The Americans, Season 4, Episode 4, Chloramphenicol

This week is a somber almost meditative look at death and illness as Elizabeth and Phillip are isolated in quarantine with William and Gabriel.  They are forced to handle their work remotely and contain the situation with Paige and Pastor Tim.  At the FBI, Stan and Dennis work together to investigate Martha.  Oleg returns to the Soviet Union for his brother’s funeral and crisis in his own family.  The title refers to an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections from meningitis to the plague and typhoid fever.  It is presumably what William is giving them for their exposure to glanders. 

Elizabeth makes phone calls from a payphone on a deserted street late at night. William stands watch nearby.  Her first call is to the Centre to inform them the “deliveries” will not be able to occur during the weekend and will have to be rescheduled.  She asks for privacy from William as she places the next call home to Paige.  Paige is up doing homework despite the clock showing it’s one thirty in the morning.  Paige is both relieved and concerned to hear from her mother.  Elizabeth assures her that she and her father simply need to “work” over the weekend and she needs to take care of her little brother.  Paige assumes she has put them in danger by telling Pastor Tim the truth.  Elizabeth reassures her daughter their situation has nothing to do with her actions and that everything is fine.  Paige cries quietly in kitchen after she hangs up with her mother.  Following the phone calls, William snips the phone cord and bags the receiver to prevent possible contamination. He wipes the phone booth down with antiseptic.

William and Elizabeth return to Gabriel’s flat, the old man remains seriously ill.  She informs Phillip that she told the Centre to abort the “Epcot plan.”  Elizabeth is concerned about Gabriel’s condition.  William is flippant, “If we believed in God I’d say pray!”  He’s not optimistic about the old man’s chances of survival.  William outlines the strict precautions they need to follow the next few days.  Elizabeth shares with Phillip that Paige was worried about them.  They are helpless to support her in their present situation.

Oleg speaks with his father at their family home.  Oleg’s mother has become severely depressed following her son’s death and has taken to her bed.  Oleg is upset his father was unable to help Nina.  His father states that he tried but given the nature of her crimes it wasn’t easy.  He can tell his son she is still alive.  Oleg begs his father to know exactly what is happening with her.

Henry pays a visit to Stan to ask him for help with his new computer.  Stan admits he’s not very tech savvy.  Henry complains his math teacher has been unable to help him. Henry seeks more personal guidance from Stan and asks him what he said when he first met Mrs. Beeman.  Stan relates that they met in college at a party. Sandra spilled a beverage on him and couldn’t stop laughing afterwards. “Then we got married, had a kid and got divorced.”  Stan asks Henry why he doesn’t talk to his father about this kind of thing and Henry complains his father is always traveling for work. Henry reveals they had to cancel their trip to Epcot.  Stan pops into the Jennings’s home to tell Paige he is giving Henry a ride to school and to offer her a ride as well.  Paige appears nervous around Stan and has trouble making eye contact.  She adds to Henry’s story about her parent’s last minute trip to New York to meet with some disgruntled clients.  Paige declines Stan’s offer stating she’ll take the bus as usual.  Paige appears to fear the FBI agent will deduce her family’s secret. The purpose of Stan’s visit may have been to corroborate Henry’s story.  Paige was able to not only verify it but adds details making their parents sudden absence seem more plausible. She seems to be developing a knack for lying, perhaps she would have good career in the “family business.”

William tends to Gabriel.  Phillip is beginning to look haggard.  Elizabeth asks him what Est has to say about death.  Phillip admits he doesn’t really know.  Elizabeth relates how the Centre ensured her mother didn’t die alone and at the end how her mom said she loved her.  Elizabeth looks searchingly at Phillip, “Paige knows we love her, right?” Phillip is confident their daughter knows she is loved.  Elizabeth continues, “We don’t really have a choice with Pastor Tim.”

Martha walks through the FBI offices when Dennis Aderholt intercepts her.  He brings up Gene’s death and how much it took him by surprise.  He asks casually if she plans on working late that evening.  Martha replies she’s planning to just go home drink wine and watch television.  Dennis says he enjoys talking to her and he’d like to take her to dinner, if she’s available.  He jokes he’s not as entertaining as television but promises there will be wine.  Martha smiles and accepts his invitation.

Elizabeth refuses to eat and states she’s worried if Henry studied for his biology exam the next day.  William scoffs at her concern given their serious, potentially life threatening situation. He is concerned that Elizabeth isn’t hungry and asks if she’s experiencing other symptoms.  He theorizes she could be coming down with the virus or it could be a side effect of the antibiotics.

Martha makes a desperate call to Phillip.  She apologizes for leaving him so many other messages.  She states, “Something happened at work and it’s important. Call me in one hour.”  She seems to change her mind as she’s leaving the message and adds, “I’m going to dinner with a male colleague from work.”  It’s unclear why she abruptly changed her message, perhaps she heard static or clicking which would indicate the phone message is being recorded.  Or perhaps she is simply frustrated because she can’t rely on Phillip to help her so she decides to go ahead and meet with Dennis.  Meanwhile, given the technology of the time, Phillip has no way of knowing Martha had been trying to reach him.

Elizabeth vomits in the toilet. Phillip hears her and looks concerned but notes, “It could still be the antibiotic.”  Elizabeth rinses her mouth and tells him firmly, “If something happens to me, blame me for Pastor Tim and Alice.  Then you can raise them here, be Americans.  Henry never needs to know.  It’s what you’ve always wanted.”  Phillip nods but doesn’t want to accept he could lose her.

Martha and Dennis enjoy each other’s company at dinner.  Dennis admits he’s shy and doesn’t like parties much.  While they become better acquainted, Stan breaks into Martha’s flat and starts snooping around.  Dennis asks if she’s “seeing anybody” but adds quickly that she doesn’t have to answer.  Martha admits she’s seeing a married man but she’s not embarrassed by it.  Stan finds Martha’s small pistol and her Kama Sutra book tucked in her dresser drawers.  Martha continues to tell Dennis about her relationship.  “No promises, no lies.  We offer each other comfort and companionship.” Dennis asks if “sneaking around” bothers her.  Martha laughs, “We’re not sneaking into hotels wearing wigs!  It’s the most honest relationship I’ve ever had.”  The irony of this statement is Phillip and Elizabeth frequently don wigs and sneak around hotels.  Its unclear whether Martha knows or has simply deduced Phillip is married or feels he is “married to his work.”

Phillip tries to read to pass the time while Elizabeth and the other men sleep. Elizabeth dreams about her past when her mom was ill and coughing up blood. Elizabeth was a young teen and took care of her mother alone.  Her mother tells her weakly, “You’re a good daughter.”  She tells her daughter if she dies to go to live with their cousins. Elizabeth tells her mother, “You’re not going to die.”  The scene is reminiscent of the one she had earlier in the evening with her husband.  Elizabeth awakens from her dream insisting Phillip call Paige.  He tells her that they can’t and it would only “scare her to death.”  Phillip encourages her to go back to sleep.

Nina looks around her bleak gray surroundings.  Both beds in the concrete room are bare mattresses with a single pillow. Looking at the other empty bed perhaps she remembers the young European girl whose fate she helped seal.  She lies down and fingers some well-worn cracks in the walls.

Oleg and his father go for a walk.  His father explains Nina’s “project” involving Anton.  Oleg begs his father for an opportunity to see her again.  His father begs his son to stay home in the Soviet Union.  He is worried about Oleg’s mother, stating simply, “She’s broken” after the death of his brother. He offers his son a deal; he’ll try to help Nina if Oleg agrees to stay with them.  Oleg agrees.  He is willing to give up his life in America for Nina.

William checks on Elizabeth and reports to Phillip her fever has broken.  He is unable to say whether she is better.  William asks how long he and Elizabeth have been together. “Twenty years, two kids.”  William probes further, “Is everything okay with the children?”  Phillip admits things are difficult presently.  William is nevertheless envious, “You are so lucky. Do you don’t know how hard it is to do this job alone, never being able to talk to anyone except for handlers who don’t give a shit.”  Phillip counters his daughter is in a difficult position because of their work and because she now knows the truth. William notes no one sane would do this work.  Phillip thinks his wife would.  Phillip admits given a choice he’d be “normal”  but with Elizabeth.  Phillip accepts Elizabeth believes vigorously that their work is making the world a better place.  Phillip has been recalling his past and wondering if his choices are the result of him being fragmented and angry.  He’d rather be free of his ideals and demons and be simply “normal.”

William goes to assess Gabe who still looks deathly pale but is finally conscious and sitting up.  Elizabeth looks weak, but reports she too is feeling better.  She embraces Phillip.  William states Gabriel still needs more antibiotics.  He theorizes Elizabeth didn’t have the virus, but was experiencing the side effects from the medication. They are ready to leave the quarantine.  The trip to Epcot and the “accident” waiting for Pastor Tim and Alice will take place the following weekend.  Elizabeth confides, “You’re right, we can’t kill them.” Phillip asks if she still would want to leave.  Elizabeth has decided their best options is to stay and try to “work” Tim and Alice, noting it will be difficult.  William relates he will stay at the flat with Gabriel until he improves but they should stop using the apartment as a medical precaution.

Elizabeth speaks privately to Gabriel before they depart.  She asks, “Don’t let the Centre kill Pastor Tim and Alice.”  She fears it will only hurt Paige.  Gabriel cautions her, “You’re living in a burning house.”  Phillip assures him it’s nothing new.  The old man recalls when he was a young man, during the height of the Stalinist purges.  (Inferred this information as he doesn’t mention Stalin by name, but this was the period prior to WWII.)  He remembers living in constant fear that any day might be his last.  He doesn’t want them to live with a similar fear but concedes it’s their choice.  He thinks the Centre will “come around” if they still have a chance of eventually recruiting Paige.  At this point, it’s hard to imagine Phillip or Elizabeth wanting this life for their daughter.

Phillip and Elizabeth return home and embrace Paige.  Henry continues to play videos games and complains about the canceled trip to Florida.  Phillip suggests a family outing; bowling.  At the bowling alley, it’s boys against girls and Paige and Elizabeth are winning handily.  Paige whispers to her mother, “Did they teach you how to bowl?”  Elizabeth responds in a fake Russian accent, “It was vital part of training.”  They actually can laugh about it!

Nina meets with Oleg’s father.  He presents her a letter, which causes her to weep. She returns to the science center and sees Anton.  She happily presents him with airline tickets. They walk out of the building together into a sunny snowy day.

A guard wakes her from this dream.  He tells her she is being transferred and gathers her meager belongings into a plastic bag.  A “transfer” is unlikely to be a positive development.  She is marched down a long hallway to face a white haired man at a metal desk.  He reads an official letter informing her that her appeal has been denied.  She has been sentenced to death, to be carried out shortly.  The moment he stops speaking, a gun appears and Nina is executed with a single shot to the back of her head at close range.  Blood has splattered on the metal desk and pools around her head.  Guards quickly wrap her lifeless body in blankets.  The man who read her sentence signs some paperwork as others continue about their business.

Although Nina’s death was realistic and predictable, it still was a shot to the heart of the audience.  It’s hard not to weep for Nina who was manipulated and used by both countries.  It’s hard not to weep for Oleg who truly loved her and Stan who was willing to do almost anything to save her.

Next week’s preview highlights Elizabeth and Phillip’s trying to “turn” Pastor Tim. Martha can be heard on the phone informing Phillip, “They know.”  Paige questions her parents after Pastor Tim tells her their work hurts people.  Phillip makes a call from a payphone, “I’ve called to say goodbye.”  Will Martha have to be killed to protect Elizabeth and Phillip’s true identities?  The show keeps hinting about Henry’s new Soviet computer. When he gets an expert to look at it will they discover some anomalies or spyware?  The American’s has shown us a FX network show is able to trust its viewers to continue to tune in, even after the death of a major character. (Talking about you, Walking Dead!) This viewer is on pins and needles awaiting next week’s installment.