 2016 by Umbelina

[jjj]

Poor William.  He really did give himself up for the cause, and no thanks to him.

I thought there might be a burst of Jennings evaporating with their suitcases, and Stan coming back to their disappearance going, "'she was beautiful...he's so lucky...two kids'" -- and *lightbulb* over Stan's head.

Agree he was totally clueless about how Philip would feel about his teenaged daughter being caught with Stan's son.  And clearly he had not been home for several days, given the lack of shaving.  But he seemed clean-shaven all through the hospital vigil. 

Is Irina still alive?  Or arrested and met Nina's end?  I listened twice, and there was no indication one way or another. 

[shura]

24 minutes ago, Gella said:

No one had those apartments in 1984. And that was supposed to have been somewhere in Moscow? I thought I was watching a scene out of some 1950s movie...
Misha didn't look like he came back from Afghanistan. Those guys had a way about them. Thousand yard stare thing. And why would anyone get him out of a psych ward? He was a son of a traitor with no official father, right?
I don't know. If they plan to do more scenes in Russia they should work on authenticity.
Paige is totally getting into the game. And Phillip doesn't like it one bit.
So Arkady Ivanovich is done... he would probably just get another posting somewhere out west. Doubt he would be posted back to Russia.

Communal apartments? They had them well into the 90s, at least. In Moscow. They weren't as gray and dilapidated, I agree, this looked like something from East/West, but some people still lived somewhat like that.

So Arkady was a cultural attaché, eh? Yep, I can picture him opening an exhibition and discussing finer points of Russian art. With a glass of cogniac in his hand, perhaps.

15 minutes ago, Knuckles said:

I for one was glad that Tatiana took a big fall. No Oleg, no Kenya, no big job in Washington, just a little " continuity". See, that's what you get for trying to poison the whole east coast with Lassa fever.

She never tried to poison the east coast with Lassa fever, she said she wanted to avoid this happening by accident. Not for humanitarian reasons necessarily, just because this would screw up delivering the virus to the USSR. And I agree, I don't think it's a fail for her. The Kenya job is not going to wait for her, but if she runs the US Rezidentura well enough, she'll get a rewarding posting.