The Americans Season 3 Episode 1 Recap: EST Men (Season Premiere)

Our favorite spies are back and are still living in 1980s Washington DC. The Soviets are at war in Afghanistan (although I'm not sure they ever officially termed it a "war"). We find Elizabeth collecting intel from a CIA agent named Charlotte. Liz thinks something is up and quickly leaves. The feds chase her down the street. She beats up one agent (yes that is Gaad) and managed to shove another in front of a motorcycle. Gaad pulls a gun on her. Liz grabs it. We think she's going to kill Gaad but she makes a hasty retreat instead. She has lost Charlotte's list and Gaad got a good look at her face. Better hope he doesnt show up at Stan's summer time barbecues.

Stan and Phillip attend an EST seminar (remember that's where Stan's estranged wife Sandra discovered herself). They return to the Phillip's house to find an injured Liz. She says she pulled her shoulder while carrying groceries.

Those Groceries Were Really Heavy (And Mean)

Liz goes to church with Paige and helps her stuff envelopes for the peace movement. There is a boy there that Paige is interested in. We see a flashback of Liz teaching Paige to swim. Well actually she just threw her into the pool. That Elizabeth is a tough ass for sure.

The Jennings visit an old friend and handler named Gabriel. He asks about the kids. He says the Centre is still insistent on Paige joining their junior spy program. Liz seems to be all for it. Phillip is completely against it. They will have to reveal themselves as spies to Paige and risk everything. Would Paige turn them into the police? Later Martha and Clark try out position # 427 of the Kama Sutra. Too funny. You have to give it to Martha. She's a go getter.

Back When The Beemans Lived Under One Roof

Across town we see Stan helping Sandra move some stuff out of their house. He tells her he went to an EST seminar. He says he enjoyed it. She calls him a liar. He confesses that he thought it was stupid shit. She congratulates him on his honesty. These two arent getting back together any time soon.

Philip meets Annaleise in his car. She gives him a blow job. She later has sex with Yousef (while Phillip listens from next room). She begins to tell Yousef what she has done. He strangles her. Phillip arrives but its too late for Annaleise. Phillip tells Yousef that he can help "make this all go away". Couldnt Lip have been a little faster in helping Annaleise (or was this part of his plan)? Is there any way Annaleise could still be alive?

Liz tells Phillip the tapes Gabriel brought are from her mother. She is dying. They share a tender moment.

HI We're The Soviet Spy Family That Lives Next Door. We Made You Some Brownies.

Grade: 4 3/4 Monsters (out of 5). A great start to a new season. While "The Americans" is obviously about spies, at the heart it's really about marriage. While the Jennings are only posing as husband/wife they actually have a stronger marriage than the Beemans. "The Americans" is also about family. Who loves their daughter more-- Liz who apparently wants to turn Paige into a junior spy for Mother Russia or Phillip who wants her to live her own life? "The Americans" is also about the lies we tell ourselves and each other. The Jennings spend their time pretending to be various other characters. Who are they really underneath all those lies... and do they even know anymore?