S05.E13: The Soviet Division

[Tara Ariano]

Quote

In the season finale, Philip and Elizabeth race against the clock as a life hangs in the balance, while Stan faces an uncertain future.

[jjj]

I am not going to be checking back here (want to avoid even speculation about the finale!), but wanted to add a comment about the preview.  There were a lot of one- or two-second scenes, and several of them were from recent episodes:  shooting the suburban couple last week, catching Tuan after his midnight trip a few weeks ago, tonight's scene with Pascha's mother in the kitchen, the observer in the car outside Pasha's home, fight club with Paige a few weeks ago.   It seemed like a lot of old scenes, and maybe they just did not want to give away much about the finale?  The only scenes from the finale had to do with what appears to be finding Pacsha and the lie detection test of what I assume is Sofia's fiancé. 

Okay, see you here after the finale airs! 

Edited May 24, 2017 by jjj

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Promo:

[crgirl412]

The non-accented female voice at the end wasn't Elizabeth's or Claudia's.  I can't figure out who it is since the other two Evangia and Sophia have Russian accents.  I will just have to wait for the episode I guess!!  

[Umbelina]

Of course the dude is connected to a Soviet security agency, he's their damn courier, so why the shocked face Stan?

I thought the voice was Elizabeth's.  Maybe not.

[jjj]

7 hours ago, crgirl412 said:

The non-accented female voice at the end wasn't Elizabeth's or Claudia's.  I can't figure out who it is since the other two Evangia and Sophia have Russian accents. 

I hear Elizabeth's voice -- and I thought that was an excerpt from a past episode -- maybe even another season?  Or, I heard it in a long season preview for this season.  But it is Elizabeth.

4 hours ago, Umbelina said:

I thought the voice was Elizabeth's.  Maybe not.

Yup.

[Ellaria]

I know that the previews are misleading but I have a question about one scene:

We see Elizabeth telling Tuan, "You aren't going to make it." Presumably that means working with/for the KGB. Now what for him? He can't just return to whatever he was doing before. If the only alternative is a bullet to the head, why tell him?

Or that scene is a complete misdirect.

Edited May 28, 2017 by Ellaria Sand

[sistermagpie]

2 hours ago, Ellaria Sand said:

We see Elizabeth telling Tuan, "You aren't going to make it." Presumably that means working with/for the KGB. Now what for him? He can't just return to whatever he was doing before. If the only alternative is a bullet to the head, why tell him?

She could just be giving him advice: if you don't learn to be more X, you're going to get in trouble and flame out like so many of us do.

[SunnyBeBe]

2 hours ago, Ellaria Sand said:

I know that the previews are misleading but I have a question about one scene:

We see Elizabeth telling Tuan, "You aren't going to make it." Presumably that means working with/for the KGB. Now what for him? He can't just return to whatever he was doing before. If the only alternative is a bullet to the head, why tell him?

Or that scene is a complete misdirect.

That brings up a good question.  How do P & E explain it to Alexi and his family, if they are ordered to leave this assignment?  Does Tuan tell Pasha that his family is moving away?  Do they just muddle on with this mission, no matter what happens?  Seems like a big risk to keep appearing at Alexi's house in view of the FBI, when it's unlikely to be doing much good in getting this family to return home.  Just how do they wrap it up?  

Spoiler

I've lost faith in the previews to the extent that I don't put much stock in what they SEEM to reveal. I don't even believe that anyone is hurt or sick, despite the previews. lol 

Edited May 28, 2017 by SunnyBeBe

[dubbel zout]

1 hour ago, SunnyBeBe said:

How do P & E explain it to Alexi and his family, if they are ordered to leave this assignment?

Their cover is as airline employees. They tell Alexi and family their home base has been transferred. It's not really that big a deal. People transfer for work reasons all the time.

[SunnyBeBe]

18 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

Their cover is as airline employees. They tell Alexi and family their home base has been transferred. It's not really that big a deal. People transfer for work reasons all the time.

Well, maybe, that would be a good thing.  At the prospects of Pasha losing Tuan, his only friend, then, maybe, that would be more incentive for the family to return home. (Assuming that Pasha is okay.)

[Ellaria]

2 hours ago, sistermagpie said:

She could just be giving him advice: if you don't learn to be more X, you're going to get in trouble and flame out like so many of us do.

Knowing the tendency for the previews to mislead us, that's probably correct. I was hoping for something more exciting.

1 hour ago, dubbel zout said:

Their cover is as airline employees. They tell Alexi and family their home base has been transferred. It's not really that big a deal. People transfer for work reasons all the time.

Yes, of course but it is a tad bit more involved when a child is enrolled in school and has to be officially taken out of school. So not difficult but it does require a few extra steps to avoid suspicion.

[Bannon]

On 5/24/2017 at 0:57 PM, Umbelina said:

Of course the dude is connected to a Soviet security agency, he's their damn courier, so why the shocked face Stan?

 

Because the writers unfathomably decided, very early on, that the show would be better served if Stan was one of the larger putzes of 1980s Washington D.C.?

[TheBride]

Was Henry working on a computer at his desk? That's an anomaly if it was.

[crgirl412]

Elizabeth was way too easy on Tuan.  I was actually scared for him when she had Philip leave the room.  She doesn't really get how awful Tuan's actions were unlike Philip.   

[Shriekingeel]

The Americans go Seinfeld: The season about nothing. 

[AimingforYoko]

Just when they thought they were out. I think Elizabeth was going to miss their American life more than she'd care to admit.

[Primetimer]

And Oleg must face the consequences of-- Just kidding, we spent all that time on him this season only for him to skip the finale.

View the full article

[SlovakPrincess]

I had no idea Elizabeth loved her house and clothes so much, lol.  She really looked like she was going to lose it as she thought about leaving everything behind.  

Poor Alexei.  He's such a decent guy and he's just getting his life trampled on.  :(

Yes!  Give Martha a cute orphan to raise!  I'm on board with this plan.

The Paige scenes were mostly pointless.

Edited May 31, 2017 by SlovakPrincess

[jjj]

But---the Wheat.  Tai Chi guy.  All forgotten, all for an aimless season.

And no Oleg?  I can't believe he is left dangling after that dramatic exit last episode. 

Could you go from the end of last season to the start of next season and skip anything that happened *this* season?  Pretty much yes.

Edited May 31, 2017 by jjj

[benteen]

This season was a giant **** tease.  Just set-up for Season 6, which I do think will deliver big time.  But otherwise, a very self-congratulatory season.  They needed 13 episodes for this season?

Edited May 31, 2017 by benteen

[Midnight Cheese]

Well, that sucked.

Meandering, queso-tastic music montage, no Oleg, and no answers about Stan's annoying girlfriend.  Ugh.

[IndianPaintbrush]

Geez, I've been fairly patient this season but that finale was a big nothing-burger. Disappointed.

[jjj]

7 minutes ago, SlovakPrincess said:

I had no idea Elizabeth loved her house and clothes so much, lol.  She really looked like she was going to lose it as she thought about leaving everything behind.  

No, not the shoes!  Not the boots!  Take my toaster, capitalist honkies, but leave me my footwear!

[Christina]

It's time for me to accept that the show TPTB want to make is not the show I loved and still want to watch. It took this entire season for them to tell the story that from Oleg's mom, the grocery store clerk, the woman who kept the books for her boss, Martha and Mischa, everyone in the USSR is just trying to make the best out of the hands they were dealt. 

On the American side of the pond, everyone is either lying, manipulating and/or losing vast amounts of common sense and past knowledge with each episode. The lying and manipulation is the show and will not stop, nor should it, but at the same time, the characters are acting stupidly as compared to the prior seasons. 

The storylines require me to overlook an awful lot this season, and it seems like the reason for it is because they wanted to spend a large amount of money on digging a grave, planting wheat, and having Oleg filmed walking in Moscow. Those things did nothing for me as a viewer, nor did this season. The little tidbits I think I was supposed to take away, such as P&E being stretched too thin, tiring of killing, recognizing their family in the story being told about Pasha, having an unrealistic expectation of life the USSR, etc., wore me too thin, because I don't think either one of them could relate the dots since they couldn't tell that the wheat story was absurd and didn't expect the Lassa fever to be weaponized. 

Disappointing end to a disappointing season. 

[Erin9]

Wow. Somehow I doubt Philip will be able to just switch out the tapes. Elizabeth WILL need his help.....sooner or later. And more than just emotional support. But I like that she's trying to help him.  She doesn't want to see him destroyed.

And, in the end, even though Philip pretty much knew they'd be stuck staying....he couldn't bring himself to destroy the tape.  I think Philip knew they'd be staying when he opted not to destroy the tape. He wants things to be different, but as Elizabeth said and he agreed: it's why they're in the US. She said it first, but he knew it just the same. Still, she's burning out too- faster and faster. This episode made that painfully obvious, especially in the conversation with Claudia involving the destruction to the Russian family. It's typically more of a Philip thing than an Elizabeth one. Makes me wonder  how much longer even she can trudge along. 

I wonder if Henry really will get to go to boarding school now. I liked what Philip said about the family sticking together. I think he was right, regardless of the Soviet Union angle. Henry should stay home imo. He can go off to college in a few years. No kid needs boarding school to succeed. 

That was a very sweet final scene between Paige and Philip- him apologizing to her that things weren't different for her growing up. Well done. That was more meaningful than all the fight scenes, although I get it, Paige is toughening up. 

PT and Paige's final scene was actually cute and funny. I liked it. Things got so much easier for her once the burden of having to be around him got lifted. 

Philip and Stan are so in the same place mentally. Too bad they can't talk! I guess Renee is going to talk him into staying too. 

Tuon is a backstabbing little jerk. Hope we're done with him. I did like E's harsh speech to him. He needs someone, as she has always needed Philip to share things with. 

Elizabeth looking at all the things she'd miss, including her shoes, was priceless. It reminded of way been when Philip asked if she didn't at least like all her shoes! Yep, I think she'd miss them. 

Awww- looks like Martha gets a kid after all. That's nice that she caught a break. 

So- wow- it's going to be a long wait until next season. 

21 minutes ago, PreviouslyTV said:

And Oleg must face the consequences of-- Just kidding, we spent all that time on him this season only for him to skip the finale.

View the full article

It made sense it me. The reason we spent so much time on him in the last episode is to leave his fate up in the air post finale. We know  he's deeply disillusioned, and we know the KGB is closing in on him. They're making us wait a really long time to see how it plays out now. Seems clever to me. 

Edited May 31, 2017 by Erin9

[SlovakPrincess]

Aaaand ... just in the nick of time Philip hears a crucial recording that will keep them in the States.  A whole season building up to P and E maybe packing it in and a plot contrivance puts us back at square one.  Groan.  

At least Henry maybe gets to go to his private school now?  So ... yay, Henry!

Who do I have to pay to see a different hairstyle - any different hairstyle - on Paige next season?  I can't take it anymore!

Edited May 31, 2017 by SlovakPrincess

[willco]

Yeah, I'm all for giving shows a lot of room to tell the story their way, but man it feels like we are watching a different show this season ! Kind of like watching an ice cube melt, it takes a long time and all you have left is a pool of water. It's just not that exciting. Where were the chases this season, the near-misses of almost getting caught ? I kept waiting for some big surprise at the end and then it just ended. Hopefully, next season they will ramp it up.

[crgirl412]

1 minute ago, Erin9 said:

Wow. Somehow I doubt Philip will be able to just switch out the tapes. Elizabeth WILL need his help.....sooner or later. And more than just emotional support. But I like that she's trying to help him.  She doesn't want to see him destroyed.

She will SO need him!  Arrogant of her to think that she won't!

And, in the end, even though Philip pretty much knew they'd be stuck staying....he couldn't bring himself to destroy the tape.  I think Philip knew they'd be staying when he opted not to destroy the tape. He wants things to be different, but as Elizabeth said and he agreed: it's why they're in the US. She said it first, but he knew it just the same. 

So now I think that they should let Henry go to boarding school!  I thought Philip didn't want him to go because they were going on a "European vacation" soon. 

I wonder if Henry really will get to go to boarding school now. I liked what Philip said about the family sticking together. I think he was right, regardless of the Soviet Union angle. Henry should stay home imo. He can go off to college in a few years. No kid needs boarding school to succeed. 

That was a very sweet final scene between Paige and Philip- him apologizing to her that things weren't different for her growing up. Well done. That was more meaningful than all the fight scenes, although I get it, Paige is toughening up. 

That was sweet!! 

PT and Paige's final scene was actually cute and funny. I liked it. Things got so much easier for her once the burden of having to be around him got lifted. 

Philip and Stan are so in the same place mentally. Too bad they can't talk! I guess Renee is going to talk him into staying too. 

Now I think that Renee really is KGB or something like that now that she pointed out to Stan why he should stay. 

Tuon is a backstabbing little jerk. Hope we're done with him. I did like E's harsh speech to him. He needs someone, as she has always needed Philip to share things with. 

He is so awful!!!

Elizabeth looking at all the things she'd miss, including her shoes, was priceless. It reminded of way been when Philip asked if she didn't at least like all her shoes! Yep, I think she'd miss them. 

Who knew she was so materialistic??? 

 

1 minute ago, Erin9 said:

Awww- looks like Martha gets a kid after all. That's nice that she caught a break. 

I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE for Martha to get to adopt a little one!!

So- wow- it's going to be a long wait until next season. 

V E R Y long!!!!! 

[mattie0808]

39 minutes ago, IndianPaintbrush said:

Geez, I've been fairly patient this season but that finale was a big nothing-burger. Disappointed.

That's how I feel...I've not been super-critical of this season, but it has been slow, and I really, REALLY expected that even if it was a last-minute cliffhanger, they'd kick the final season into gear.

No Oleg. NO OLEG?!?!!?!?!?!?!?

I did really, really like the Martha scene. It was so tonally weird to have a hopeful and just plain nice note in this episode/season, but boy was it needed. Good job there, Gabriel (and we learned his real name)!

There's been discussion here before about Alan Sepinwall's hypothesis that penultimate seasons are the weakest for great shows on FX. (And Sepinwall tonight: "This wasn’t so much a bad season of The Americans as a disappointing one.") I agree with that in reference to Justified, but man, even that season 5 finale had some action, resolved some plotlines, and set out the main story for the final season (the final showdown between Raylan and Boyd). Hell, I would have taken -- no matter how contrived -- a "Stan finds The Americans' equivalent of Gale's inscription in Walt's copy of Leaves of Grass."

I have no doubt the final season will be amazing. But I'm disappointed in this season.

Edited May 31, 2017 by mattie0808

[skippylou]

It looks like they are not going "home" real soon. P didn't toss the tape. Who could they pass off Kimmy to? Tuan? No way she goes for him. But why keep spinning the Martha story line? OK, maybe she adopts the cute little orphan girl and runs into her "husband" sometime next season? I can't imagine he'd go back without his family. I am surprised that neither P or E has brought up the fact that they are/were planning to do to Henry exactly what Pasha's parents did to him. I am now willing to bet that Stan's GF is really Directorate S based on her gentle but obvious push for Stan to remain in counterintelligence. Paige has all but stated she wants to be a 2nd generation illegal.

I'll grade the seasons: 1 A+, 2 A, 3 C, 4 C-, 5 D+. I guess all of these TV dramas slowly go downhill. I loved "Orphan Black" for the first 2 years but probably wont even watch this year. I'll watch the 1st episode of The Americans this fall but if they are back in the USSR I am out of there.

[Irlandesa]

24 minutes ago, jjj said:

Could you go from the end of last season to the start of next season and skip anything that happened *this* season?  Pretty much yes.

Yes.  This season went nowhere. It was well acted, well put together nowhere but next time I recommend this show, I'm going to flat out tell people to skip this season except for perhaps the finale.  I actually enjoyed tonight's finale but more than that, it essentially recapped the experiences of all the characters in this season and offered some kind of resolution.  Except for what guy and Deirdre but who knows if we'll ever see them again.

I knew something would keep them here.  I thought it'd be a last minute exposure setting up the tension for next season.  That it was something big that fell into Phillip's lap was a bit underwhelming. 

Man do I miss the tension about whether or not the people in their lives would discover who they are.

Quote

I'll grade the seasons: 1 A+, 2 A, 3 C, 4 C-, 5 D+.

Interesting. I thought the seasons of this show got progressively better until this season. 

Edited May 31, 2017 by Irlandesa

[jjj]

Oh yay, now I can go read the spoilers.  Spoilers.  To nothing. 

[benteen]

2 minutes ago, willco said:

Yeah, I'm all for giving shows a lot of room to tell the story their way, but man it feels like we are watching a different show this season ! Kind of like watching an ice cube melt, it takes a long time and all you have left is a pool of water. It's just not that exciting. Where were the chases this season, the near-misses of almost getting caught ? I kept waiting for some big surprise at the end and then it just ended. Hopefully, next season they will ramp it up.

I began to groan every time there was no "V" for violence before the episode started because that meant it was going to be a slow episode.  They did NOT need 13 episodes this season and slowing it down to a crawl (which the producers have admitted) did not help this show.  As stated, Season 5 of The Americans was not the kind of season that made this show so great (acting aside).

[SlovakPrincess]

2 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

I knew something would keep them here.  I thought it'd be a last minute exposure setting up the tension for next season.  That it was something big that fell into Phillip's lap was a bit underwhelming. 

Man do I miss the tension about whether or not the people in their lives would discover who they are.

Yes!  I almost hoped something about the mission with Tuan or that damn wheat would be used as unfinished business / an excuse by Claudia to keep them in the U.S.   Not because I liked any of those stories much, but because I wanted some reason to have sat through it all, for it to matter in the finale!!  The thing with Kimmy's dad actually makes much more sense ... but I felt like the whole season ended up being pointless.

I'm at the point where I've given up on Stan ever figuring out what the hell is going on.  They are just bound and determined to keep him clueless, I guess!  

[sistermagpie]

6 minutes ago, SlovakPrincess said:

I had no idea Elizabeth loved her house and clothes so much, lol.  She really looked like she was going to lose it as she thought about leaving everything behind.  

Totally. But then, I think it’s always been true that while P&E are individuals, they also sometimes think as one organism. Elizabeth always tells herself she doesn’t really like her life in America, but she has Philip to express those feelings for her. And when he gave her a reason to stay, yes, she was motivated by the tape....but it also kept her from having to face all those fears about leaving.

Likewise, Philip’s standing at the river was a parallel to Stan at the end of S2 (although Stan’s scene was so much more exciting because...season 2). Stan stood on a bridge when he was thinking of handing over the Echo technology but in the end, that was a line he wouldn’t cross. He would act out a lot, but in the end he couldn’t actually betray the US. Just like Philip couldn’t actually toss info that important into the river just so he could go home. He knew Elizabeth would want to stay.

Philip’s had lines over and over that show that his issue isn’t that he only cares about his family now, it’s that he cares about all of it. He needs to own that part of himself (thanks EST) and not just be mopey about it. Find a balance and move forward, Philip. He's one step away from wearing Paige's low ponytail of sadness.

I thought Henry getting the scholarship was a little annoying. It’s such a TV thing where a person decides to work really hard for one semester and they’re showered with rewards as if that’s how that works. Wasn’t it enough for him to just get in, since his parents can pay for it either way? Why does he need a scholarship? What makes him stand out so much amongst all the kids applying who might actually not have money? Although at least Henry wasn’t getting into a great college after deciding to work hard his last semester senior year in high school. That happens a lot on TV. I just could not have been more disappointed that *this* was the promised storyline with Henry. No good scenes with his family. Just a “dream” that would just not be tragic to not happen. There were these little hints that it would lead to some interesting character stuff about Philip but turns out there was zilch at least for this season.

Basically, I really hope that next season we get interesting family stuff along with more interesting spy stuff (for both of them, not just Elizabeth). If Philip wants the family to stay together then give us some interesting stuff besides Paige because otherwise it’s just another season of how terrible it is to be Henry and how great it will be when Stan adopts him. Otherwise he’ll be at Chris’s.

I hope that’s the last we see of Martha. Gabriel (Semyon’s) a regular Father Frost these days, but I don’t need to see every step of Martha’s life in Russia. Seems like she’s got the positive note we needed to end on. She's got something and someone to live for.

I know Paige is into being a ninja now and all, but Pastor Tim is pretty ridiculous having a teenager walk by herself in that neighborhood. Maybe walk people to their car, Tim?

If Stan’s girlfriend’s an agent this is the first time she’s ever seemed like a good one. That conversation might have been between Clark and Martha. But I still honestly didn't feel Stan getting to the place he's at at all. He doesn't seem that pressured to me, and it doesn't seem like he ought to be that influenced to stick with this one are of FBI work that he's always been particularly bad at. Just let him chase bank robbers.

I was hoping for one last flashback from Philip but...yeah, I don’t think those were as meaningful as the show thought they were. Or the way I wanted them to be. Didn’t have any fear about Pasha, Tuan was exactly what he appeared to be (wtf with Elizabeth wanting to adopt him?). Thought it would have been great if Pasha decided to stay in the end. The scene that made me feel the most was Jim and Kimmy since I believe in that relationship. I liked Tuan enough to want to like him, but if he just didn’t really stick as a character and neither did the Morozovs.

[kay1864]

I can't see Martha raising an orphan, when she's barely literate herself.  (although maybe they would both be learning Russian together?)

Alison Wright in the close-up: *amazing* playing of emotions on her face.

Damn, I thought Renee might be a legitimate girlfriend--until she played Stan.

What did E mean at the end by "I can't "?

[jjj]

And Agent Gaad. They teased an ongoing interest regarding his death once or twice, and I was hoping for a thread of that to return somewhere toward the end of this season. 

[sistermagpie]

Just now, kay1864 said:

I can't see Martha raising an orphan, when she's barely literate herself.  (although maybe they would both be learning Russian together?)

Lots of immigrants who don't speak the language of their new country well raise children.

1 minute ago, kay1864 said:

What did E mean at the end by "I can't "?

She couldn't leave the US and abandon the Kimmy operation now that her dad was promoted.

[jjj]

1 minute ago, kay1864 said:

What did E mean at the end by "I can't "?

She can't go back now that they have such a huge inside scoop at the CIA.  I thought they would just end with "I can't", and leave us wondering... (I can't---stay?  I cant---go?)

[tennisgurl]

The amazing season where nothing happened! It really did feel like we were watching grain grow at times.

Alright that's not fair, and I love this show always and forever, but this episode was just...meh. We spend all this time building up all this stuff with Stan and his possible plant gf, P and E taking the kids back to the homeland, the Wheat stuff, the KGB closing in on Oleg, and none of it really ended up paying off by the end of the season. It all just either sorted itself out, or just wasn't resolved.

The worst part? No Oleg all episode! I know that his story didn't really tie into the main plot, but it was by FAR the story I was most invested in, and we get nothing? Really? We have to wait until the next freaking season to see if he ends up getting thrown into the nearest gulag, or just goes about his life? An episode without Oleg is an episode without sunshine!

There were some nice moments. I laughed at Elizabeth realizing she would actually miss her clothes, and we got what I think is a coda to Martha's story (adopting a cute kid) and Gabe coming through for Poor Martha at least a little bit (plus we get to hear his real name!) and the usual great performances by everyone. Again, its not bad by any means, but I expect more from this show.

And did I mentioned yet how pissed off I am that we got no resolution with Oleg? How am I supposed to last until the next season without a last shot of him looking amazing yet pensive?

Edited May 31, 2017 by tennisgurl

[SailorGirl]

On 5/28/2017 at 0:07 PM, dubbel zout said:

Their cover is as airline employees. They tell Alexi and family their home base has been transferred. It's not really that big a deal. People transfer for work reasons all the time.

Especially in the greater DC area. . . . 

Surreal moment for me -- was reading the recap, and had the rewatch on in the background. Literally as I read the line about "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" playing over the montage, it started on my tv. . .  Big Brother? Is that you? :-0

That orphan girl was adorable and Martha finally may have something in her life that is hers unconditionally -- too bad she had to betray her country to get it -- a single woman just cannot get a break! :-D

Question: Did anyone else think Elizabeth was rethinking leaving? She was looking at all the trappings of an American life (the tv, the nice kitchen, the closet full of clothes and awesome 80s boots). . . was she realizing she wouldn't have those things back in mother Russia and maybe thinking life in America . . not SO bad . . . 

Edited May 31, 2017 by SailorGirl

[jjj]

Did we know that there was Russian protection at the Pascha home?  Were they all stunned when that man barreled in with the walkie-talkie?  Was that nod from Philip to the guy, outside, "Hey, we're on the same team -- don't I know you from training camp?"

[benteen]

The show does seem to suffer when they do Russia storylines.  Look how much time they wasted with Nina in the Russian prison.  They could have wrapped that up early in Season 3 but instead they dragged it along for all of Season 3 and into the first four episodes of Season 4.

[kay1864]

7 minutes ago, sistermagpie said:

I know Paige is into being a ninja now and all, but Pastor Tim is pretty ridiculous having a teenager walk by herself in that neighborhood. Maybe walk people to their car, Tim?

This.  I kept waiting for her to defend herself against someone jumping out of the shadows (which would've been a little contrived).  Did we really need the tension of that scene--which ultimately didn't mean anything?

[Erin9]

Just now, kay1864 said:

This.  I kept waiting for her to defend herself against someone jumping out of the shadows (which would've been a little contrived).  Did we really need the tension of that scene--which ultimately didn't mean anything?

To me, it meant she felt safe revisiting the scene now. She's basically put that ghost to bed. 

[SlovakPrincess]

4 minutes ago, jjj said:

Did we know that there was Russian protection at the Pascha home?  Were they all stunned when that man barreled in with the walkie-talkie?  Was that nod from Philip to the guy, outside, "Hey, we're on the same team -- don't I know you from training camp?"

I thought it was U.S. government protection for Alexei, and that the nod between walkie talkie man and Philip was just "hey, I acknowledge you are also helping these poor people right now."   Philip worried that the guy would suspect them of something, but later told Claudia the guard seemed to be chill in his usual parking spot near Alexei's house.  

[kay1864]

1 minute ago, Erin9 said:

To me, it meant she felt safe revisiting the scene now. She's basically put that ghost to bed. 

Ah, right, thanks. That's the same place she and E were attacked. 

[chick binewski]

Nearly 50 minutes of the finale spent on Tuan and Elton John. Also, the spy camp Renee went to didn't teach her how to make garlic chicken properly.

Again, I thought the season lost a lot by not having the Rezidentura, considerably less Frank Langella and hardly any Allison Wright.  But the one scene Wright had with her going through 17 different emotions? That's the show I miss.

Also because I am a glass half empty kind of gal I read Martha's reaction as having very mixed feelings about taking a child the KGB was offering. Like she thought the KGB would eventually expect something from that child. Or that she (Martha) was too far gone to bring anyone into her life.

[jjj]

5 minutes ago, SlovakPrincess said:

I thought it was U.S. government protection for Alexei, and that the nod between walkie talkie man and Philip was just "hey, I acknowledge you are also helping these poor people right now."   Philip worried that the guy would suspect them of something, but later told Claudia the guard seemed to be chill in his usual parking spot near Alexei's house.  

Duh, of course, that makes sense!!!  I guess I thought the guy in the car was spying on the Pascha home, not protecting it.