The Americans, Season 4, Episode 2, Pastor Tim

Last week Paige’s relationship with Pastor Tim made her parents nervous enough to tap his phone line.  While their secret hangs in the balance, Phillip must contend with a new level of danger with handling biological weapons.  Stan and Phillip’s relationship has sunk to a new low.  In the Soviet Union, Nina is on the verge of securing her own freedom by her continued friendship with Anton.  And at the Soviet embassy, Oleg and Arkady are shut out from Tatiana’s division.  How can all our players juggle these complex circumstances and emotions?

Fresh after his scuffle with Stan, Phillip brings the glanders sample inside stored in a cooler.  Elizabeth is concerned about Stan’s demeanor and wants to know why he was so angry.  The couple head down to the laundry room to stash the cooler and to gain further privacy.  Phillip reluctantly explains he has returned to the Est seminars by himself, met with Sandra after the sessions several times and Stan found out. He states Sandra was helping him “with stuff.”  Elizabeth can’t seem to understand his need for introspection.  Phillip tries to explain, “You learn how to deal with things.” Elizabeth concedes she knew her husband was “going through something.”  She questions if they teach how to feel rather than see, referencing his “gut feeling” about meeting William the first night.  Phillip states it doesn’t work like that, but can’t really explain it to her.  Elizabeth asks if he would want her to go with him to Est. He says, “Sure.”  This scene highlighted the cultural differences between East and West in regards to psychology.  Elizabeth seems more Eastern, and can’t understand the need for self-reflection.  Phillip in contrast, has always seemed like the more “Western” of the couple and is making use of the self–exploration.

The couple goes to meet Gabriel at his home.  The old man muses, “In twenty years I’ve seen hepatitis and E.Coli, but I never thought we’d get here!”  Elizabeth reports William didn’t seem happy about handing the sample over.  Gabriel explains William’s personality has prevented him from being promoted in his career, and he lacks the security clearance the Centre wants.  He elaborates the sample needs to leave the country in a “military level operation” he wants Phillip to perform.  Phillip is unhappy about this assignment.  Gabriel has a gift for the children from the Centre, a home computer system.  Elizabeth is nervous at the Centre reaching out to seduce her children.

At the Soviet Embassy, Arkady pulls Oleg aside for a private meeting.  After little formality, Arkady discloses Oleg’s brother was killed in combat two days ago.  (Presumably in Afghanistan)  Oleg exhales deeply absorbing the news.  Oleg notes his brother’s tour was finished in October; he could have gone home.  The meeting ends in somber silence.

Elizabeth listens to Pastor Tim’s office phone.  At last she hears what she feared, Paige’s voice admitting the truth about her parents to Pastor Tim.

Phillip returns home driving the white Trans-am.  Elizabeth meets him in the garage. “She told him everything!”  Phillip asks if Pastor Tim has told anyone and Elizabeth is unsure, “not on the tape.”  The couple reviews their options.  Phillip says, “If we kill him, she’ll run. Maybe we can try to work him.” Elizabeth scoffs at the last idea. Phillip adds, “We could leave, maybe we should!”  He is fearful of losing Paige forever if they kill the one person she trusts.

Agent Gaad speaks to Beeman in the “vault.”  Gaad hands over some documents to Stan noting, “The CIA cleared it, you can use it.”  Gaad asks about his relationship with Oleg stating, “Based on reports, he won’t respond to blackmail.”  Stan tells his boss he had a “sit-down” with Gene’s parents and they’ve hired a lawyer.  Stan is adamant the FBI didn’t kill him.  Gaad agrees, “That much we know.”

Phillip snoops around the dark church office wearing a blond wig and glasses.  He discovers Pastor Tim’s day planner and takes notes of some entries.

Stan arrives home at the same time Phillip pulls into his driveway.  The two look at each other but say nothing.

Phillip heads upstairs to the bedroom to tell Elizabeth his findings. “He goes to a cabin in the woods to write his sermons. It’s a religious retreat. He’s going there in two days.” Phillip says sarcastically, “Maybe Gabriel will save the day!” Elizabeth has a more practical idea, “We need to get rid of that son of a bitch!” Phillip fears Paige would figure out they killed him.  Elizabeth sees it as part of her training, challenging him, “Do you want her to go to law school or med school?” Elizabeth is concerned Paige won’t follow them into the “family business” and adds bitterly, “You might get your wish!”  Phillip replies, “None of this is what I wanted.”

At the Siberian science center a middle-aged man is lead through the complex.  Nina is waiting for him; it’s Boris her husband.  They exchange pleasantries, Boris noting how skinny Nina has become.  He thanks her for the packages she sent from the United States.  (The action, which caused her to become an FBI informant.)  Nina asks about Boris’s family; he has two sons that obviously aren’t her’s.  Boris wonders if things would have been different if Nina would have “kept the baby.”  She laughs off the notion saying she would have gotten fat.  She asks him if he was surprised to hear from her.  He says he always expected she would contact him, when she wanted a divorce.  Nina laughs at that notion, “I’m too old to marry.”  Boris adds mournfully, “I’d marry you. I did.”  Nina asks him about his relationship with the mother of his sons, and he describes it as one of companionship.  Finally, Nina asks about a former friend of theirs and whether he’s still in the “same line of work.”  After Boris confirms this, she slides him a slip of paper and asks that he give it to their old friend.  Boris wonders if he’s allowed to take anything out of the facility but Nina assures him its fine.  (Is this a letter to Anton’s son?)

Phillip watches a bus from a parking lot on a foggy night.  He is wearing a blond disguise.  He grabs a bag and leaves his car to board the bus.  The driver is outside smoking a cigarette.  Phillip sits next to a pilot at the rear of the bus and asks a question about the TWA terminal.  The man speaks with a Russian accent.  Phillip hands over the glanders sample.  The pilot protests, “I think last time my co-pilot knew something was going on. He acted strange the whole flight.” Phillip rationalizes the co-pilot probably sensed his anxiety.  Another man in an “Airport Security” jacket approaches them. Phillip tries to explain the man is upset because his son was in an accident and his wife is blaming him.  The man persists, stating it’s his job to speak with pilots who might be in distress.  He tells the pilot, “You don’t look so good, I don’t want to pry…”  Phillip wraps his hands around the security man’s neck and proceeds to strangle him to death.  In the front of the bus, a young woman blares, “Tainted Love” on her Walkman, obscuring her awareness of the commotion.  An elderly black man sleeps through the attack.  The pilot’s eyes widen as Phillip tucks the corpse neatly behind the seats.  The bus driver boards the bus and drives them towards JFK.

Elizabeth approaches Pastor Tim’s cabin in the woods wearing an unflattering black wig.  She enters the rustic cabin, turns on the gas stove and a kerosene lamp.  Is the plan to use the gas to make the Pastor’s death look like an accident?

The shuttle bus arrives at the airport. The pilot leaves hastily.  Phillip looks over to see he has left the glanders sample on the seat.  Phillip remains onboard to catch the shuttle back to his car.  Once the bus arrives, Phillip sneaks off the bus leaving the corpse of the security officer wedged between the back seats.

Anton and Nina eat at the cafeteria.  They speak in English for privacy.  Nina is happy that the “stealth test” was a success.  Anton counters that the test was only partially successful and notes he will be unable to make more progress on the project because he is at the “limits of his understanding.”  Nina promises to keep this confession secret.  Anton doesn’t care whether he lives or dies anymore.  Nina reveals she may have found a way to get a message to his son.  Anton worries she has put herself in danger.  Nina replies, “It’s not just for you.”  Anton is grateful and tells her “she has been a surprise.”  Nina adds, “You too.”  Will Nina’s act of rebellion alleviate her guilt for “working” Anton?

In the shadow of the Capital building, Stan meets Oleg in a parking lot.  Stan informs him, “My government found someone they wanted to trade for more than Nina.” Oleg wonders who was the lucky person they saved instead.  Stan offers his condolences for Oleg’s brother. Oleg looks at him hardly, “Are we friends now?”  Oleg exits the car without another word.

Elizabeth asks Phillip how his operation went. “Bad, I couldn’t trade it.”  The sample is back at their house.  Elizabeth asks if Phillip has “made up with his boyfriend yet.” (Meaning Stan. It won’t do if Stan starts sniffing around their house presently with so much to hide.)

Phillip tells Elizabeth about the “flashback” he was reliving in the previous episode. He describes the circumstances as “that crazy time about ten years after the war.”  He continues to describe how he was bullied until one day he fought back.  He states he hit the bully “over and over until he was…” Elizabeth asks how old he was at the time and he thinks he was ten years old.  “Is this the kind of thing that comes up with Est?  Is this good?”  Phillip confesses it has forced him to deal with his past.

Paige walks to Pastor Tim’s retreat cabin in the dark.  She enters to find Pastor Tim lying in bed, dead.  Pastor Tim morphs into Elizabeth’s rapist from her training days. Elizabeth shouts out, awaking from her nightmare about her daughter.

Phillip meets with William in broad daylight without a disguise.  William notices. Phillip feels confident (or reckless) because Martha’s information about the FBI surveillance team.  Phillip wants to get rid of the sample by “dead drop” but William refuses because of the risk of the weapon falling into innocent hands.  Phillip asks about what is on “Level 4” at Fort Dettrick and how they could get to that level of clearance.  William cautions him against reaching “Level 4”, stating there are things there he doesn’t want to know.

Elizabeth meets with Gabriel at a public park without her disguise.  The old man informs her that her mother has died and the Centre made sure she didn’t die alone. Even though Elizabeth expected the news, it still is a shock.  Gabriel tells her that her mother enjoyed meeting Paige and sent her love at the end.  Elizabeth is skeptical her mother actually uttered these words.  Gabriel cautions her, “When you do our job it is easy to lose your bearings. Don’t let that happen to you.”

Visili meets with Nina and reports her “note” was intercepted.  (It was a note for Anton’s son.)  Nina admits she sent it, but Anton didn’t know.  They have confirmed the note was in her handwriting.  Visili lashes out, “How could you do that to your husband!”  He indicates she has sabotaged her deal for freedom.  Nina says he must be pleased, hinting that the man would relish her defeat.  She adds cryptically, “I’m not who I was.”

Elizabeth is on the phone in the kitchen when Paige comes home.  She tells her daughter her grandmother has died.  Paige goes to embrace her mother.  Elizabeth says she’s glad Paige had a chance to meet her.  She orders Paige to stay home and watch Henry because she and her father have to work.

Henry visits with Stan who has prepared some mac and cheese for him.  Henry invites the FBI agent over to see his new computer. (From the KGB!)  Stan promises to come another time.  Henry asks Stan about a “girl problem.”  The girl in question is actually his science teacher, who likes to wear zippered dresses to teach!  Stan dismisses his crush as impossible.  Stan notices Henry is wearing cologne and asks him what kind.  Henry smirks, “Ralph Lauren, Polo.”  Stan offers him an unopened bottle of the brand his son left at the house.  Stan seems to enjoy being Henry’s surrogate father.

Paige is up in her bedroom looking anxious.  Elizabeth cooks dinner downstairs and Paige enters. “I told him, I told Pastor Tim everything!  I didn’t know what else to do.” Elizabeth was not prepared for her daughter’s honesty.  She counters, “That was the one thing I said you couldn’t do!”  The phone rings and Elizabeth instructs the caller to come home.  After she hangs up, her demeanor softens a little. “You need to put family first.”  Paige pleads with her mother that they can trust Pastor Tim, and reminds her it was her and Philip who put her in this impossible situation to begin with.  Elizabeth assures Paige they will figure something out.

Phillip arrives home at dusk.  Elizabeth meets him in the garage and enters the sedan.  She states, “She admitted it.”  Phillip knows if Pastor Tim is harmed, Paige will figure out it was her parents.  Elizabeth tells him her mother died. He embraces her.  She adds, “We’re in trouble.” Phillip nods, “I know.”

Things are becoming far more complicated for our seasoned spies.  The previews for next week highlight the ongoing struggle between Pastor Tim and the truth.  It seems that Martha might be under suspicion again despite Phillip’s killing of Gene to protect her.  The net is being cast from all directions and it’s not clear when the trap will tighten.  Meanwhile, I’m going to find my Sony Walkman and crank up some “Soft Cell” until next week.