Just Your Average American Family
There are only two episodes left in season 2 of "The Americans". But have no fear, the show has been renewed for a third season. In "Yousaf" and "Stealth" the noose continues to tighten (not just around Phillip and Elizabeth's necks but others as well).
Episode 10 opens with a very touching moment between Phillip and Elizabeth. It cant be easy being a spy. It's nice that when each has a breakdown, the other is there to pick them up. The Jennings are getting a new assignment-- get close to Yousaf Rana (a Pakistani secret agent). They kill his boss (Liz ambushes him the pool). Annelise is sent in to gather pillow talk intel. She feels used and is not a happy camper. Lip talks her down.
Beeman meets Jared Connor and shows him sketches of the male and female suspects. We know they are Liz and Lip. Jared really doesnt know what his parents were up to though (or who killed them). The FBI rightfully suspect Emmett and Leanne of being KGB.
Larrick is still out for revenge. He finds the Soviet's secret switchboard and kills the operator (who blows up the circuit boards right before he is killed). Larrick is still able to salvage a phone number though. It is Kate's. This can't be good.
Elizabeth and Phillip are firm in their resolution not to let Paige attend summer Bible camp. Paige gives them the cold shoulder and announces that she feels like a prisoner in her own home. She's probably just luckily Philip didnt kill the pastor in the last episode.
Meanwhile back in the Mother Land, Anton is working on the stealth technology. At least he has a few perks (there was a naked woman in his bed). Anton need more information. Philip befriends an engineer who worked on the American program. He is now dying of cancer and believes it's due to his work. Kudos to Zeljko Ivanek who was excellent in the role. I wanted to drive the poor man to the hospital myself.
Elizabeth continues to visit Jared disguised as a social worker. She also finds out that Kate has been seen with him (and not wearing a disguise). I'm not sure why though. Larrick attacks Kate in her home. She refuses to give up her "most precious assets" (which I think are the Jennings) so he snaps her neck. P&E are sent to Kate's house because she missed her designated call to the Center. Kate has left a coded message telling them to "Get Jared out".
Nina tells Stan she has been found out. She is afraid of standing trial in the Soviet Union. We know that Arkady (and Oleg) are still trying to turn the screws on Stan though in order to get more information on the stealth program. Meanwhile Sandra leaves Stan. And Henry interviews Stan for a school project (which is to document American heroes). How ironic that the "hero" is about to spill all the secrets he knows in order to save his mistress. And where do you think Nina stands now? I cant tell which side she is really on. It seems she is thoroughly TeamRussia but how can we be sure?
Lip and Liz finally relent and let Paige go to summer Bible camp. That she wants to go on a church trip to protest nuclear armament at a military base probably doesnt hurt her case.
Grade: 3 1/2 Monsters (out of 5). Two solid episodes but they werent as heart stopping as previous ones. I miss granny. I'm sure they'll pull out all the stops in the last two episodes.
TV: Heavy On Sci Fi, Horror & Adventure; Light On Reality
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