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The Americans 3.08 “Divestment” Review: “Is Any of This True?”

The real/fake relationship setup at the heart of The Americans twists and turns delivering gut punches on a weekly basis. Whether it is Philip and Elizabeth navigating parental decisions when they disagree so much over this one very big thing or the amount of angst which is stacking up in the other relationships Philip is maintaining all in the name of the cause. The net is closing in on one of those as Martha questions everything about who Clark is causing him to turn on the damage control charm spewing out half truths to save the operation.

Ncgobo tells Philip “Being married and being at war do not always go together” and yet in the case of the Jennings being at war is the reason they are married. For them it is different, but for everyone else pulled into their orbit it is far from the case. The teen girl who through misguided rebellion or simply a craving for someone to notice her, the other teen girl who doesn’t know her parents are fighting over her future career, the woman who will believe whatever her husband says because he tells her he loves her; these are the people who are going to suffer because they are pawns in a war they don’t even realize they are part of. This isn’t to say that Philip and Elizabeth are not suffering as the operations with Martha and Kimberly directly impact Philip all while Elizabeth must maintain the supportive player role pushing down feelings of concern and jealousy which is creeping in. Combine this with the Paige problem coupled with the son he didn’t know was real until very recently and the weight of the war overseas is playing on his mind.

This is where being married comes into play in a positive way as Elizabeth wants to alleviate some of the pressure and while she can’t remove the burden by taking Philip’s place in any of these operations she can try and reduce his worry in another way. Her visit to Gabriel at the end of the episode to ask for help getting Mischa Jr. home surprises their handler because he didn’t realize Philip would tell Elizabeth; he noted things had changed between them but not by that much. Gabriel was using this personal connection to Afghanistan as an incentive for Philip to progress with the Kimberly operation and this husband/wife information sharing is not something he factored in.

Last week Philip listened to the news in the laundry room away from his wife, now he is back in the bedroom and the tight closeup on Philip’s face reveals a whole world of worry for the child he has never met. Elizabeth asks what his son is called and while we have seen Elizabeth share what her real name is we were not privy to seeing Philip do the same. So whether she recognizes the significance of Mischa or not by hearing his name it only adds to this personal connection, which leads to the favor asking. Elizabeth also receives a package from Gabriel and for a brief moment she fears the worst about her mother, instead Gabriel reinforces the notion that her mother is “a fighter.” As with Ncgobo and the home he has long since left there is this aching for the past and the family they can’t access.

One difference as Ncgobo points out is they still have their home and there is a stark contrast in methods, something Ncgobo mentioned when discussing disciplining his children last week. The Americans has been pushing boundaries all season and it crosses the stomach churning bar previously set by the packing and dentistry scenes as Ncgobo makes Venter’s death as painful and prolonged as possible by setting him on fire. At first it felt like a bluff and a way to get Venter to talk, but then I remembered this show doesn’t really bluff and we are forced to watch just as Philip, Elizabeth and Todd are. It is a dark, fucked up scene and one that shows the extremes of the multiple wars which are being waged. With Todd, Philip and Elizabeth both end up arguing for him to be spared and win their case citing his age – “he’s just a kid” – and what he has witnessed as a deterrent. Philip and Elizabeth might disagree on some fundamental things but here with Ncgobo they present a united and unbreakable front. His age has certainly helped save him and kids getting caught up in the war of their parents is a repeated theme this season; Paige, Kimberly and Misha.

Somehow I have got this far without mentioning this week’s most devastating performance as Alison Wright takes the ball she was given last week with her bathroom spiral and runs with it. First at work Martha is holding it together in an impressive fashion with only Gaad showing cracks as a result of this investigation, as he is the one who is ultimately accountable and poor mail robot feels the full force of his frustration. Martha’s interview with Taffet is a tense affair and yet she uses an aura of ignorance to stay off his radar; this is the most fraught conversation about office supplies since Office Space.

At home it is a very different story as she nurses a glass of wine waiting for the confrontation she was edging to do last week. Again it should be pointed out how incredible Alison Wright is in this scene moves from acknowledgment and devastation as she tearfully asks “What have I done?” and demands to know what is true to falling under Clark’s spell again despite her better judgement. At first it looks like nothing will make her believe him particularly when she points out that Walter Taffet is who Clark is meant to be; while he never answers the questions pertaining to the web of job related lies he swings things in his favor by resorting to desperate and flowery language about love. Damage control includes truths such as “You are one of the most true and honest and good women I have ever known” combined with something I think only stands for Elizabeth and the kids “I love you and I would do anything for you, to protect you.” Clark asks her is this is enough and if she needs more than this and with the shake of her head it looks like he has convinced her.

The final shot of the episode of both Philip and Martha lying naked and awake in the same space but so distant from each other and this is in direct contrast to the bedroom sharing scene of Philip and Elizabeth last week and it feels like something far more devastating is around the corner for Martha; is she someone who is going to get divested?

Paige is also questioning the story her mother told her about Gregory after doing some research – using microfiche – and finding out that Gregory was a drug dealer. Elizabeth manages to turn this into a conversation about the injustices Paige is already fighting against. Nice deviation Elizabeth, though maybe you should be more concerned about your daughter eating cereal for dinner even if this is a practice I sometimes partake in and I love breakfast for dinner. In a way these questions are good for Elizabeth’s plans to tell Paige, but I’m not sure how happy Philip would be at this development. In Paige’s book club this week she is reading Why We Can’t Wait by Martin Luther King, Jr.

Over in Russia, Nina has shaved some time off her sentence thanks to her work with Evi, but she still has to serve ten years which is not such a thrilling proposition. However she has a chance to walk free is she can get Anton to work a little quicker than he has been. Anton is the scientist who was shipped off against his will last season and who at the time yelled at Philip for being a monster. He still isn’t thrilled with his situation and isn’t going to be broken as easily as Evi. What Nina now has is certain comforts in her imprisonment even if she has also come face to face with her former boss Vasili who she set up back in season 1; the forgiveness she asks for is not accepted.

Calls from the Motherland to the Rezidentura come in over a secure line and this factor is important as Oleg’s father doesn’t want anyone listening in on his conversation about his son. He wants Oleg to return home but Arkady is sticking his heels in and his neck out for Oleg. Not being able to get the train when he goes home is not something Arkady is concerned by and yet I worry this will have bigger ramifications down the line. Oleg’s brother as we know is in Afghanistan and this war looms over everyone and everything on the Russian side of things.

In the midst of this talk of children following on from their kids whether it is Oleg, Paige or Ncgobo there is one character whose path deviated far from his father’s and that is Agent Aderholt. His ‘unusual’ road to the FBI comes up in his conversation with Taffet as he is the son of a janitor and went to night school at Berkeley; Taffet tries to suggest this ‘difficult’ path sets himself apart from everyone else. Aderholt disagrees and doesn’t see himself as a victim stating that “Being new isn’t a bad thing.” A legacy doesn’t always make for the best kind of worker and I am beginning to wonder just how vital Aderholt’s role this season is going to be as he hovers on the edge.

Shot of the Week

Todd thinks his fate is death and showing us his view of those decided what to do with him raises the tension. Luckily for him Sid and Nancy are repping for him.

Disguise of the Week

Last week I said I would come back to this look and this is the most cool and edgy disguise Elizabeth has worn so far. She definitely wouldn’t look out of place now in the leather jacket/hoodie combo and this wig is super sleek. While Elizabeth isn’t going to blend in as easily as some of her dowdier other disguises allow she does look different enough that Todd wouldn’t be able to identify her. Bonus super smudgy eyeliner.

Outfit I Would Wear in 2015

This is pure Elizabeth casual chic with the slouchy but sexy sweater and a high waisted skirt (with pockets!). Seeing as I’m currently in a leather jacket coveting phase the disguise outfit could also work for this category, ditto the hoodie and yet I can’t resist this very typical Elizabeth at home look.

Tags: "Divestment", 3.08, costume design, Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, The Americans, wigs

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Categories Review, The Americans
Author Emma Fraser

The Americans 3.07 “Walter Taffet” Review: “They Don’t Have a Lot of Choices”

12 Mar

Philip and Elizabeth have been embroiled in a Paige related dance all season so when Elizabeth went ahead and started taking baby steps in pointing their daughter toward who they really are it was never going to go over well with Philip. It is impressive how compelling this story remains considering The Americans has essentially barely budged or moved forward with the Paige problem all season and much like the actual Cold War they are playing with a precarious situation that could tip at any moment; the nuclear issue here is related to the family rather than grand scheme ideology or weapons. Tension continues to build with neither side backing down.

At its heart it is about what a parent wants to do for their child and how they can navigate their differences. So Philip can talk to Stan about this in the broadest of terms describing how he is on opposing side of everything when it comes to parenting decisions with Elizabeth; Stan counters that they are in a better place than him and at this point Philip doesn’t look so sure. Everything is stacking up and some of it is about to come crashing down.

For most relationships admitting you have a child by someone else might cause the already present gulf to grow ever more, in this household it might actually result in bringing them closer together. The Jennings still engage in some very standard arguments resulting from feelings of resentment like who left the empty bottle of aspirin in the medicine cabinet or having the most passive aggressive discussion while getting ready in the morning* and like most relationships trust is a fundamental factor.

*Quick side note regarding some of the nudity on The Americans as it is rare to get such a realistic approach with the naked body that doesn’t lead to or at least hint at sexuality. Here Elizabeth and Philip are essentially having a work related chat as one is getting in the shower while the other is getting out, which of course means the removal of clothes. Oh and they are both mad at each other, also taking any potential sexy business away.

Semantics come into play as when Philip confronts Elizabeth about her Paige field trip and Gregory related revelations she claims that at no point did she lie to Philip, as she had already informed him of her plan to move forward. This is a grey area and she knows it as later on in the middle of the night when Philip gets in from a Martha visit she draws him into her saying “I should have told you about my talk with Paige.” It is not a straight forward apology, but still an admission that he has a right to know. The Philip/Elizabeth confession hour is at its strongest when Philip comes in from whatever asset he has been working and in tiredness it is when they are both at their most emotionally vulnerable state. There is no need for the weed soaked moments of honesty and as he reaches out to Elizabeth to see how awake she is by touching her hair she pulls him into an embrace; earlier on in the evening he pretty much booted her out of the car so he could go to Martha’s and now we’re back at this point of unity.

Despite these huge differences and the distance that lies between how they want to move forward there is still a thread holding them together. Each time they dig a little deeper into how they feel or revealing something about themselves it reinforces this bond. So Philip’s “I have another son” isn’t the devastating confession it might be under other circumstances – particularly as Irene was the breaking up factor in season 1 – and instead leads to more sympathy from Elizabeth towards her husband as she turns to face him in bed. Earlier on she has been talking about Ncgobo waxing lyrical about his stance on getting his children involved in his cause. Philip’s counter is all about choice; Ncgobo and his family are lacking the many choices Paige and Henry have, but what about Mischa Jr? He is involved in the fight in Afghanistan and even though Philip has only just had his existence confirmed – I am still a tiny bit suspicious that Mischa Jr is not real – it gives him a deeply personal connection to this war they are fighting. It is why we see him listening to the news reports on the radio in the laundry room at the start of the episode whereas before he would have openly listened in their bedroom.

Everything is fractured and yet it still doesn’t stop them from performing when called upon so even though they are in a huge fight they are more than capable of playing the roles of super flirty, happy new couple at dinner with Lisa. In the car before and after it is just as icy as the weather. All those years of not actually being in love and faking it really pays off when they are in love and pissed at each other. To escape the bad atmosphere at home Philip goes to Martha’s leaving things in this perpetual state of unresolved tension with Elizabeth, so he kind of deserves the super cold welcome when gets over to his other wife’s apartment.

The bug in Gad’s office has been found and Martha reacted as if it had fallen out in front of her. Making a quick exit to go to the bathroom to pull apart the recording device in her bag, she barely held her shit together alternating between teary panic and “I’m going to throw up” panic in equal amounts. Martha’s poker face is pretty terrible; however she manages to escape suspicion at this current point. Will she be able to keep this up in an interview situation?

One thing working in Martha’s favor is that despite her access there is also a certain level of invisibility, which is why going after secretaries makes sense. It is worrying for Philip that instead of letting Clark in on what happened at work she instead does her own mini investigation on him insisting they go over to his place for the first time (lucky his apartment is nice and ready) and not falling for his usual romantic tactics. It is ominous that Martha’s gun makes an appearance and this week Poor Martha takes her crown back from Poor Kimmy. Allison Wright is incredible in her bathroom stall meltdown and with how plays Martha’s new found mistrust of what Clark is asking of her. He passes all the tests with his apartment, but still something is off.

One running theme in “Walter Taffet” comes with the offer of takeout food as a peace offering that fails in every instance; Martha is not interested, Paige has already eaten and Henry is out. Takeout is convenient and a luxury, the only person who’s up for sharing with Philip is Stan – considering the horror show combo of toppings I find it hard anyone would want that pizza – and Stan’s kitchen is stocked with a random assortment of not much. Philip has downplayed his activism instead pointing out how other things became important to him and at this point his gesture of pizza in an attempt to be cool dad fails. In a surprising turn and over a nothing special food prep Stan has better luck at engaging with his son Matthew as he talks about his colleague and friend who died last week as they worked undercover with each other; this is the first time Matthew has seemed genuinely in awe of his father and it is a result of hearing about his work. Food wins in the making an impression stakes at dinner with Lisa when Philip as Jack sells his worth by talking about how much he loves exotic cuisine like sushi.

Stan isn’t much of a sharer but he does so with both Philip and Matthew to a degree revealing to Stan that he has some concerns about his overeager colleague; maybe some of his undercover work rubbed off on him as he mentions Agent Aderholt’s race even though that isn’t really pertinent to the story.

The big mission of the week comes as a result of the intel Hans got and it’s his first time out in the field. Elizabeth is concerned that she hasn’t had enough time with him and when we see him shaking an inhaler I am storing that for things that will probably be important later on. Hans has scored big on his suspicions and he corrects Elizabeth when she thinks Todd has been got to when he was impressionable; this isn’t the case as he is just a “miniature copy” of his privileged and self-centered parents. Once again there is this nod to parents and children following on from the example they have been taught. When Elizabeth talks to Ncgobo he references biting as form of discipline and how Americans don’t discipline like this. Elizabeth is quick to note that she isn’t American and the kitchen cleaning in the middle of the night for Paige last season is perhaps the strongest indicator of this, but still she is constrained by her cover and they don’t know the “badass woman their mum is.”

Playing against the odds is how they operate and nothing is easy on The Americans as kinks tend to happen in any plan. Venter is unsurprisingly tough when Philip grabs him and a scuffle breaks out; Philip has the advantage using the van he knows is coming to incapacitate him and they have their man. That isn’t before Elizabeth has dispatched of an eyewitness in typically cold fashion – remember she did drop a car on a dude’s head a few episodes ago – and now for the next stage of the plan. At first I thought she must be involved somehow, but nope I think Elizabeth was just cleaning up the scene. The kill count now stands at Elizabeth with two and Philip on zero. There are so many angles being worked at the moment and it is a concern that Philip thinks Martha’s cold mood is to with kids rather than everything else he is asking from her. This is the kind of thing Gabriel warned against and even though we didn’t see Kimmy this week that mission is looming over them. Cracks are beginning to form and as we have already seen with Martha something is going to give and it is going to be soon.

Shot of the Week

Stan himself, Noah Emmerich directed this week’s episode adding flourishes from the get go as we start outside the house with Philip listening to the news and the camera pans up the house. Just before we kick into the opening credits – I see you hula hooping girl also from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt – the scene ends outside once again with Philip and Elizabeth embroiled in another standoff. It is an amazing shot and Emmerich delivers throughout including the way he films Martha’s bathroom meltdown spiraling, the way the bug lands on the desk and the Fleetwood Mac infused action sequence rounding out the episode.

Disguise of the Week

Elizabeth wore her best ever wig this week. No it isn’t the Michelle, but the one at the top of the review but I have a feeling the ‘Nancy’ will be on display next week so in the meantime it is time to talk about another blonde with Philip rocking this curly look as charming Jack. Very into Elizabeth’s gold top showing off Michelle’s new found glitzy style.

Outfit I Would Wear in 2015

Snow! And Elizabeth’s coat/scarf combo is pretty neutral in knowing what decade it is from. Only the widelegged burgundy pants (which I suspect are velvet) and boots suggest a different period. This is Elizabeth essentially in her travel agency threads and I am impressed she’s not falling over in these heels in this weather. She really is a badass.

Tags: "Walter Taffet", 3.07, costume design, Keri Russell. Matthew Rhys, The Americans, wigs

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Categories Costuming, Review, The Americans
Author Emma Fraser

The Americans 3.06 “Born Again” Review: Got to Have Faith

5 Mar

Telling Paige the truth is one constant talking point on The Americans this season; we’re now hitting the halfway mark and Elizabeth has still yet to pull the trigger on this potentially life ruining plan. Different kinds of faith are discussed at length in “Born Again” from Paige’s baptism to Philip using this as a reason why he can’t sleep with Kimmy and still keeping her close at the same time. As with pretty much every episode of The Americans there is layer on top of layer of what is real and what is fake, intersecting so much that at times it is hard to separate the two. Real experience informs the ‘characters’ they take on to deal with their assets and this duality leads to a whole lot of messiness that could blow up at any moment.

Last week I spoke at length about this idea of making it real and one way characters achieve this is by using a personal experience and extrapolating what might help in their current situation; this is where religion comes in and saves the day for Philip from both an ethical perspective so he doesn’t have to sleep with Kimmy and on a more spiritual one so he can work through the bombshell Gabriel has dropped on him. Anyone else starting to get the feeling that Philip is starting to miss Claudia right about now?

Gabriel continues to be a sneaky bastard by playing all the angles with Philip and Elizabeth as he tells Philip about the child he thought his first love had made up back in season 1. Does this Mischa exist or is it all part of the big push to get Philip to continue down this extremely compromising path? The cause isn’t necessarily working as a tactic to get Philip to do whatever it must take but Gabriel knows how strongly Philip feels about his children and this includes one he has never even met. With Elizabeth he pushes her button relating to action and while she claims she is handling all things Paige he notes she has done just as little as Philip in this area. By prompting Elizabeth in this manner she starts laying the seeds by taking Paige on a trip down an edited version memory lane so. Gabriel also tells Elizabeth that Philip is losing faith in him and that she can deceive Philip is he is holding Elizabeth back on the Paige plan. This is definitely not going to cause issues…

Control is key and Gabriel has returned to the position of handler with a very different relationship dynamic in front of him and so he is exerting weakness in them where he can to aid the cause. At the moment this does appear to be working and despite the united front Philip and Elizabeth present and deeper bond they share, there are still fundamental differences between them and Gabriel knows this. Kimmy is one such tool as the window for how often Philip has to get in her house is much shorter than he expected; once a week rather than once a month. The whole spiritual excuse for not wanting to sleep with Kimmy is not going to cut it and Kimmy is noticeably cold with him when he approaches her post school. Enter the real part of Philip’s life in the fake story and something he hasn’t told Elizabeth yet – I’m pretty sure he was going to but Elizabeth started talking about Paige – about his 20 year old son as the reason he has gone back to church. He asks Kimmy to pray with him and not only does she do it, but she adds on her own part showing her compassionate side. And I think we now need to switch Poor Martha for Poor Kimmy because this is only going to end in heartbreak.

Paige is pretty certain of what she wants and who she is; the baptism goes ahead without any upset. Well the only consternation comes from her parents and Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell give a master class in subtle facial expression changes moving between distaste and fake smiles at what they are witnessing as Paige takes the plunge (echoing the opening scene from the season premiere of Elizabeth in the bathtub). After the baptism Philip asks Paige if she feels any different to which she replies “more at peace.” On the surface this is just one of those awkward conversations between a teenager and her father as he tries to explain to her that she never has to do anything she doesn’t want to and she should just be herself. Paige reads this as being about drinking or drugs, which of course it has nothing to do with (plus Philip is becoming well versed in this end of teen rebellion thanks to Kimmy). This is all about suggestion and he is laying the groundwork in his own way pushing Paige away from this spy path without her knowing.

Bonding time isn’t just set to father/daughter and Elizabeth gets to influence in her own way first when Paige walks in on her having a sneaky cigarette. This is a funny scene as Elizabeth goes to hide her habit and then is all ‘fuck it’ about the situation (I have been here, but with the roles were reversed). Paige reveals to her mother that they know about her secret habit (last season she did have a late night cigarette which Philip rightly suggested the kids would be able to smell) and she remarks that neither she nor Henry is clueless. Oh if only you knew Paige, if only you knew. And soon you might as after this late night discussion about praying – Paige thinks Elizabeth should try it – at the end of the episode Elizabeth opens up partially about her activism past. This includes the first mention of Gregory in a long time and when Paige asks if her dad knew Gregory it acts as a reminder of how messy things were between them back in season 1. I mean it is still messy now, but this is a very different notion of complicated.

Elizabeth doesn’t mention any real particulars other than saying that some of what they did was illegal, but for the greater good and when Paige asks if she has ever been arrested Elizabeth slyly mentions she never got caught. This is another case of The Americans giving the audience a relatable moment as it is normally in your teen years when you realize your parents are people who had lives before they were parents and Paige’s response is the perfect mix of confusion and wonder. Of course there is so much more to tell and I can’t imagine Philip will be thrilled to find out what Elizabeth has done even though she hasn’t really done anything at all. This is also a good point to mention how incredible Holly Taylor has been this season as the role of teen complication on a show like this is a hard line to walk without stepping into frustrating obstacle territory (see Homeland and 24). The writing is also important here and while they have given Paige a storyline that is a teen rebellion of another kind I love that she still asks for a later curfew when Elizabeth mentions how proud she is of her; she is still a teenager after all.

Sneaking about is part of their everyday life, however the most surprising act of this kind was not spy related as Philip and Elizabeth shared a sneaky joint out of their bedroom window. This scene was so unexpected and so delightful that I kept imagining something awful would happen to kill the laughter. It did end on a slight buzzkill with Philip mentioning if the operation dragged on and Kimmy got older then yeah he probably would have to sleep with her and yet this was far more chilled out than last week’s disturbing sex training montages. Philip suggests the whole thing in a very cute, simple pulling the joint out of his pocket and gesturing they smoke it way and it doesn’t take a lot of convincing to get Elizabeth on board.

Last week being stoned led to an incredibly devastating and important conversation between the pair. By sharing the spoils with Elizabeth it opens them up in a different way and we get to hear them making a sound that is far too rare with uncontrollable laughter. I want to bottle up the giggling noise Matthew Rhys makes because it is Amy Poehler levels of magic. Yes they are still talking about serious matters and yet they can find the humor as Philip points out how Jesus came through for him with Kimmy and Elizabeth tells Philip about Paige suggesting she tries praying. This scene really is everything.

We cut from this moment to the next day with an appearance from mail robot! Mail robot no longer carries classified files and Martha’s oh fuck expression foreshadows exactly how Clarke is going to feel about this. Also in the FBI office Stan finds out that one of his very close FBI friends has been killed in a plane crash and as this doesn’t connect to the overall story it comes across as somewhat disjointed. Stan is also still feeling all the feelings for Sandra even with a new woman in his life and the whole EST business is an extension of this idea of finding something to believe in. Plus it provides us with another super awkward dinner at the Jennings house as Henry doesn’t know when is the right time to stop asking questions. Oh, Henry.

The Stan/Oleg team-up is absent in “Born Again”, instead we see Nina using the same technique as Philip and Elizabeth inserting her real life story into one that will help get what she wants. In prison Nina’s objective is to get Evi to talk so Nina can get a lighter sentence and she goes about it like a pro first with the nightmares we witnessed a couple of episodes ago followed by recounting her two loves – the communist and the capitalist – and how both loved their country more than her while talking about the differences between men and woman. Nina earns Evi’s trust and then betrays it as quickly as she can wolf down a proper meal and glass of wine. Is this going to be enough or has Nina got another cellmate she will have to break first?

Shot of the Week

What this resembles is the key art from the first two seasons which played heavily on the red of Russia and while it is just the utility room turned darkroom Elizabeth is striking bathed in red light.

Disguise of the Week

No new disguises this week sadly and instead here is Jim trying to distract Kimmy long enough to get the operative into the house to plant the briefcase bug. His first attempt involves pot and Pink Floyd, but Kimmy wants to take a bath. With Jim. And thankfully Philip convinces her to go in solo. I love how pissed off the bug lady looks when Philip asks for her earrings as a distraction tactic.

Outfit I Would Wear in 2015

This doesn’t give us the full smart/casual outfit Elizabeth is wearing combining slight flared jeans, heels with a waistcoat, scarf and this fantastic long coat. Also so much hair envy right now.

Tags: "Born Again", costume design, Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, Review, The Americans, wigs

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Categories Review, The Americans
Author Emma Fraser

The Americans 3.05 “Salang Pass” Review: Making it Real

26 Feb

Elizabeth and Philip really aren’t the best at communicating with each other on The Americans. Sure they make an excellent spy team with a shorthand that’s about more than words and we’ve seen how in sync they are when out in the field. At home they also have an outward appearance of harmony as a couple who managed to work through their differences and hit the rare reconciliation mark rather than divorce which Stan is clearly headed towards. Real and fake intersect at every turn; a fake relationship produced a real family followed by falling in actual love years after getting together. It is this unique aspect blurring professional and personal which makes the marriage at the heart of The Americans so utterly mesmerizing; seeing how these emotionally stunted people trying to navigate their relationship while also dealing with matters of grave national importance.

Last season we watched as Philip’s soul was eroded away by his rather large kill count (this season he is still on zero to Elizabeth’s one) and he is being tested in another way this year; he might not have killed anyone yet but he is still doing some very bad things to other people all in the name of the Motherland. Gabriel voices his concerns to Philip in a way that would suggest paternal instinct and yet it is hard to fully trust him as his methods read more manipulative than caring.

Gabriel tells Philip he is worried about the amount he is juggling with Martha, Paige and Kimberly offering up compliments about how he is “the best.” Philip doesn’t seem all that swayed by these attempts simply saying that he isn’t confused about what he is undertaking. Time for another paternal tactic and Gabriel puts a supportive arm around him while also reiterating how important this operation is and how “conscience can be dangerous.” Effectively he is telling Philip to do whatever needs to be done and if that means sleeping with a 15 year-old so be it.

Ah yes the hormonal teenage girl problem and in “Salang Pass” Philip tries to navigate this unsavory aspect of the mission with a whole lot of deflecting and some very strong pot. His interactions with Kimberly are all flirty on her end whereas his behavior reads as everything we see with his own children from the food fight to scooping a half passed out Kimberly and taking her to bed. It is only when she wakes up from her weed induced slumber and smooches him that it switches; thankfully Philip is saved by the sound Kimberly’s parents getting home and his exit would have only been more ridiculous if he had to shimmy down a drainpipe.

Returning home and trying to sneak in only adds to how teen this whole situation is, but Elizabeth has waited up for her husband to return from this dalliance. In his semi-stoned state they have one of the most honest conversations we have witnessed between the pair and it echoes – right down to the close face to face embrace – my favorite scene from last season when they talked about icicles back home. This chat is on the bleak end of the scale as Philip discusses the seduction training he underwent and in the brief flashbacks we don’t see Philip’s face just a stream of different people he had to sleep varying in age (both men and women) and how they were told to “make it real to ourselves.” Looking exhausted and at his wits end Philip lays down next to his wife and asks if he should sleep with Kimberly – not your standard bedtime discussion – and he reiterates this by asking her honest opinion and her response is probably not that helpful to Philip’s predicament because she doesn’t know if he should.

Feeling bad about the whole situation is just one aspect, another is the moral line he would be crossing and how his own daughter is the same age as Kimberly; Kimberly’s sad garden story and how little her parents are around mirrors the situation in the Jennings home and that’s got to hit a nerve along with the ick factor. In part Elizabeth’s answer is informed by this moral quandary and there is also an element of jealousy as she shut down her own potential hookup with Hans a couple of weeks ago on account of Philip. But then the importance of the mission looms and as Philip now has access to Kimberly’s CIA dad’s briefcase and jacket it is not an opportunity they can pass up as the war in Afghanistan continues to go horribly for the Russians (the title of the episode is named after this tragic event which is on the radio when Elizabeth remarks that Philip looks worried).

Back to the conversation about making it real and shifting away from the predicament Philip faces as Elizabeth asks “Do you have to make it real with me?” The expected ‘never’ doesn’t come from Philip’s lips instead he answers with a vague “Sometimes. Not now.” It is the first part of that sentence which comes loaded with questions; is that sometimes from the way it used to be before they fell in love? Or is it more recent because of all the Paige angst which is going? The lack of a definitive answer outside of the here and now suggests there are still some trust issues and this makes sense considering who they are and what they do.

Take earlier in the episode as they go from talking about Martha wanting to foster a kid to remembering their own children being small and falling over all the time – “Remember Henry?” – with such fondness. It’s also a point of friendly contention as Philip recalls Paige being graceful whereas Elizabeth’s focus is on the summer of grazed knees. It’s something really small and yet the time the time they are referring to was long before the mostly loving relationship we see now. And with the mention of Paige the wall goes up and Elizabeth makes her excuses to go make dinner.

Elizabeth is queen of the conversation switch as demonstrated by their bathroom chat where she gets pissed at Philip for seemingly being on board with the whole baptism thing because of the dress shopping trip (which is a very sweet father/daughter moment and thankfully unlike the pilot it doesn’t end with some skeeze checking her out). Philip gets his own zing in with “you’re the one who has been singing with the choir.” The convo switch comes in with a dig and a half as Elizabeth refers to Kimberly as “your girl” raising the tension up another notch by equating Kimberly’s ignorance to her father’s job as being the same as their situation.

Juggling various sources and missions is not just limited to Philip as Elizabeth is working hard on her new BFF Lisa. The funny/tragic thing about the whole Lisa friendship is Elizabeth is actively helping her, but it is all a means to an end and a way to get vital information. She is helping Lisa move on with her life and if Lisa had stayed with her husband she might have got pulled down with him, now thanks to Elizabeth she is sober and free from a toxic relationship. To Lisa, Michelle is her lucky charm and if only she knew why Michelle was doing this. As Michelle, Elizabeth becomes warm, fun and compassionate; words you might not use to describe Elizabeth and it is refreshing to see her laugh like this even if it isn’t real.

Elsewhere Stan enlists Oleg’s help in his quest to prove Zinaida is not as she seems and tries to appeal to his sense of love for Nina to dig a little deeper. Oleg comes up with nothing and his attempt was a tad lackluster using alcohol and a suggestion of placing a double agent in the form of a defector. A defector sends out a signal of weakness and it is still unclear whether Stan is grappling for something that isn’t there in the same way he has been doing with his relationship with Sandra. He seems to at least be moving on from that as Toni from EST upped her game by ringing the FBI to ask him out and that is one way to show interest in someone. Stan spends dinner and on another occasion getting beers with Philip and despite their deep down fundamental ideological differences this is a friendship that is pretty real. If only Stan knew who he was really having a beer with. Stan talks about his estranged father/son relationship as there’s “nothing like a teenage boy.” All Philip must be thinking is try a teen girl; the one he is trying to protect and the one he is trying to work.

The same problems still persist and while it doesn’t feel like Philip and Elizabeth have made all that much progress in terms of any of these, this final conversation is a big step and maybe when they need to clear the air they should get a little stoned as it certainly has a positive influence on how they communicate. It might not be the best spy tool.

Shot of the Week

This is a reverse of the post fight standoff from last week and while the focus is on Philip in the foreground, the manner in which Elizabeth stands attentively in the background is important.

Bonus Shot of the Week

Another shot which relates to something from last week with another props department shout out and as we’re spending a lot more time in their bedroom/bathroom this season certain details pop out like this light bulb mirror. Excellent pissed off face from Matthew Rhys in the midst of another argument with Elizabeth.

Disguise of the Week

Elizabeth does some recon early in the episode with a lab as her companion and this look is not all that dissimilar to how she usually appears, albeit (sorry Henry had to use it somewhere) a little more frumpy. It is the classic blending in before you later murder someone disguise.

Outfit I Would Wear in 2015

Putting the Coach bag blatantly on show and flashing about her new designer duds is one way Elizabeth subtly works Lisa and I think she will soon be getting her all the information she is after. Gorgeous green color top too.

Tags: "Salang Pass", 3.05, costume design, Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, The Americans, wigs

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Categories Review, The Americans
Author Emma Fraser

The Americans 3.04 “Dimebag” Review: “She Set Us Up”

19 Feb

A joint and a Yazoo (or Yaz to go with their US name) record take The Americans squirm inducing rate up a notch from how to pack a suitcase in “Baggage” and last week’s off books dental work. Philip and Elizabeth’s work involves varying extremes on a weekly basis and this is the life they have known since they were recruited by the KGB. On many occasion this has involved them using their body – the pilot opened with Elizabeth doing just this – but this week has them coming across untested water when the person they need to use is a teenager and not much older than their daughter. Speaking of Paige, it is her birthday and the brief moment of unity is shattered and the standoff between Philip and Elizabeth is very much on again.

The above photo could be captioned “LOL being a spy, amirite?” because they both look far too happy for how this dinner and subsequent Paige bombshell turns out. Instead of telling Paige who she really is, which Elizabeth is determined to do “with or without” Philip it is Paige who has some news for them. The whole birthday dinner adds extra friction to the already temperamental situation when Paige suggests inviting Pastor Tim and his wife over. Most of Philip and Elizabeth’s Paige chats occur with bedtime bickering, but this earlier one takes place first thing as they both get ready to go about their busy day of spying and maybe popping to the office. Cross cutting the conversation about Paige is Philip giving updates on Martha related intel and her desire to foster a kid; Elizabeth snarkly responds with “who wears the pants in that family.” Cutting to both Philip’s abilities as a spy, man and also showing a hint of jealousy about the Martha of it all.

The TV is on in the background because what better way to drown out the sounds of discussing covert shenanigans and on comes one of the most eyebrow raising ads I’ve seen in a long time. Even Don Draper might mouth WTF at the Love’s Baby Soft creepiness as Philip goes from talking about Martha’s kid desires to the ad proclaiming “There’s one person nobody can resist and that’s a baby.” All seems fine until you realize this ad is not for something baby related and it suggests “Because innocence is sexier than you think.” So while I go take a shower to get the skeeze off please enjoy this clip from 30 Rock, which immediately entered my brain to counter the ick:

And as a quick side note I temporarily fell down a Love’s Baby Soft print ad hole of “How is this ad real?” followed by more “What the fuck is this?” and yelling “WHY?” With one final “I don’t understand” for good measure.

Stan revealed his key to fooling targets is by telling them what they want to hear on repeat and The Americans plays with deception in a myriad of ways. In the home Philip and Elizabeth initially lived within the realms of a fake relationship that produced a very real family and this has been complicated further by really falling in love. The Paige problem has introduced this idea of revealing their real identities, which as we know Philip is staunchly against. It has become a cyclical argument and we know where each of them stands; they are in danger of falling into a repetitive bedtime bickering pattern with each of them trying to one up the other. Thankfully Paige blindsides them with the baptizing plan and she’s been deceiving them in her own way; I wonder if they would prefer Paige was out smoking joints with random older guys rather than hanging out at church with Pastor Tim? Upon hearing Paige’s wishes Elizabeth gulps down her tea as if it was something stronger and all I want is a TV reality where Alicia Florrick and Elizabeth Jennings can drink copious amounts of wine while bitching about their religious teenage daughters.

Inaction has led to this crisis point and while wanting to get baptized is something most would not consider as an extreme to Elizabeth it is indoctrination of her child from someone other than her. Communism finds no place for religion in their ideology and so the thought of Paige being part of this world only increases Elizabeth’s determination to reveal the truth. Philip is thinking more logically than his wife and fears if they tell her now it will all come crashing down. Meanwhile Henry continues to tell stories about his friend Lewis that no one ever listens to. He is also pretty good at remembering state capitals. Henry is not so good at giving his dad information on Paige and church; both Philip and Elizabeth talk to or about their children this week as if they are an asset or enemy. Got to hand it to Paige for pissing off her parents so monumentally with both the baptizing idea and the way she played them. Teen rebellion comes in many forms.

Everyone is working someone and in Philip and Elizabeth’s case they have multiple sources to juggle. Philip adds Kimberly to the mix and this is where the squirming as a viewer and for Philip takes place. They know from the conversation they overheard last week that Kimberly is not afraid to flirt with older guys; enter Joe a lawyer, lobbyist and friendly creepy dude who hangs out waiting to help teens with fake ID. Joe will roll joints, listen to your music and chill on steps with you at night. He won’t dance, but he will share his coat with you. Watching Philip develop relationships with Martha and Anneliese has been hard because they are being manipulated by charm, but this is next level horror show due to Kimberly’s age and Matthew Rhys does a couple of very brief expressions to show just how unpleasant Philip also finds the situation. Before he first approaches the girls it appears as if Philip has to psych himself up, which is not something we have seen before. When the phone rings and it is a message from Kimberly you can see his whole demeanor sink and for once he would rather be stuck in this same old fight with Elizabeth. And everything keeps on piling up.

Their fake personas have a way of letting them work through the problems they have trouble sharing with each other so when Elizabeth first posed as Michelle from AA she spoke to Lisa of her real issues last season but under a fake guise. We revisit Lisa in “Dimebag” and Elizabeth is positioning herself as the person who Lisa will call; nothing of significance spy related happens in this storyline as of yet, but it shows manipulation tactics when sex isn’t a factor. In a reverse of this Philip takes what he has learned from the teen girls with what music is cool – Yazoo – and subtly wins favor with Paige by giving her something relevant to her interests. His method of learning about this means the gift is tainted with ick but Paige is very happy with this surprise, Elizabeth is less than thrilled.

Over in Stan land he needs to finally get it into his head that it is over with Sandra, just move on dude as your EST winning her back plan is not working. And for some reason yelling that it is all bullshit has caught the attention of a Sandra looking lady at the meetings. Stan is not having a fabulous time at work either as he is convinced Zinaida can’t be trusted; is he letting paranoia get the better of him or is his gut right? The trashed diner bathroom with nothing to show for it would suggest the former. Things might be looking slightly up for Nina in prison as she is given a mission of her own, which might in turn give her a lighter sentence; all she has to do is find out what Evi is up to and this means she has to talk to her.

Shot of the Week

Post big blow up and the never ending back and forth dance continues with Philip briefly turning around to look back at his wife as Paige’s new Yazoo record blasts “Don’t Go” in the background, which Philip does. Apparently nearly getting caught/teeth pulling closeness does not last long. This segues into Stan’s desperate search in the diner bathroom and is one of this season’s first great music choices.

Bonus Shot

From the same scene as above and I just want to highlight the excellent work by the prop/art department as the photos of Henry and Paige that hang on their bedroom wall look like real family pictures and not just promo shots as is often the case on TV. It also makes them overseers of this argument that is taking place and a reminder they are always there.

Disguise of the Week

This one popped up in the season 3 promo and it is part Felicity, part hippy. More big frame glasses to get excited about. I half expected her to make a reappearance as a pot dealing diversion to make sure Philip doesn’t have to go too far with Kimberly, but alas the snuggling went uninterrupted.

Outfit I Would Wear in 2015

Nina’s matching tracksuit prison threads in both grey and brown look like something I would buy with the idea to exercise in them, but in reality they would be clothes I write in. Comfort is important when typing.

Tags: "Dimebag", 3.04, 30 Rock, costume design, Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, The Americans, wigs

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Categories Review, The Americans
Author Emma Fraser

The Americans 3.03 “Open House” Review: Wants and Needs

12 Feb

A variety of philosophical debates that have very real consequences continue to take place on The Americans as Philip and Elizabeth both stand on opposing sides when it comes to their daughter. At the center of the argument is this idea about choice and whether Paige will be have this taken away from her if she is brought into this world. While we ended last week at an impasse of monumental proportions after Elizabeth attempted and failed to sway Philip by baring her soul, it seems that all you need is a very close call to open up the line of conversation. Well, that and a very intimate scene involving pliers.

Pulling teeth isn’t easy; it’s not just one yank and it is free much like the Paige problem, which they still don’t have a solution to. Now they are communicating again and what both the very close call and this incredible moment of intimacy have done is open up the channels again. Prior to this very intense scene (which I will come to in a bit) Philip is making sure his opinion is heard loud and clear. When Elizabeth tries to entice him with her naked skin he continues to read his magazine (an issue of Time from November 1982) and offer up thinly veiled passive aggressive comments giving her the green light to sleep with Hans suggesting “You recruit men. That’s part of it, right?” All this stems from a conversation about what to get Paige for her 15th birthday when Elizabeth mentions a necklace she thinks Paige will like. Philip asks how she knows this and his petulant attitude is as a result of everything that is going on. Still this look doesn’t suit you, Philip.

As with most things on this show there are layers to pretty much everything and the original plan was to get her a 10 speed bike. A bike represents freedom (and all I can picture is Angela Chase riding Brian Krakow’s bike) while a necklace is far more sentimental. Both are the kind of presents you can imagine any parent getting their teenage daughter but on The Americans nothing is quite what appears to be on the surface. They also don’t want to get her both as that would be too much and their ideology this makes sense; it also demonstrates how they must choose one and on this occasion Philip is pretty whatever about the whole thing. This is in contrast to the open house tour with a room full of toys with the realtor commenting “It’s impossible not to buy your kids everything they want, right?” This is not an issue in the Jennings home, except that one time they didn’t buy Henry a video game console and he broke into their neighbor’s house. Now Henry has a photo of Sandra Beeman in a bikini hidden away and it might be time Philip and Elizabeth checked in with their son instead of only paying attention to Paige.

One thread which runs throughout the episode and the series in general is this idea of wants and needs. Philip and Elizabeth are from a country with an ideology focused on needs whereas the one they now live in has an ethos which focuses on wants. Philip has assimilated to this with far more ease than Elizabeth and in the pilot we saw how comfortable he was with this lifestyle. Last season saw him get a fancy new car which was quickly tarnished by a mission gone wrong but as he has pointed out to Elizabeth she also likes the things that come with living in America. Just because it is easier doesn’t make it better in Elizabeth’s eyes and while she claims to Hans that she has no idea about fashion, she does have an effortless and chic style as Elizabeth Jennings. Maybe not so much with some of the disguises, but in the role she plays the most she is stylish. Also Hans don’t get the stonewash jeans.

Choice is also looped into this debate and it is Philip’s main argument why he doesn’t want to tell Paige about who they are. Gabriel continues to play the concerned and caring parent role to Philip and Elizabeth as he tells Philip everything he thinks he wants to hear; that Paige will have a choice as there is “always a choice.” Philip is having none of this and storms out after emphasizing how young Paige is and because she has grown up in this comfortable environment she isn’t “equipped to deal with this shit.” Earlier in the episode over a game of Scrabble – I love that they haven’t gone for the obvious chess or checkers route – what happened with Jared comes up and while I don’t think Philip fears an act of violence I do think he is worried Paige will reject them.

The channels of discussion remain open even with Philip’s hostility toward Elizabeth about the present; she hasn’t gone ahead and bought the necklace because she wanted to talk to him about it first. Gabriel mentions how Elizabeth looks at Philip differently now – similar to his observation to Elizabeth last week – and if this event had occurred when we first met them I don’t think Elizabeth would have been all that fussed about consulting Philip, she would have probably just done it.

So how to you solve a parenting quandary like this? Currently there is no solution; however they are in harmony once again. The risks this season are somehow even higher than last year and Elizabeth has had two near misses in these first three episodes. While the premiere involved serious physical danger, it is this protracted tailing situation which had me noting SO MUCH TENSION (all caps required) and even though at this point we know Elizabeth will get away the stakes have been raised. The push/pull is between how much they need the information about the CIA’s Afghan group and how close they will get before they get caught. This one ended up with a big score even if Gabriel is reticent about their methods; now they have a babysitter to target and if only Paige was already in the family business.

Elizabeth tells Hans that even though there is chemistry between them (it’s a spy thing) nothing is going to happen in part because “sex is dangerous” but also because there is “someone in my life, someone important and I don’t want to screw that up.” An incredibly significant moment as this is the first time Elizabeth has ever explicitly said something like this, even though in Philip’s anger earlier in the episode he expects her to sleep with him. This follows one of the most intimate scenes this show has done and with a lot of these emotionally vulnerable moments on The Americans (like my favorite scene from last season) it doesn’t involve actual sex. It starts with Philip waiting by the phone and gripping the cord as if that might help followed by an emotionally broken Elizabeth as she doesn’t even try to hide her teary and tired eyes. An all enveloping embrace which mirrors the one from the season 2 finale turns into a passionate smooch which is quickly killed by Elizabeth’s continuing tooth problems so what’s a guy to do but help out his wife in her time of need.

At any other time this moment would have led to sex, on this occasion what we get is an excruciating but incredibly tender scene involving pliers and tooth extraction. Even watching through fingers it is hard not to miss the parallels between this and a sex scene. Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys are both incredible throughout the episode and particularly here as Elizabeth gives herself entirely over to Philip trusting him that he can get this done. Like many I find scenes involving teeth hard to watch (ditto anything involving finger/toe nails) and as with last week’s bone breaking they don’t shy away from showing just how grim it is. It takes not one but two attempts to get the full tooth and throughout the close ups on their eyes and the way he smooths down her hair and she grabs hold of his shoulders reveals that despite their current conflict they are united. This is true love. And Stan’s whiskey gift is used in the process which is rather poetic considering it was the FBI that did this.

One quick nitpick – don’t the KGB have a dentist on retainer?

“Tell them what they want to hear over and over and over again. People love to hear how right they are.” This is Stan’s tactic when it comes fooling his target and it is something used on multiple occasions by Philip and Elizabeth. Sometimes you have to go the opposite way and when Oleg’s father wants him transferred back to Moscow most likely as retribution for his conversation with Nina last week, Arkady gives him a choice even though it could negatively impact his own career. Oleg of course decides to stay citing his father’s wish for him to grow up and he is doing so by defying his father’s demand. Sometimes you do get a choice in the KGB.

Shot of the Week

While this is not quite on the Carrie Mathison level of an evidence wall (needs more color coding) this shows three seasons worth of work in attempting to catch Philip and Elizabeth. Stan notes “They are hard to get” and if only he knew just how close they are. Agent Aderholt could be a problem on several levels; he has caught a KGB spy in the past, he is tenacious and he has taken a shine to Martha. Watch your back Clark.

Disguise of the Week

Any time Elizabeth has to wear glasses it is pure joy and it seems like with each disguise the frames get even bigger.

Outfit I Would Wear in 2015

Fulfilling both TV and my own leather jacket obsession and pairing it with jeans which are far, far way from stonewash.

Tags: "Open House", 3.03, Keri Russell, leather jackets, Matthew Rhys, The Americans, wigs

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Categories Review, The Americans
Author Emma Fraser

The Americans 3.02 “Baggage” Review: For Mother and the Motherland

5 Feb

Much like Elizabeth’s jaw injury and tooth pain, the Paige issue is not going away on The Americans and this second episode cements some of the overall themes set to dominate this season. Paige and how they address the second generation illegals program bubbles under the surface from the gruesome task Philip and Elizabeth complete at the start of “Baggage” to pretty much every other interaction between the pair. There is a white elephant in the room and her name is Paige.

Afghanistan is also going to play a big part this year as the Russians attempt to wade through the mess of this offensive strategy with the US using it as an opportunity to highlight a weakness in their enemy. “Propaganda is more important than anything” as Oleg is later told by new character Tatiana and both sides are trying to outdo the other in this department. Elizabeth’s relationship with her mother coupled with her own maternal feelings and duty to her country continue to influence her choices impacting her relationship with Philip.

At the end of last week’s premiere Philip took a tragic moment and used it as a way to keep a valuable asset in their pocket with Yousaf. Philip drew him by using “we” and offering assistance to help clear up this problem and in doing so he immediately earns his trust. To make sure he will stay on side Elizabeth also snaps a shot of Yousaf helping stuff Annelise’s body into a suitcase in what is probably the most disturbing scene this show has done so far. The level of horror we witness as they each break one of her bones and then zip up her makeshift coffin is extreme and it further backs up Philip’s reasons for not wanting his daughter anywhere near this career path; he doesn’t want her either putting people in suitcases or being the one to end up with this horrifying fate.

Philip and Elizabeth come at things from different perspectives and in part it is why they are ideal partners as they cover all the angles; however it also opens them up to this kind of conflict and while Philip is thinking about the practicalities, Elizabeth is looking at it from a more abstract ideological point of view. The locations of the repeated discussions – basement, bathroom, office – are private but also small spaces and because of the intense nature it feels like there is nowhere for them to go as neither of them are backing down. Elizabeth has the full support of the Centre and Philip is the outlier so at the moment he is fighting a losing battle. He has always been the one who seemed like he could turn, in the pilot he even suggested defecting so this puts him in a very precarious position. Things have changed in their relationship as Gabriel notes so love is complicating things further and while Elizabeth is still very much Motherland first these feelings have a habit of throwing up problems.

Gabriel is also a sneaky bastard with Elizabeth as he subtly suggests Paige trusts her more because she thinks Philip is having an affair while layering on the compliments about how proud her mother is of her work. Previously Claudia tried to exploit what weakness there is in Philip and Elizabeth’s relationship only to learn they are better agents when they are working together and I wonder if Gabriel is also trying this same power move by reinforcing Elizabeth’s faith in what she is doing. One problem when real emotions come into play as I discussed last week is objectivity is hard to maintain and because Philip is viewing the second generation illegals program through personal experience rather than as duty to his country he is a volatile presence.

The conversation that takes place in the bathroom lays all of this out and is the crux of both their arguments; Elizabeth thinks Paige will be sat behind a desk and even if this is the case Philip is concerned this will change because “it always changes.” There is a hardened outlook mixed in with optimism from Philip as when Elizabeth scoffs “What do you want, Philip? A guarantee life’s going to be easy?” he responds with a simple and firm “For my daughter? Yeah.” It is unlikely that he can make this happen as it impossible to protect from everything, but he also isn’t going to put her near the danger which has consumed his life.

Pragmatism or this bleaker world view from Elizabeth is further backed up by the flashback from her childhood where we learn her father died as a deserter, not a hero and her mother has no time to honor the memory of a man like that. It is why Elizabeth is so stoic when it comes to the cause and why she was so disgusted with Philip’s suggestion of defection in the pilot. Well they do say you marry your father and turn into your mother. It’s funny when Elizabeth talks about her mother’s serious disposition as she really isn’t a barrel of laughs and it goes a long way to show why she is like this. “Baggage” ends with Elizabeth telling Philip about her mother’s reaction to her KGB call up and how she didn’t hesitate with telling her daughter to go serve her country. Now Elizabeth wants to tell her daughter the same thing and at this point neither parent is backing down; they end the episode at the same impasse and it is unclear how they can move forward.

Once again I want to reiterate how little we know about Philip’s past in comparison to Elizabeth; we know he had sword fights with icicles when he was a kid and there was that half told story about getting beaten up for milk from the finale but other than that we know very little about Mischa’s childhood. At the moment the theme of mothers and daughters is strong and the way Philip looks at Paige when she is chatting about the paper is with fear in his eyes that he is losing her. Fathers do come into play as we see Stan reaching out to his son via the most depression “I almost got shot” voicemail. We also meet Oleg’s father who visits Nina in a Moscow prison and he lays out an important point about parents and children:

“Parents are always trying to understand our children better. To do what’s best for them. It’s our greatest misfortune.”

When Nina asks why it is a misfortune, his response shows how he feels about his son falling in love with a traitor “Because we’re so often disappointed.” Nina does want a message relayed to Oleg, that what they had was real and this confession will hopefully hit Igor in the compassion spot and somehow secure Nina her freedom as she sure isn’t enjoying having a new cellmate. Nina is hardened to the reality of her situation unlike Evie who thinks someone will come for her soon and just why is someone from Belgium being held in this prison? A streak of naivety runs throughout some behavior this week; first with Evie and then with new defector Zinaida who is really into American candy bars and wants to see the Washington DC sights not quite understanding the danger she is still in. Also from Henry who briefly pops up to say he wants to go to Coca-Cola College and both of his parents ignore him.

Even Philip has a streak of this when he suggests Elizabeth could see her mother to which she sternly replies “We can’t go back.” Is this because she doesn’t want her mother to see her like this? The all-American woman with the nice boots and glorious hair. It is interesting to note Elizabeth mentions her mother’s blue dress and not the detail of the conversation she was recalling as she uses the material to deflect from the actual memory.

Elizabeth is also acting impulsively after losing the list last week and she is taking a lot of risks at the moment. First she deflects her anger by implying she could have handled the Yousaf thing a lot better than Philip and he is not letting her give him any shit on this because unpredictable things happen. The desire to make up for the lost list could put both of them in the line of fire especially as the FBI suspect she is the illegal they have been after since season one. No matter how good their disguises are the FBI are going to be on the lookout for a couple again, so Elizabeth needs to proceed with caution as she doesn’t want Paige to find out the truth after she has been arrested.

Stunning Shot of the Week

The way they are using the tiny office space to pull Elizabeth and Philip together and then show the distance between them is impressive; last week they were so divided a brownie peace offering couldn’t tempt Philip and it took Elizabeth telling Philip her mother is dying to bring them back together. This week Elizabeth came down to the floor where Philip was working to try and reach him on a personal level and instead her confession only cements how far apart they are with the Paige issue that isn’t going away as Philip returns to his chair and doesn’t say a word.

Disguise of the Week

The Americans doesn’t tend to lean towards humor but Philip’s “We should do this more often” coupled with his excellent Tom Selleck moustache and aviators disguise made me chuckle. The situation is so ridiculous; taking photos of a covert meeting in a bar but hey at least they get to have a beer on the job and spend some time together. Date night with the Jennings.

Outfit I Would Wear in 2015

Okay so I already have several plaid shirt dresses in my closet and worn something very similar in 2015 so I’m not sure if this one is cheating. If only my boot collection was as impressive. I also love this shot as Paige is looking even more like her mother with her hair like that and Philip is less than thrilled to sees his daughter evolving into her mother.

Tags: "Baggage", 3.02, costume design, Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, The Americans, wigs

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Categories Review, The Americans
Author Emma Fraser

The Americans 3.01 “EST Men” Review: ‘Have to be Objective to do the Job’

29 Jan

It is hard to separate the personal from the professional on The Americans when Elizabeth and Philip’s family life is so intrinsically linked to their roles as KGB officers. Their marriage and children are a by-product of the work they do and season 2 ended with a bombshell; the KGB now wants to recruit their daughter Paige into the family business and not of the travel agency kind.

When we first met Philip and Elizabeth their ideological differences were quickly established as Philip revealed he would choose their family over country. Since then the pair have broken up and come back together with their union turning from more than just work into something far deeper. Falling in love wasn’t part of the plan, but it’s hard not to forge some kind of emotional bond over a period of time this substantial. So how do you stay objective when your child could end up becoming part this dark and murky world?

Honesty is also a huge topic in “EST Men” from the meeting Philip and Stan attend to Annelise’s decision to spill the truth to Yousaf with tragic consequences. The lies that are told and whether someone deserves to know the truth weaves its way through The Americans. Paige is of course a focus of this debate as Philip so vehemently stated at the end of “Echo” that it would break her if she knew the truth. He talks of her age and how she is so close to going off to college and living a life of her own. We actually see very little of Paige in this episode and yet the Paige question simmers under the surface throughout. The church activity shows Elizabeth’s bonding attempts as well as observing Paige’s slight flirtation; Elizabeth is a lot better at fake smiling her way through it but she’s had a lot of practice. This has been a regular mother/daughter activity and much to Philip’s dismay he thinks Elizabeth is using this opportunity to assess her.

In part I think he is probably right because while it is a hard life, Elizabeth sees the sacrifices they make as means to an end to protect the Motherland. I also think Elizabeth wants a close relationship with her daughter even if she isn’t sure how to engage in this kind of behavior. The flashback we see at the start of the episode – and I think it is important to note that Elizabeth is absent in the family photo the camera focuses in on – shows Elizabeth taking a different approach to Paige’s swimming fears going for the sink or swim approach. There’s no mollycoddling here and I wonder if Paige has fond memories of that time her mom taught her how to swim. Attempts to bond have always been rather fumbling such as the bra shopping question in the pilot and Elizabeth can come across as stiff and awkward when dealing with real relationships of this nature. She is so good at fake forging a connection but when it comes to letting her guard down and experiencing actual emotions it is difficult for her.

This brings me to her relationship with her own mother and considering how guarded Elizabeth is we actually know a whole lot more about her pre-Elizabeth life than we do about Philip’s. This focus makes sense considering what is going on with Paige right now and Elizabeth’s joy at receiving a tape from home is short lived when she finds out her mother is dying and this time she isn’t around to nurse her back to health. We know it was just Elizabeth and her mother from an early age and it is likely this is playing a role in how she is dealing with this current Paige situation; even if she isn’t doing it on a conscious level coming from a single parent home is probably impacting how she views her role as a mother. Philip thinks she has been spewing lies since they found out what the KGB had in store with the second generation program and she probably has been using this time to assess Paige, but I do think she does want to be close to her child.

In a way it mirrors the argument Stan has with Sandra after his attempts to woo her back by going to an EST meeting. Sandra can see straight through his weak praise for his experience. She points out how he has been yessing her for years to avoid conflict and this sounds like Elizabeth has been doing the same to Philip up to this point with Paige. When it comes to different ideologies at least Philip and Elizabeth are pretty much on the same page (except for when it comes to the actual Paige) and I can’t see a reconciliation between Stan and Sandra as they are so distant from each other. More Philip and Stan hangouts as a result of this would be most welcome.

Several new characters are introduced with the most significant being Frank Langella’s Gabriel as their new handler and unlike Claudia or Kate someone who they know and are fond of. Their history is evident from the moment they step through the door and from the way he playfully shoves Philip in the face it is clear they are very much like family. This whole setup plays like catching up with a relative from the quips to asking about kids. I fear that Henry loses points with Gabriel as he is apparently now more interested in baseball than hockey. Henry isn’t who Gabriel wants to talk about and what goes from sharing a traditional meal and pleasantries turns contentious when Paige’s recruitment is raised. Matthew Rhys delivers his best Philip pissed off face (there are several variations of this) which boils over into full contempt when they return to their car. Elizabeth claims she is just saying what they need to hear, but she sells it far too easily to Gabriel as it is something she is deeply considering.

Food plays an important part later on as when they are in a post-fight funk Elizabeth reaches out with the brownie apology that doesn’t win Philip over and then she opens up by telling him about her mother. This doesn’t automatically solve their bigger parenting differences and yet the hand hold shows all is not broken; they are still united on certain fronts.

Feelings have a way of messing things up; Stan is still pining for Nina who has been found guilty of espionage and treason. Oleg is also at a loss without Nina and he’s getting a little too cocky about his negative feelings about the war in Afghanistan and Arkady warns him not to speak so freely around those they don’t know well. Arkady also asks if Oleg has tried to use his father’s connections to help Nina to which Oleg replies that he begged, but his father isn’t into using his position for personal reasons. All hope at this point seems lost for Nina and I wonder what Oleg hopes to achieve by spying on Stan; to get some intel that might save her?

Annelise finds out the hard way that professing love when you have been playing someone might not have the best conclusion as Yousaf reacts with violent and deadly force when she reveals she has been passing on his bedroom chatter. Philip refers to this situation as ‘awful’ and while he has been intimate with her on countless occasions (including in this episode which prompted Annelise to mention her feelings of love towards Yousaf) she is ultimately a means to an end. Philip drafted in Annelise so Elizabeth wouldn’t have to do it and no matter how Philip feels about the women he uses for information he will always choose Elizabeth first. Martha also makes an appearance this week learning how to shoot with Stan and working her way through the Kama Sutra with Clark. It is a reminder of everything Philip is juggling and that as with Annelise there is potential for it to go wrong at any time. In fact they are both balancing so much that it is going to get increasingly hard for them to keep on top of everything, let alone being parents to their children.

And then comes the big news that is going to have an impact on the Cold War as the Russians are floundering in Afghanistan and their leader Leonid Brezhnev has just died. This is shown to us not through Arkady or Philip and Elizabeth finding out, but with Paige flicking through the channels and not sticking around to watch anything more about this news story. At this point it means absolutely nothing to her. Paige and Henry are surprisingly good at sharing the TV and I think this is something their parents will be very pleased to see.

Stunning Shot of the Week

There are a couple of new things I want to add to these reviews and as this is one of the most visually exquisite shows on TV I want to highlight specific moments like the one above. Framing Elizabeth in the doorway emphasizes the distance that has been growing between the pair before they circle back together as a result of the news she shares about her mother. An amazing shot from director Dan Sackheim.

Disguise of the Week

The blonde Velma wig returns! And even though Elizabeth ended up with a very close call I did enjoy her attempts to distance herself from the person she looked like in the bar by turning her coat inside out and removing her glasses.* Some quick thinking allowed Elizabeth to end up the better off even with a super bruised face, shoulder and busted tooth. Agent Gad can’t quite say the same.

*A trick similar to when my friend couldn’t get into a bar after we got ID’d (She didn’t have ID and I did), which involved switching coats adding glasses and tying hair back. Yes it worked.

Outfit I Would Wear in 2015

I have an ongoing 70s style obsession and as this is the early 80s the previous decade is still playing a big part with the style we see on screen. I sadly couldn’t get a better shot of this ‘family’ dinner attire, but Elizabeth’s calf length skirt and blue wool tee (of which I currently have a very similar looking grey one) paired with boots (her favorite shoes) is simple and super stylish. While this isn’t a fantastic view of the outfit, it is another beautifully framed shot. I am also glad to see Elizabeth’s turtleneck game has started strong this season.

Tags: "EST Men", 3.01, costume design, Frank Langella, Holly Taylor, Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, The Americans

Comments 7 Comments
Categories The Americans
Author Emma Fraser

The Americans Inspired Underwear Range from Costume Designer Jenny Gering

28 Jan

A clothing collection inspired by a show and curated by the costume designer is not an unusual venture as we have seen Mad Men’s Janie Bryant team up with Banana Republic and The Limited has a range from Scandal costume designer Lyn Paulo, which Olivia Pope has also been wearing this season. Even Zooey Deschanel had the Tommy Hilfiger dresses she helped design appear on New Girl. The most recent show/brand offering is something of a more intimate nature as The Americans costume designer Jenny Gering has taken the sexy element of the show she works on and delivered pieces for lingerie retailer Cosabella.

The line which is available from now until February 23 and with prices ranging from $40 to $207.50 is inspired by what Elizabeth Jennings has worn in past episodes (and they might even feature on the show this season). Gering spoke to InStyle about the collection and how “Cosabella is such a good fit for the character because it’s so sort of streamlined and elegant but at the same time it’s sexy, but without being overtly girly.” The time period was also considered but as with the other aspects about the costume design on The Americans it doesn’t scream ’80s cliches.

Here is a look at a few of the items which are available:

‘Amalfi’ soft bra ($84.50 and the matching hotpants are $52.50)

‘Trenta’ slip ($179.50)

‘Blanquita’ cami and boxers set ($207.50)

There is a delicate balance on The Americans when it comes to how sex is used as both a way for Philip and Elizabeth to navigate their very real feelings for each other and as one of their many tools to get the job done (so to speak). It is a sexy show, but it also deals with very emotional and real consequences of intimacy particularly when it is being used to manipulate. This clothing line is part of the recent trend of costume designers branching out and making their work available to a larger market and here at TV Ate My Wardrobe we of course encourage more ventures like this.

It has also got me thinking about a topic that I haven’t really explored too much and that is how undergarments can serve just as important role as everything else a character wears on both period shows like The Americans, Masters of Sex and Mad Men and contemporary ones like Broad City and You’re the Worst when it comes to looking at costume design.

Tags: Banana Republic, Cosabella, costume designer, Janie Bryant, Jenny Rogen, Keri Russell, Lyn Paolo, The Americans, The Limited

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Categories Costuming, Fashion Campaign, The Americans
Author Emma Fraser

The Americans Season 3 Promo: A Few Quick Thoughts and New Disguises

10 Dec

The new Americans season 3 promo is here (and can be viewed in full at Yahoo TV) with “Every Breath You Take” by The Police entering seemingly impossible new levels of creepy as it plays over various intense and dangerous looking moments. The stakes were raised last season as Elizabeth and Philip faced danger close to home and this is set to be ramped up further with Paige being viewed as a potential KGB recruit. The end of season 2 signaled there would be discord in the Jennings home as Philip and Elizabeth differ in their views on this Paige demand and this is evident in the new promo. The kitchen is once again the hub of both disagreement and the couple coming together.

A couple of disguises stand out and I can’t wait to see this mustachio aviator wearing fella:

And this is my instant new Elizabeth favorite. She looks so chill and I would like her to share all the ways she is pulling off giant frames like these as it is a majestic style choice:

There are a few other things that stand out including the FBI getting close once again to Philip and Elizabeth, with Elizabeth in what appears to be a very precarious position. Someone is getting strangled and I have a feeling (from pausing and looking closely) it could be Philip’s asset Anneliese. Paige is looking all kinds of grown up with her hair mimicking her mother’s and there are more visits to church in store. Frank Langella makes an appearance as their handler replacing Kate and I wonder how contentious this relationship will be. He also wants to remind them what they do “is for the good of the many.” Okay, Jeremy Bentham. Nina is alive, but her current location is a bit on the dreary/unwelcoming side and Stan stares mournfully at her photo. Sad Stan is sad.

Oh and what is this?! Stan is showing what looks like Martha how to use a gun. Better watch out for this Clark.

Somehow everything looks even more intense than last year, the risks greater and this is a show that makes an embrace look like the most devastating and intimate of action. And I cannot wait. Roll on January 28.

The Americans is part of the Best of TV Costuming 2014 series and you can read those thoughts here.

Tags: Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, preview, Season 3, The Americans

Comments 3 Comments
Categories Preview, The Americans
Author Emma Fraser

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TV Ate My Wardrobe

The Americans 3.08 “Divestment” Review: “Is Any of This True?”

The Americans 3.07 “Walter Taffet” Review: “They Don’t Have a Lot of Choices”

The Americans 3.06 “Born Again” Review: Got to Have Faith

The Americans 3.05 “Salang Pass” Review: Making it Real

The Americans 3.04 “Dimebag” Review: “She Set Us Up”

The Americans 3.03 “Open House” Review: Wants and Needs

The Americans 3.02 “Baggage” Review: For Mother and the Motherland

The Americans 3.01 “EST Men” Review: ‘Have to be Objective to do the Job’

The Americans Inspired Underwear Range from Costume Designer Jenny Gering

The Americans Season 3 Promo: A Few Quick Thoughts and New Disguises

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