Exactly. He’s an old lonely man and she is a young attractive woman. That makes people do stupid things
I really enjoyed this episode. I thought it was pretty obvious pretty quick this had to be a test if only because the show is so new. also we have seen enough of the FBI’s side to know there was way no way they had that much on them.
Thought the subplot with the kids was a strange diversion. At first when she stuck her thumb out I thought it was going to be one of those, “Look how things were different back then” things like Mad Men was wont to do in its early seasons but as soon as Creepy Creeperson picked them up I knew it would be an After School Special.
As far as what his intentions were, I don’t think anyone who gives a 13 year old girl beer is planning anything good.
I agree that was remarkably stupid. My best fanwank: by the Soviets having the codes, they could tell if they were being tailed or not, so would be able to create an opening. So the FBI had to change the codes to ensure they could keep surveillance.
Except that assumes the radio tracking thing in the car was the only way to surveil, that they couldn’t use visual cues and such to keep eyes on him while not revealing themselves.
I was trying to figure that out myself. It wasn’t something we’ve particularly seen before, but clearly it was some sentimental piece of jewelry as a heart pendant. But I think the main point was the biting sting of asking her to give up some piece of her jewelry so he could give it as a gift to the other lady. But where was he supposed to acquire jewelry at that hour of the night?
Goes up to guy on corner in a long coat: “So I’m looking for Jared.”
Guy in coat: “What’cha need? I got pot, I got coke, I got watches. Oh, you want a pendant, huh?”
That was a great episode. This show is really shaping up into something interesting.
It’s good to see they’re going to make the protogonists do really nasty stuff to test your instinct to be sympathetic to the protagonists. They’re motivated by understandable nationalism, but setting up a good man like that is just nasty.
Interesting that Phillip lied at the end. I guess he wouldn’t tell the truth either way, but I wonder if that means he’s going to keep Elizabeth at arm’s length and just tell her whatever will make their marriage and their mission work, or if, having said goodbye to his past love, he’s actually going to really try to make their relationship real now.
Did she also lie? I don’t remember what she said during the interrogation scene last week. (I’m guessing she didn’t, as no one else has mentioned it and I am obviously not the most conscientious and observant watcher out there. ;))
No, I think her desire to bond and trust him is genuine - she regrets that she told them about him liking America too much, and she’s coming to realize that she can’t trust Moscow, he’s the only one that has shown to have her best interest at heart.
I thought this was another strong episode, but I was confused by one thing… are we meant to think that Irina (the love interest from Canada) was a long-term mole like the protagonists? If so, how does she know how her son is doing, and would they send a woman with a son back home off on a lifelong assignment like this in the first place? If not, is she just a kind of “more normal” spy, who was in Canada briefly assuming this one role for this one mission? If so, isn’t her son back home in the USSR sufficient leverage to keep her from just vanishing? Or was the son just made up in the first place? By whom, and to what end?
When Philip asked her about whether the son was real, I can’t remember what she said but it was an evasive non-answer. I suppose the “run off with me” thing could’ve been another test from Moscow, but that seems kind of… elaborate. Still, an ambiguous plot point about whether or not she was making up the son.
In the end, I took the “run off with me” thing to be exactly that - just another test from Moscow. That implies that the son was almost surely completely made up, as well. If my interpretation is correct, the fact that he encouraged her to run off on her own might not sit well with his superiors, if Irina were to give a full and honest account of his response.
I don’t understand why Phillip had to beat up Irina. She clearly wasn’t in a hospital like they told the priest, so the only evidence the priest had that he had raped her were the photos, and makeup would have served just as well.
And if he was going to beat her up anyway, why did he apologize for the skinned knee?
I agree with those who think the son was made up. After all, if he was real, would she really be willing to run away to America with Phillip as she was proposing?
My first thought was that it was a test from Moscow, but the more I think about it, I think it was something she made up to bond Phillip to her more closely. Obviously not thought too well through since eventually he’d learn the truth, but I got the impression that she was sick of the business, wanted an out and saw him as a way to get out.
She is undercover as a Polish-Canadian. Makes me think she is a regular officer on assignment instead of a long term illegal like the Jennings. Her English is slightly accented as well.
Its possible thay the son was genuine. Might not be Philip’s, but if she is a regular officer on assignment makes sence.
I don’t see her wanting to run away or a test. They are in a profession where sonetimes they have to do horrid things and like people in other similar professions, it gets to them. I think they were blowing off steam.
I think she did go to a hospital, but was released quickly. I guess the point was to get the government to discontinue supporting the Polish guy, not just blackmail him.
I get the impression that Phillip has been trying to make it a real relationship since the beginning, but Elizabeth never found the connection because the situation was constructed. He loves her, has loved her for a long time. So he did not lie about wanting to make the relationship work. He is just hurt because he found out she had said things to question his loyalty. I think he lied about what happened with Irina because he didn’t want to hurt Elizabeth’s feelings and because he decided his relationship with her was more important than running off with the old love of his life he hasn’t seen in 2 decades and a son he never knew instead of the two kids he is the direct active father of.
It looks like from previews
that Elizabeth is going to get reports on what happened, perhaps including surveillance that shows he hooked up with Irina that night. So she may catch him in the lie, which will just serve to undermine the very relationship he’s been trying to build. So his lie to protect her will bite him in the ass. He’s in the “no win scenario”. Tell her and she is hurt that he slept with his old flame, lie and then get caught lying.
I didn’t sort that out. She seemed to be a regular spy on a single mission, pretending to be a Polish Canadian for this mission, but not having an extensive cover. Probably not going to be vetted that closely. I would think having a son in the Soviet army would be leverage against her running away, and I wonder if she could convince such a loyalist as he was described to run away with her or if she would have to abandon him.
But her answer to Phillip was vague and implied it was a lie. Whether it was a lie that the boy was his or if it was a lie that she had a son at all, I couldn’t tell.
Very odd string of circumstances. He beat her up to get photos and a hospital report, but then she spends the night in his bed rather than actually at the police and hospital. I can’t figure out how they story was pulled off and how it convinced the Americans. Sure, the writer helped sell the story, but you’d think the Americans would have dug a bit into that if presented with the problem. “Hmmm, could this be a Soviet plot? Hey, there’s not a real police report and no hospital record, just these photos and copies. Something’s fishy here.”
Because it was unnecessary and accidental and he’s a nice guy. I was trying to figure out the plot. I saw him getting the jogging stuff on and started to figure the attack in the park, looking like a mugging gone bad. But he didn’t kill the guy - mistake? No, set up to get the girl back to his hotel room so she could slip him the mickey and set up the abuse scandal.
Her son would be doing his military service at that age. She even mentioned he wanted to serve in the Army before going to university. IIRC Soviet men admitted to university had the option of doing an ROTC-type program, and serving in the army afterward as officers (but for longer).
