Like last week, this week’s title comes from a major
television event from the early eighties. “The Day After” was a made for TV movie
depicting the aftermath of nuclear attacks on the United States. It was heralded for it’s realistic depiction of
a nuclear attack and it was made intentionally ambiguous as to which side
launched the nuclear weapons first. It
is said to have influenced Ronald Reagan’s decision to curb the nuclear arms
race with the Soviets in the latter years of his presidency. It aired in November 1983, making it roughly
seven months after David Copperfield’s stunt with the Statue of Liberty. The Jennings “vacation” is coming to a close.
Phillip takes Paige to an abandoned amusement park parking
lot for a driving lesson. Paige is a nervous
but competent student. She hints at
wanting to try to drive Phillip’s car, the white Chevy Camaro. Phillip laughs off her request.
Elizabeth enjoys tea and conversation with Young Hee. The Korean woman complains how with her
mother-in-law on vacation to Korea, the kids have become very sassy. Young Hee describes her own strict upbringing
and Elizabeth (as Patty) shares her mother was also very strict. Young Hee’s husband Don walks through the kitchen.
Elizabeth eyes him with new
interest. Patty explains she got along
better with her father. (Because in her real life, her father died in WW II.)
The driving lesson wraps up with Paige navigating the
station wagon in front of the house. Even
after braking hard, Phillip praises his daughter for being a good driver. Paige
requests her parents attend a “send off” party for Pastor Tim who is traveling
on a mission to Ethiopia. “It makes him think we’re more normal.” She exits the car. Pastor Tim’s trust in Paige
is all that is keeping the family free and together. The opening credits roll.
Stan and Phillip enjoy an intense game of racquetball. Phillip is in great form and mentions to Stan
he’s been getting more sleep due to a cut back in some clients. Stan admits his life hasn’t been going so
well, he and Tori broke up, mainly because “she wasn’t Sandra.” Stan also complains about his new “hard-ass”
boss and his group of brown-nosing “munchkins.”
Stan misses his old boss who “Didn’t care how we got the job done as
long as we stopped the Russians.” Phillip
smiles, awkward!
Elizabeth comes home with groceries. Phillip is in the kitchen. Elizabeth states there was a “signal” from
William, but it didn’t come through Gabriel.
Due to Martha’s absence, they haven’t been able to meet with William.
(She was providing information about William’s surveillance team.) Phillip
feels that it could be important. Elizabeth
suggests they use Hans for surveillance and go meet with the biologist.
Elizabeth wears a dark wig and checks around the meeting
sight in the park. Phillip wears a dark
wig and large glasses. William greets
Phillip stating, “That may be your best look yet!” (He looks like a dark haired
Jeffery Dahmer.) Phillip explains his source at the FBI was extracted to
Moscow. William is impressed they
succeeded in getting her out and wonders how she’ll adapt to Soviet life. Phillip remarks only, “She’s alive and free.” William ponders what “freedom” would feel
like. William explains there are new
teams and schedules at work. He stops
his narrative and asks where has Phillip been for the last seven months. Phillip explains they’ve “had a break.” William describes a new modified strain of the
“Lassa” virus, which causes a hemorrhagic fever. It is on the restricted “level 4.” William hasn’t told the Centre or Gabriel
about it because; “I don’t trust us with it.”
He notes the Americans are just testing it for research, he fears the
Soviets may actually use it if they had it. William obviously trusts Phillip to
contemplate this information before acting on it.
The ABC network presents “The Day After.” It warns there will be graphic content of
nuclear war and it’s aftermath. (100 million viewers tuned in, a network record
at the time.) Stan and Matthew have come
over to watch it with the Jennings. Oleg
and Tatiana watch it from his bedroom. Arkady
smokes as he watches the program alone. Young
Hee and her husband watch it without their children. Paige looks up as the mushroom cloud explodes
at her neighbor Matthew. Paige looks
troubled by the program.
Elizabeth gets ready for bed in the bathroom. Phillip asks if she’s okay and Elizabeth
admits the show was intense. Phillip
relays William’s plea to not share the new virus information with the Centre. Elizabeth disagrees, “They are making it for
us, to destroy us! They dropped the Atom bomb, twice. We can’t pretend.” Elizabeth outlines the next phase of her plan
with Young Hee. She must search for some
blackmail to use against her husband Don. (It is implied that Don works at
“Level 4” at the biotech firm. She hopes
to blackmail him for access.)
Don and Young Hee are exited to leave for an overnight
romantic getaway. Patty has generously
offered to babysit their three rambunctious kids. Elizabeth waves as the unsuspecting couple
leave in their white Volvo station wagon. Elizabeth starts by winning the kids over with
pizza.
Oleg and Tatiana make the “beast with two backs.” Oleg is very vocal in his passion and Tatiana
urges him to be quiet, at one point she even covers his mouth with her hand. Afterwards, Tatiana confides she feels
uncomfortable about them being heard. Oleg
grew up wealthy, with thick walls but Tatiana had to wait until the dead of
night to make love to her boyfriend in a crowded house. Oleg concedes he was lucky his dad had a good
position. He tells her a frightening
story his dad relayed to him recently. An
officer thought he saw the United States had launched five missiles towards the
Soviets. Thinking the situation was
highly unlikely, the officer decided to classify the information as a false
alarm. It was later revealed the “five
missiles” were sunlight off the clouds.
Oleg notes, “Our technology is way behind!” Tatiana notes, that is why Oleg’s position
with the technology sector is so important.
Oleg wonders what he would have done if he was that officer on duty. (Fun 1980’s trivia, Nena, a West German band
had a 1983 hit describing balloons triggering a faulty warning system and
starting a nuclear war. Did something
like this actually happen? We’ll probably never know.)
Elizabeth tucks Young Hee’s “spoiled” children into bed. Once confident they are asleep, she begins to
search the house.
Paige and Phillip do the dishes together. Paige admits she was troubled by “The Day
After” and asks her father if it could really all end like depicted in the
movie. Phillip notes that is why they do
their work. Paige persists, “Do you
really think it makes a difference?” Phillip, ever honest says, “I don’t know.”
Paige is grim but pragmatic, “I hope
we’re all together when it happens and that it’s quick.” Phillip seems surprised by her assessment but
she counters, “Don’t you think about it?”
Phillip admits he does.
Elizabeth continues her search of her friend’s house. She looks at their VHS movie collection, which
includes classics such as “Sophie’s Choice” and “Rocky.” She finds an unmarked tape, which turns out
to be pornographic. She watches the movie
on fast forward. Elizabeth searches
Don’s desk, Rolodex, and day planner but finds nothing unusual. At six fifteen in the morning, Elizabeth
stares at the sunrise, defeated.
At the travel office, Elizabeth loses her patience with a
call and slams the phone down angrily. She
tells Phillip she’ll need to rebook a group, but it isn’t her travel job that
is upsetting her. She tells Phillip her
search of Young Hee’s was fruitless and she’ll be home late. Phillip sees that Elizabeth doesn’t want to
betray her friend and suggests they tell the Centre they “failed” forcing them
to find another way. Elizabeth is resigned to implementing her “Plan B” noting
there is no other way to complete her mission.
William and Phillip meet again. Gabriel is still not aware
of the situation. Phillip wonders why
William confided in him. William notes,
“It’s a big decision to make on your own.” Unlike Phillip, William has mostly worked
alone and wanted Phillip’s perspective, especially when he wants to deviate
from strictly following orders. Because of Martha, William knows Phillip has
and can stand up against the Centre to get what he wants.
Elizabeth calls Don from a payphone. She fabricates a story about having a big
fight with her boyfriend and needing a ride.
Don offers to come and pick her up.
Phillip and Paige attend Pastor Tim’s send off party. Phillip sends his regrets that Elizabeth
couldn’t make it due to work. Pastor Tim
and Phillip exchange pleasantries while Paige goes to see how the now greatly
pregnant Alice is faring. Pastor Tim
notes Paige seems “sad and burdened.”
Phillip tries to attribute her mood to being a typical teenager. Pastor Tim insists when he returns, they all
sit down together and “See where we’re all at.”
It’s amazing Pastor Tim has been silent so far, thanks to Paige. But how long are they willing to remain
silent?
Elizabeth manages to manipulate Don easily, asking him to
move furniture for him and then offering him an expensive glass of wine “to see
if it’s good enough to give as a gift.” (Wine is one of Don’s few vices.) Elizabeth drops a pill into his glass. Don swishes and swirls the wine but fails to
see anything suspicious, he drinks it with relish.
Phillip checks in on Paige. Paige complains of having increased homework
in addition to all her church activities. Trying to cheer her up, Phillip offers her a
driving lesson in the Camaro.
Elizabeth drinks and works on seducing her good friend’s
husband. She states, “I don’t know many
happy couples.” Elizabeth complains all
the men she dates are jerks. Don is sweating from the pill. He suggests Patty is being too hard on the
men she dates; one of those “jerks” could be the “one”. Elizabeth leans in and kisses him on the
lips. Don stands up to leave and then
suddenly complains of “not feeling so well.” He falls to the floor.
The final moments of the episode weave Paige’s Camaro
driving lesson with Elizabeth’s framing of Don to the phrenic beat of “Major
Tom.” The song’s intro plays as
Elizabeth undresses Don. The driving
lesson commences with the lyrics, “Standing there alone, the ship is waiting,
all systems go, are you sure?” Elizabeth
struggles to remove Don’s pants and places him face down on the bed. Paige is nervous but Phillip encourages her to
stay slow and allow another car to pass her. The chorus comes in, “Floating, weightless…”
Elizabeth undresses and lies down next to Don. She takes a small bit of lotion and rubs it
under his private parts, mimicking a consummation of the act. Phillip encourages his daughter to blink. The song’s beat intensifies as Don wakes up to
realize he’s slept with his wife’s best friend. Phillip congratulates Paige as they reach
home, “You did it!” Don looks at
Elizabeth in horror as the song’s chorus continues, “Earth below us, floating,
drifting, weightless, falling, calling home…” Don grabs his clothes and
whispers, “I’m sorry.” He exits quickly
and Elizabeth almost has a look of pity for him.
Paige and Henry play Atari when Elizabeth returns home. Paige triumphantly informs her, “I drove the Camaro!”
Immediately, Paige can see something is
wrong, Elizabeth feigns a headache and excuses herself. Phillip goes to check on his wife. Elizabeth sits up on their bed, she says
quietly, “I’m going to miss her.” The
camera zooms back at Phillip comforting his wife on their bed. Elizabeth has rarely had a female friend and
even though it was based on lies, her affection for Young Hee was genuine.
New week things take a disastrous twist when Pastor Tim is kidnapped
in Ethiopia. Alice threatens to expose the family unless her husband is
returned safely. Paige questions if her
parents could be behind the kidnapping. Phillip
again considers whether the whole family must leave the country.
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