The Americans is back and seemly more relevant than ever. This marks the penultimate season of the series and while I’ll be sad to see it end next year, I’m encouraged that the story does have an ending in mind. To quote Neil Young, “It’s better to burn out than it is to rust.”
Last season brought the complication of Paige entering into her parent’s trust. Paige has matured beyond being a little mother for Henry to being an actual asset who reports to her parents. But Paige is an idealist. She was deeply traumatized by witnessing her mother kill an attacker in front of the soup kitchen. Her father has also changed, forbidding her from having a relationship with Matthew Beeman in a modern twist of Romeo and Juliet. Paige can no longer escape to the refuge of the church because Pastor Tim must be managed lest he exposes the family’s secrets. Between that and puberty, Paige has a rocky road ahead.
Meanwhile, the pressure is no less great for Elizabeth and Phillip. Last season Martha nearly brought down the family and had to be exiled to Moscow. The biological weapon project ended in failure when William was exposed and paid the ultimate price for his years of service to the KGB. Oleg and Stan were held together by their love for Nina. With her death, both men are grieving and lost. Gabriel must decide when it will be time to retire this important couple. Will they flee for a new life or retire and return to a country they hardly remember?
Despite the fantastic, suspenseful action of the series, it is the emotional investment we have in its characters which make it so interesting and compelling to watch. It also feels current given the ongoing controversy about the president's praise for former KGB agent Vladimir Putin. The critics continue to praise it, but it has yet to win an Emmy or viewing numbers of other FX shows. It’s a pity because it is one of my favorite shows on television.
The episode opens in a high school cafeteria where Devo’s “It’s a Good Thing” plays in the background. An Asian teen gets his lunch and seeks out another boy who is sitting at a table eating lunch alone. (This scene felt reminiscent of many a John Hughes movie.) The American’s uses music from the era to illustrate plot points in more subtle ways. The songs says,
“Now let's have a great big hand
For everybody who can understand
Life's a bee without a buzz
It's going great till you get stung!”
The first boy introduces himself as Tuan and the seated boy replies in a thick Russian accent his name is Pavel or Pasha for short. Tuan tries to make small talk with Pasha and appears very friendly. Pasha’s answers are stifled due to his limited English. The pair agrees to meet after school.
Tuan meets with Phillip and Elizabeth in a modern home. Phillip is dressed as an airline pilot and Elizabeth is dressed as a flight attendant. Tuan tells them about his meeting with Pasha. It’s clear that Tuan is attempting to develop Pasha as an asset with Phillip and Elizabeth posing as his parents. Tuan is probably much older than a high school student but has been sent to the high school to gain the trust of Pasha. (Again a call back to '80's movies Hiding Out or 21 Jump Street.)
“America the Beautiful” is sung in Russian as a shot of combine harvester moves through the United States fields “of amber waves of grain.” (The episode’s title.) The camera zooms out, up to the satellites and back down on the Soviet Union where the crops are decimated. (According to declassified CIA report from May 1983, the grain harvest kept failing to meet expectations set by the Soviet central government. The Soviet Union was reluctant to purchase surplus grain from the United States. Four straight years of the poor harvest was a source of shame for the Soviets who didn’t want to admit they couldn’t grow enough food to feed their citizens. It was an ongoing source of tension between the two powers.) Soviet citizens are shown waiting in long lines for very little food. This scene of scarcity is contrasted at the KGB office in Moscow where a Party member picks up a rich Danish pastry off a silver tray to have with his tea.
Stan’s new FBI boss Wolfe (played by Peter Jacobson, House) calls him into the “vault.” He tells him Oleg has left the Soviet Embassy and returned to Moscow. What is not know is the reason for his departure or whether the Soviet’s know of his work with Stan and the FBI. Wolfe T warns Stan that his “conscience” may be detrimental to his mission in the case of Oleg.
Tuan watches a western show on television as Phillip and Elizabeth arrive at his home. Tuan notes he only watches the show because the other kids talk about it at school. They quiz Tuan about Pasha. Tuan reports that Pasha is not assimilating that well, he’s a loner and his English is poor. Tuan thinks they could best work him by having dinner with the family as “neighbors.” Tuan notes Pasha’s father hates the Soviet Union and wonders “Why would you have let someone like that defect? I would have put a bullet in his head a long time ago!” Tuan is a communist from Vietnam and apparently doesn’t suffer capitalist fools.
Oleg walks through an ornately decorated flat while thunder rolls in the background. In the kitchen, Oleg’s mother makes tea. Oleg picks up a technical magazine from the table and smiles. He looks at a picture of his late brother in uniform. His mother joins him and she apologizes for persuading him to return home. She describes her grief as a feeling of being unable to breathe. She tells her living son to “be careful.” Oleg replies, “Of what?” (But he knows how dangerous his native land can be, especially for those who are suspected of colluding with Americans.) Mother and son share a grief-infused embrace.
Elizabeth and Phillip return home to Paige after she has shared a pizza dinner with Stan. Elizabeth asks her daughter if she wants to watch the Winter Olympics with her but Paige declines. (At this time, the Summer and Winter Olympics occurred in the same year. The ’84 games were the first time the Winter games had been held in a communist nation, Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. In 1980, the United States famously boycotted the Summer Games in Moscow.) It is probably because of this fact that Elizabeth is interested in watching the games.
Misha, Phillip’s oldest son, waits in a public restroom stall nervously looking at two passports. He proceeds to go through airport security in Moscow. At “Passport Control” a uniformed man asks for his final destination that Misha states Yugoslavia for the purpose of visiting family. It appears that the young soldier may be defecting to the United States to seek out his father.
Elizabeth and Phillip join their “son” Tuan for a dinner with Pasha’s family. As they make their way down the street, it appears there is a man working on surveillance in a dark parked car. Phillip is charismatic at dinner, spinning a tale of how he met Elizabeth and their lives in the airline industry. Pasha’s father interjects on how much better their airline must be than the notoriously dirty and unsafe Soviet Aeroflot. The father’s criticism of his native land doesn’t stop there, he complains of crowded living conditions, long lines for food and lack of technology for the majority of people. (For example, it takes three years of waiting to receive a telephone for a household.) The man describes the corruption of the system. He now proudly works for the United States Department of Agriculture as a consultant. Perhaps that is why the “Centre” has targeted him, they see his defection and work as being a traitor. Will Elizabeth and Phillip take him out or turn his son against him?
Stan is cooking in the kitchen when Paige arrives. Stan thanks her for helping Matthew with the transition to living with his father. Matthew joins them in the kitchen and the teens' hug. Henry knocks on the door and joins his sister for a cozy dinner at the Beeman’s.
In the kitchen of the Russian’s home, Pasha’s mother apologizes for her husband’s behavior. While the woman will not admit she misses the Soviet Union, it’s obvious she doesn’t share her husband’s enthusiasm for their new capitalist home. Elizabeth attempts to change the subject by discussing hobbies. Elizabeth confides that they adopted Tuan at age ten from Vietnam and he had a hard time adjusting at first. She advises the new immigrant to “be patient” about her son’s adjustment to their new life. In truth, Phillip and Elizabeth are hoping to use Pasha as an asset and while they may desire better language skills, they hope to use the boy’s sense of alienation to turn against his newly adopted country.
Back at Tuan’s home, they debrief about their dinner. The pilot/flight attendant cover is a perfect way to explain the couple’s prolonged absence from the home. Tuan assures them he’s turning on and off lights in the home to keep the neighbors from guessing that he actually lives alone.
On the way home, Elizabeth notes sarcastically, “I can’t wait to have dinner with that family again!” Elizabeth contrasts her experience growing up after World War II to the man’s complaints about scarcity of food and long lines. “We starved! My mom always said she wasn’t hungry, but she was so thin…” Phillip recalls eating soup, which was basically hot water with a trace of onion. Their shared experiences after the war might be one reason why they were eager to join the KGB and leave. Phillip wonders if they may still have the chance to go home someday. Elizabeth remains ambivalent.
When Phillip and Elizabeth return home they find Paige waiting up in the kitchen reading a John Irving novel. Paige discusses dinner that night with the Beeman’s. “Were you working?” she asks her parents. Elizabeth confirms this but will not discuss any details. Phillip asks what she and Matthew talked about and Paige appears defensive. “We talked about Michael Jackson and gym class! Who cares!” Paige confesses she can’t sleep, that she keeps seeing “that guy that mom murdered” She asks her mother pointedly, “Do you think about it?” Phillip replies, “It gets better.”
At that moment, the doorbell rings and Stan arrives with a six-pack of Miller Highlife beer. Elizabeth complains that Stan isn’t providing enough vegetables for her kid’s dinners. (She may kill people on a daily basis but she won’t feed her kids junk food!) Paige and Elizabeth leave the men alone with their beer.
Stan shares that he appreciates Paige and thinks her growing friendship with Matthew is a positive development. Phillip bites his tongue and doesn’t voice his disapproval. Stan raves about a woman he met at the gym, but he hasn’t spoken to her yet. Stan’s plan is to go to the gym daily to see her and “get in the best shape of my life!”
Later in the bedroom, Phillip details his conversation with Stan to his wife. On the subject of Matthew and Paige, he remarks, “He’s going to be heartbroken when it doesn’t work out.” Elizabeth promises to talk to her daughter.
A train cuts through the snowy countryside of Yugoslavia. Misha looks out the window at the darkness while a letter from his mother is narrated. She explains her sadness and regrets in life and hopes that he will have a better life in the United States. She says she always believed his father (Phillip) to be a good man. It is unclear whether she is still living.
Oleg arrives at the regional office for Soviet intelligence. The man who interviews him notes that Oleg’s request for a transfer BACK to the Soviet Union was highly unusual. The man is frank about the current challenges the country is facing, shortages, inefficiencies, and corruption. They are planning on creating a new task force to crack down on corruption. He warns Oleg that the investigation will include high officials, including people Oleg and his family is likely to know and have been social with. It is therefore very important to keep their work very secret. He asks Oleg, “Are you a KGB officer first?” Oleg looks at him fiercely, “Of course!”
Claudia and Gabriel walk together through a park in the rain. Claudia informs him they believe Misha has defected and may seek out his father in the United States. The conversation shifts to Phillip and Elizabeth and their recent “troubles.” Despite their near exposure, Claudia is in awe of how they continue their service. “Nothing scares those two!” Gabriel, who has seen more of the pair, especially Phillip’s fragility, disagrees, “Everything scares those two.”
Elizabeth seeks out Paige in the teen’s bedroom. (Paige is wearing an Esprit sweatshirt, oh the memories!) “I want to help you with your nightmares!” She takes Paige to the garage. Elizabeth pushes her, grabs her hair and then her wrist. Paige is baffled and protests. Elizabeth instructs her, “Do anything to protect yourself!” She shows Paige how to make a fist. Elizabeth wants to give her daughter the tools to defend herself. While Elizabeth is much too secretive to discuss her own sexual assault, the memory of that it motivates her to teach Paige not to be a victim.
Oleg walks down the rainy streets of Moscow back to his parent’s flat. It appears he might have someone following him. Oleg’s father greets him warmly and asks about the job. Oleg is tight-lipped, saying only that it went well.
Phillip is in the laundry room, close to where most of their spy equipment is stored. They discuss new safe house addresses and other details. Elizabeth reports that she taught Paige some “self-defense” and was pleased that her daughter is fast. Phillip again urges his wife to talk to Paige about Matthew. Elizabeth is vague, “I will.” Does she not want to hurt their newly strengthened mother-daughter bond?
Gabriel greets Phillip and Elizabeth at his new safe house. He explains what he knows about William’s final days and death. They all seem surprised at William’s loyalty, in the end, he infected himself rather than talk to the Americans. Elizabeth marvels that William is a hero. Phillip adds sarcastically, “Maybe he’ll get a stamp.” Gabriel notes that they still have something to do regarding dead scientist. Gabriel shows them an aerial picture of a U.S. Army facility.
Phillip and Elizabeth, dressed in dark clothes, wait in a thickly wooded area at night. A car drives slowly up a nearby road with its headlights off. Phillip approaches the car; the man inside informs them they have twenty minutes until the next security pass. More men emerge from the woods and met up with Phillip and Elizabeth. One cuts through the high chain link fence and the group enter the secure area. Phillip studies the aerial photo as the team tries to orient themselves. Hans, the young South African is one member of the team. Animals can be heard; an Army Jeep passes on the road but does not see the fence has been breached.
The team silently goes to work, laying tarp and getting out shovels. The men start to dig a large hole. One man walks up a knoll to keep a lookout on the road. It seems like hours have passed. The men and Elizabeth take turns digging. Elizabeth and Phillip share coffee from a thermos. The hole appears to be at least six feet deep; a rope ladder is dropped down to assist with getting in and out of the hole. Finally, a man strikes a hard metal box with a bright biohazard label. The box is opened with the use of a blowtorch. Those in the hole don masks and thick gloves for protection. The box is opened to reveal the corpse of William, wrapped in thick plastic with a note stating, “Do not burn!”
Phillip carefully opens the body bag using a scalpel. Elizabeth stands next to him as he removes several inches of tissue from William’s thigh area. Elizabeth bags up the specimen and hands it to Hans. Hans accidently falls and cuts his hand with the scalpel which had just been used to cut the sample. The wound has punctured his gloves but he assures Elizabeth that “It doesn’t hurt.” (These are first audible words spoken this entire scene.) She assures him it’s okay. Hans turns to climb the ladder out of the hole when Elizabeth shoots him in the head using a gun outfitted with a silencer. They quickly place his body on top of William’s and close the metal box again.
It’s a brutally jarring end for Hans and the first episode. While it’s easy to understand that Hans had possibly been infected with a lethal bioweapon, which had to be contained, Elizabeth’s cool efficiency in dispatching him is remarkable. There was a time when it was clear he had romantic feelings for her, and he was always an eager student. It’s hard not to feel sorry for him, in that last moment he trusted his mentor that it would “be okay.” But perhaps this illustrates the steely resolve Elizabeth feels about her own mission and life as an agent. If faced with exposure (to U.S. law enforcement) would Elizabeth and Phillip kill themselves? It’s unclear why they had to obtain the sample in the first place, but it will likely be sent back to the Soviets for research.
The preview of upcoming episodes continues to develop the storyline with Paige as well as Gabriel suggesting the United States is sabotaging the Soviet’s grain supply. Stan is approached about “turning” Oleg. Elizabeth and Phillip will have to endure more meals with Pasha’s parents as his father continues his anti-communist rants. It's a chilling start to what is bound to be a suspenseful season.
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