They could do a better job with aging people that are supposedly 20 years older than “back when”-Phillip’s old flame didn’t look a day over 30 (on the outside), and she’s supposedly got this strapping 18 or 19 year-old son (whom she apparently bore at 10).
That was my reaction as well. No idea what her true age is, imdb has zero biographical information on her, despite a moderately long list of credits.
The best part is you have no idea what is or isn’t true. Part of me thinks this last episode was another test for him.
That was my takeaway: that she was sent as another test to see if he would try to defect with her. When he asked her if the son was even real, she responded with a non-answer that seemed to suggest he wasn’t (which I don’t exactly remember), and walked away without looking back, as if her job was over, rather than as if she were walking away from her long-lost love. I might be reading a lot into that though.
Interesting–hadn’t thought of that angle.
But in that case, Misguided, wouldn’t he get in trouble for not reporting her?
Sure. But I could see it happening in a more subtle way. They could use the information that he still has a soft spot for her against him. Moreover, if he knew she’d been sent there to evaluate him, he’d never trust her again. All of that is speculation., of course, but that’s the point: so many things can be interpreted in different ways and it is tough to tell what the truth is.
I think he doesn’t know if she’s lying about the son because it’s a test, or if she’s lying about the son because she really wants him to run away with her.
Even if it it a test, consider that his wife just beat up their handler and didn’t get in that much trouble - even the most hardcore Russian spies understand that some anger after being tortured by your own is to be expected. I don’t think he’d get in trouble for not reporting her.
My hunch is she was just trying to manipulate him personally, showing that the spy-life always contains deception and mistrust even with his once true love.
We’re in love; we’re not in love; one is in love, only to not be in love by the end of the same episode; you cheated with her, but we’re not really married and we are not in love anyway, but you cheated even though I screw anything if the job calls for it; back at ya; the marriage is cover, but let’s get divorced because it’s just a job.
Ever read the X-Men? It was this huge shock when Wolverine got run through by a sword the first time, and took a long time to recover even for him. Fans loved it! So, they did it again! And again! And…you get the idea…with the shock value wearing away to nothing especially since it seemed to have utterly no effect on him, even in the middle of a fight. Every episode these rooskies declare their love, and then undeclare it, often not even politely waiting until the next episode. Screw, sabotage, murder, sneak, pilfer, anything except the constant merriless-merry-go-round or I’ll Walther them myself.
I confess I am finding the on-again / off-again relationship annoying. Getting pissed at each other after being abducted was the turning point for me. This latest cycle is feeling very tired, if they reconcile again, I won’t be able to take it seriously, given how abruptly they’ve broken up in the past. Which sucks, because it’s hard liking these characters when they’re being cold and angry.
I think my DVR cut last night’s ep a little short. Did anything happen after FBI guy said, “So you’re KGB, right?”
My TiVo cut it off at well (because FX apparently hates DVRs and wants to fuck with us), but I was watching the last couple of minutes live so…
SPOILER follows (do we not have spoiler tags anymore–wtf)?
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the guy admits it, Stan feeds him part of a burger, asks him if he wants something to drink, gets up and as he walks behind the guy, pulls out his gun and shoots him in the head.
That’s kinda how my mind finished off the scene. Quite a character turn and a great episode. I’m glad the writers are comfortable enough to avoid the tropes of characters figuring things out quickly and correctly (e.g. having Amador not explicitly recognize Elizabeth; the lead couple misinterpreting Amador’s admission of who the target was, etc.).
Also - Best History Essay evar!
Damnit, mine cut off while they were doing a flashback of Stan and Amador talking about “the whole enchilada.”
I really wish that networks would get over themselves and just provide TiVo et al. with accurate start and end times for their programs.* Used to be (back in the 70’s and 80’s) that you could set your watch by when a national network show started, literally to the second.
*I understand why it’s not in their interest to do so.
Anyone still watching? Still pretty good, I think. Also, that actress that plays Nina is sizzling hot. Da-yum.
I’m watching and enjoying it, though they’re still playing stupid games with the Philip and Elizabeth relationship. She has an emotional crisis due to CIA guy’s jabs about not loving anyone, she approaches Philip… and then gets pissy because he got an apartment? Given that she kicked him out and told him that reconciliation was not possible, that makes no sense at all. As I said upthread, they’ve gone to this well one too many times. I don’t think I care anymore whether they reunite.
I think it is obvious that Elizabeth is imploding. She is the one driving the see-saw factor in the relationship, and now she has lost her mentor and father-figure (Zhoukov) and the man she could run to when she needed to feel loved (Gregory). Coupled with the stress of running the style of ops she and Philip have been tasked with and you get a woman on the edge of a major breakdown. I think we saw that this episode with the CIA guy, and I suspect that their handler may be pushing her towards the brink as well. I fully expect at some point the order will come down from the handler for Philip to take out Elizabeth for the danger she presents to their operation. Perhaps that will be the season finale?
I’m still watching and still loving it. I feel for the relationship between Philip and Elizabeth, and to me it seems like one of those doomed relationships where they’re never on the same wavelength: one is good to go and the other says no. Then later on the second one comes around and the first one says no. That type of relationship is a trope of sorts so it doesn’t bother me.
But I do like the theory that Elizabeth is starting to melt down. Plus they’ve started the parallel plot of Stan’s marriage starting to crumble. Plus the whole messy business where Stan offed Nina’s friend and now that she’s been promoted, maybe what really happened will come to light. It’s all so juicy.