It’s not really “spying on your spies” to ask Tuan to urge P&E to spend more time building their mutual cover story. It could even be that it was presented to Tuan as if it would be very bad for him if his op with P&E were to fail (he does seem very concerned about P&E ratting him out about his off-the-books field trip, if that’s what it actually was…) and then suggested that he should be vigilant at keeping up the cover story.
None of that exchange rang true for me and a quick Google suggested there is no ‘Cossack variety’ of wheat (yes, I know it’s not a documentary).
Claudia also said she didn’t know anything about the hemorrhagic fever, which was clearly a lie and Pilip said as much with his throat clearing.
Is The Centre unravelling (as a precursor to events next year) and Claudia is trying to keep things in a holding pattern …
Fwiw, I’ve always assumed that’s an absent parents / nosey neighbours / child welfare issue - Tuan is being cautious about the authorities getting interested.
That must be it; Claudia must be fucking with them. She’s got it in for both of them, afterall. P because she feels his loyalty is questionable, and E because she beat her fact to a pulp.
I can’t imagine that Paige is a valuable asset. She’s a complete mess. Why risk everything on her? Not convinced of the center’s interest in Henry.
Stan’s girlfriend is a complete mystery. I think now that it’s an inside FBI op to watch him.
I mean, of course that’s what we were all supposed to assume at the time, and I was no different. But now that it is plainly obvious that Claudia is occupying them with needless busywork while there are various changes afoot with Stan, Henry & Paige that suggest KGB shenanigans, it seems like using Tuan to help keep them as occupied as possible would be a no-brainer.
Kazakh wheat.
It’s a really big leap for me to accept the Centre is playing P&E, Claudia maybe - at a push - but not Moscow. Their children, behind their back? Can’t see it.
For me, far more likely Moscow is beginning to fall apart and Claudia is covering.
Interesting times, though .
Aha! 
Even if you’re right, and Paige is a complete mess now and even if she has no potential value as a future asset *directly, Paige would STILL be an extremely important indoctrination project for the KGB based solely on the fact that she could single-handedly burn to the ground two (and a half) of their most valuable assets. And if they agreed with you as to her being such a potential risk, they would NOT let her continue to be such a risk for much longer. Realistically, that would mean her exfiltration to the USSR and a suitable cover story for her absence. Obviously, if they were preparing to do this, they would be aware that P&E might not like that idea very much.
- Half = Henry because if you’re so convinced that they’re not interested in using Paige, you’d have to be crazy to think that they wouldn’t then be interested in Henry.
Do I really need to remind you of the recent, constantly reoccurring theme in the show of the USSR splitting families apart and playing their own people against each other?
Agreed. I’ve long lamented the Jared storyline, but this gives me another reason: it encourages a certain type of viewer to imagine radical twists everywhere. Jared aside, this just isn’t that type of show.
Please, be specific for future rubbing-it-in purposes. What “type of viewer” am I? What “type of show” is this?
Remind away; I’m not buying it 
I’m not going to characterize you personally. But there is a type of viewer who loves plot twists, the wilder, more surprising and "mind-blowing " the better, and also enjoys trying to predict such twists. If none pan out, they complain that the show has become boring.
I am not that kind of viewer, and I don’t believe this is the type of show designed to provide the kind of thrills and puzzles such viewers crave.
To really simplify things into black and white, (no time for any nuance right now) I’ll just say I’m really not that type of viewer AT ALL, but THIS IS that kind of show. Seriously, sometimes some of you make me wonder if we’re watching the same thing. It’s a period-piece show about espionage that tries to stay believable, if not realistic. What scenario have I posited that is not believable/realistic? Don’t you think such plot twists are maybe the natural result of what happens to A SPY FAMILY LIVING IN SECRET OVER MANY YEARS and the natural conflicting interests that would involve as the kids grew older?!?
I’ve got one of you saying that Moscow would never *dream *of planning something for P&E’s family without their knowledge, when the show has practically been banging every “MOSCOW BREAKS UP FAMILIES!” drum they possibly could. And I’ve got the other one who, shit, I’m still not sure what, but apparently thinks that this will either be a “And the family lives happily ever after. The End.” story, or they will somehow otherwise end this show about a Russian spy family all grown up without any plot twists that are too wild or surprising.
To be clear, my only actual assertion is that Claudia is up to no good regarding P&E’s mutual interests and is intentionally manipulating them into her/Moscow’s plans, whatever they are. The rest is just doing what we always do in these threads and trying to speculate and sort out what she could be up to.
…In that vein, maybe it IS more simple than any of my previous suggestions, and the Centre just wants them to get divorced… :dubious: hmmmm
I think Claudia is just doing her job as an intermediary between the Centre and the Directorate S officers. Exactly what we see, with no secret plots involved.
I can’t say I’ve caught the “Moscow Breaks Up Families!” thing too strongly, but I’ve really just been enjoying the show as a period piece with an interesting premise and good acting and a sense of believablility about it - even if one or two things (Nina, for example) just petered out like someone had a great idea then lost interest in it all of a sudden.
I often wonder the same. I do think I’m pretty good at television watching (I have very few skills. But this is one of them.) But there are times on this thread where I’ve been utterly amazed at the perspectives of some posters.
That said, at least people are watching. It could lead to other shows that I’ll like in the future.
I quite agree with this.
Depending on what you mean by “secret plots” in a show where, by its nature, pretty much everything is plotted in secret, nothing you just said necessarily conflicts with anything I’ve said. Claudia probably is doing exactly whatever it will take to do what her bosses want.
Whatthey want will not be what P&E (as a married couple) want for themselves or for their family. (P&E&P&H?)
Does anybody really think differently?
The acting between P & E is mostly unbearable. They interact as if they only recently started dating and are perpetually afraid to say something that will hurt the other’s feelings. It’s even worse when the kids are in the scene. It’s like they are talking to new foster kids.
At least the story was interesting up until this season. The only reason I’m still watching is because of Oleg’s story line and Stan’s story line.