S05.E06: Crossbreed

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

Gabriel stuns Philip and Elizabeth with a sudden announcement and a crushing revelation about Philip's past. Stan and Aderholt draw a fly into their web, while Oleg and Ruslan ambush their first suspect.

Promo:

[Ellaria]

This preview gives me hope that this will be an exciting episode. So far, I have found this season to be a lot of "set-up."

Anyway, a few comments:

• Since E is still sleeping with Topeka Guy, I'm assuming that the operation is moving forward even though the "crop killing midges" don't exist. But why? To get more information from him about his work?
• The title of the episode - "Crossbreed" - may reference the type of resistant wheat/grain that he is trying to grow.  Perhaps she is now tasked with stealing the work that he is doing and turning it over to Russia.
• Lots of interesting scenes with Gabriel: his "you've seen too much...done too much" comment; E saying that she thinks that Gabriel isn't telling them something; his "I've never lied to them before" comment. Is that Gabriel walking toward the Lincoln Memorial?
• I think that he will protect Misha. And  I suspect that he isn't going to be 100% honest with either E&P or Claudia about what he is doing. Gabriel may not be long for this world.
• Stan and Aderholt are doing something. Have we seen this woman before?

[Erin9]

8 minutes ago, Ellaria Sand said:

This preview gives me hope that this will be an exciting episode. So far, I have found this season to be a lot of "set-up."

Anyway, a few comments:

• Since E is still sleeping with Topeka Guy, I'm assuming that the operation is moving forward even though the "crop killing midges" don't exist. But why? To get more information from him about his work?
• The title of the episode - "Crossbreed" - may reference the type of resistant wheat/grain that he is trying to grow.  Perhaps she is now tasked with stealing the work that he is doing and turning it over to Russia.
• Lots of interesting scenes with Gabriel: his "you've seen too much...done too much" comment; E saying that she thinks that Gabriel isn't telling them something; his "I've never lied to them before" comment. Is that Gabriel walking toward the Lincoln Memorial?
• I think that he will protect Misha. And  I suspect that he isn't going to be 100% honest with either E&P or Claudia about what he is doing. Gabriel may not be long for this world.
• Stan and Aderholt are doing something. Have we seen this woman before?

Agreed. I think this will be quite interesting. 

Also- Claudia justifies Gabriel's lie by saying Philip lied to them. What's that about? Maybe that he's tailing Renee? That's the only thing I can think of so far. I gather that Gabriel's lie pertains to both Philip and Elizabeth. From the promo anyway! Those can be tricky though. 

 What is Gabriel's crushing revelation about Philip's past? I assume that's not the lie he's telling.  Are we talking childhood or Misha? I assume childhood. I wonder why he'd choose to reveal something upsetting to Philip. The man is struggling enough as is. Unless he thinks it will get Philip back on track somehow. 

I wonder about Gabriel too. He's not a hard liner either. Given the right set of circumstances, I could see him going against the centre. He questions a lot. Even Elizabeth isn't one either anymore- not the way Claudia is anyway. Claudia, I would think, would want Misha dead- for instance. I expect Gabriel to do what he can for Misha. We'll see how or if that works out.

[sistermagpie]

16 minutes ago, Erin9 said:

Also- Claudia justifies Gabriel's lie by saying Philip lied to them. What's that about?

I wonder if Gabriel finds out that Irina told Philip about Mischa in New York? Seems like something he might have suspected at the time, but maybe he finds out that Philip knew about Mischa (or at least the possibility of him) before Gabriel told him.

No idea about Philip's past. Maybe Irina's been executed? The promos always make everything shattering or crushing or devastating. And this week's "past mission" was only from the week before.

[Umbelina]

I was hoping the secret from Philip's "past" went much further back, to clarify those childhood flashback scenes we've been getting.  Please let that be it! 

*edited to move the rest to Gabe's thread.

Edited April 6, 2017 by Umbelina

[Ellaria]

51 minutes ago, Erin9 said:

Also- Claudia justifies Gabriel's lie by saying Philip lied to them. What's that about? Maybe that he's tailing Renee? That's the only thing I can think of so far. I gather that Gabriel's lie pertains to both Philip and Elizabeth. From the promo anyway! Those can be tricky though. 

What is Gabriel's crushing revelation about Philip's past? I assume that's not the lie he's telling.  Are we talking childhood or Misha? I assume childhood. I wonder why he'd choose to reveal something upsetting to Philip. The man is struggling enough as is. Unless he thinks it will get Philip back on track somehow.

32 minutes ago, sistermagpie said:

I wonder if Gabriel finds out that Irina told Philip about Mischa in New York? Seems like something he might have suspected at the time, but maybe he finds out that Philip knew about Mischa (or at least the possibility of him) before Gabriel told him.

No idea about Philip's past. Maybe Irina's been executed? The promos always make everything shattering or crushing or devastating. And this week's "past mission" was only from the week before.

I agree that the promos can be deceptive and we have to be cautious about reading too much into them.

Having said that, I believe that all of this centers around Phillip and Misha. Gabriel doesn't appear to be on board with Claudia's advice about "not telling" him. Phillip is on the edge and Gabriel knows it. Misha's appearance could push him over that edge or - depending on how its handled (is an ultimatum issued?) - bring him back into the fold. Gabriel has much better interpersonal skills than Claudia (who seems to have none). Maybe Gabriel tells Liz about Misha's appearance.

Phillip's commitment to family over country/ideology seems central to this season's story lines. I believe that Misha is a critical part of it.

What confuses me more is this comment by Gabriel: "you've seen too much...done too much." That fits with this comment last season about sending them home. Why say that now after sending them on the Topeka operation that they objected to?

[Erin9]

3 hours ago, Umbelina said:

I was hoping the secret from Philip's "past" went much further back, to clarify those childhood flashback scenes we've been getting.  Please let that be it! 

*edited to move the rest to Gabe's thread.

That's certainly what I'm hoping for too. I assume with all this buildup that Philip's past will be used to drive story rather than simply explain who he is, like Elizabeth's. But, given that the "past" mission was literally like 2 episodes ago in a story they're still in the middle of, I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high. 

[sistermagpie]

3 hours ago, Erin9 said:

That's certainly what I'm hoping for too. I assume with all this buildup that Philip's past will be used to drive story rather than simply explain who he is, like Elizabeth's. But, given that the "past" mission was literally like 2 episodes ago in a story they're still in the middle of, I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high. 

I wonder how much Gabriel knows about their pasts. He's seen their file so he's probably got everything relevant. He'd know about the true fate of Elizabeth's father, I assume. But it seems like so far references to "Philip's past" tend to mean Mischa.

[Umbelina]

I'd assume, since he is responsible for handling extremely valuable agents embedded near DC, he was thoroughly and completely briefed about Philip from birth, including dossiers on his parents, hometown, and any other significant contacts in his life.

Before he advanced to this intense training, I'm sure he went through every psychological test they had available.  Gabe would know all of it.

Ditto on Elizabeth.

Edited April 7, 2017 by Umbelina

[Erin9]

1 hour ago, sistermagpie said:

I wonder how much Gabriel knows about their pasts. He's seen their file so he's probably got everything relevant. He'd know about the true fate of Elizabeth's father, I assume. But it seems like so far references to "Philip's past" tend to mean Mischa.

Yeah, so far Philip's past has mostly revolved around Mischa. But, why would Gabriel need to tell Philip anything devastating about Mischa? If he's not planning on letting them meet, silence seems like a better idea. But, it could well be about him.

 I keep thinking about what could be so bad in Philip's past. He's having memories that he doesn't understand and isn't trying to have. I've seen the word "intrusive", and that seems to be a good word for them. It certainly appears he's blocking something out. It's clearly bothering him. I'm probably way off, but maybe he witnessed his father's death. Philip has mentioned his dad's death a few times, but he's never said how he died. Is it possible he doesn't remember? His memories seem to be tied to his father bringing things home. So, it's something related to his father, and it appears to be around the time his dad died. It's like his memories are around the lead up to it. I'm probably wrong. 

[sistermagpie]

8 minutes ago, Erin9 said:

Yeah, so far Philip's past has mostly revolved around Mischa. But, why would Gabriel need to tell Philip anything devastating about Mischa? If he's not planning on letting them meet, silence seems like a better idea. But, it could well be about him.

But then, what could he tell him about his childhood that was devastating. I mean, Philip ought to know anything about that. It's not like he's going to give him breaking news that his father died. Or that he died in some other way. That would be odd. All that stuff would be known, as Umbelina said, and probably gone into during his training.

What he could tell him is something like that Irina was dead and that this in some way meant Philip needed to be all the more loyal. Like to protect Mischa. Or even that Mischa got in trouble so again, Philip has to be all the more loyal. Something like that would at least fit into Gabriel's motivation to find a way for the two to meet without Philip flipping.

11 minutes ago, Erin9 said:

It's clearly bothering him. I'm probably way off, but maybe he witnessed his father's death. Philip has mentioned his dad's death a few times, but he's never said how he died. Is it possible he doesn't remember? His memories seem to be tied to his father bringing things home. So, it's something related to his father, and it appears to be around the time his dad died. It's like his memories are around the lead up to it. I'm probably wrong. 

I also go back to the fact that his father's death was the first true thing about himself he mentioned in an emotional way, back when Paige was complaining about not having a family. That was back at the start of S2. It seems in character for Philip to take a few tries to get something out. The fact that he's said "my father died" so many times makes it seem like there maybe is something there he's not saying or not remembering. I wouldn't be surprised if he witnessed it. Maybe his father stole that stuff and was killed for it. Dad putting family above the collective? So there's be the trauma of the death and also the connection to deprivation making him think about it now.

[Sarah 103]

8 hours ago, Ellaria Sand said:

I agree that the promos can be deceptive and we have to be cautious about reading too much into them.

As a fan of Mad Men, amen to that. I learned from that show not to trust the previews, because they are misleading and often cryptic. 

1 hour ago, Erin9 said:

I'm probably way off, but maybe he witnessed his father's death. Philip has mentioned his dad's death a few times, but he's never said how he died. Is it possible he doesn't remember? His memories seem to be tied to his father bringing things home. So, it's something related to his father, and it appears to be around the time his dad died. It's like his memories are around the lead up to it. I'm probably wrong. 

I think this makes sense. The memories are clearly leading up to something and seeing his father die a violent, painful, horrible death would fit. 

57 minutes ago, sistermagpie said:

I also go back to the fact that his father's death was the first true thing about himself he mentioned in an emotional way, back when Paige was complaining about not having a family. That was back at the start of S2. It seems in character for Philip to take a few tries to get something out. The fact that he's said "my father died" so many times makes it seem like there maybe is something there he's not saying or not remembering. I wouldn't be surprised if he witnessed it. Maybe his father stole that stuff and was killed for it. Dad putting family above the collective? So there's be the trauma of the death and also the connection to deprivation making him think about it now.

That would explain a great deal about Philip. I like the idea the Philip saw his father sacrifice himself trying to protect his family and do what was best for them. The lesson Philip took from that without realizing it was you take care of your family and put them first, or maybe his mother instilled in him the idea/belief that it was his responsiblity to take care of the family. It would explain many of his actions. He gets agressive when he thinks someone is a threat to is family. 

[kokapetl]

On 07/04/2017 at 2:08 AM, Ellaria Sand said:

This preview gives me hope that this will be an exciting episode. So far, I have found this season to be a lot of "set-up."

Anyway, a few comments:

• Since E is still sleeping with Topeka Guy, I'm assuming that the operation is moving forward even though the "crop killing midges" don't exist. But why? To get more information from him about his work?
• The title of the episode - "Crossbreed" - may reference the type of resistant wheat/grain that he is trying to grow.  Perhaps she is now tasked with stealing the work that he is doing and turning it over to Russia.
• Lots of interesting scenes with Gabriel: his "you've seen too much...done too much" comment; E saying that she thinks that Gabriel isn't telling them something; his "I've never lied to them before" comment. Is that Gabriel walking toward the Lincoln Memorial?
• I think that he will protect Misha. And  I suspect that he isn't going to be 100% honest with either E&P or Claudia about what he is doing. Gabriel may not be long for this world.
• Stan and Aderholt are doing something. Have we seen this woman before?

Maybe the Jennings get a crossbreed puppy! 

[MisterBluxom]

On 2017-04-06 at 2:08 PM, Ellaria Sand said:

Since E is still sleeping with Topeka Guy, I'm assuming that the operation is moving forward even though the "crop killing midges" don't exist. But why? To get more information from him about his work?

I skimmed your post the first time and when I saw "crop killing midges", I read it as "cop killing midges". Before I re-read it and saw my mistake, I actually started wondering how they could train those bugs to actually kill cops. How could those bugs distinguish cops from ordinary folks?

D'oh!

On 2017-04-06 at 11:39 PM, sistermagpie said:

But then, what could he tell him about his childhood that was devastating. I mean, Philip ought to know anything about that. It's not like he's going to give him breaking news that his father died. Or that he died in some other way. That would be odd. All that stuff would be known, as Umbelina said, and probably gone into during his training.

What he could tell him is something like that Irina was dead and that this in some way meant Philip needed to be all the more loyal. Like to protect Mischa. Or even that Mischa got in trouble so again, Philip has to be all the more loyal. Something like that would at least fit into Gabriel's motivation to find a way for the two to meet without Philip flipping.

I also go back to the fact that his father's death was the first true thing about himself he mentioned in an emotional way, back when Paige was complaining about not having a family. That was back at the start of S2. It seems in character for Philip to take a few tries to get something out. The fact that he's said "my father died" so many times makes it seem like there maybe is something there he's not saying or not remembering. I wouldn't be surprised if he witnessed it. Maybe his father stole that stuff and was killed for it. Dad putting family above the collective? So there's be the trauma of the death and also the connection to deprivation making him think about it now.

I wonder if Gabriel might tell Phillip something that would cause him to stay away from Mischa if the boy should ever try to contact Phillip. Gabriel could tell him that Mischa has lost his mind and is now working for an enemy country. In that way, if Mischa should ever try to contact Phillip, maybe Phillip might recognize that as an attempt by an enemy country to snare Phillip into some plot that results in his death or long-term incarceration?

I know it's a huge stretch. I'm just speculating. I must admit it's a fairly wild speculation.

[Ellaria]

8 hours ago, MissBluxom said:

I wonder if Gabriel might tell Phillip something that would cause him to stay away from Mischa if the boy should ever try to contact Phillip. Gabriel could tell him that Mischa has lost his mind and is now working for an enemy country. In that way, if Mischa should ever try to contact Phillip, maybe Phillip might recognize that as an attempt by an enemy country to snare Phillip into some plot that results in his death or long-term incarceration?

I know it's a huge stretch. I'm just speculating. I must admit it's a fairly wild speculation.

Gabriel may tell Elizabeth about Misha because he has faith in her judgement. He can have Elizabeth make the decision to tell Phillip (or not tell him). Gabriel knows that Phillip is conflicted. And, at this point, Gabriel is conflicted as well and, because of that, I think that he will be less-than-honest with Claudia. However, its way too soon for the Phillip-Misha meet-up to happen. I see it playing out at the end of the season.

I love the shot of Gabriel (?) walking towards the Lincoln Memorial. On a visit to DC, we sat on those steps and looked out towards the mall. Such an amazing view!

Edited April 10, 2017 by Ellaria Sand

[suomi]

"My own parents. I know nothing about them." Indeed. The irony is rich.

[AimingforYoko]

I sure hope we're not losing Frank Langella, he's absolutely killed it as Gabriel.

[Primetimer]

Elizabeth's new op has her looking into a psychiatrist -- which is kind of convenient, since she has some things she might want to talk about. (Obliquely.)

View the full article

[benteen]

Really good episode.  I think the best one so far this season.  Frank Langella was awesome and I thought it was great to see him and Paige finally meet.  Interesting information about Philip.  I loved the song choice at the end although I'm not familiar with it at all.

[ptuscadero]

7 minutes ago, benteen said:

Really good episode.  I think the best one so far this season.  Frank Langella was awesome and I thought it was great to see him and Paige finally meet.  Interesting information about Philip.  I loved the song choice at the end although I'm not familiar with it at all.

Peter Gabriel, "Lay Your Hands on Me." I was pleasantly surprised to hear it, and thought it was a good choice. 
I still held my breath worrying that Oleg might be taking a header off that roof, though.

Edited April 12, 2017 by ptuscadero
coz I capitalizeded wrongly.

[crgirl412]

Can someone explain why so much time is being spent on a story about mismanaged produce?? 

What is the significance of Oleg destroying the notes and tape?  Does it mean that he won't cooperate with KGB as far a Stan goes?  A lot went into those few scenes for I am not really sure what. 

[ptuscadero]

1 minute ago, crgirl412 said:

Can someone explain why so much time is being spent on a story about mismanaged produce?? 

What is the significance of Oleg destroying the notes and tape?  Does it mean that he won't cooperate with KGB as far a Stan goes?  A lot went into those few scenes for I am not really sure what. 

I'm hoping it means that he realizes he's safe (for now), and senses that the KGB has backed off.

[Umbelina]

If that's the last we see of Misha, I'm going to be slightly pissed off, all that time spent on him for basically nothing?  I must assume that Philip will find out somehow.

 I think it's much too neat to assume Stan's blackmail of the FBI worked on the CIA.  It honestly doesn't seem plausible to me, especially if there are no consequences for Stan.

So Philip was lied to his whole life as well, and it sure doesn't sound like he had any happy memories as a child to look back on, what with most of the town giving him dirty looks and his mother washing blood out of some dead man's shoes so they could use them.  Philip's dad was KGB as well, but obviously at a much lower level.  At least we got some better glimpses and a few answers.

Edited April 12, 2017 by Umbelina
edited out my error about Oleg

[crgirl412]

Watching Elizabeth lose her sh** over a Mary Kay lady was odd.  They let an FBI agent in all the time but a Mary Kay lady is where the line is drawn.  I wonder if E thought she could be a spy as well?  

[Umbelina]

Just now, crgirl412 said:

Watching Elizabeth lose her sh** over a Mary Kay lady was odd.  They let an FBI agent in all the time but a Mary Kay lady is where the line is drawn.  I wonder if E thought she could be a spy as well?  

She feels guilty as hell about the Korean friend, whose life she wrecked. 

[crgirl412]

1 minute ago, Umbelina said:

She feels guilty as hell about the Korean friend, whose life she wrecked. 

Young-Hee was a Mary Kay lady?  That is ringing a bell.....

[sistermagpie]

Just now, crgirl412 said:

Young-Hee was a Mary Kay lady?  That is ringing a bell.....

She and Elizabeth worked at Mary Kay together. Elizabeth liked both her and the job.

[crgirl412]

Just now, sistermagpie said:

She and Elizabeth worked at Mary Kay together. Elizabeth liked both her and the job.

Why I can't recall this more clearly is bothering me!  I've been to MK parties!  A woman at a church I used to attend had a pink Cadillac!! 

I recall them having family meals and laughing, how "Patty's family" got information and the horrible scenes with the husband. 

[Ellaria]

I'm going to be in the minority here but Young-Hee annoyed me as did Elizabeth's behavior when she was with her. I just didn't buy that relationship.

Incredible performances tonight from Matthew Rhys and Frank Langella. Both can convey so many emotions with very few words. I hope that this is not the last time we see Gabriel. Loved his visit to the Lincoln Memorial and his gaze across the mall. Its such an amazing and emotional sight.

I love Oleg but I need that storyline to get moving. The weekly interrogations of grocers about their distribution of produce isn't exciting me. I know it's going somewhere but I need it to pick up speed.

Ben the Wheat Guy continues to be a cliche. Of course he does tai chi. There is something about him, his life style, his choices that Elizabeth finds intriguing.

And I will pretend to ignore Paige...

[Erin9]

Wow. This was an amazing episode. Fabulous. 

Well- we finally know something about Philip's past. I'm not surprised it's prison connected; that was my first thought when he mentioned he was from Siberia, of all places. So, his dad was a low level KGB guard- and not only did his job clearly pay nothing, but it resulted in his kids being disliked in town.  Ouch. Philip didn't know his parents; as it stands, Henry doesn't know his, and they don't know him. Surely, this is leading to Philip working on that, breaking old patterns. 

It was painful to hear Gabriel say, " he was nobody. We were all nobodies." How very sad. What a horrible existence. MR and FL were amazing. 

Still- I assume there's more to come with Philip's past. We don't know what happened to his brother- now that we know he had one-or how his father died when he was 6. Surely that's coming. It's been a part of Philip's story too long that his dad died when he was young. 

Gabriel warning Philip that he's being watched was a kind thing to tell him; he does need to be cautious. But, he's right to note that they BOTH have seen and done too much. Elizabeth is cracking somewhat too. Snapping at the Mary Kay lady, driving out to the home that apparently Young Hee's family no longer live in was more of a Philip thing to do than Elizabeth thing. And Elizabeth really is reluctant to continue with Ben. She's over this more than she knows too. 

So Gabriel isn't gone for good, I hope?? I literally yelled at the tv when he said he was leaving. Maybe it is connected to Mischa being allowed to go home without repercussions. Gabriel felt true guilt about lying to Philip about Misha....who I am sure we'll hear from again. This can't be it.

I love how close E&P are. She assured Gabriel Philip was fine.....whether he was or not. She wasn't even sure. And kindly pointed out Philip needs to be careful. (Twice in one episode he got that warning.) That's a far cry from the woman who told their bosses he liked it too much in America. 

It was really nice to see Philip continuing to confide in her about his family and her urging him to talk to Gabriel to get answers while he can. They have really come a very long way as a couple. 

Poor Philip sitting in the garage in shock and sadness about what little he knew of his parents, and what he'd learned about them, was really well played by MR. 

Paige is meeting Gabriel! Wow. I.e. Closest thing to a grandfather she'll have. Can't wait to see this play out. 

Only downside- Elizabeth's scene with Ben seemed like a total waste of time. It was pretty boring. He seems like a cool guy, but so what? 

Edited April 12, 2017 by Erin9

[RedHawk]

I thought the tai chi scene was beautiful. 

Felt devastated when I saw Misha get off that plane.

Grandpa Gabriel -- it seems like Paige is the closest thing to a grandchild he will ever have also.

So many good things in this episode,  including a sighting of Philip's bitchin' Camaro. I loved it all. 

Edited April 12, 2017 by RedHawk

[PinkRibbons]

I was positive Oleg was about to off himself and I was so relieved that he burned the blackmail evidence instead. Too bad there's no one willing to tell him, "we're backing off on you, forget it" outright, but still. He at least has chosen to take that load off his shoulders.

Speaking of loads on shoulders, I felt the saddest combo of heartbreak and relief at Young Misha arriving back home. No one should have had to go back there after escaping. On the other hand I'm relieved there will not be this particular truth bomb ticking to traumatize the Jennings kids anymore.

I brought the scene of Oleg waiting to meet someone at the park to my parents because I wanted to know who the statue was of. I asked what kind of сво́лочь this guy was (as I believe in the firefly principal that every man who has a statue made of him is some kind of bastard, to paraphrase), and Mama said it may not have been a сво́лочь, because сво́лочьes stand upright. She thinks it's Pushkin, Papa disagrees. I expect I'll find out soon enough.

[vb68]

19 hours ago, Erin9 said:

Philip didn't know his parents; as it stands, Henry doesn't know his, and they don't know him. Surely, this is leading to Philip working on that, breaking old patterns. 

I hope so. But as it stands, I don't think Philip has connected this to Henry and still really doesn't think about Henry that much.  The ease which with Henry confides in and noticeably relaxes with Stan is so telling.  And Philip throwing out there that Henry can take over the travel business one day shows once again that there's distance between them. I'm not saying Phillip can't connect to Henry, but there's got to be a lot more effort than we've seen so far. I continue to think P and E's neglect of Henry is what really's going to bite them in the end.

I also noticed that we didn't see the parental unit tell Paige that they were completely wrong about their grain conspiracy.  Maybe it happened off-screen, but I rather doubt it.

19 hours ago, Ellaria Sand said:

Ben the Wheat Guy continues to be a cliche. Of course he does tai chi.

   Heh, it struck me in this scene that guy is totally poor man McConnaughey.  He looks exactly like him and the tai chi after sex just sold it.

Very disappointed  Mischa is back in Russia. Why oh why couldn't he had been at the door instead of the Mary Kay saleslady? (I know he had no way to know where to go, just saying.)  Meh. I hope there's a payoff down the road.

Philip knows he's responsible for Gabriel.  He can sense it.

I won't be complaining if Frank Langella gets an Emmy for this episode.

Edited April 12, 2017 by vb68

[Dev F]

1 hour ago, Umbelina said:

If that's the last we see of Misha, I'm going to be slightly pissed off, all that time spent on him for basically nothing?

Well, not exactly nothing, since having to lie to Philip about his own son is what convinced Gabriel he didn't have the stomach for the business anymore.

Quote

I don't know why Oleg is destroying his possible blackmail of Stan.  I wouldn't, but maybe he feels it's more dangerous to hold on to that than not.

That was Stan's tape of him, wasn't it? The one the CIA was trying to use to turn him? It made sense to me that he would destroy it, even if he doesn't know for sure that the CIA's plan has been called off. Like so many people in the episode, Oleg decided that come what may, he's not going to remain a prisoner of the past anymore.

43 minutes ago, RedHawk said:

I thought the tai chi scene was beautiful.

It also resonated interestingly with Elizabeth's therapy session. Was she just thinking of Paige when she had "Miss Sinclair" confess that she'd taken up karate to cope with being mugged? Or does some part of her imagine that tai chi might be something similar -- a way for her to cope with personal realignment of a different kind?

[Umbelina]

Yeah, it was.  I need to edit that.

Those childhood memories and learning about all the lies have to make Philip wonder even more what in the hell he's doing all this for, and if Elizabeth is really worth it.

Really thoughtful reviews posted in the Media thread, there were more as well, NYT and Rolling Stone also caught a few things I missed.  Most seem pretty clear that Gabe was warning Philip his life may be in danger from the KGB.

Edited April 12, 2017 by Umbelina

[jjj]

That was very wistful for Elizabeth, to see that her one friend had disappeared.  I think tai chi scientist guy has also connected with her in a way that is new.

2 hours ago, Erin9 said:

Gabriel warning Philip that he's being watched was a kind thing to tell him; he does need to be cautious. But, he's right to note that they BOTH have seen and done too much. Elizabeth is cracking somewhat too. Snapping at the Mary Kay lady, driving out to the home that apparently Young Hee's family no longer live in was more of a Philip thing to do than Elizabeth thing. And Elizabeth really is reluctant to continue with Ben. She's over this more than she knows too. 

 

Edited April 12, 2017 by jjj

[Bannon]

I'm not really buying that Paige could be a reliable KGB asset, or that the KGB would trust her. Hell, her parents have been so absentee for her entire life that there isn't any way that she could be seen as having been properly indoctrinated, and then we get to the problematic nature of the pastor and wife knowing that P & E are Soviets.

We'll see where the writers go with it; hopefully they will execute it better than Stan's arc. Nice to see an episode which was heavy on psychology.

[jjj]

I wonder if Henry will be able to stand upright anytime soon?  He was totally hunched over the table with Stan, with his shoulder leaning into his place setting, to hide his height.  And that Algebra II arc just continues to fascinate everyone.  

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Elizabeth rolling her eyes after she left the therapist's office cracked me up.

What I liked about her visit to the therapist is that she employed some basic spycraft stuff: instead of telling an outright lie, tell a version of the truth.

I was also cracking up at the scene before: ahhh, the good old days when you could smoke in the bathroom - because there's nothing like smoking a cigarette while taking a dump.

I was worried that Oleg was going to jump off the roof so I'm glad he's still around.

I will be sad to see Gabriel go, but I was also glad that Elizabeth encouraged Philip to ask him any questions while he still can.

Edited April 12, 2017 by ElectricBoogaloo

[alvajon]

I wonder what Elizabeth’s response would be if Tai Chi guy accidentally pulled her wig off in a mad passionate move? I used to wear wigs back then, though, as an alternative to using hot rollers every day. 

[Bannon]

1 minute ago, alvajon said:

I wonder what Elizabeth’s response would be if Tai Chi guy accidentally pulled her wig off in a mad passionate move? I used to wear wigs back then, though, as an alternative to using hot rollers every day. 

Oh, gawd, no, don't give the writers any hints. Can we go six episodes in a row without Liz killing somebody? Pretty please?

[zibnchy]

So this idea just popped into my head. What if Phillip's father isn't dead? I'm not good with TV show details - what do we actually know about his death?

[albaniantv]

I wish I felt as confident that Oleg is okay and did not commit suicide. Why go to a roof to burn something if not to then jump off? I want to believe he had to go to the roof because no one would be there to observe him burning the tape and map, but it just seems so extreme. 

Wheat Guy seems a lot like Paige's Pastor to me -- big, blondish strongmen who specialize in using their words and their inside voices. Wheat Guy is more coltish, could have been a dancer, but he has that same "let me tell you how to save the world, little girl" approach as the Pastor. 

Can't wait to find out who the park statue is... thought maybe Tolstoy because I was looking for a paragon of virtue, a parallel to Lincoln. But a Tolstoy statue would probably be more prominent than that one? 

What a relief to see Henry is still willing to hang out with Stan and talk food and women. The writers probably had a lot of fun working on that mundane little scene showing us how all American boy the math wizard is. 

[SWLinPHX]

I'm so pissed about Mischa!  All that empathy they reaped from us with his dangerous journey to leave Russia then Yugoslavia and all the money he put up and close calls at the border check -- for nothing.  I predicted this the moment we were first told his son wanted to see him last season.  Gabriel and Claudia would intervene and that would be that.  The producers would have no way for Rhys and Russell to speak Russian convincingly so that alone would mean Mischa would never meet Philip and it was all just a big, drawn out tease.

And I'm sick of Paige not knowing anything near the truth of how their parents go around murdering innocent and good people; heck, she didn't even find out that the wheat contamination scheme was not real and them just being paranoid.  It seems the Soviet side is always at the advantage and the CIA or American side is always several steps behind.  I need things to start turning -- fast!

I hate Claudia too.  Grrr...

Edited April 12, 2017 by SWLinPHX

[crgirl412]

Who will be their handler now?  Claudia again?  They still need a liaison between them and the Center to give them assignments and paperwork.    

[Sighed I]

I haven't read the thread yet but I wanted to write down my initial impressions first. My apologies if I repeat what others have said.

I loved this episode, and it was directed by B'Elanna Torres! You go girl!

Very introspective and character driven with great performances all around. It explained a lot of why we haven't learned much about Philip's past; he has few memories of it, and what he does remember of it are negative or lies. No wonder he's so "shaky". Everybody's been lying to him his whole life. He tries to be what others want him to be because he doesn't know who he is. I wanted to give Philip a hug.

Elizabeth's cracking as well. I like Ben and how he's getting to her, but then I have a soft spot for crunchy granola guys. Her guilt over using this good man is reminding her of Young Hee and the devastation she caused a good woman and her family. I liked how she did tai chi and saw a shrink, both things she could use right about now.

I know she was putting on an act but it's becoming increasingly difficult to tell where the persona ends and the person begins, especially with E & P. It's kind of like EST with Philip, except he's actively seeking answers. Elizabeth is too, she just hasn't figured it out yet. I do hope she finds a way to pull out of the mission with Ben or at least minimize the damage.

Elizabeth gets a lot of flack for being unfeeling and cold. She can be and is both, but at her core she's a still waters kind of person. Philip's anguish is so palatable I sometimes overlook Elizabeth's emotional journey. It's been incremental and a bit more under the surface, but she is not the same person she was in season one, by a long shot. Meanwhile, Philip, the one who's so emotive and think we know better was actually the cypher all along.

I liked how they shot the conversation between E & P in the Camaro with the focus alternating between speakers. It was subtle but very effective. Gabriel at the Lincoln Memorial was beautifully done as well.

Gabriel looked so worn out and weak; I could feel the guilt oozing from his pores. Great acting by Frank Langella. I'm sorry to see him go. I wonder if they'll find a way to keep him in the story line or if this is goodbye. The first domino to fall? I wonder if he'll ultimately cave? My guess is if he tells anyone it'll be Elizabeth. Since she knows Philip better than anyone he'll leave it on her to decide. Kind of a dick move, putting that weight on her. But in the context of the situation, if he does I think it'll be because he's trying to right a wrong. I'm glad he told Philip to watch his back.

Maybe I've watched too much Forensic Files, but I was like, pull out all the damn tape before you burn it, Oleg! I guess he's feeling relatively safe after the no-shows; I'm glad he figured it out. I wonder if the investigation about the produce is going to lead to his father? And if that happens and he is exposed, is Oleg's life going to get a whole lot less comfortable and privileged?

Liked learning more about Henry. It's funny how we learn more about him from his scenes with Stan than almost any others (I did like his harrowing adventure hitchhiking with Paige as well). Not that he's had many scenes. I wonder if that's about to change. I feel like he's a wild card in all this.

Hated seeing poor Mischa coming off the plane, somber and defeated. So brave and making it through all that danger only to be sent back with nothing. Now that we know Philip's family is considered untrustworthy, we assume they'll be keeping a close eye on them both, not that they ever weren't, I'd guess. But I'm worried about his safety, and Philip's.

I'm sure there are flaws or nitpicks and things I've missed that I'll think of later, but in all I enjoyed this episode a lot, from beginning to end. I love this show. It really is one of the best I've ever watched. A few missteps aside, the overall quality from acting to writing and directing, plot to theme, has been consistently excellent. Keep it up people!

Edited April 12, 2017 by Sighed I

[MisterBluxom]

6 hours ago, Ellaria Sand said:

I'm going to be in the minority here but Young-Hee annoyed me as did Elizabeth's behavior when she was with her. I just didn't buy that relationship.

Incredible performances tonight from Matthew Rhys and Frank Langella. Both can convey so many emotions with very few words. I hope that this is not the last time we see Gabriel. Loved his visit to the Lincoln Memorial and his gaze across the mall. Its such an amazing and emotional sight.

I love Oleg but I need that storyline to get moving. The weekly interrogations of grocers about their distribution of produce isn't exciting me. I know it's going somewhere but I need it to pick up speed.

Ben the Wheat Guy continues to be a cliche. Of course he does tai chi. There is something about him, his life style, his choices that Elizabeth finds intriguing.

And I will pretend to ignore Paige...

He looks so much like Phillip. Sometimes I wonder if it could possibly be Rhys in a wig.

[MisterBluxom]

6 hours ago, vb68 said:

I won't be complaining if Frank Langhella gets an Emmy for this episode.

I fear that he may be sick IRL or (hopefully) have some big RL opportunity (like a movie). There must be a reason why he is leaving the show and if there is no explanation, very sad to say, the reason is probably not something that will make his fans happy.

[Ellaria]

8 minutes ago, MissBluxom said:

I fear that he may be sick IRL or (hopefully) have some big RL opportunity (like a movie). There must be a reason why he is leaving the show and if there is no explanation, very sad to say, the reason is probably not something that will make his fans happy.

While I don't have independent confirmation, my guess is that the showrunners decided that Gabriel's return to Russia makes sense to the storyline. Therefore, plot! Although I'm sorry to see him go, I think that it makes perfect sense. (Keeping Misha from Phillip was too much for him. The show has made it very clear that being a spy takes an emotional toll.) Besides, there are only 17 (?) episodes left for this show. Things will start to wind down; we are moving towards the denouement of this story. 

2 hours ago, SWLinPHX said:

I'm so pissed about Mischa!  All that empathy they reaped from us with his dangerous journey to leave Russia then Yugoslavia and all the money he put up and close calls at the border check -- for nothing.  I predicted this the moment we were first told his son wanted to see him last season.  Gabriel and Claudia would intervene and that would be that.  The producers would have no way for Rhys and Russell to speak Russian convincingly so that alone would mean Mischa would never meet Philip and it was all just a big, drawn out tease.

I'm not ready to call it a "tease" just yet but I am disappointed. I can't imagine that the sole function of the Misha storyline was to push Gabriel back home. Kind of a long run for a short slide. Having said that, I don't know how he would work back into the show. I imagine that Phillip will eventually learn of his son's journey to the US and that Gabriel/Claudia turned him away. That would finally push him over the edge.

4 hours ago, Bannon said:

I'm not really buying that Paige could be a reliable KGB asset, or that the KGB would trust her. Hell, her parents have been so absentee for her entire life that there isn't any way that she could be seen as having been properly indoctrinated, and then we get to the problematic nature of the pastor and wife knowing that P & E are Soviets.

I agree and it has bothered me from the start. 

[Chaos Theory]

Gabriel and Paige finally meet.  I think I squeed A little.   

Wow the past.  The past!!!!!  Philip and Elizabeth have seen too much and done too much, haven't they?   You can see Elizabeth start to break.  When the lady from Mary Kay showed up the look on Elizabeth's face was like...Wow!  Plus going back to Young He's house and finding some else living there I think broke her a little.  

What would Elizabeth actually say to a psychiatrist?  The mind boggles....

Also Philip I am pretty sure your own son (both of them) know nothing of you.  And you know nothing of them.

Edited April 12, 2017 by Chaos Theory