# 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:** 18
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/341 "2016-05-13T20:38:19Z")
Not poorly edited, imo. E was playing the long game - how long does it take for a couple to trust someone with their kids for a weekend. She worked the wife for 6-7 episodes. Would it have been easier for you to understand with a 20-second scene of Don at work staring into a microscope with a giant sign behind his head saying ‘Level 4’? ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/342 "2016-05-13T20:45:48Z")
She not only “worked the wife” for that many episodes, there was a seven month time jump in there too. ---
**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:** [May 13, 2016, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/343 "2016-05-13T21:44:57Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Like others, I’m wondering why E said she would miss her Korean (woman) friend, when a successful blackmail would mean they would continue as friends, as if nothing happened. > > My wife’s guess is that E only has so much time in each day, so she needn’t _bother_ continuing to cultivate her friendship, but instead focus on other “tasks.” That’s plausible. When I was consulting, there were some clients that I truly enjoyed working with but when my job was over with them, I pretty much never saw them again. I did miss them but there was only so much time in my life. I still wonder how E would prove that she had that liaison. She didn’t take pictures that we saw but I suppose that she could claim that she did. I still think that Don will tell her to fuck off when she tries to do the blackmail. It would be the smart move because she probably wouldn’t go through with telling Young Hee. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/344 "2016-05-13T22:15:24Z")
But did they even mention that he is a biochemist? Could have been as simple as a remark about him helping the kids with their science homework, or a mention that he couldn’t talk about work at home, or his wife referring to stress at the “lab”. But I never got ANY idea what he does. Yeah, I can see that he likely works with the lab since the 2 story lines are near each other, but it seems like some posters here KNOW what he does. For all they’ve said, he could be an accountant. I just wanted to know if I missed something. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/345 "2016-05-13T22:15:44Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Can anyone offer a general reference to when they explained Don worked on Level 4? This episode was the first time it was finally explained, pretty much. “Pretty much” in that the explanation this episode was clear but not explicit. ---
**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:** [May 13, 2016, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/346 "2016-05-13T22:26:20Z")
Max, although after past episodes it was just speculated that Don works at the lab where William does, I’m pretty sure in this one it was made explicit. > [@hajario](#): > > She wouldn’t know that E was a blackmailer. I thought that was the whole point of the blackmail. I share your dubiousness about this. Too bad, because the lotion was a nice touch. And I don’t think it was pointless for her to make a move on him before he passed out. If he responded positively, then all the more reason for him to believe they had had sex once he woke up. But even now, he can think that after he got drunker and blacked out, his resistance wore down. Doing stuff when you’re drunk that you don’t remember later is a real thing. I had it happen a couple times to me, in my salad days. ETA: > [@Don\_Draper](#): > > One nice little touch I liked - while Elizabeth was rifling through Don and Young-hee’s shelves, she pulls out a VHS of the film “Sophie’s Choice” - alluding to the fact that no matter which way she decided to go with them, she would end up hating herself. That was a nice use of a nostalgic reference. > > And “the Day After”! Oh man, watching that movie just stands out in my mind like a mushroom cloud. I remember my whole family watched it - just like the Jennings did - and I remember every scene they showed. They showed it on a Sunday evening and it was all anybody talked about at school the next day. My social studies teacher AND my science teacher took time out of their regular lesson plans to talk about it. > It seems like the show is wrapping up a lot of storylines rather decisively this season - Nine, Martha, Lisa, now even Young-hee who they barely just introduced. Certainly the situation with Pastor Tim will finally come to a boil - whatever he wants to discuss after he and his wife get back from Ethiopia cannot be good. I have a suspicion that there will be a major game-changing event before this season is over. > > BTW, This Tatiana lady has got to be up to SOMETHING with Oleg. I just can’t believe she’s simply a new love interest for him. She just radiates femme fatale energy and she has something up her sleeves. I imagine the Rezidentura may not be so trusting of Oleg, given how close he was to Nina and his general fascination with American culture. A lot of people on blogs and boards I read are suspicious of Tatyana. But I think this is like the pastor: she is just what she seems to be, and people are just suspicious for some reason. Wasn’t _Sophie’s Choice_ also featured in a previous episode? Or was that _The French Lieutenants Woman_? ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/347 "2016-05-13T22:39:13Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > But did they even mention that he is a biochemist? Could have been as simple as a remark about him helping the kids with their science homework, or a mention that he couldn’t talk about work at home, or his wife referring to stress at the “lab”. But I never got ANY idea what he does. Yeah, I can see that he likely works with the lab since the 2 story lines are near each other, but it seems like some posters here KNOW what he does. For all they’ve said, he could be an accountant. > > I just wanted to know if I missed something. I’m really not getting this at all. E was in disguise, obv. went out of her way to meet this woman who is a part-time working mother of three kids. This, almost straight after we are told they need access codes to level 4. We see glimpses of frustration that the husband barely acknowledges E exists, we see E cultivating the wife over several episodes and months, we see the husband’s indifference repeated. I honestly don’t know what more you need. The whole point of the show is the audience isn’t treated like retarded goldfish. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/348 "2016-05-13T23:01:04Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > But did they even mention that he is a biochemist? Could have been as simple as a remark about him helping the kids with their science homework, or a mention that he couldn’t talk about work at home, or his wife referring to stress at the “lab”. But I never got ANY idea what he does. Yeah, I can see that he likely works with the lab since the 2 story lines are near each other, but it seems like some posters here KNOW what he does. For all they’ve said, he could be an accountant. > > I just wanted to know if I missed something. In the scene with Philip and Elizabeth in the bathroom after they watched The Day after, Philip suggests they don’t report to the Center about the new virus, but Elizabeth responds with urgency, “They are making that poison for us, to destroy us… this is why we are here. I’ll search Young-Hee’s place. See if there’s anything we can use on Don.” There is a pause before she mentions searching their place, but it certainly seemed to be one stream of thought. Then at the travel agency, Elizabeth, after lamenting that she couldn’t find anything to use on Don, tells Philip he’ll have to fix dinner for the kids because she is going with Plan Roofie. Immediately following that scene, Philip meets with William, who at that point isn’t sure if they are going to try to steal the virus yet, to tell him that “we’re gonna move forward.” So all of that seems to indicate Don has some sort of access or something, or at least that they aren’t two separate operations. But, yeah, since they haven’t explicitly made it known he is connected to the lab, it’s possible we are being set up for a twist. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/349 "2016-05-13T23:43:07Z")
I don’t think there’s much to the Oleg/Tatiana thing. I think they’re just f-buddies. (Can we use the whole word here if we’re not using it to insult someone or is it just a “pit” thing?) I mean, I’d be surprised if they’d be allowed to date outside people and pickin’s at the embassy gotta be kinda slim. ---
**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:** [May 14, 2016, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/350 "2016-05-14T01:25:27Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > I don’t think there’s much to the Oleg/Tatiana thing. I think they’re just f-buddies. (Can we use the whole word here if we’re not using it to insult someone or is it just a “pit” thing?) I mean, I’d be surprised if they’d be allowed to date outside people and pickin’s at the embassy gotta be kinda slim. You can say FUCK anywhere, you just can’t say “fuck YOU” ---
**Author:** ![btcg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@btcg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/btcg)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/351 "2016-05-14T04:28:52Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > But did they even mention that he is a biochemist? Could have been as simple as a remark about him helping the kids with their science homework, or a mention that he couldn’t talk about work at home, or his wife referring to stress at the “lab”. But I never got ANY idea what he does. Yeah, I can see that he likely works with the lab since the 2 story lines are near each other, but it seems like some posters here KNOW what he does. For all they’ve said, he could be an accountant. > > I just wanted to know if I missed something. You didn’t miss anything: they don’t know, they’re guessing. Makes as much sense as the rich enjoy sex (or, just the ability to be loud if they wish) more than the poor. ---
**Author:** ![Headrush042](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Headrush042](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Headrush042)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/352 "2016-05-14T13:25:00Z")
We don’t know that he’s a biochemist. All that’s implied is he has level 4 access, whatever his job role. And it’s not that the rich enjoy sex more, it’s that Tatyana had to be mindful of the neighbors and suppress noise, whereas Oleg did not. ---
**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:** [May 14, 2016, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/353 "2016-05-14T14:03:18Z")
> [@Headrush042](#): > > We don’t know that he’s a biochemist. All that’s implied is he has level 4 access, whatever his job role. Right. Clearly we are meant to think that the game with Don is to get Level 4 access. I suppose it could be for something totally different but I don’t see the point of that in the storytelling. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/354 "2016-05-14T16:24:44Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Right. Clearly we are meant to think that the game with Don is to get Level 4 access. I suppose it could be for something totally different but I don’t see the point of that in the storytelling. Personally I think it is just as likely ( maybe even _more_ likely ) that he is head of corporate security for Walt Disney World in Florida and they’re just trying to secure four free passes to the Epcot Center. C’mon now - you expect Elizabeth to agree to pay _retail_ for that monument to capitalist excess? ---
**Author:** ![btcg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@btcg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/btcg)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/355 "2016-05-14T19:39:38Z")
> [@Headrush042](#): > > We don’t know that he’s a biochemist. All that’s **implied** is he has level 4 access, whatever his job role. > > And it’s not that the rich enjoy sex more, it’s that Tatyana had to be mindful of the neighbors and suppress noise, whereas Oleg did not. Exactly: we do not _know_, unless the definition of implied has changed since I last looked. I am not being churlish… just pointing out that we might be snapping at a hook that’s being dangled by the writers. As to Tatyana… that was my take, as well. ---
**Author:** ![btcg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@btcg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/btcg)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/356 "2016-05-14T20:57:42Z")
My issue with this has already been pointed out, but let’s consider it again: The conversation with William about gaining access to Level 4 comes at the time E babysits. So, E is already a trusted friend… a long game? The writers must have discussed this. Are we being played? ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/357 "2016-05-14T21:39:23Z")
> [@btcg](#): > > My issue with this has already been pointed out, but let’s consider it again: > > The conversation with William about gaining access to Level 4 comes at the time E babysits. > > So, E is already a trusted friend… a long game? > > The writers must have discussed this. > > Are we being played? S4E3 - William tells P he doesn’t have the codes to access level 4. P says they are werking on it. This is after Gabriel gives E a list of company employees at Fort Detrick. The babysitting is 7 months later. ---
**Author:** ![btcg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@btcg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/btcg)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/358 "2016-05-14T23:53:09Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > S4E3 - William tells P he doesn’t have the codes to access level 4. P says they are werking on it. This is after Gabriel gives E a list of company employees at Fort Detrick. The babysitting is 7 months later. Then… why run the scene again? ---
**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:** [May 15, 2016, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/359 "2016-05-15T00:55:48Z")
> [@Headrush042](#): > > We don’t know that he’s a biochemist. All that’s implied is he has level 4 access, whatever his job role. > > And it’s not that the rich enjoy sex more, it’s that Tatyana had to be mindful of the neighbors and suppress noise, whereas Oleg did not. Correct. Tatiana grew up in a [kommunalka](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communal_apartment), her entire family would’ve lived in a single room and shared a kitchen & bathroom with their neighbors. Oleg comes from the nomenklatura; this childhood home was a private flat in one of those ornate Stalinist buildings in Moscow, and this family probably drove their private car to their dacha in the country on weekends. The USSR was far from classless. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496/360 "2016-05-15T12:08:34Z")
> [@btcg](#): > > Then… why run the scene again? what? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-4/744496.md?page=19)