If the final season is a roller coaster, this week’s installment was a pair of upside-down loops! Paige features prominently; her “ad lib” activities have caused a commotion with both her mother and father. Meanwhile, Oleg has an uncomfortable reunion with Tatiana, an old friend from the Rezidentura. Claudia and Elizabeth continue their propaganda campaign with Paige; this week they discuss the “Great Patriotic War.” Elizabeth’s arc into madness and self-destruction is made clear in the final moments of the hour. Is there any possible redemption for her?
Stan pulls up to a café and buys a cake. Lookouts observe him by car and on the street. Stan walks into a brick building and is let in by an FBI agent. Sofia complains about not knowing anyone in her new area. The plan is to move her and Illia to Oklahoma. She is anxious about what this may mean for her child’s education and her relationship with Gennadi. Stan assures her that her son will adjust and she’ll be safe there. Although Sofia is skeptical about reuniting with Gennadi, she’s counting on Stan to help him with this adjustment. She says, “You’re his only friend in America.” She’s warming up to the idea of starting over with Gennadi in someplace new.
Claudia reviews the surveillance pictures Paige took at the hotel of the negotiating team. Again, Nesterenko is present with an American and a CIA member from the “Soviet Division.” The women are trying to determine who might be the “man inside” the Americans were discussing. It’s not yet clear. Elizabeth shares that the next Breeland (Kimmie’s father) tape will not be available until after the summit. Elizabeth seems disgusted at the notion of a bourgeois college student planning such an extravagant vacation abroad. “If Nesterenko is bad we need to know now, before the summit.” Elizabeth can’t discuss “Dead Hand” with Claudia but she’s clearly stressed about pleasing this inner anti-Gorbachev wing of the KGB. Claudia agrees to help. Claudia asks how “the courier” search is coming and Elizabeth confesses they are “still looking.”
Paige enters the flat and the tense tone shifts as Claudia warmly greets her. Paige’s lesson for the day is “The Great Patriotic War.” (What the Soviets/Russians call WW II) Claudia wants to discuss the conflict from the Soviet viewpoint, the Red Army, not the Allies defeated Hitler and suffered far greater losses. (Thanks to many decisions made by Stalin, like the starving suffered at the siege of Stalingrad.Although Stalin was a key figure in the war, great atrocities were also inflicted by the Red Army. Some feared the Soviets more than the Nazis.) Claudia shows Paige a picture of her house after the siege of Stalingrad. Claudia states she lost her whole family during the war. Paige is open to what she is told, and it’s never clear if Claudia or Elizabeth is ever being entirely honest with her.
Stan travels to the next “safe-house”, this time carrying a pizza. A different group of KGB lookouts tracks his movements. Gennadi and Stan eat pizza while enjoying the game and beer. As a former player, Gennadi often yells passionately at the plays on the television.
Elizabeth reminds Paige of the “propaganda” she learned in ninth grade about World War II. “I wanted to tear that bullshit they were teaching you right out of your head and shove the truth right in there!” (Now she is doing that with her active efforts to indoctrinate Paige that the Soviet Union is good and the West is the “evil empire.” Not too different from what you’d see on “RT” today!) Paige brings up Brian, how she met him at a party and he offered her information on the Defense Budget. Elizabeth is unhappy, she wants Paige to control the conversation or act like she’s not interested in “that stuff.” Paige is surprised and states that he has information so why shouldn’t she go after it? Elizabeth wants her to leave Brian alone. Paige doesn’t disclose she’s already slept with him!
Gennadi is onto his fifth beer when Stan decides to leave. Stan is spotted by several lookouts. An FBI agent is also stationed near Gennadi’s apartment as a lookout. The lookouts drive away.
Elizabeth comes home to the bedroom to find Philip crunching numbers on a small calculator. Elizabeth sits down on the bed. “We told Paige about the war, how we fought, how many we lost…” Philip wants to know how his daughter reacted. Elizabeth nods, “I think she got it!” The conversation lulls, Elizabeth touches Philip’s tired face, and hands. Soon, they are kissing, probably for the first time in months. As they lay down on the bed, the calculator beeps in error. They laugh and continue to make love.
In the morning, Elizabeth smokes outside in the cold. Philip greets her warmly with a kiss. A cloud of tension has lifted between them after the previous night’s activities. Philip rushes back inside to make coffee. In the kitchen, Elizabeth speaks about the problems with the summit. Elizabeth shares one Soviet (Nesterenko) is meeting with a CIA operative from the Soviet division. “We’ve got to find out what he’s saying, I think there might be a way but I need your help. You have to meet Kimmie in Greece.” Elizabeth elaborates, the plan is to get Kimmie to cross the border into Bulgaria, plant drugs on her and put her in prison. They would then contact her father, offer to release her in exchange for the information they need from the CIA Soviet division. Philip looks incredulous, “There has to be another way.” Elizabeth is adamant, “Everything, the summit, our security, everything we’ve been working on comes down to this and all you need to do is go on a trip!”
Elizabeth apologizes but states the mission is too important. He counters that Kimmie is “just a kid.” Elizabeth scoffs, “Not anymore!” Philip thinks that the plan is flawed, and the information may not even be useful at great risk for Kimmie. Elizabeth assures him that Philip would be done with “all of it” if he can complete this last task. Elizabeth makes her finale manipulative pitch, “I haven’t asked for much, anything really but I need this one.” It seems any hope of reconciliation between them has evaporated. It’s questionable if Elizabeth only slept with Philip last night so that she may curry this last favor out of him. Elizabeth seems completely soulless at this point.
Paige and some friends are at a local watering hole listening to a live band. An attractive young man approaches Paige and her friends. He offers to buy Paige a drink that she accepts. Her friends decide to call it a night leaving Paige to stay and flirt with the man over pinball and drinks.
Gennadi ventures out to a corner market un-chaperoned. Elizabeth follows his movements in the market. She crosses the street and down an alley while Gennadi is still in the market.
Philip has traveled to Ann Arbor to visit with Kimmie. Philip says he needs to go to Rome on business and suggests he could visit her in Greece. Kimmie isn’t keen on the idea, stating that her friends and she have a “crazy schedule.” Philip opens the car door for her, he remarks on his chivalry. “We aim to please.” Philip sighs before entering the car, seducing Kimmie after years of platonic friendship is proving difficult.
Gennadi exits the market and makes his way down a narrow brick-lined alley. Elizabeth, in disguise, approaches him and asks for a light for her cigarette. (How is she planning to take down a large man alone?) A federal agent runs up to Gennadi, scolding him for going out by himself. Gennadi lights Elizabeth’s cigarette. Gennadi and the agent continue back to the flat.
The attractive man at the bar is telling Paige about his first experience jumping out of an aircraft. (Is he in the Air Force?) Paige soaks up the story, especially as he describes how beautiful it was to see the landscape from that perspective for the first time. The man’s friend overhears and adds crassly, “You told me it was like getting jerked off for the first time!” The first man asks his friend to shut up but he continues, adding that it would be nice to get “jerked off” by an attractive girl like Paige. Paige moves to leave as the first man apologizes for his friend, stating he’s drunk. The second man chides Paige, “You’re not even that hot anyway!” Paige puts on her coat and fires back, “If you ever want to get laid again, get a better wingman!” The “wingman” in question stands up, grabs Paige by the wrist sneering, “What did you say, bitch?” Paige begins to punch the man in his face and chest. With the "wingman" on the ground, Paige hastens to leave the bar. The first man runs after Paige, asking after her and grabbing her again by the wrist. Paige cold-cocks him in the nose. The crowd looks on at the scene. Paige hustles out the door.
In Ann Arbor, Philip is dropping Kimmie back to her home. She thanks him for the meal and is about to get out when Philip stops her, “I’m proud of you. You’ve grown into a smart, interesting woman.” Kimmie smiles and Philip continues, “I’m a little intimidated by you.” Philip expresses fear that soon she will be bored with him. Kimmie assures him that they’re friends and she’ll see him at Christmas break. Philip makes one last offer to go to Greece. Philip leans in to kiss her but after quickly apologizes if he was “out of line.” Kimmie, absorbing all his flattery smiles and confesses she liked the kiss. In the next scene Philip is on top of Kimmie, she smiles warmly but Philip looks deeply pained by deceiving her into bed. Even though Kimmie is now an “adult”, Philip still views her as an innocent child.
Elizabeth is wearing her hideous nurse’s aid disguise as she tends to Erica. Erica is suffering but is focuses her energy on Elizabeth’s drawing lessons. The dying woman is upset that Elizabeth hasn’t been practicing her drawing outside their time together. “I don’t have a lot of free time!” Erica is puzzled by this notion of “Free time, is that what you call this, ‘free time?" Erica refuses morphine, demanding Elizabeth keep working on her sketches. “There is someone in there that can see, but you have to put in the time, that’s what time is for.” Erica continues to cough and suffer but demands Elizabeth keep drawing, that is the dying woman’s wish and Elizabeth complies. Erica settles down but Elizabeth continues to look uncomfortable.
Oleg exits his class at George Mason University when someone calls his name. It’s Tatiana, his former colleague, and lover from the Rezidentura. They attempt to make small talk, Oleg says he’s thought about her, Tatiana notes she heard he was back and had to see for herself. Oleg reminds her that he returned to the Soviet Union for “family matters.” He states he’s back in the United States to study. Tatiana points out there are good universities back home. Oleg tries to steer the conversation away from their difficult past but soon Tatiana tears down his pleasantries. “I know it was you! You told the Americans about my operation. I told them I thought it was you but you got out of it didn’t you?” Oleg begins to anger, he recalls how he was interrogated and may have been killed for his involvement with the Americans. Tatiana doesn’t care about him, she feels betrayed. She compares his freedom to travel and high position in the government to her situation, still working at the same low level for the last five years and lucky not to have been fired. Oleg looks at her with contempt; he apologizes but states the only thing that will help is moving on. "You’ve moved on, that’s nice, you should try looking behind you some time and think about all the things you destroyed on the way!” The two part ways. Some wounds can’t be resolved.
Philip stands in front of a mirror in their bedroom, Elizabeth comes into frame behind him asking, “How did it go?” Philip nods, “Fine.” He begins to unpack, confirming that “it” is on, the plan to meet Kimmie in Greece. A car approaches, “Were you expecting Paige?” Paige comes in with a bruise over her right eye. She asks Elizabeth if they can spar in the garage. Philip looks concerned.
The Soviet ambassador and Tatiana debrief about the Oleg situation over tea. Tatiana notes that Oleg didn’t disclose the true purpose of his visit. Tatiana states she doesn’t trust Oleg. The ambassador states he'd rather not send a cable back reporting "they don't know" what's going on with Oleg. She suggests that they put pressure on Oleg’s father to make him talk. The ambassador responds, “They should get rid of his father and everyone like him.” (Meaning the corrupt Party class.) Tatiana nods, “Oleg’s not here for GRU, he’s not here for us and he’s not loyal, send that cable!”
Philip looks on as Paige and Elizabeth spar in the garage. Elizabeth is tough and frequently bests Paige in force and speed. Paige takes a quick break and Elizabeth demands to know what’s happened. “These two assholes started a fight with me.” (Not exactly!) Elizabeth is horrified to learn that Paige fought the men, in a bar she’s been frequenting in front of numerous witnesses! “It can never happen again, you can’t draw attention to yourself like that!” Paige is frustrated, “You need to get off my ass, your not my boss every second of every day! You don’t tell me who I should or shouldn’t sleep with!” Philip and Elizabeth are both taken aback. Philip gasps, “What!” Paige adds as she’s leaving, “If I like a guy, I’ll do whatever I want!” Elizabeth yells if she likes a guy fine. “If I don’t like a guy why would I sleep with him?” Paige leaves in her car.
Philip follows Elizabeth to the kitchen asking for an explanation of the scene he just witnessed. Elizabeth says she told Paige NOT to sleep with a brother of the kid from school, the congressional intern. Philip follows Elizabeth upstairs. Elizabeth tries to minimize the situation, “She’s like any other girl her age, she sees a cute guy…” Elizabeth concludes that maybe Philip was right; maybe Paige is “not cut out for this.” Philip counters, “That was never the point, she can do it, it's that maybe she SHOULDN’T.” Elizabeth exits this uncomfortable argument stating she has to work.
Elizabeth walks towards Gennadi’s flat wearing a short dark wig and dark clothes. She watches the lookout in the front of the flat before crossing the street and continuing down an alley toward the back of the building. With the aid of a trashcan, she gets a boost up to the fire escape. She climbs several floors and opens a window to climb into the kitchen area of Gennadi’s flat. She can hear a television and man and a woman’s voice. Gennadi says he’s happy she came and he’s going to sleep on the couch. Elizabeth hides behind the refrigerator as Sofia goes into the kitchen to pour some juice. After Sofia exits, Elizabeth moves to behind the door. Gennadi enters and rinses a glass out in the sink. As he looks around, Elizabeth rushes him, plunging a knife forcefully into his throat, muting any sounds. The large man goes down to the floor; Elizabeth finishes killing him by slitting his throat. Sofia is drawn by the noise and calls, “Gennadi?” Sofia gasps as she sees Elizabeth, with Gennadi dead on the floor. Sofia attempts to run down the hall but Elizabeth plunges her knife into the back of the TASS journalist before savagely slitting her throat. Elizabeth looks down the hall to where Sofia was running. She sees Illia sleeping, he holds a stuffed monkey as the television blares a children’s program. Elizabeth glances at the newly orphaned boy before slipping out of the apartment.
Philip goes to see Paige at her apartment. She seems surprised to see him. After confirming she’s alone, Philip begins, “I remember that feeling, of being able to do that to people.” Paige notes that she’s never hit anyone before, except for Elizabeth in sparring. He asks Paige how she feels and she replies, “I don’t think I’m the same as you dad.” Here, it’s clear Paige believes what her mom has told her about Philip, that he was “too weak” for the job. “I know you’re not into what me and mom do but I am!” Philip doesn’t contradict her but looks at her inquisitively. (Little does she know her father is also a cold-blooded murderer.) Philip asks that Paige hit him. She hesitates, not wanting to hurt whom she considers the “weaker parent.” Philip assures her that he’ll be okay. In a few moves, Philip has flipped her, got her in a headlock and slammed her against the wall. He hold firm as she struggles but she’s no match for her father. She’s unwilling to “tap out.” He lets her go, whispering, “Not bad.” Philip walks down the hallway alone.
Gennadi’s flat is abuzz with police activity. Stan arrives and flashes his badge. The bodies of the deceased are being carried out. Illia, wide-eyed and tearful is still clutching his stuffed toy as a social worker leads him away from the horrific scene. (He looks eerily like a young Philip.) This was major screw-up for the FBI, why was the back alley not covered, and why was the window open? Will the agent remember seeing Elizabeth the previous night in that alleyway?
Paige arrives at Claudia’s flat. The mood is more somber than usual. “What are we doing today?” Claudia instructs Paige to take a shot of olive oil first, to coat the stomach prior to drinking to prevent the absorption of alcohol. Elizabeth stresses the importance of being “less drunk” than they are. The women proceed to take shots of vodka to test the olive oil theory.
Stan surprises Philip with a visit. Philip is pleasantly surprised, as Stan doesn’t come over as often since he’s been dating Renee. Stan confesses he’s upset about “work stuff.” Stan elaborates, “There was this old case from when I was working against the Russians, these two people just got killed. That happens sometimes but it’s always rough.” Stan feels like he failed them, noting that they were supposed to be relocating the couple but instead they got murdered, their seven-year-old found them covered in blood. Philip knows this was Elizabeth. He pretends he’s merely shocked by the grisly details of the crime. Stan notes he had just been watching hockey with the man…
Claudia talks about her sexual history, first with her husband, then when he died, a Red Army soldier in return for half his rations. Elizabeth notes how they starved during the war, and “ate rats.” Paige asks her mom about her first time, Elizabeth is coy, stating only that she was much younger than her daughter the first time. She tells a story of a boy who mistook her intimate area for the couch cushions! Despite all the tension, they all have a good laugh about long lost lovers.
Philip calls Kimmie from a payphone. “The reason I’m calling you is because do you remember when you told me I was stuck? You were right, I can’t go meet you in Greece.” Kimmie is confused and distraught. Philip continues, “I care about you a lot and I can’t keep doing this to you. Not as friends, not as anything” Here again it's demonstrated that even though Kimmie and Philip’s relationship isn’t based on truth, it contains truth. He can’t go through with the plan to blackmail her father. Kimmie says, “Something is wrong with you.” Philip agrees but states he has to move on. Philip does something he’s never done before. “Kimmie, when you’re in Greece if somebody tries to get you to go to a communist country with them don’t go, go to Greece, stay in Greece and then come home.” Obviously, Kimmie can’t understand why he’s telling her this. Philip hangs up mournfully.
This extended hour was an emotional and tense one. Paige appears to be struggling to assert her individual identity even at the risk of losing her mom's approval. Philip wants to ensure that Paige will be able to handle the parts of the job that Elizabeth hasn't disclosed. Stan continues to be haunted by his work in counter-intelligence. Oleg remains at risk while in America. What can he expect to accomplish? Elizabeth seems devoid of any trace of humanity as she tries to blindly keep following orders.
Next week the fecal matter continues to hit the oscillating device! Dennis summons Stan downstairs, “Every time I go downstairs, someone ends up dead.” Claudia speaks about an operation in Chicago. Philip and Oleg appear to be up to things. Dennis tells Stan, “We are going to get the Russians here and we’re Russians all over the country, it’s going to happen fast.” This season is happening almost too fast as we are already nearer the half-way point.
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