The Americans on FX

So Paige and Elizabeth are watching an episode of General Hospital, which just happens to have the character Grant Andrews, who just happens to play a Russian illegal on the show . . . and as no mention is made of this by Paige or Elizabeth, this little nugget probably goes unnoticed by almost everyone who watches the show (and doesn't furiously check the reviews afterward).

Things like this just make me wonder what ELSE has just flown over my head all this time?

 

I did not see Oleg burning William coming at all. That's some good shit.

The look on Paige's face when they admitted it was a piece of a weapon felt like the climax of the entire season. She's on the Martha path of constant bargaining and acceptance, inch by inch, but I think it comes to a different end.

 

Yeah, so does Sepinwall. Don't understand why, just some sort of ironic hipsterism (or hipsterish irony, if you like) ... like the Game of Thrones fans/reviewers with Ser Pounce.

 

I think it's only natural with shows that dark fans find something a bit silly to latch on to.

 

There was a hint from last week's previews that Oleg had something for Stan. But the show did its usual bit of trickery and cut to one hand giving something to another . . . only THAT was the recording piece in mail robot** and had nothing to do with Oleg's information.

The agitation in Oleg's voice and mannerisms as he was talking to Stan were unlike anything I've seem from this normally cool character.

Don't know how many takes it took on that final scene, but Paige's "Great!" absolutely nailed it.


** I care nothing about mail robot and wish the reviewers would just let it go.

 

Why did William have the fake name? Is he an illegal? I thought he was an American they turned? Did I miss that?

 

He's an illegal. I think they said he came over 25 years ago.

 

Unless I'm mistaken, they mentioned earlier that he was an illegal. I think they set him up with a wife but he didn't get along with get.

 

Yeah, William has been expressing lots of skepticism about his homeland lately ("At least the seals on their deadly containers don't break"), with "their" meaning the United States' as opposed to "our" faulty seals.

 

Right, and just last episode Gabriel promised him he could "go home" if he completed this "one last mission."

If TV and movie history is any guide, he probably plans to retire on a boat named "Zhit Vechno" (Russian for "Live Forever").

 

Will the last person to leave the show please turn out the lights?

Nina, RIP
Gaad, RIP
William, RIP
Martha, Do svidaniya
Oleg, Do svidaniya
Arkady, Do svidaniya

William: "My insides are liquifying. Soon I will ooze out my orifices."
Aderholt: "Want a Coke?"

 

Apparently the agent William took was very similar to the Ebola virus, to put it in terms most layfolk would understand. Severe untreatable Ebola. Oof.

The end scene was fantastic. I love it when a show has an endgame in mind.