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New Girl 4.07 “Goldmine” Review: “I Live with my Ex”

Sitcom angst doesn’t tend to last for a long time as this is a comedy after all and mooning over an ex isn’t necessarily laugh central. This is played in two different ways on New Girl and each former couple deals with being friends (and in one case living with an ex) in wildly different ways. When Nick and Jess split up at the end of last season it was relatively painless – sure there was Dirty Dancing sobbing sessions and initial sadness – and the main reason they broke up involved the structure of the show and the dynamics of the characters rather than the actual relationship itself. The push/pull between maturity and whatever version of adulthood Nick is living was also part of it and while this felt more like an attempt at justifying breakup the word mature is thrown around by Jess throughout this episode.

In “Goldmine” they finally address the exes who live together deal and while it is unlikely this would ever be the case – the only time I have ever known exes who have lived together has been in that really awkward/awful stage where one of them is waiting to move out after the breakup – they do make it work by reinforcing the notion that the weirdo assclowns might actually be them and not the people they are dating. Nick has been using the “I live with my ex” line as a way to get rid of women in the morning and it works every single time, until the one occasion where he needs it to have the desired impact. Jess has hit the three date benchmark with Ian and he seems like a decent cute guy from the brief interaction we have with him; Jess is convinced she can tell Ian about the ex living situation in a mature manner and he won’t think anything of it. And he doesn’t at first, but his follow up questions regarding how serious the relationship was sets off all the warning bells and Jess resorts to plan B.

Plan B is Nick pretending to be gay (I would have liked to see the version where Nick pretends to be a ghost) and even though he is terrible at lying (see last week’s sweatathon) he thinks he is excellent at make-believe; all he needs is a decent backstory. Gay Nick works because he doesn’t really act any different to usual and he doesn’t try to resort to stereotypes – “don’t put me in a box” – instead he’s just as magnificent and awkward with trying to sell this story. This leads to nonsensical list time and Jake Johnson listing things is always a joy to watch. Nick gets asked what kinds of guys he likes and the list starts with hunks, features ice cream men in the middle and ends with sleepy guys (or ‘drowsers’). Ian doesn’t believe Nick’s story in part because the sweating starts and then Schmidt walks in all forlorn and apologetic that he didn’t come home the night before. It is perfect timing to play along with Nick and Jess’ ruse with Nick going so far as kissing Schmidt, something Schmidt doesn’t even question. Everything was going to plan and then Tina comes in and ruins everything by smooching Nick.

Not that the lying plan was going to hold up in the long run and Ian was definitely going to find out the truth sooner rather later even if Tina hadn’t been there. Nick blaming the layers Tina was wearing as a reason he couldn’t resist hooking up is an episode highlight. Jess points out to Nick “Can we agree this is not the most mature way to handle things, even though it is pretty fun?” and this is pretty much the “stupid shit/real shit” balance that New Girl excels at. Jess thinks she can do something in an adult manner and Nick once again proves that he is right, except on this occasion his uh-oh girl is not bothered by the living setup. Nick’s description of what an “uh-oh” girl is saves him from looking like a complete pig – his previous names include “pork pals” and “C-plussy hussies” – as the “‘uh-oh’ takes it off them and back onto me, where it belongs. I made the mistake, not them. They’re great.”

One thing missing from the Nick/Jess breakup and subsequent dating pattern is there is no jealousy here whatsoever and Nick is more than up for getting Jess laid. While this also comes across as incredibly unrealistic there is nothing worse than the doldrums of a jealous ex sitcom story (see so many Ross and Rachel Friends plots) and for all the Nick/Jess shippers still out there (I still count myself in this camp even if I am enjoying this time apart) there is a hint of hope when Ian remarks that Nick would do anything for her. And yeah they are definitely the kind of weirdo assclowns that their dates complain to their friends about so it makes sense that they end up together, eventually.

If you want relationship ex angst then Schmidt is working overtime this week as he is distraught that Cece might be getting a boob reduction and the best reaction of the week comes courtesy of his super hearing powers and scream of “Nooooooo.” Schmidt’s reaction is melodramatic and ridiculous in a way that only makes sense for a character like Schmidt. His wish to say goodbye to Cece’s boobs (he still calls them Harold and Kumar) is kinda gross, but that sequence is also hilarious because it is so dumb. It is better that we don’t get to hear most of Schmidt’s goodbye monologue and Hannah Simone gives good facial expressions as she listens to Schmidt’s boob classical music playlist (Pachelbel’s Canon).

The other hookup shenanigans occurring this week involve the hot neighbors we met last season as Winston has been trying to work the long game with them. This storyline was less successful for me and Coach is just a big ball of skeeze at this point even if his strategy does get Winston laid. Thankfully they added the part where Michelle did want to sleep with Winston otherwise that would have been a big ball of rock-paper-scissor no.

New Girl Style Watch

Switching things up this week on the style front and taking a look at the dudes of New Girl with Winston’s floral CPO short sleeve button-down. Coach looks skeptical, but I love it. I could also definitely see Josh from Transparent wearing this.

Tags: ""Goldmine", 4.07, Damon Wayans Jr., Hannah Simone, Jake Johnson, Lamorne Morris, Max Greenfield, New Girl, Review, Zooey Deschanel

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Categories New Girl, New Girl Style Watch
Author Emma Fraser

Masters of Sex 2.11 “One for the Money, Two for the Show” Review: “Stake Your Claim”

22 Sep

So much on Masters of Sex takes place behind closed doors as the nature of the study dictates this course of action; the one time Bill did try to present his work it was met with such a negative reaction that he lost his high powered position that set him on this journey of finding a more permanent home for their work. The first half of season two dealt with the conflicts and difficulty of finding a new environment to work in and eventually it became clear the only option would be to start something of their own. By presenting the work on television means putting themselves out there in a much broader scope and if they are rejected from this avenue it will have a devastating impact on whatever reputation Bill has left. I only mention Bill because he is the one who is finding the whole TV aspect to be incredibly challenging, although Virginia is dealing with separate personal issues that show a crack in her normally perfect facade.

Bill repeats the assertion throughout that he isn’t a salesman, but this is far from the case as he has been selling himself and the study from day one. The difference here is that he is normally so single minded and stubborn that he doesn’t let any self-doubt come into the equation. This feeling of impotence comes with his actual medical problem and how he has no control over what he can and cannot say on television. The Bill Masters bravado has been punched out of him by his brother and now he’s just a guy sweating profusely on TV; he is the Nixon to Virginia’s John F. Kennedy twinkle.

The switching of the ties makes a big difference and while Bill only refers to the practical reasons behind his tie choice – it stays out of the way during exams – stating that it isn’t a fashion decision, it is part of his uniform and he loses part of his armor with this swap. It seems like such a small thing and even though the CBS dudes think a long tie looks less academic, by taking away the bow tie they are removing the one fun aspect of Bill’s look. Have you seen how many different patterns he wears with these ties? Bill doesn’t come across as a polka dot kind of guy, but there they are on his choice of neck wear. The long tie is alien to him and he doesn’t even think the one Libby finds at home is his; it’s not a good start to feeling confident when you are informed that your look is wrong and then end up in a tie that’s not even yours.

Bill emphasizes how awkward it makes him by quoting Henry David Thoreau “Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes” and Lester not only mentions how disappointed he is that Bill is compromising his position, but he also notes how weird the tie looks. There are multiple references to sweat starting with Nixon and ending with Bill’s drenched shirt lying on the floor; not only did he want to rip the tie off, but his shirt too.

Shep Tally keeps talking about the importance of appearance and presentation on television with the infamous sweaty Nixon debate getting referenced; on radio Nixon appealed to more voters, on television Kennedy’s smile had just as much impact as the talking points. Virginia has a spark and natural stage presence, after all she was a performer before this became her career. Virginia looks the part from her sleek simple outfit with an incredible deer broach – Virginia’s accessory choices give me similar glee filled reactions as The Good Wife’s Diane Lockhart – and there’s nothing about her style or manner of speaking that needs correcting. When Libby points out they are wearing the same color this is of no importance as they are shooting in black and white. It also ends up being of no importance because they never get around to shooting Libby, or even wondering where she is and so it is not surprising that she views herself as being invisible.

On camera Virginia is the natural one with all the magnetism and charm, however when Bill loosens up and relaxes he also possesses a spark of sorts. He talks in hushed tones and yet his explanation of why this is an important line of study is captivating and it’s like the body equivalent of how fear is what leads you to the dark side; censorship perpetuates shame which leads to ignorance and ignorance prevents change. Shep was originally drawn to Virginia and Bill as a result of their natural back and forth. When Bill becomes more comfortable in front of the camera it becomes clear just how in sync they are as they finish each other’s sentences and Bill even laughs off a word stumble. See Bill, you do smile. Libby watches all of this and her expression grows increasingly sad and I wonder if she is figuring out just how close they are or if she is just acknowledging they have a bond that she has never possessed with her husband.

Later on Libby and Virginia’s ex George are mistaken for husband and wife in the same way Virginia and Bill are often misconstrued as being a couple and the only similarity here is that Libby and George are sitting in a waiting room waiting for the couple who are married to their work. Libby refers to herself as “The woman behind the man behind the woman behind the man” noting just how insignificant she is to this whole process and subsequent fanfare. It doesn’t matter that she is “a looker” with Virginia ahead of her in ‘this race.’

This is what the Libby storyline has been building to all season and while they touched upon this aspect of the ignored wife at home in season 1 Libby was preoccupied with her desire to have children to create a family. Now she has those children and nothing has changed; there is still something missing. Libby’s story has been incredibly messy this season and at times it has been hard to feel any kind of sympathy with her. Tying her to an exploration of race issues in the late 50s/early 60s has at times made her come across as both racist and a race tourist (or a “silly fly-by-night do-gooder”). I was worried that Robert would become a prop in Libby’s journey to ‘find herself’ and she even admits that she wants Robert to kiss her to try and figure out who she is. Libby explains how she never got to be a dumb kid – maybe just dumb – and her nickname when she was younger was “The Little Grownup” and I expect this is because she had to grow up so quickly after her mother died and her father abandoned her. Libby goes on talking about how she has never made waves and how deep down she has maybe been ignorant and prejudice (everything with Coral suggests yes) and Caitlin Fitzgerald nails the little girl lost sadness when she says “So quiet that you forgot the sound of your own voice.”

With Robert his feelings of disdain towards Libby was actually a relief as she no longer felt invisible and she has found a fight that she believes in and now understands. Using Libby as an entry point to explore race this season hasn’t always worked and part of this has been because it’s been just as much as it about Libby and her experiences as it is about the civil rights movement; we have been viewing it pretty much through her prism. Having Libby admit to her shortcomings, fears and attraction to Robert while stating that she wants to do something reckless shows that Libby isn’t considering the big picture and she’s spent so long alone that she doesn’t want to contemplate just how dangerous this is (or this element of danger adds to the attraction). If a police officer reacts this aggressively just with them sitting in a car, imagine how bad things could get if they get caught. Libby wants Robert to kiss her, but he doesn’t want to make the first move so she goes ahead and kisses him first. This leads to kitchen floor sex and it’s unlike any of the sex scenes we have seen between Libby and Bill; there is passion, longing and desire. I wonder if this is the first time Libby has had an orgasm.

Going back to Bill and despite his triumph of maintaining an erection at the end of the last episode his problem still persists despite trying again. This adds to his fear of presenting results in front of a camera as he feels like an unattractive fraud. The episode ends with Virginia telling Bill that she finds him attractive and cradling him on the floor. It’s a motherly act rather than a sexual one and to get all self-help Bill has to learn to accept that he is a flawed but brilliant person, not one or the other. Plus he really needs to get out of his own head space. It is rare to see Bill in this vulnerable state and without the same self-assured confidence that has got him to where he is now. He looks out of his comfort zone in pretty much every scene he is in this week and he is out of his depth as Virginia and Shep stand tall discussing what they will be undertaking.

One person who gives a really good pep talk is Shep and considering he is in PR this is not surprising. He manages to appeal to Bill’s ego by reinforcing the notion about coming first and adds some comfort by suggesting the goal you have can be just as important as achieving it; just because they haven’t cured anyone yet, the hope and promise of doing this is part of the initial pitch. Shep tells him he needs to “Stake his claim” and by doing both this and “reaching for it” then he will be able to connect with people in their homes. Does Bill want to be a Kennedy or a Nixon? So on one hand there is Shep telling Bill that it is okay to make a compromise with his work so he can reach people and then there is Lester who is disappointed that Bill is sacrificing his integrity. What “One for the Money, Two for the Show” doesn’t do is tell you which version is the right one, instead it shows the various ways these characters are being challenged as they reach for the moon whether it is Libby wanting to be noticed, Bill feeling attractive or Virginia realizing that she has been so focused on work that she knew nothing about the type of woman George’s new wife is.

Virginia’s ex George wants to take the kids to Europe for 6 weeks while he is on tour and this concerns Virginia deeply. George has remarried and his new wife Audrey has become a big presence in Tessa and Henry’s life without Virginia even noticing. Audrey helped Tessa pick out her project subject and is very much part of their life, plus she’s not a flake like George; there is now stability in her ex-husband’s house and he won’t forget to feed them until late. This all takes Virginia by surprise as she’s been so busy at work. Thankfully there isn’t any ‘you’re a bad mother’ judgement, just an acknowledgement that this trip could actually be a really positive thing for Tessa and Henry. What it does mean is that Virginia will be spending the holidays (both Thanksgiving and Christmas) alone and I wonder if she will receive an invite to the Masters’ house?

Elsewhere the Austin/Flo sexual harassment continues and even though they work in the same building this story feels very much out on its own island. Flo is upset that Clark Gable is dying as he’s her dream dude and Gone with the Wind is her dream fantasy; she wants to be ravished against her will (this worryingly comes across as a rape fantasy and I’m not sure they are quite hitting the mark in this gender role swap as it is still coming across as slightly comedic in tone). By questioning Austin’s manhood she gets her unwilling participant and he’s continued to sleep with her since the last episode. Instead Austin is the one who reluctantly takes part in this role play and Flo ends up being the Clark Gable. Despite wanting to change roles it doesn’t end up that way and they are still stuck with who they have always been.

So how much can we adjust and evolve? This goes much further than just sex and the work as Bill and Virginia have entered a co-dependence of sorts that didn’t exist at the start of this season despite the grand rom-com like rain gesture at the end of last year. With only one episode left it is unclear just where these characters will end up, but it is clear that far too much has happened overall to return to where they were, not just for Virginia and Bill, but for Libby as well. It’s been a bumpy season that has attempted to cover a wide range of storylines and this ambition is commendable; however Masters of Sex is at its best when examining the deeply personal and intimate nature of relationships. Bill and Virginia are at the heart of this and with each episode they are nearing a real definition of what they really mean to one another as they dance around the notion of love. Is this a declaration we can expect to see in the finale?

Tags: 2.11, Ane Crabtree, Caitlin Fitzgerald, costume design, Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex, Michael Sheen, Review

Comments 1 Comment
Categories Masters of Sex, Review
Author Emma Fraser

Masters of Sex 2.08 “Mirror, Mirror” Review: Beneath the Veil

1 Sep

Observation is no longer enough on Masters of Sex as the study broadens its scope through a variety of methods with Bill and Virginia both experiencing variations of crossing the line. There is a lot going on below the surface in “Mirror, Mirror” as the traumas of past relationships come to light and another part of the Bill Masters jigsaw falls into place as he deals with his own psychological block.

At times Masters of Sex takes a slightly heavy handed approach with its use of symbolism and this is one of those occasions as veils are used to suggest that which is hidden in plain sight. Not everything is related to sex, although past and present encounters are used to highlight trauma and Betsy Brandt delivers a powerful performance when she realizes what transpired during her childhood. This episode does grind the forward momentum on display last week to a halt; however it is still remains a compelling hour of television while also highlighting some of the narrative issues this season is having.

“You think it’s enough to fix the outside. That’s the easy part.”

Bill’s brother Francis stops by to imbue some wisdom on his older brother and to tell him to stop ignoring him – this final scene gave me all the Dick/Adam Whitman feelings – and we spend the whole episode thinking that Francis is just an old college friend* until the final reveal. Francis is similar to Bill from his chosen profession and his low sperm count. Bill is extra cagey when questioned about whom Francis is and even Betty’s snooping doesn’t reveal his true identity. On the surface it looked like Bill has made all the family reconciliations that he needed to last week after he let his mother back into his life, but this is far from the truth.

*In real life Bill did have a college roommate called Francis Baker as well as his brother Francis.

Bill is also withholding other important information from Virginia and he uses the three drink excuse as to why he can’t perform. The decision to include the participants they initially rejected due to sexual dysfunctions is beneficial to Bill and the stack with the highest number affected happens to be the problem he is suffering from. Bill’s issue came directly after he discovered that Virginia had been seeing another man and his physical problems are almost certainly caused by the psychological. The correlation between mental and physical feelings has been floating in the background since the first episode with love and feelings as the eternal elephant in the room. First it was transference as a reason for initial attraction, now it is the mental block Bill is having as a result of the complicated relationship he has with Virginia.

Using all the resources at hand also includes asking Betty about her previous profession and the techniques they used at the brothel with performance problems. Betty notes that generally if you could get the head to believe then the rest would follow suit. Sometimes this involved a magical potion – rum and cayenne peppers – to work as a placebo and it has the not so subtle name “punch for suckers.” There are many reasons why someone might experience impotence, but in her experience it is generally more mental than physical. This would seem to be the case with Bill as he didn’t experience anything like this before his other man encounter at Virginia’s and what looked like a panic attack in the rain. Bill is of course keeping all of this information to himself. Standard Bill Masters shutting down protocol.

Bill has a hard time with empathy, it’s not that he doesn’t and can’t empathize; it’s just not his emotional wheelhouse. When he spots a fellow sufferer in Lester, who is feeling both personally and professionally impotent after his time in Hollywood with Jane, Bill turns the camera on him and makes him more than just an observer. Lester’s father has died and after Virginia suggests using his talents to make a slideshow of his father’s life as part of his eulogy; Lester realizes he is only present in two photos out of over a hundred. Bill sees this opportunity to make Lester part of the project he is documenting and it is an act of kindness that shows Bill is far more than the brusque standoffish figure we have come to expect.

Later in the episode Bill doesn’t show the same level of understanding with Libby as she also wants to be part of something. Unfortunately for Libby, Bill thinks she is already part of the study even though she is more on the outside than anyone. So while the study is Lester’s biggest inspiration as every day brings something brand new, for Libby it is the same old cycle.

For a week she gets to show off her sales skills as she raises money for the Veiled Prophet Ball and makes $300 using a whole host of persuasion to get businesses to sign off; we see her hone her skills with Flo. In fact Libby is just as much of an asset as Virginia is at the initial dinner, as she uses her knowledge of society events to get their foot in the door by targeting the police chief’s wife (oh hey! Peri Gilpin). Libby might not have been a debutante, but she knows how to work this angle.

This is the Libby from season 1 that was sympathetic and proactive who wasn’t reduced to a paranoid racist mess; while it doesn’t excuse her behavior from earlier this year and I still think it was a huge misstep making Libby the villain she does go some way to rectify her past actions. Last week they mentioned that CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) had moved into the same building and this continues Masters of Sex engaging in stories that explore racial tension from this period in a way that goes beyond the passivity of Mad Men in this area. Libby is a witness to the aftermath of an attack that is blamed in the press as a drug deal gone bad, when really it is a horrific racially provoked assault. One person who comes to the aid of the beaten man is Robert, Coral’s brother and he clocks Libby driving by. Later Robert visits Libby at home imploring her to speak up in a manner in which the other white witnesses are too afraid to.

When Libby mentions this interaction to Bill her rhetoric is far different from how she previously discussed Robert with her husband as she’s no longer painting Robert as a threat and it’s Bill’s turn to come across as narrow minded telling Libby “This is not our issue.” Libby has been a witness to a crime and it is disappointing to hear him tell her that she shouldn’t do anything about it. Seeing the veiled man and Robert mentioning other men who wear hoods is the prompt Libby needs to act on the injustice she saw and later she visits Robert to tell him that she did see the truck.

This scene builds on the last time Libby went to see Robert at home and it suggests there is an attraction here; are we going to see Libby embark on an affair? Libby taking on the role of white women savior is going to be made even more complicated and problematic if sex is thrown into the mix; while this version of Libby is far more preferable to the one on display earlier this season, they need to tread carefully and not just use this as a reason for Libby to fill the emptiness that she is feeling. A further exploration of Libby’s loneliness is appreciated, just don’t let it become a prop in a story exploring race.

The person who prompted Virginia’s desire to include those with sexual dysfunctions in the study is Barbs and after tracking her down Virginia opens up a trauma so deep that Barbs has buried it for what sounds like her entire adult life. Barbs explains the horror story of the pregnant girl who bled to death when she was younger as a potential reason for her condition. Virginia comments that it is curious that Barbs can’t remember the name of the first boy she had a sexual encounter with and a night time house call reveals the true horror of what occurred to Barbs. Betsy Brandt gives an incredible and heartbreaking performance as she recounts the childhood games with her brother that changed with time and how she believes God is punishing her for what she did with her brother. It is a devastating scene and having it take place away from the clinical landscape with Virginia in her home and in her nightclothes increases the desperation from Barbs, while highlighting Virginia’s lack of experience with handling something of this magnitude. This is something so traumatic that it can’t wait until the following day when there are no children sleeping upstairs.

Bill thinks a line has been crossed with this interaction taking place in Virginia’s home and while he could serve to be more compassionate what Virginia does next is a cause for concern. Barbs doesn’t want to talk to a man about this and she refuses the referral to a psychologist so Virginia goes in her place retelling the story she heard in her living room. Virginia’s intentions are honorable as there’s no way she can get qualified in time to help Barbs and yet there are flashing warning signs that this is a terrible idea. Despite the cool exterior Virginia projects she also has a lot buried beneath the surface as she protects herself far too much. The few times she has let her guard down with Lillian and Bill have been brief and her heart remains locked up; will these therapy sessions end up unlocking that box?

Masters of Sex went to some dark places this week and so I am incredibly thankful for Flo and her no BS, cigar smoking ways. Flo was introduced as a means for Virginia to make some more money and having her as one of the building tenants is a fantastic move for injecting some fun. It also brings Austin back in and even though this is a tad convenient to keep him relevant on the show, I also believe his character would leap at an opportunity to be adored by a large group of women and revive his flailing confidence. Austin has been rejected by his wife for the final time and he is seen as a joke at work; by becoming the spokesperson for Cal-o-Metric he gets adulation and a fancy title (even if those in the medical community would see this as an inferior position).

When Flo mentioned her original spokesman was going to be staying at a hotel outside of town I was convinced she was going to spot Bill and Virginia together and use this as a reason to not pay rent, instead the only crossover is that Bill was called upon by Elliott as the doctor on call when a man had pretty much eaten himself to death. The connection here being that this man was Flo’s spokesman, but Flo never crossed paths with either Bill or Virginia.

As Bill and Virginia move from a position of observation to intervention it looks like there will be further development of the inner lives of these characters; while we had one episode this season that did just this, there are ways to go to understand just who Bill and Virginia are in relation to each other, themselves and the study. There is a lot going on in Masters of Sex juggling multiple characters and plot points and it’s all feeling rather scattered at the moment. The ambition of this season is commendable, however the best episode of the season was the most stripped down (punnage ahoy) and the Bill/Virginia anchor is important. Let’s hope the show remembers this.

Tags: "Mirror, 2.09, Ane Crabtree, Betsy Bradt, costume design, Lizzy Caplan, Martin Sheen, Masters of Sex, Review

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Categories Masters of Sex, Review
Author Emma Fraser

Masters of Sex 2.06 “Blackbird” Review: “Lilantha”

18 Aug

Intimacy comes in a variety of ways far beyond the study at the center of Masters of Sex and in “Blackbird” we see multiple characters wrestling with the truth behind certain relationships. This takes place in both a personal and professional setting as the two overlap in several cases; new lows are hit and life changing acknowledgements are proclaimed. Change is coming and there is of course resistance, particularly when there are different agendas at play. While Bill claims he will let the facts speak for themselves, when his own personal space is penetrated by the press he pushes back in the most abhorrent way and he’s not the only one who goes to extreme lengths this week.*

*While watching this episode and seeing the depiction of racial tension in 1950s St. Louis, Missouri it is incredibly bleak spotting similarities and the lack of progress with what is happening right now in 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri.

I’ve talked a lot about Virginia and Lillian as the best female friendship on television and “Blackbird” cements this assertion (and I’m pretty sure I’m going to end up crying while I type this). Lillian references Virginia’s inability to take no for an answer – I realized while watching this that there is a slightly Leslie Knope steamroller like quality to Virginia – and by the end of the episode Virginia has learned that there is a point where you stop pushing someone. Lillian decides to end her treatment, which is met with resistance by Virginia as she believes there is still plenty to fight for. At this point Lillian is performing this fighter charade for Virginia “I can’t do this for you. I tried, but I’m done” (aaaaand the screen just went blurry as I typed that).

Between Lillian and Bill, Virginia has opened herself up emotionally in a way that she can’t quite comprehend and she tearfully explains to Bill that she never lets anyone in the way she has done with Lillian emphasizing “She knows me.” Virginia doesn’t do close emotional relationships (remember she locked up her heart a long time ago) and Bill points out that the reason Virginia didn’t see it coming is because Lillian is a woman. Yes we have seen Virginia with other female friends, well Jane, but none this intimate. They are of course complete opposites and yet they provide that something the other has been missing.

Like Virginia, Lillian has erected walls and she tells Virginia over wine that she has missed out on being loved. Lillian tells a story of her cotillion, the cruel name she was called – giraffe as she was both tall and spotty – and how a little piece of us is the girl we were at 13 (which I kind of agree with). So while Lillian hasn’t experienced romantic love, this here on this sofa and later when Virginia tucks her in bed is love. Lillian is also the only one who can get Virginia to accept that Bill loves her, even if this comes with a feigned shocked expression followed by eye acknowledgement. If this episode was just these two women sitting on the sofa drinking and telling stories I would be more than happy. Alas, the end is here and Virginia puts Lillian to bed in the same way she does her children; by drawing words on her forehead. What really slays me in this scene is Virginia telling Lillian she sees “constellations in these freckles” including the previously undiscovered “Lilantha” a “Warrior princess, strong and brave” and if I wasn’t already a wreck then this line would tip me over the edge “But she knew who she was. And that is why she burns so brightly, you can always spot her in the sky.”

Earlier Virginia has told Lillian she will take care of the letter to her family and that she will ensure that her body goes to science so she can maybe help with the cause she has spent so long on beyond her death. Virginia returns to Lillian’s house to pick up the letter and finds her in bed struggling to breathe after she has taken a bottle of sleeping pills. Virginia’s natural reaction is to call 911 and halfway through the call as she looks at her friend she hangs up, recognizing this isn’t her fight. Instead she lies down next to Lillian and makes sure she isn’t alone in her final moments.

When Bill and Virginia have sex they don’t kiss, if they did then they might have to admit to themselves and each other that there is something here that goes far beyond research. This point is emphasized in the opening scene and while it might seem like a bit too on the nose for them to reference this in such an overt way, I’m glad they did as I haven’t actually noticed before that they don’t kiss (I’m not sure if this makes me horribly unobservant or if my brain is filling in the gap). So when this moment takes place it’s not while they are sleeping together, instead it comes in at a point of vulnerability as Virginia is opening herself up rather than closing herself off. We don’t see anything beyond the kiss so it’s unclear if it leads to anything else, the way I read it is that it is just the kiss and nothing more.

This is a strong and effective scene; the “I know you” and everything that comes before and after really underlines everything this relationship is about. One aspect that works incredibly well is how the camera pushes in so slowly starting at a distance and ending in a close up. It’s like we are Bill and Lillian sneaking past Virginia’s carefully constructed walls.

The red of Virginia’s blouse in this scene is in contrast to the blue in her later scenes with Lillian; one suggests passion while the other is nurturing and both represent the two sides of Virginia we see in her relationships with these two characters.

Bill’s being all Mr Sensitive with Virginia, however when things get a little too personal with the story reporter Morgan Hogue is writing he ends up in a scenario he has never found himself in. Morgan wants to talk about Bill’s past and his recent estrangement from the white medical community; this is not the angle Bill wants as it reveals far too much about whom he is and is a narrative he finds uncomfortable. To kill the story Bill threatens the editor of this newspaper with made up research findings that will paint black people in a negative light. It’s repugnant and so unlike the Bill we have seen admonishing Libby for her recent racist actions. Bill is for what it is worth disgusted at himself for stooping to this tactic telling Hendricks that he has never misrepresented his work like this. Hendricks refers to Bill’s methods as coming from a desperate place, but it still leaves a nasty taste behind and Hendricks fires him as this pairing is not going to bring the change that either of them is striving for; Bill needs to go out on his own as Hendricks did.

These last few weeks I have been pretty much watching Libby scenes through my fingers as she continues her descent into obsession and paranoia going from watching Coral and Robert to getting a police check on Robert. Banning Robert from picking Coral up leads to following them to their home and Robert confronts Libby as she’s figuring out where Coral lives. Robert tells Libby that he’s Coral’s brother (they haven’t different surnames) revealing Coral’s ruse for getting under Libby’s skin (which Libby deserved in that moment). Libby has cut her leg, something Robert notices and asks if he can help her. Libby accepts this aid for a moment and then things get too personal for her and she overreacts by firing Coral and fleeing the scene. Later she caresses that cut and smokes in the darkness; this act of care and intimacy has stirred something in Libby. Part of her obsession with Coral and Robert is from this factor of closeness that is absent in her own relationship and while this doesn’t excuse Libby behavior and prejudice, it goes some of the way to explain her actions. I worry they have pushed Libby too far into this corner and as I mentioned last week it comes across as an attempt to make Libby unlikeable so as an audience we feel less sympathy for her and her loveless marriage.

While I’m on the subject of loveless marriages “Care is what you have for a stray dog you find in the road. Love is what you have with someone you share your bed with.” These words by Gene to Betty suggest that this relationship has come to an end as Gene finds out the biggest secret Betty has been keeping. Gene’s friend Al is beyond clueless as even though he witnessed the kiss between Helen and Betty last week he doesn’t connect that this is romantic as his only experience of lesbians is a stereotype; neither Betty or Helen look like this so they can’t possibly be. This also goes back to what Betty said about them not being accepted by this community as they don’t fit this description. Gene figures it out and while he thought Betty’s outburst was because she was into Al – he tells a sad story about what it’s been like to double date with Al in the past – when Al mentions the kiss he instantly knows who Betty’s heart belongs to. Betty thinks that she can make it work with both Helen and Gene as they have money now and “money means options.” They already live an unconventional life and they can maintain afternoon hookups as long as Helen is willing to go along with this. Helen isn’t content with being the mistress in this set up and plays Betty at her game with an impromptu proposal to Al.

While Betty is okay with performing this charade and she really does care for Gene as she suggests, it’s not enough. For Gene he could get passed the kids lie and he doesn’t want to adopt, he tells Betty “You’re enough.” The problem is that Gene is not enough for Betty and he never will be. An unconventional set up yes, but one that isn’t fair to anyone involved. Helen pushed her point with the Al proposal and Gene confrontation with Betty about truth shows that he can’t play this game. Ultimately I don’t think Betty can either and while she has got used to comfortable living and an incredible wardrobe she owes it to Gene, Helen , Al and herself to own her truth.

As I’m on the subject of Betty frocks here is another incredible one. There is nothing quiet or subdued about either Betty or Helen’s clothing choices. They clash at times in both color and pattern as they clash in their methods of continuing their relationship. Even their underwear is in stark contrast as Betty wears the white of innocence and Helen’s strapless basque is in super sexy black. Now that Betty is no longer getting ‘fertility’ treatments from Bill this story is now rather separate to the overall narrative and I wonder how they will converge again in the future. Sarah Silverman has been a terrific addition and I hope we get to see more of this relationship as we move forward.

This episode marks the halfway point of season 2 and it has an end of chapter like feel to it as Bill realizes that he can no longer work in a hospital if he wants to continue his work. Other characters hit low points (Libby I’m looking at you), relationships hit their natural breaking point as secrets are revealed and walls are broken down exposing a whole new set of raw emotions. Bill discovers at the end of the episode that maybe he doesn’t know Virginia as well as the thought he did as when he turns to her first after yet another sacking he finds her ‘beau’ on the doorstep. This is a guy Virginia has been dating for a couple of months and like Bill we are only just finding out about this relationship. Bill stumbles away having what appears to be a panic attack and the Virginia/Bill merry-go-round continues to spin.

Tags: 1950s, Ane Crabtree, costume design, Julianne Nicholson, lady friendship, Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex, Michael Sheen, Review, Sarah Silverman

Comments 4 Comments
Categories Masters of Sex
Author Emma Fraser

Masters of Sex 2.03 “Fight” Review: “Maybe it was Wednesday”

28 Jul

Searching for a meaning can sometimes prove elusive or at least a challenge if it is buried beneath multiple defensive layers; the box you keep your heart in might be reinforced and hard to crack. In this phenomenal episode of Masters of Sex we gain further insight into who both Bill and Virginia are and maybe who they would like to be through their role playing. The line between reality and fantasy are blurred and so at times it is hard to tell where one ends and the other begins; watching them alternate between the two is incredible and this is an hour of TV to be cherished with powerhouse performances from both Lizzy Caplan and Michael Sheen.

The Bill and Virginia dance is a classic one step forward two steps back embrace; one leans in as the other pulls away and this motion plays an integral part in their relationship overall, but especially in “Fight.” The backdrop for this evening of research is boxing and a fight between a seasoned pro and a relative newcomer with the advantage changing between rounds with experience winning out in the end. Like Virginia I wanted to see how it ends and playing the final moments over the end credits satisfied this urge and now we are left to wonder just who is winning between Virginia and Bill. Not that a relationship can by monitored in this point scoring way no matter how hard we try and it becomes even more apparent this week that Bill and Virginia are not prepared for the emotional ramifications of their new hotel room research setup.

Part of this relationship performance includes various states of undress with Bill’s undone bow tie and “I’m not angry, but I’ll throw you against the wall before saying hello” setting the scene and starting things off in this dominating manner. Bill is deflecting his feelings from the encounter he had at work with a man who resembles the bully his father was and who is unhappy with his son’s “ambiguous sex organs.” Bill’s compassion for his patients and especially those who don’t have their own agency is something we have seen repeatedly (including last week) and as it is a newborn baby who is at risk this week his response is amplified.

This baby has been reduced to terms of what can be defined as ‘normal’ and Bill points out that this is a wide spectrum. There are certain expectations with labels and so when Bill explains that “Erections aren’t the totality of manhood” he is met with sneers and name calling. The study they are performing is meant to challenge ideals and show there is not one set of standards to be met; for this child their study is not going to help when the father is so rigid and forthright with his opinions.

Conversations about defining gender characteristics also take place in Virginia’s kitchen with her daughter as they discuss the roles of the tooth fairies, princesses and princes. The prince is always handsome even if his face gets stomped on by a horse and as long as the princess has seen him before this accident then a kiss will heal his disfigurement. Virginia tries to challenge Tessa’s fairy tale gender stereotypes with little success as sadly the princess cannot go on adventures on her own. If Tessa were to look upon her mother in her red apron and work attire she would see that we can be more than one thing and our expectations differ from reality. Virginia realizes that Tessa likes these kinds of stories as she knows how they will end and this is something you can’t plan for in real life as challenges present themselves when we least expect. If the handsome prince got his face stomped on in real life his face would stay like that forever (well plastic surgery might help, I guess). Maybe that’s a little too bleak to tell a child.

What happens to us as at a young age plays an important role in the stories that are shared between Virginia and Bill as he reveals to Virginia the truth about his relationship with his father. Bill does so through the guise of Dr. Holden and so at first it is unclear to Virginia that he is talking about himself or the extent of the abuse he suffered. Bill likes boxing because it made him feel strong at a time when he had been repeatedly beaten by his father both emotionally and physically. The reasons behind the beatings were random and his rage could come at any time – “maybe it was Wednesday” – and not only did he subject him to this, but he also effectively abandoned him at the age of 14 when he dropped him off at boarding school to never come home again (in reality Bill went home that Christmas, but this was the last time). Libby mentioned last week how Bill has never gone into detail with what happened during his childhood emphasizing just how massive this unburdening of information is.

Virginia is also careful to protect herself and her reluctance to trust a man comes from the first time she was in love. Like Bill she shares this story through the part she is playing and so it’s not immediately apparent that it isn’t a work of fiction. Virginia had her heart broken by an army captain who wound up getting married to the fiance he mentioned once in a whole year of dating. This obviously had a profound effect on how much Virginia has since been willing to give herself over to another person and this story also serves as an analogy for what is happening with Bill as there is also a third person to consider with Libby; it is why Virginia keeps her heart out of it. The lines between reality and fantasy are repeatedly blurred as Virginia finishes this story telling a transfixed Bill that she wouldn’t marry a man (so him in this scenario) who she “didn’t both love and desire.”

Vulnerability and intimacy levels alternate throughout with both Bill and Virginia acting as the dominant and submissive one at various points. From the stories they tell to initiating the research with Bill’s bathroom domination going up against Virginia’s thigh seduction. When Bill tries to take charge once again Virginia flips the tables and refuses to beg after standing there naked at Bill’s command; instead she effectively drops her gloves and masturbates to prove that she can get all the pleasure she needs by herself. That round goes to Virginia and her protected heart.

The real moments of intimacy go far beyond these physical acts and just watching how at ease they are with each other when they’re lounging in bathrobes and their undergarments is far more telling than the unspoken power games they are playing. This is why it is important that Virginia didn’t resort to begging when Bill told her to, however Bill also took away from this night the lesson of when it is okay to get down on your knees and plead. Bill never did this when his father beat him even though he knew if he did then the beating would end, this was his own personal show of power over his father even if he ended up worse off as a result of his stubbornness. It is Bill’s patient who is now at the mercy of a bully and so Bill pushes aside his pride resorting to the position of a begging man; it’s too late and the surgery has taken place. Surgery that has been done using a text book as a resource because there isn’t someone with the necessary experience. If you weren’t already feeling horrified at the attitude of this father he chose to make his child a girl because he was told a “hole is easier than a pole” and he’d rather have a “tomboy than a sissy.” A quick fix that will lead to a lifetime of anguish.

The red apron that represents Virginia’s home role is the only real flash of costuming color this week and “Fight” operates with mostly black and white clothing with Virginia’s grey dress straddling the two. Bill’s underwear is white contrasting with Virginia’s black and the white robes keep them on level ground – they tell their most intimate secrets when both in their matching robes – when Virginia is asked to drop hers and Bill keeps his on the power dynamic shifts first to Bill and then back to Virginia as she wrestles control with her hands. The blurry world of grey comes with Virginia’s dress complete with white collar and cuffs; her work attire is neutral and can be seen as sexy when she is undressing or homely when Virginia is saying goodbye to Bill barefoot – “This is where a married couple would kiss.” Yes, I wanted them to kiss. Prior to this scene when Virginia is on the phone to her daughter she plays with Bill’s wedding ring, trying it on and briefly allowing herself to imagine what this might be like before shutting it down once again. At different points Bill and Virginia stop themselves before they enter into what they would deem to be affair territory and it’s why they have never had breakfast together; breakfast equates to commitment.

Black attire tends to symbolize passion with black underwear taking on a more risque appearance, but I would argue that the white clothing worn in this episode drops the usual innocence tag and takes on what we would normally associate with black. This white coat is the first time we have seen Virginia wear something like this that wasn’t a medical coat and there is power in this image; it is mysterious and sexy so when she enters the crowded room of men watching the fight she instantly stands out. It’s not surprising that both the strong white pieces that Virginia wears this week are influenced by movie stars as costume designer Ane Crabtree explains on Twitter; Kim Novak’s Vertigo coat is a point of reference for this stunning look and Marilyn Monroe is the inspiration for the sexiness of the bathrobes.

It’s not all bathrobe seduction as a friendly boxing tutorial turns into a competitive battle followed by farce when Virginia’s bracelet gets caught in Bill’s hair. Virginia thinks that Bill was making fun of her and it becomes another discussion where neither one wants to back down from their point of view. It leads to another moment of intimacy, this time in the form of a haircut and more revelations from Bill about his father and the time he broke his nose (and he claims not his heart). It’s only after Bill wants Virginia to beg and she refuses that he reveals the why of his beatings from his father in that there really isn’t a specific reason he did it and Virginia counters why it would have been okay for Bill to say stop. For a brief moment Bill gets misty eyed and this subtle gesture from Michael Sheen is almost as powerful as his anguished sob last season.

Virginia is angry at Bill for how she thought he was making fun of her during their boxing tutorial as it was an unfair fight, quite the contrary according to Bill as it feels better to win when the odds are against you. Later what Virginia should say to Bill she instead tells their waiter Elliott as she explains that being taking seriously and listened to is much better than trinkets. This sentiment is also hilarious as the amount of times that both Bill and Virginia deflect the subject, when things look like they might be going down a romantic and honest road is particularly high this week. Virginia’s assessment of boxing is that “it almost looks like love” and from what we are witnessing the same could be said for what is going on in this hotel room and in the outside world there is plenty stacked against them.

Tags: "Fight", 2.03, Ane Crabtree, costume design, Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex, Michael Sheen, Review

Comments 9 Comments
Categories Masters of Sex
Author Emma Fraser

The Americans 2.13 “Echo” Review: Finding Meaning and Purpose

22 May

Spy life and family are so intrinsically linked on The Americans because Philip and Elizabeth created theirs to help maintain their cover. Dread has been building all season culminating in a stomach churning finale; going in a soul crushing direction that is completely unexpected and one that explores the overall purpose of these characters and the children they were compelled to have. Compartmentalization is a key component to how Philip and Elizabeth operate and this has been challenged all season, with Philip having a hard time reconciling some of his actions and switching off from the terrible things he has done. Danger has come from outside of their family unit and while I mentioned the threat from within during some of the early season 2 promotional materials, I never expected the twist that has the potential to destroy this family unit.

Paige’s interest in religion came across initially as a way to create conflict in a manner that sidesteps the usual teen rebellion tropes while being fundamentally opposite to her parents’ beliefs. The reason why Philip and Elizabeth have so much disdain towards organized religion is not something they can share with their daughter adding to the already building tension. Elizabeth acknowledged how much Paige is like her a couple of weeks ago and how Paige is looking for meaning in the wrong place. Elizabeth thinks that Paige would benefit from finding meaning and purpose in something bigger than her, so what happens when the KGB reveal their plans to indoctrinate a second generation of illegals who are born to ‘American’ parents on US soil? The twist is particularly insidious because it takes away their children’s choice, repeating the cycle by using the same grand declarations about a cause that is bigger than any one person.

The initial horror comes courtesy of Jared and the discovery of who really killed Emmett, Leanne and Amelia. All this time either Larrick or another unseen force has been the likely culprit and Jared was never a suspect. Jared’s blood spluttering confession is incredibly jarring as he’s done such a good job of protecting his cover and acting the innocent; from his reaction to the bodies in the hotel room, to his tears when Elizabeth first met him. Since Elizabeth first saw Kate meeting Jared out of disguise, she knew something was up and Jared did react far too calmly to the upheaval to his life, not that I ever saw this coming. Philip and Elizabeth both look on in dismay at Jared as he confesses his crime while choking on his own blood and neither of them can hide their shock. They’ve spent so long looking over their shoulders wondering when someone is coming for them and they never contemplated this was a domestic issue wrapped up in the cause.

Throughout this finale (and season) there are many micro gestures and movements often between Philip and Elizabeth as they convey so much to each other without saying a single word. It’s something The Americans excels at and it’s a show that demands you pay attention otherwise the some of the nuance is lost. This happens in this scene after Jared takes his last breath and Philip sinks backwards finally exhaling (mirroring my inner feelings after this intense scene). It’s something Elizabeth does at home before Philip gets back as she rests against the couch in a move that if that piece of furniture wasn’t there and if this show was more melodramatic she would have done so anyway and just fallen to the floor. Exhaustion, relief, fear are all reasons behind this and when Philip and Elizabeth embrace after they have got home from their danger vacation all of these things are communicated in how they are holding each other and in their eyes. Looks in the car between them as they daren’t say anything even if the kids are sleeping show just how in sync they are, well in sync on almost everything.

Simultaneously setting up conflict for next year while tying up the loose ends of this season is expertly handled as Claudia reveals the why of how Jared was recruited against his parents’ wishes. It looks like they are giving Philip and Elizabeth a choice, but really they’re saying the exact same thing to them as they did to Emmett and Leanne; we want your child to work for us and you have no choice. Philip emphasizes the notion that Paige is “our daughter” and yet she is a product of their cover and in this respect she belongs to the KGB and this larger thing they are all part of. This taps into a very specific part of Elizabeth and she has yet to waiver when it comes to their overall purpose. With Philip it is a different story and he has been more prone to disillusion, targeting his daughter is a very good way to add to these feelings.

No matter how united Philip and Elizabeth are, there is always going to be this fundamental difference between them and the Centre could exploit this to get what they want. There is also the danger of what will happen if they do tell Paige who they really are and I think Philip understands there is a chance Paige will reject this path and her parents. Paige is already pissed and confused, she tells Henry that she’s already counting down the days until college when she can escape this “lunatic asylum” and I’m not sure the truth would make her feel any different. It’s a risk and one Elizabeth is contemplating.

Elizabeth has a habit of when it comes to these discussions of cutting them off when it’s not going in a direction she’s happy with and it is a tactic she has been employing all season. In fact this is a way to undermine Philip’s opinions as she switches subjects or calls the kids for dinner to abruptly end a discussion. This leaves it all up in the air for the audience as well and now we are left contemplating just how serious Elizabeth is with this consideration. Cut off sentences and half finished stories are a consequence of the double life and it’s part of why compartmentalizing can be so difficult to comprehend. They discuss Paige while they wait for Fred (RIP) in full disguise and to them it’s the most normal thing in the world.

Sharing stories of their childhood like Elizabeth revealing how at 14 (Paige’s age) she looked after her mother for 10 months when she had diphtheria and she still managed to go to school. Her life was hard, but she made do and this isn’t a complaint and more a statement of fact. Philip begins to share his own tale and his is from when he was a couple of years younger than Henry – both use their own children as a reference point – and we never get to hear how Philip outsmarted the kids who attacked him as they’re interrupted by the police scanner. Whenever they talk about their past they are breaking the rules that were laid out before them and it shows intimacy and trust between them as they peel back the layers of who they were before they became the Jennings.’

So Paige is Elizabeth and Henry’s very much his father’s son; Paige is questioning and dismissive whereas Henry is open and enthusiastic. In a way both are living vicariously through their children as they’ve never had to experience the hardships they had when they were growing up. Philip wants to protect them from ever having to deal with this, it’s why he’s so forceful as reminds Elizabeth “We swore we would never…” The children are meant to be off limits, they are meant to protect them and yet Elizabeth sees Philip’s fear as a slight against who they are and what they do. The through line this season has been family and we’ve hit the point of examining what is more important; family or the cause? For Philip the answer is easy, for Elizabeth it is not so cut and dry and I expect this will dominate the start of next year.

Elizabeth’s desire to tell Paige the truth is also a selfish one as she wants to show her daughter who she really is, as she did with Jared when she turns up at the cabin without her disguise and in a super cool looking leather jacket. To her daughter she is just a very neurotic travel agent and it hurts that she can’t reveal who she really is. I don’t think Elizabeth even contemplates that Paige might reject her; I think this is all Philip thinks about.

For a brief moment I considered the idea that they might kill either Paige or Henry in the finale, but if they had I think this would have driven both Philip and Elizabeth away from the cause. Instead Larrick decided to go with the turning them in option, except he didn’t count on Jared having a gun. Larrick didn’t go out quietly, instead it resulted in a fight that involved both Philip and Elizabeth in handcuffs and the gun Larrick had tucked down the back of his pants being used to kill him. Larrick has been truly terrifying and his unpredictable nature has made him the kind of villain I’d like to see more of on this show.

Philip meets with Arkady for the first time, showing just how serious he is by risking his cover as Arkady is often subject to surveillance. It’s a very brief meeting and one that conveys just how strongly Philip feels about this. We’ve seen how the KGB use manipulation and points of weakness to exert control and I suspect they will attempt to drive a wedge between Philip and Elizabeth to get their second generation spy (this storyline reminds me of “Project Christmas” on Alias). Season 1 focused on the shakiness of their marriage, but this was prior to the bond they have now and I wonder how easy it will be pit them against each other now they are in love.

Because I love magazine covers here is the issue of Rolling Stone Philip picks up to browse while he is talking to Arkady. It is from April 1982 and the “Beware the Pentagon” headline is rather appropriate. Warren Beatty is giving me Peter Gallagher vibes in this photo sans the eyebrows. Also that cover line. Seriously.

Back to The Americans and I’ve almost hit 2000 words without mentioning the other plot of dread as Stan contemplates treason for love. It’s another case of how far someone will go for their country, in this case it’s Stan and protecting the US against the Russians. Despite having nothing in his personal life beyond Nina now that Sandra has moved out and a son who couldn’t give a shit, it is not a simple choice. Stan rejects Sandra’s correct intuition that something is bothering him, showing that even with their recent stranger status, twenty years does count towards something.

Stan didn’t even want to get surveillance reports for Oleg and probably gave himself an ulcer as a result of this so it was always unlikely that he would give over something as huge as Echo even if it was to save the woman he loves. Stan even went through with wearing a wire (giving himself another ulcer most likely) and getting the information (floppy discs!), but running away with Nina and betraying his country is not something someone like Stan is capable of. Like those on the opposite team he has limits and he chose duty over love. But tell Nina he’s sorry. I can’t hold it against Stan for failing Nina and despite some impulsive reactions like killing Vlad; he’s one of the good guys. The FBI is bigger than him and if he betrayed that he would lose his identity and this was laid out in his discussion with Henry in “Stealth.”

So what about Nina? Options have run out and the envelope full of cash Oleg gave her last week is of no help now as she is trapped by circumstance. Nina’s story has been tragic all along and it’s been one long fight for survival since Stan first approached her. There’s no fight left in her as she leaves the Rezidentura as she’s come to accept her fate and there’s nothing she can do to stop her trip to Russia and most likely her execution. Oleg has connections and he clearly loves her, but I don’t think this is enough to save her; if it was he would have used this move by now. The Lenin portrait is so defiant and the framing of Nina next to this shows her own defiance and sadness. This is truly heartbreaking as this character’s resolve and attempts at self-preservation in the face of certain doom has been incredibly compelling, as has Annet Mahendru’s performance.

It’s hard to find fault in any of the performances and another quietly devastating scene comes courtesy of Martha and her desire to have children. Martha doesn’t know if her marriage to Clark is enough and we know it isn’t because of who Clark really is. I’m glad they’re not going down the pregnancy route with Martha at the moment as Philip already has far too much on his plate without this extra concern, but on a personal level I want so much more for this character. Martha is currently proving her worth with the files she is stealing – in Stan’s dream Martha is seen taking a file off the mail robot showing that he is aware of her deception on a subconscious level – and ideally for her it would be best if she can’t give Clark anything that might be useful. This isn’t the kind of show that will let her bow out that easily and it’s significant that Philip becomes aware of the gun that now sits in the same drawer as her bottle opener.

This season has built on the solid foundation from last year and by going deeper into these relationships and setting higher stakes it has gone from strength to strength. It’s hard to sum this all up without a series of hyperbolic statements but it really does deserve all the plaudits and praise. Matthew Rhys has been the season’s MVP as he has been a ball of emotions quietly simmering and then exploding. The pain that is etched on his face for half the season followed by the real joy he gets from spending time with his children (cool dad new car dancing for example) has been a real pleasure to watch. Playing a slightly more balanced role has been Keri Russell and she has been no less exceptional and her pain has often on the quieter, more understated side and the chemistry between the pair is undeniable whether it is spooning on the couch or getting a lot more intimate on the dining room table.

The overall production quality also deserves a special mention as the direction, particularly in “Behind the Red Door” (which I singled out at the time) has been magnificent. The shot above is so simple and yet it highlights the level of dread as Philip and Elizabeth scoop up their kids in the middle of the night and jump in their car. All there is them and the open road and yet it’s never going to be just them as a family and this season finale has made this abundantly clear.

To have a look at our rundown of the best disguises from season 2 head here.

Tags: "Echo", 2.13, Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, Review, The Americans

Comments 17 Comments
Categories The Americans
Author Emma Fraser

Betrayal, Privacy and Corruption on the Season 5 Finale of The Good Wife

19 May

Season 5 of The Good Wife has focused on the idea of starting anew and it has been a decision both thrust upon characters unwillingly and with careful plotting. Betrayal and corruption are in the DNA of this world; it is how we came to meet Alicia Florrick as she symbolically stood by her man in the pilot despite accusations of corruption and the betrayal. Alicia has come far since that press conference and this year has shown more than any, how much has changed since then.

As a viewer it has been a thrilling ride – even when dealing with the trauma of Will’s violent and unexpected death – and this finale captures the energy that has flowed throughout the entire season. It mirrors the explosive “Hitting the Fan” without coming across as a retread; featuring an energetic score, so many moving pieces, scheming and disloyal gestures. The shadow of Will looms and while “A Weird Year” is missing a scene as powerful as rage-filled table sweep, Will does ultimately play a role in how this season ends.

Cary and Alicia started this firm for fundamentally different reasons even if their point of entry was the same. It was a direct result of the equity partner shenanigans in season 4 and how they had been mistreated at Lockhart Gardner, but Alicia’s final decision came because of her overwhelming Will feelings. Alicia doesn’t have the same level of animosity or resentment towards LG as Cary does and this tension heats up this week. Cary doesn’t want it to be like it was and now he has control, well control over his work life, his personal one is another matter all together. Cary sees a merger as a huge step back, Alicia disagrees and when Cary goes behind her back to Canning it blows up between them and in front of everyone. One issue I have with this storyline is how little they have focused on Cary and Alicia as partners; there has been the odd hint at tension, including Cary’s reaction to Diane last week, but this divide has occurred without enough to back it up on screen.

The layout of their offices has been a source of contention and comment whenever anyone visits (Eli is the most vocal) and while the open plan is very modern, it’s also means there is barely any privacy. Privacy or lack thereof has also been a thematic concern this year with the NSA wiretapping and it culminates with the use of the conference call camera in the finale. Lockhart Gardner leave their camera on by mistake and this leads to an ethical debate with Clarke being the only one who disagrees with this accidental surveillance. What it informs them of is so much more than just strategy as they become aware of multiple schemes including the plan to get Diane bumped from her role at LG, Diane’s merger idea and Kalinda’s manipulation of Cary. A result of the many different plots going on at once and the constant phone calls is that the tension is increased and there is a frenetic energy that is as disorientating to the viewer as it is to the characters. They are constantly in flux and nothing is certain, not even by the end of the episode.

Ok, let’s plot out who is challenging who; David Lee and Louis Canning are scheming against Diane and Florrick Agos, Diane wants to merge with Florrick Agos, Alicia is up for this merger and Cary is most definitely not. Elsewhere the State’s Attorney race has turned even more contentious as Eli has found something that will sink Finn, so they offer it to Diane instead. Diane is still pissed about what happened with the Supreme Court Justice position and doesn’t seem to want the SA position anyway. So this is where we are for most of the finale.

Everything shifts when Canning brings word of his nuclear option and how Will’s acquisitions prior to his death is going to cause Diane’s downfall; it doesn’t matter that she had no involvement and there is nothing she can do about it. Canning’s motives for doing this are all wrapped in his own mortality “My work is my life” and he thinks it will keep him alive longer. The fact that Diane has built this firm from the ground up doesn’t matter to Canning and he really is as slimy as it gets. In this moment it looks like Diane is well and truly defeated and she even tells Kalinda that she has no fight left in her. There is an alternative path and thanks to a prompt from Kalinda – who is now very much Diane’s confidant – Diane proceeds with mystery option number 3.

Not a merger, but Diane asks Florrick Agos to take her and her $38 million in billings and while this always seemed like a likely scenario it is still incredibly satisfying to see it play out. This meeting takes place in the no doors conference room and the tension between Cary and Alicia is palpable as they sit at either end of the table. Clarke continues to play mediator and this wide shot highlights all the major players in the scene. The flash of pink helps Cary stand out and Alicia’s light grey suit differentiates her from the others at the other end. Robin is the only character in casual wear, highlighting her presence and Diane is the focal point in both the red of her costuming and the message she is there to deliver.

Red is traditionally Alicia’s color, but since Will’s death it has been notably absent from her wardrobe. For Alicia red is often tied to sex, passion and power all of which has been missing since Will. Alicia asserts once again about how tired she is feeling, the ear this time is far less sympathetic and it’s something she has to yell twice before Cary hears her. Cary points out that work isn’t what is causing this inertia, implying it is Will. Alicia takes this suggestion rather badly, even if it’s true and it follows on from an earlier remark Cary makes about him being the new Will and that doesn’t go over too well either. It is still far too soon to poke this wound. It will be interesting to see how Alicia continues to move forward from Will as it still doesn’t feel like she has really confronted what this loss really means. Yes, she has made a decision with her relationship setup with Peter and yet there is this avoidance and repression that is classic Alicia Florrick.

Alicia’s lack of deep and meaningful relationships only goes to magnify her bottling up reaction. As an outsider, Finn has played an important role in Alicia’s post-Will life, not from a romantic perspective yet, but as a friend who doesn’t have all of this prior knowledge of Alicia. Finn is a blank slate in a way, he’s also a connection to Will and this gives him a unique position in Alicia’s life. Finn also doesn’t bristle when Alicia answers the phone with a not so welcoming “WHAT?” If Alicia does take Eli up on his State’s Attorney suggestion (which is met with a less aggressive “What?”) how will this impact her relationship with Finn? Of course we don’t know if Matthew Goode is sticking around for next season, the hope is that he will as he has brought a calming energy to the show.

Dirt exists on everyone and a fake affair with Alicia wasn’t Finn’s downfall in the end, even if it threw him out of favor with Peter initially. No, Finn bribed a prosecutor to help his sister and this is enough corruption to sink his SA bid. The only character who has yet to reveal their corruptible side is Clarke and he demonstrated just how much he believes in fairness by being completely against the monitoring of the LG camera, no matter how much it could help them.

The empty nest is referenced throughout “A Weird Year” and it is yet another upheaval and dramatic change for Alicia. I have to admit the screen got rather blurry at Alicia’s joy turned sorrow upon seeing Zach graduate, coupled with her “I just wish there was more time” remark. This statement could be read in a couple of ways; in the immediate as Alicia has spent so little time with Zach on his graduation day, in general terms as a mother or overall signifying the toll this year has taken on her. Time with Will has been stolen and it’s something she can never get back. It’s why her arrangement with Peter makes sense, even if the consequences down the line with red haired interns are going to be disastrous. Jackie can’t comprehend this decision when Veronica lauds it over her – I would love a Veronica, Jackie and plenty of wine sitcom – and it is problematic in how it means Alicia can move forward, but not really as she is still married and part of a power couple.

Eli’s career suggestion for Alicia is impulsive and I’m not entirely sure he’s thought it through as I’m sure there’s plenty of dirt on Alicia and her Saint Alicia reputation will get destroyed as soon as those hotel trips with Will get uncovered. Don’t get me wrong, I think a Good Wife where Alicia is SA and going against both of her old firms would be a lot of fun, it would just take some getting used to. The reason this season has been such a success is because they challenged the dynamics and while some of this was down to external factors like actors wanting to leave, Robert and Michelle King certainly rose to the occasion and delivered.

Below you can watch a conversation with Julianna Margulies about her career and towards the end there is a hint of where she would like to see Alicia go in season 6. It’s a long, but very fun discussion.

Tags: "A Weird Year", 5.22, Alicia Florrick, Julianna Margulies, Review, The Good Wife

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Categories The Good Wife
Author Emma Fraser

The Americans 2.12 “Operation Chronicle” Review: “Take it Easy”

15 May

These words from Philip offer little comfort to Elizabeth as she questions how well their own children would handle Jared’s current predicament and she believes this day will eventually come. Family has played an intrinsic part on The Americans this season and remains in focus as we head into the final episode of the year. There is the burden of isolation that runs through all of these characters with some choosing this path of loneliness, while others cling to the relationships they have. Some of these connections are there to serve a greater purpose and yet still produce moments of emotional honesty even if the bonds aren’t real.

One unseen threat – to Philip and Elizabeth – is Larrick as he continues his hunt, building the tension and dread as the episode progresses. How much you can rely on the country you serve is called into question and Paige also feels doubt towards her parents as she continues to (rightly) sense they are lying to her.

A couple of episodes ago I wrote about the kitchen location and how it represents the constant push/pull between their home life and their work; it’s where they spend time with their kids and doing domestic tasks, but it’s also where they debrief and plot. There’s also the rebellious streak with Elizabeth smoking in there and having sex on the dining room table while the kids sleep upstairs. The family they have is part of their cover and the initial union between Philip and Elizabeth was nothing more than part of this setup. Emotions were never meant to come into play, but when you bring children into the world together and really fall for each other, well then it is going to get complicated.

The first season saw Philip and Elizabeth take the first steps towards making this real and in doing so they have become stronger as a couple, however they have also compromised their abilities to remain impartial. With Paige and Henry, Philip might have always been the fun dad and Elizabeth as the disciplinarian but in “Operation Chronicle” we see that Philip has a lot more confidence in their abilities to deal if they were put in the same position as Jared.

Elizabeth is far less certain of this citing the fact they had each other when they first came to this unknown country, plus they had training. The one thing they have in common is their lack of choice. Jared is now heading to a destination unknown – Switzerland, Hungary and Australia are all options – and he’s going to lose any connections he once had. Jared has already lost his family, but to lose everything else that makes up his identity doesn’t sit well with Elizabeth. This feels like a role reversal as Elizabeth is taking the position of questioning the decisions of the Centre; this isn’t her duty to her country talking, but the promise she made to a friend and her instincts of being a mother. It’s not like Philip is shoulder shrugging the whole thing, but he’s of the more pragmatic school of thought on this one.

When it comes to their own kids, Philip has faith in them pointing out how smart Paige is and while Henry is still a kid, who knows in a couple of years? In fact we’ve seen Henry’s capacity for defending both himself and his sister when he smashed a bottle of beer over the creepy duck feeding dude last season. Plus he knows how to break and enter, even if it is just to play video games. Henry also provides some pop culture analysis this week discussing the first Star Trek movie (which he is not a fan of) and the forthcoming Wrath of Khan (which he thinks has some potential thanks to Khan, but he doesn’t have high expectations) so hey he could be a movie critic. Get in there Henry, while there is still money in it.

There continues to be tension between Paige and her parents, with Elizabeth on the receiving end of Paige’s disappointment this week thanks to a work emergency. The emergency is real (Jared), but of course they concoct a semi-believable lie to throw Paige off the scent. Paige listens in on their phone call, but the click of the receiver reveals her presence and her parents are far too experienced to fall for this. Paige wanted to pack her bags for her big protest trip with her mom and this disappointment is genuine; yet another occasion where their work has got in the way of spending time with their kids. Paige talks to Pastor Tim – who I get a creepy vibe off, it might be his hair – about her parents and how she thinks they both could be having an affair and whatever it is, she doesn’t believe anything they say anymore. The magic is gone and her instincts are right, I mean they have both technically had affairs, it’s just there’s no way Paige would ever think they were something as dramatic as KGB spies.

The above outfit would not look out of place now proving that plaid is a timeless pattern that transcends the decades of the latter half of the twentieth century and this one we are currently in.

Oh hey it’s Elizabeth’s disguise she used a few weeks ago when she went to an AA meeting and now she’s using this as a cover to help push Fred towards getting what they need with the RAM paint samples. It’s appropriate that these two disguises are paired together as Philip had his moment of despair while wearing this attire in the same episode as Elizabeth’s post AA share session. Stan mentioned how KGB spies would look for weakness and exploit it and Philip and Elizabeth are doing just this with Fred. Fred is a loner and so Emmett used tales of his family to make Fred feel wanted and part of something, by bringing Elizabeth along to this meeting Philip is doing the same thing. They also appeal to Fred’s sense of superiority and this achieves the response they want as he agrees to going through with their plan.

Let’s take a moment to look at this stunning shot of Fred in the snow and looking as isolated as it comes – oh hey thanks Polar Vortex for helping create these shots even if it’s the worst to shoot in.

The reasons behind helping the cause are varied; for Elizabeth and Philip it’s how they were raised, with Larrick it’s blackmail, for some it’s money, others think their government is corrupt and deserves it and for someone like Fred it’s there chance to be a somebody and belong. Loyalty and trust are hard to come by and while Philip and Elizabeth now implicitly trust each other, it hasn’t always been the case. This is one of the benefits of falling in love and while it has had a negative impact on how well they do their job at times, this kind of trust is not the kind that can be bought. Of course they still have very different processes and Elizabeth’s hot headed nature is the kind of thing that could put them in danger, it has put them in danger in fact. Philip is more emotional in general, but more measured in the field and as they come up against the unseen Larrick I wonder if either of them is really prepared for what they will face.

Martha’s figured out one of Clark’s secrets and that’s his ‘toupee’ situation. Philip is quite taken aback by this, but there’s no way that thing that sits on his head feels like actual hair. If anyone was wondering whether Martha and Clark use any form of protection the used condom disposal answers that question, but uh oh as Martha wants to have kids with Clark. This isn’t up for discussion and now I’m wondering if Martha will go to any kind of extremes to get what she wants.

As Clark, Philip discusses why having kids in this line of work is a bad idea and this applies to his real life, but the kids he had are part of that cover. Those kids, like Jared are a product of a larger plan they are unaware of and these children are caught in the crossfire (for Amelia the literal kind). It’s a complex scheme because their children are going to be their number one priority and they’ve been told to produce something they will be more loyal to than the country they are serving. Elizabeth is the more staunch believer and her reaction and instant desire to protect a child that is not even hers shows the lengths she would go to if there was a threat to either Paige or Henry. Family trumps country.

What about a lover? Stan is being asked to betray his country to save Nina’s life and while she’s playing him, her life really does hang in the balance if he doesn’t come through. Stan’s been going through it this season and I’d really like to see him get a win, as long as this doesn’t cause Nina’s death, nor negatively impact Philip and Elizabeth. Stan has been tasked with getting information on Echo (the title of the finale) to save Nina and Nina has another benefactor in Oleg as he gives her an envelope stuffed full of cash if she has to go on the run. Where would Nina go? Like Jared, Nina would end up somewhere unknown and alone and the connections she has made, both real and fake would end here. Stan is also pretty isolated as Sandra’s moving in with this other guy and his son can barely look at him; unlike the Jennings’ kitchen which is generally full of warmth (Bible destruction aside), the Beeman’s couldn’t feel anymore sterile or unwelcome. Not even a pilfered VHS copy of The Rocky Horror Picture Show can win Stan cool dad points.

Taking it easy is a luxury none of these characters can afford, especially when there is a silent threat stalking them. The seen and the unseen is an important concept as there is a lot of blind loyalty and following orders from someone they never see. In losing Kate and their answering service George, they have lost their physical connection to what they are trying to achieve and now they are being sent short messages with missions that serve the cause, but don’t protect them from other dangers. Larrick and Stan threaten Philip and Elizabeth for very different reasons and Larrick poses a far bigger menace to the personal safety of their family. One other source of peril is Philip and Elizabeth themselves as while they are a more united than they have ever been before, there does still exist conflict between them and how they deal with the problems they encounter; could this be the real enemy within?

With just one episode to go the crackling tension that has been building all season is about to boil over and I have a feeling we are in for some heartbreak come next week. How many physical and emotional casualties will there be? As with last year my worries lie at the feet of both Nina and Martha.

Tags: "Operation Chronicle", 2.12, Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, Review, The Americans

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Categories The Americans
Author Emma Fraser

The Good Wife, Boundaries and Changing the Rules

12 May

Boundaries are important and these have shifted this season on The Good Wife; relationships are not what they were and the rules have been redefined. Loyalties changed, first when Alicia and Cary started their own firm and Will’s death has further altered the equilibrium. When Kalinda tells Canning “Or we could be adults, just ask questions and talk” it seems like the most simple and obvious statement, however this isn’t how things work in either the legal or political sphere and it’s all about gaining the upper hand by whatever method no matter how nefarious. Straight talking can make things even worse from hyperbolic off the cuff remarks to throwing a glass of water in someone’s face (actually that was pretty great) and there should be a certain amount of wall building, but there’s also a danger that you will cut yourself off from everyone as Diane is learning.

Alicia’s arrangement with Peter is problematic for all the reasons Eli lists as someone is always going to talk, no matter how much you think they won’t. Peter might be an incredibly savvy politician, but when it comes to his emotional reasoning he runs hot. We see this in his interactions and face soaking of Castro, but Castro’s not going to yell about this from the rooftops and yet if he sleeps with this intern (with a blog) then he’s the biggest idiot there is. She will definitely talk (or blog) and yes I love that lipstick too. It also calls into mind this New York magazine Eliot Spitzer cover, after all that is who Peter is loosely based on.

The goal posts have been moved and Will’s death did act as catalyst, but it’s not just this and Alicia reiterates her feelings of being tired and done with this aspect of her life, this time to Eli. Eli tries to appeal to her from an emotional standpoint mentioning how good they have been together over the past year and while part of me knows this is part of Eli’s job, I do also think he is the only Alicia and Peter shipper out there. Enter James Castro’s smear tactic and Finn claims there is nothing hiding in his closet – as an aside it’s interesting that the word divorce pops up with his wife and why haven’t we seen Mrs Polmar yet? Is this why he moved to Chicago from New York? – Castro takes something innocent as a suggestion of something duplicitous. It’s a security photo of Finn leaving Alicia’s apartment, Castro claims it was from only two weeks ago but Finn is wearing his sling in the photo which he definitely hasn’t worn for a while now. Instead of showing the photo to Finn or Alicia, Peter barely shows it to Eli and gets in a huff about it. To Peter it’s another Will waiting to happen and he probably thinks this is partly why Alicia implemented the new rules. Peter has been given no choice in this decision and that’s compounding these bratty reactions.

Boundaries have always been important to Alicia when it comes to her relationship with Eli; she imposed them when it came to using the kids during campaigns and there’s always been frankness to their interactions. So when Eli mentions they need more walls at Florrick Agos he is talking about the physical kind and yet he needs to break down the mental ones that both Peter and Alicia have erected so he can do his job to the best of his capabilities. The reason he interferes with Peter’s interactions is because if Peter fucks up it could bring the whole thing crashing down and the way he watches the Florrick family at home shows just how vicarious his relationship with them has become. Alicia notes “we seem to share everything these days” and Eli really is the third person in this marriage and there’s this blurring of professional and personal responsibility.

Alicia and Cary’s case is all about a lack of filter and how words can be worth a whole lot of money. Diane is learning this the hard way as a smear campaign is being waged against her by Louis Canning as he’s using Will’s death to try and undermine her. This is pretty low tactic, but it is Canning after all. Diane’s only really ally at Lockhart Gardner is Kalinda and really if I had to have anyone in my corner it would be Kalinda. Kalinda unfortunately doesn’t hold much sway in the grand scheme of things and Diane realizes this is a fight she has to go at alone. Cary didn’t seem overly receptive to Diane and her problems so while I’d love to see Diane join their firm, there will be resistance.

Costuming wise there’s an interesting amount of color palette sharing between the three main women, a few weeks ago this happened with teal and once again there is a mirroring. Both Alicia and Diane wear monochrome:

It’s a flip reverse it take on monochrome with Diane in predominantly white and black dominates this look on Alicia. Diane’s includes a bow flourish standing in for the usual pin or statement necklace. The balance is off with both of these characters at the moment because of what happened with Will and these women are connected by their relationships with Will, as well as a professional and personal admiration for each other. It’s why Alicia doesn’t react in a hostile manner (as Cary does) to Diane’s accusations.

Diane and Kalinda both wear deep shades of blue in “The One Percent” and this color has featured heavily in their costuming recently. Blue means loyalty and it’s significant that despite their very different styling this is something they share. Diane is pretty exposed at Lockhart Gardner and the only thing that will ensure her position is her monetary worth to the firm. Her worth could be impacted greatly by Canning’s tactics and he is doing a very good job of making her very paranoid. Kalinda’s loyalty is vital and it’s another case of these women being tied together by their relationship with Will; he might be gone, but the bonds he formed are still very present.

Next week is the season 5 finale and there’s a fight brewing. I’m not sure it can top the dizzying heights of “Hitting the Fan” or the shock of Will’s death and yet I am also very excited to see how they are going to finish this exceptional season. Everything has dramatically changed since this time last year and I don’t even want to try to predict where these characters will end up in the aptly named “A Weird Year.”

Tags: "The One Percent", Alicia Florrick, Christine Baranski, costume design, Diane Lockhart, Julianna Margulies, Review, The Good Wife

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Categories The Good Wife
Author Emma Fraser

The Americans 2.10 “Yousaf” Review: Mutually Assured Destruction

1 May

The kitchen is the hub of most households and for Philip and Elizabeth this is no different as The Americans uses this location to bookend “Yousaf” and to reunite the pair after another day of emotionally draining spy work. It’s a significant location as it’s where most of the interactions with the kids take place – we barely ever see their living room – and this week Philip and Elizabeth are taking risks with what they are doing in this communal and open space. In the last episode Philip went to a dark place as he continues to add innocent bystanders to his body count and while he is far from being in a good place, his ability to compartmentalize has kicked in.

Danger comes at them from all angles and as we head towards the climax of the season certain threads are coming together including Stan’s investigation into the illegals he was pursuing last year. That’s not the only threat as Larrick is back in the country and looking for revenge; he is a truly formidable foe who seems capable of doing anything to get what he wants. Personal feelings are threatening the balance of everything and it is only going to get messier as everyone has their finger on the trigger and it only takes one person to ruin the whole precarious environment they are part of.

Philip and Elizabeth are certainly in more tune with each other this year and yet there are still plenty of things they disagree on with how they approach work and family responsibilities. Let’s start with work and Philip’s attempts to protect Elizabeth have left him in a vulnerable position. Elizabeth shows she is more than capable with the assassination end of the business and yet she’s been less comfortable with some of the more intimate activities they have to partake in. It is not something Elizabeth has explicitly pointed out to Philip and yet he’s definitely picking up on her hesitance when it comes to this kind of work, even if she assures him she is more than capable. This is also the first time we have seen them get intimate since Elizabeth’s misguided desire to sleep with ‘Clark’ and what better place to hook up than in your kitchen. Philip is more worried about the kids smelling Elizabeth’s cigarette at the end of the episode than he is of them walking in as they do it on the dining table, but hey after what Paige saw in the premiere there will be no more sneaking around the house in the middle of the night for her.

Last week Philip pretty much cut himself off from everyone as he emotionally spiraled and by coming home and reaching out to Elizabeth in this way he becomes stronger again. It’s more complicated this season as their new found shared love is both a hindrance and a savior. It’s what we saw when Philip came home after his night with the Mossad agent as he found peace with his wife on the sofa in a brief quiet respite before the day started all over again.

Home is rather fraught as the Paige religion debate rages on and Philip’s feeling pretty shitty for his outburst last week; Elizabeth reassures him that what he did wasn’t wrong as Paige was disrespecting them and she tells Philip about the middle of the night kitchen cleaning punishment she dished out. Philip’s back in fun dad mode, including a super adorable, but maybe trying too hard pre-April Fool’s joke on Henry as he tries to repair some of the damage from the Sunday meltdown. He is open to Paige’s request to go to a Bible camp for 3 months, way more receptive than her mother who finds the perfect reason to tell her she can’t go when she discovers Paige’s attempts at forging Elizabeth’s signature. Their parenting styles differ greatly and Elizabeth accuses Philip of letting Paige walk all over him – tell that to the Bible that is now missing several pages. Paige is also pretty pissed and rightly so as the reason behind their distaste for religion is vague, we know why they are so worried, but to Paige they’re being completely unreasonable. It’s also hilarious that drinking or taking drugs are activities that are probably preferable to Elizabeth when it comes to her daughter, to her religion is a drug. Factoring in Henry’s recent break and enter jaunt and his lack of punishment beyond guilt and she’s right to tell her mother it is bullshit. I am disappointed in Paige’s terrible attempt to get rid of the evidence; she might get her ability to lie from her parents, but not this piss poor evidence disposal.

Discussions about Paige going to camp and Elizabeth’s fear she will come back a “Jesus freak” are intersected with mission talk. So when Elizabeth is done talking about it she simply changes the subject to Anneliese. Anneliese is someone we haven’t seen since the second episode of season one even though Philip has been maintaining this relationship and between Martha, Anneliese and Elizabeth, Philip is juggling a lot of fake declarations of love with one real one – no wonder he looks so tired. Instead of putting Elizabeth in a potentially dangerous sexual situation he palms it off to Anneliese who appears to be a willing participant. This is until she sleeps with Yousaf and is disgusted at what Philip got her to do asking “What kind of man are you?” It’s a question that keeps coming up and this time he uses his fake love and the cause as an excuse. Philip’s assertion that this kind of work is “not something I take lightly, ever” is an honest one, it’s just he’d rather use case anyone but Elizabeth to be the honeypot, even if she has the more physically dangerous mission this week.

After weeks of Rust Cohle’s brother disguises and various workmen uniforms, it’s good to see Philip looking rather debonair in his fancy suits and think rimmed glasses. I wonder if it’s going to be a problem that Anneliese has seen pretty much his real face (sans glasses) and with slightly more slicked down hair.

Not to be outdone on the hot stakes is Elizabeth’s Yousaf seduction outfit as she borrowed his newspaper in a jacket showing off the true hero of the 1980s – shoulder pads – she caught his attention as well, before Philip chose to go in a different direction. At the moment Philip is the person who decides how they’re playing the spy work, while Elizabeth rules the roost at home.

Most shows have cute moments over dinner or drinks; The Americans does this while discussing how to give someone a heart attack and the pill that will stop Elizabeth from being affected. Elizabeth is the most unassuming of the pair with something like this and it goes off without a hitch – a rarity this season. Elizabeth’s costuming is dominated by white and black in “Yousaf” and the white swim cap is a striking part of her inconspicuous look. It’s also one of the simplest disguises yet as the goggles obscure her entire face. If only everything they did took place in a pool.

Respect is something Philip and Elizabeth demand from their daughter and yet they are both rather dismissive of their handler Kate. The problem with Kate is her inexperience and her lack of intuition as she complains that if they mess up her “head will roll” in the figurative sense, with Philip hammering home the point that if they mess up then they’re dead. Not that it looks like Kate is particularly safe as Larrick’s trail leads to the KGB’s phone intelligence service in DC with Kate’s phone being the one he calls. Larrick is a terrifying foe as he’s a trained killer and he doesn’t appear to have many scruples. Larrick’s also a man of many faces, except he uses his the entire time and just changes his clothes depending on what information he needs to access.

Mutually assured destruction is discussed in an explicit manner between Arkady and Gaad as the Vlad case has been put to bed with Gaad getting reinstated. There’s a cycle of actions that took place by mistake in a way as the murder of FBI agent Chris Amador had nothing to do with the Cold War; it was at the hands of a KGB officer, just for very different unfortunate reasons. A covert war means not owning up to things and the domino effect from one mistake can be huge and it’s why everything is in such a heightened state. At the moment Larrick is running around trying to find Philip and Elizabeth, as is Stan and even though they’re on the same team their motives differ greatly. Stan has also stumbled onto something with the Emmett and Leanne murder case as thanks to Gaad’s briefcase observation they now know there’s way more to this crime than a simple unsolved murder. When Stan questions Jared about any secrets his parents had it is heartbreaking to watch this boy get defensive and then soften to Stan as he believes Stan wants to find out who was responsible. In a way this is exactly what Stan wants, but he’s also manipulating him to help with his illegals end game.

As you can see in the shot above the snow really adds to the aesthetic of The Americans and both this and Hannibal are benefiting from the heavy snowfall the East Coast had early this year, even if it’s probably a nightmare to shoot in.

Nina is going full 80s with her hair as she continues to live the tangled life she was bemoaning to Oleg about earlier in the episode as Stan tells her about his illegals theory and Sandra’s affair. Stan doesn’t know why he is telling her about his marital problems, but secrets are there to be shared and he has to unburden his soul to someone. If only he knew that Nina is also sleeping with Oleg and not as part of a ruse, they actually look like they’re enjoying each other’s company even if they are from very different backgrounds. With the Russian characters there is always a push/pull between what they didn’t have growing up and what they have access to now and Nina is very much like Elizabeth as she longs for the simplicity, even if she didn’t have much beyond a pin of Lenin from Young Pioneers. Everything is a commodity on The Americans and stealth technology is the biggest of them all at the moment. It’s what Oleg is investing all of his time in and it’s what everyone is risking their lives either to protect or obtain.

Ending the day with an illicit cigarette in communal spot like the kitchen is the least of Elizabeth’s concerns and I love that a scene this quiet ends such a frantic and tense episode. It is only going to get more fraught and so Philip and Elizabeth should enjoy this momentary peace while they can.

Tags: "Yousaf", 2.10, Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, Review, The Americans

Comments 11 Comments
Categories The Americans
Author Emma Fraser

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