# The Americans Season 4 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 28, 2016, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496 "2016-01-28T15:34:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2016, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/181 "2016-04-23T13:56:22Z")
I must have missed something. How did Stan and Dennis find Philip/“Clark Westerfeld”'s apartment? I think Dennis followed her there, but how would he know the apartment number instead of just the building? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2016, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/182 "2016-04-23T14:34:58Z")
> [@thirdname](#): > > I must have missed something. How did Stan and Dennis find Philip/“Clark Westerfeld”'s apartment? I think Dennis followed her there, but how would he know the apartment number instead of just the building? Knock on doors and show Martha’s picture. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2016, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/183 "2016-04-23T15:40:01Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Knock on doors and show Martha’s picture. Yeah, I agree that shook me for a second, seemed to come out of nowhere. But narrowing it down from building to apartment couldn’t have been hard. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/184 "2016-04-26T16:53:42Z")
All right, folks. I just finished binging S3 Could kick myself for not recording S3 while I binged S1-2. Didn’t make that mistake this time. So I’ll be catching up with you shortly. Read the first page of this thread up until the 1st ep was discussed. Gotta admit I gots NO IDEA where they are going on so many fronts. So amuse yourselves at my ignorance until I catch up to y’all! 🆒 Only thing I’m thinking is that Pastor Tim, Martha, and the Lockheed mole’s brother are not long for this earth. I can’t see how killing the tech guy will bring Martha back into the fold. And Phillip really seems to be losing it. I’m wondering if there is a bug in that football game the boy is playing with. What did they say about having kids being a “good idea” for agents? Is it supposed to bolster their cover? Or were they looking for the 2d generation all along? Because being a parent myself, I can’t see how it wouldn’t be expected to cause countless complications. I like that Paige and Martha aren’t ready to excuse the past lies. I don’t understand that they seemed to think they could simply say, “I’ve been lying to you all along, but NOW I’m telling the truth”, and have the other person be fine with that. My biggest objection to this show is that everyone sure seems to have a lot of time. They NEVER show them donning and doffing their disguises, picking up cars, etc. - which would have to take some time. But they have time to do all manner of operations, while running a profitable travel agency and still maintaining some sufficient façade w/in the community. But still, one of our fave shows! ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/185 "2016-04-26T18:26:42Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > I’m wondering if there is a bug in that football game the boy is playing with. I don’t think you’ll find this to be a spoiler since I’m not sure it’s actually true, but stop reading here if you don’t want to take in any speculation… … my impression is that they’ve shown Henry playing that game in every episode of this season. If so, it does seem possible that there’s a shoe that will be dropping, there. I’m not sure about “bug” since the FBI don’t yet suspect the Jennings, and why would the Soviets be bugging them? But with both parents focusing so exclusively on Paige, it’s a safe bet that _something_ is going to bring Henry to the forefront of the plot. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/186 "2016-04-26T21:02:44Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > … my impression is that they’ve shown Henry playing that game in every episode of this season. If so, it does seem possible that there’s a shoe that will be dropping, there. > > I’m not sure about “bug” since the FBI don’t yet suspect the Jennings, and why would the Soviets be bugging them? If you’re talking about the desktop computer video games he’s been playing in almost episode, I don’t think that’s much more than a very accurate portrayal of a latchkey kid his age in those days. Then again, the Center did give them the computer, right? I like the hypothesis that the KGB is actually The Last Starfighter-ing Henry with the computer, testing his reflexes and abilities with space-based shoot 'em up games as part of a secret plan to recruit Soviet gamers for an anti-Star Wars weapons project. Seriously, it’s in the Mitrokhin Archive. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/187 "2016-04-27T00:58:40Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > …What did they say about having kids being a “good idea” for agents? Is it supposed to bolster their cover? Or were they looking for the 2d generation all along? Because being a parent myself, I can’t see how it wouldn’t be expected to cause countless complications… It’s part of the their cover. Married suburban couples with kids won’t show up on anyone’s radar (single men with no community ties being the must suspicious). Real life Illegals do have children, but they’re also _far_ less active than the Jennings are. Also the KGB didn’t arrange marriages like they do on the show. Sure random agents may pose as a married couple for specific assignment, but for sleeper agents they just recruited the spouse of an existing agent or selected 2 agents who were already married to each other. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/188 "2016-04-27T19:04:58Z")
Is there a good source for more information about the spies that were finally found out and sent home some years back? ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2016, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/189 "2016-04-28T03:13:26Z")
I know Tatiana said they could use her backup pilot to evacuate Martha, but sure looks like she’ll be flying on the same plane as the rat. Either something goes wrong or she actually does make back in the USSR. She could still off herself though; I’m going to assume Elizabeth was smart enough to look through her bag & take the gun away, but was about the Valium? ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2016, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/190 "2016-04-28T07:29:48Z")
My heart is being ripped out. My god, what a hellish fate for Martha…What an intensely sad life. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2016, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/191 "2016-04-28T10:23:02Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > Is there a good source for more information about the spies that were finally found out and sent home some years back? [Here is the real life](https://rbth.com/articles/2012/10/18/russian_spy_reveals_his_secrets_19249.html) “Philip” who gave an interview a couple of years ago. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2016, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/192 "2016-04-28T11:12:03Z")
Most everyone but me on various sites I visit seems to think that Martha was targeted as a honeytrap operation from the beginning. But I recently rewatched the pilot, and it seemed to me that “Clark” was getting awesome intel from Martha for some time before their relationship ever became more than platonic. My take was that he convinced her he was from a government investigative agency (that he was, essentially, Walter Taffett) and that Martha’s crush on him was incidental and he just adapted to it when it came up. What do you guys think? ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2016, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/193 "2016-04-28T12:51:48Z")
I almost think killing Martha would have been more humane than shipping her off. I’m still not convinced she will actually get to Moscow with Chekov’s rat. Things seem to really be spinning out of control for Philip and Elizabeth, I can’t see it going on like this much longer. Also, I learned something last night, we live five minutes from Rock Creek Park and I had no idea there was such a dramatic waterfall in there. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2016, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/194 "2016-04-28T12:57:34Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Also, I learned something last night, we live five minutes from Rock Creek Park and I had no idea there was such a dramatic waterfall in there. 🙂 The show is shot in New York. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2016, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/195 "2016-04-28T13:05:57Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > I’m going to assume Elizabeth was smart enough to look through her bag & take the gun away, but was about the Valium? Philip found the gun last episode, before he left. He took it and later Martha figures out it’s not in her bag any more. > [@madmonk28](#): > > Also, I learned something last night, we live five minutes from Rock Creek Park and I had no idea there was such a dramatic waterfall in there. 🙂 I was thinking the same thing. I was racking my brain to figure if there was anything like that at all in the area. I know they shoot elsewhere, but they could have at least tried. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2016, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/196 "2016-04-28T13:18:36Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > The show is shot in New York. Yeah, I know. It was just jarring to see a cascading waterfall in Rock Creek, a stream my 14 year old dog regularly walks across. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2016, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/197 "2016-04-28T13:19:59Z")
> [@Edward\_The\_Head](#): > > …I was thinking the same thing. I was racking my brain to figure if there was anything like that at all in the area. I know they shoot elsewhere, but they could have at least tried. All they had to do was say, “She drove to Great Falls, VA” and that scene would have been more believable. It’s not far out of town. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2016, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/198 "2016-04-28T13:32:20Z")
Interesting, even after Elizabeth advised Philip to tell Martha that he would be joining her later, that Philip decided to be honest with her and tell her that he would not be coming, ever. Even Martha realizes that the circle will be complete, and that she will be alone again, just like it was before Philip came into her life. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2016, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/199 "2016-04-28T13:47:54Z")
Interesting that Martha still seems to be hanging onto the belief that Philip really loves her - it’s all she has left at this point. Great scenes between Philip and Elizabeth. I really think Elizabeth will propose that they run from the KGB by the end of the season. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2016, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/200 "2016-04-28T14:38:14Z")
I love how the show builds the pressure and just when it seems like Philip and Elizabeth can’t take any more, the show adds more pressure. In the first episode of S1, Philip proposed going over to the Americans, but now that they’ve killed an FBI agent, I’m guessing that’s not possible without them going to prison. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496.md?page=11)