The Americans, Season 3, Episode 9 Do Mail Robots Dream of Electric Sheep?

Elizabeth waits for Hans at the university campus. She tells him he “did good” but they must terminate their relationship, because Todd may have seen him. Hans is stunned, “I did everything you told me. I want to serve. Please.”  Elizabeth is adamant, “It’s not worth the risk.  You can serve in other ways.”

Phillip enters the travel agency where Elizabeth is working. He tells her that the bug has been found in Gaad’s office.  He further adds, that Martha “knows about me.” He explains that she met the man whom he claimed to be during the investigation of bug.  Elizabeth is surprised and upset.  Phillip assures her that Martha won’t tell anybody and that he trusts her.  Elizabeth probably trusts no one except Phillip. Phillip says he’ll return to her home for the night.

Martha is cooking a romantic dinner when Clark arrives.  The phone rings and its Children’s Services.  She tells them, “They have reconsidered, and it’s not right time.” Clark looks stunned by her revelation.  She tells him, “It would be unrealistic to foster a child at this time.” Martha assures him it’s fine, she’s fine.  They toast to “Turning the page.”  Martha begins discussing the latest news from the office.  She tells him about Agent Gaad’s “attack” on the mail robot.  It’s not clear who she thinks she’s married to, but seems to accept it because she loves and needs him.

Stan waits in an empty warehouse for Oleg.  Oleg thinks that there might be an element of truth to the suspicion that Zianda is a spy.  He has an idea to find out but it’s “risky.”  Stan seems to be open to any option that could help Nina.

Todd is working in a warehouse type setting.  Hans surprises him and shoots him in the right eye, but it doesn’t kill him. He attempts to shoot him a second time but his gun jams.  A close bloody fight ensues, ending with Hans strangling Todd.  He leaves him in the freight elevator.

Gabriel goes for a winter walk with Elizabeth and Phillip.  Elizabeth doubts that Martha won’t talk.  Phillip asserts he trusts her and Gabriel agrees.  The plan is to get another bug into the FBI, this time in the mail robot.  They still need Martha but it’s clear if she falls, she’ll fall alone. “Trust us.” Gabriel tells Elizabeth.

Hans tells Elizabeth he has murdered Todd.  She asks him how it went.  He concedes it was messy and didn’t go as planned.  Elizabeth says, it seldom does.  Hans is earnest in his desire to work, “I want to right the wrongs my people have inflicted. I want to make it right.”  Contextually, the Soviets didn’t really care about the freeing South Africa of apartheid but desired access to the wealth of the African nation.

Stan waits for Zianda to finish a meeting with military staff.  She exits and complains of being ravenous. Stan has a candy bar waiting for her. She appreciates how Stan takes care of her.

Dressed in “cat burglar” attire, Phillip and Elizabeth break into the work area where the FBI mail robot is being serviced.  Elizabeth tells Phillip, “I understand that you have feelings for Martha. I get it.”  Phillip sarcastically replies, “I’m glad I have your permission.”  Upstairs, a light comes on. Elizabeth leaves to investigate.

Elizabeth confronts an older woman in the office.  She tells her that they are there to “fix the mail robot.”  The woman makes a move towards the phone.  Elizabeth coldly tells her, “Don’t do that, or I’ll have to tie you up. Do you understand?”

The woman is surprisingly calm and chatty given the circumstances.  She says she enjoys coming in late to do the bookkeeping because it’s the best time to feel the “presence” of her late husband Gil.  She explains Gil was a veteran on WW II and liberated Jews from the concentration camps.  She shows Elizabeth a picture of a baby that is her son. “That’s Andy, he runs things now.”  She asks Elizabeth for a glass of water; Elizabeth leaves but removes the phone.

Elizabeth asks Phillip how much longer it will take to place the bug.  Phillip’s not sure.  Elizabeth tells him about the woman upstairs.  He nods and says she “picked a bad time.” It’s clear there can be no witnesses to tonight’s operation.

Stan checks the hotel room prior to Zianda’s entrance.  She thanks him and he leaves her inside alone.

The office woman asks for Elizabeth’s name, and she tells her the truth. The woman asks, “Are you a robber?” Elizabeth won’t answer that but the conversation turns to family.  Elizabeth reveals her mother is still alive and living in Russia. The woman seems to understand who Elizabeth might be. “Your English is very good.”  Elizabeth nods, “I was well trained.”  The woman realizes that she is not going to leave the office.  She says, “I’m not afraid.  Better this was then in the street or in front of a TV.”  She tells her that her husband died in the hospital.  She explains she has a heart condition and needs a heart transplant but doesn’t want one. Elizabeth pours out the woman’s pills.  She is offering her death by “overdose.” The woman begins to swallow the medicine.

Zianda is not alone. There in the dark is a man in sunglasses with a gun trained on her. He speaks to her in Russian and warns her that unless she recants her remarks about Afghanistan she will be killed.  If she does this, she will be “returned” to the Soviet Union and praised as a patriot who was seduced by the West and has come to her senses.  Stan enters the room; the man punches him in the head and runs away.

Paige is home alone with Henry. She scolds him for staying up too late. It’s amazing how little the parents try to maintain the façade of normalcy.

Phillip reports to Elizabeth that he is almost done.  Elizabeth stays with the woman as she becomes drowsy. “Did Gil send you?” Elizabeth says yes.  She asks, “Did he tell you that I’m afraid of pain? Promise me you won’t hurt my son.”  Elizabeth promises. She recounts how she married him twice but never talk about his second wife.

She asks Elizabeth if she is married and has children and she confirms that her and her husband work together.

“And this is what you do?”

“We are making the world a better place.” Elizabeth answers.

“By doing this to me?” Asks the dying woman.  Elizabeth replies, “I’m sorry, but yes.”

The woman is slurring her words now but says, “That’s what evil people tell themselves when they do evil.” She gasps then dies.

Elizabeth heads downstairs where Phillip has finished planting the bug.  He asks if she’s ok, she doesn’t make eye contact but says, “She was sick, they’ll find her in the morning. We have to go.”

Agents Gaad and Aderholt debrief with Stan about the “attack” on him in Zianda’s hotel room. They are puzzled but not sure what they could have done differently. Aderholt suggest the man could have been hiding in the closet or under the bed.  All they can do is “beef up” her security.

Stan and Oleg meet in his car.  Oleg apologizes for hitting Stan so hard.  They share some beers.  Oleg observes that Zianda didn’t break or confess when he confronted her in the hotel room.  It’s unclear how they will continue to try to get Zianda to reveal her true identity and motivation.

Gabriel and Phillip meet over a game of Scrabble. They discuss love and the work of marriage. Phillip reveals that when he met Elizabeth it was like a “bolt of lightening” that he hasn’t felt before or since. Gabriel reveals that Elizabeth “rejected” the first “husband” who was chosen for her.  Phillip doubts Elizabeth was as smitten with him.

Phillip is becoming agitated. “All this talk. I trusted you; my job is to look out for my family. No one else will!” It’s clear he’s sick of being manipulated by Gabriel and is frustrated with how Gabriel manipulates Elizabeth. This is especially evident in the way Gabriel is pushing her to recruit Paige.

This episode highlighted the beliefs of several key characters.  Stan and Oleg are willing to compromise their political beliefs to help Nina. Martha is willing to ignore Clark’s identity because she loves him. Elizabeth is willing to ignore any feeling that would come before her sense of patriotic duty. It’s also interesting to note the Soviets suffered great losses in WW ll and still call it the “Great Patriotic Fatherland War.”  It seems that Elizabeth hesitated a little bit when the office woman told her that her husband was a veteran. But in the end, she is a machine for the cause. Will that ever change, even if it’s her children’s lives at stake?