Alison Wright on The Americans

[SmoothLover]

I wonder if we will ever see her again on the show?

[Melissa25]

They just have to bring Martha back!!!!!  Suffering severe withdrawal here.  

Am I the only one who thinks Pastor Tim is creepy?  I am just waiting for that ax to drop.  

Emmy for best putz must go to Noah Emmerich's Stan Beeman.

[Mr Roxy]

Pastor Tim's real  hair is scarier than Phillip's ratty wig.

 

Cannot believe John Boy bought the farm.

[SmoothLover]

Was it just me or was Felicity flirting with the pastor to manipulate him in some sort of way.

 

The actress who plays the daughter is quite good. Actually they all are. Give Langella his own show or adapt The Father for HBO.

[HorseTears]

I love how the producers chose to film the time-jump episodes after the actor playing Henry had grown up a bit - like, ya know, teenage boys do.  Their attention to detail is pretty damn impressive.  

 

Yes, I find Pastor Tim a touch creepy, too (though, not as creepy as I did in earlier episodes) and, yes, it did feel like Elizabeth was perhaps flirting with him to get him on her side.  Although, I don't think that rules out that she may have derived some personal benefit from their brief one-on-one chats, too.  That's part of what makes the character, and Keri Russell's portrayal of her so fascinating.  There's never just one simple answer with her.  I don't think I've been this fascinated by a single character since Joan and Peggy on Mad Men.  

 

Although I saw that final scene in the most recent ep coming the second they started filming Elizabeth and Paige walking alone down shadowy DC streets, I still absolutely loved it.  This is the beginning of Paige going deeper and truly understanding what her parents do.  

[SmoothLover]

I think they should give Ruthie her own show as well. There is no reason that she could not carry a comedy on a major network.

[javero]

After Alison as Martha, I'm Team Phillip/Clark/Mischa all the way.  The way his character is written and brought to life by Matthew Rhys cannot be given enough superlatives.  I've been constantly intrigued by the way in which he's dealt with Martha, Elizabeth, Paige, and his handlers.  His marriage to Elizabeth was arranged as well as the relationship with Martha.  And I suspect that the mother of his first-born and Martha are the two great loves of his life.  Clearly, he's dutiful to the end but on his terms.

Phillip has boundaries and he's more than willing to enforce them. That all began when he beat a kid to death who was bullying him while growing up in Russia.  There's no way in hell he'll allow either of his relatively soft Americanized children to be recruited into the service that he had forced upon him.  And despite following orders with respect to Martha, he came clean with her when it mattered and helped her book safe passage when either side could have easily terminated her. 

Phillip/Clark/Mischa and Martha must be reunited somehow.  Viewers anticipated that Stan and Nina's great romance would end badly. It was clear when their arc had run its course.  But, many of us are holding out for a brief Phillip-Martha reunion even if she's become disaffected toward him.

[HorseTears]

Yeahhhh.... I dunno about Martha being one of Phillip's 'great loves'.  He certainly grew to care for her and wanted what was best for her in the end, but 'great love'?  

[javero]

It's that Phillip was forced to part ways with the one woman in his adult life who loved him unconditionally, Martha.  She keeps him in touch with his humanity.  Irina seemed manipulative and Elizabeth typically places duty above all else.  After realizing that he was in too deep with Martha, Elizabeth graciously (or tactically) offered him an out of their arrangement.  As good of as agent as she is, Elizabeth knew that Martha had reached Phillip in ways that she never could.  The actress Keri Russell sold the hell out of that act of resignation.  It remains to be seen just what emotional toll the separation from Martha will exact on Phillip.  I'd encourage Pastor Tim to avoid pissing him off next season.

[HorseTears]

I dunno, I feel like your reading of these relationships may be a bit too black & white.  These people live in the gray. Yes, as we rounded the final corner on Martha's storyline, Elizabeth did entertain the possibility that Philip might be in love with Martha and prefer to stay with her.  But that was Elizabeth's own self-doubt.  Nothing in the writing, nor in Matthew Rhys' performance made me think that was true for Philip for even a second.  

[javero]

That's the beauty of the series.  So much of it is subject to the viewers' interpretation.  Neither the writing nor the acting is heavy-handed.  There are always several nuances that allow viewers to either live vicariously through their favorite character(s) or recall their personal narratives. 

 

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I just remembered that Martha was placed on that plane bound to Cuba along with the carcass of a lab rat that had been exposed to a deadly bio-toxin.  In a bit of exposition, it was revealed that it's 4x more toxic than the strain that nearly took out Gabriel.

 

 

[HorseTears]

Dammit.  Whatever you wrote in your spoiler, Jav, won't "toggle" for me.  

[Melissa25]

...This is the beginning of Paige going deeper...

I cannot wait to see the plot twists that await Pious Paige.  You just know she's going to have to choose sides.

I have a feeling that Alice will soon be knocking on the pearly gates.

[Petralicious]

This is my favorite show by far, has been always.  I have not quibble with anything they have done so far. But I think it was out of character for Phillip to allow Stan to eat dinner with them and the Pastors. Stan gave him an easy out, and he easily could have said, Look Stan, you know we love having you over, but we are talking to the Pastors about Paiges behaviour or role or something.  The risk is too high having him there and even Pastor questioned it later.  Does Pastor think that Stan is working for the KGB too? Or that Phillip is spying on him too? The first misstep in amazing show in my opionion

[HorseTears]

Not sure I agree with that, Petra.  Remember, it was Henry who saw Stan at the door and immediately invited him to join them and who said there was plenty of food.  If Philip then admonished Henry for doing this and disinvited Stan it would have looked a lot more fishy - to both Stan and Henry.  

[Petralicious]

If Philip then admonished Henry for doing this and disinvited Stan it would have looked a lot more fishy - to both Stan and Henry. 

 

I feel the risk was really great, both with Stan talking to the Pastors, and The Pastors knowing they are KGB, how they would react to them being friendly with an FBI that it would have been wise for Phillip to say his teenage daughter had some "girl" issue they are all trying to deal with.  Only the most clueless person would not back out. and yes, Stan has at times been clueless haha.  Both could blow their cover easily. But i can see your side Horse, and Im probably being nitpicky since the show has always been pitch perfect. 

[Mr Roxy]

2 words describe tonight's season finale: Holy Crap

It will be torture waiting an eternity for next season to start.

[SmoothLover]

I love that they are bringing in the son out of wedlock. Can't wait. Wonder how long it will be before Henry finds out?

[Petralicious]

What a great show, what a great season.  My two favorite characters are gone and the show somehow gets better. I do not think there is another show I can say that about.  Shondraland should take notes.

[HorseTears]

I usually enjoy the ambiguity and the unknown in this show, but that was a deeply disatisfying season finale.  

[Melissa25]

I completely agree.  I have lowered my expectations with season finales though.  They just are not as good as many of the episodes mid season.  Same thing happened with The Good Wife.

[Petralicious]

Looking Forward To Seeing Nina in her starring role on FX Tyrants next month! Governor Florrick too!