This hour was gripping and emotional punctuated by brutal action sequences. The spoken dialogue was not as important as what the characters were choosing not to say. The title’s name comes from the FBI’s codename for the illegal they are tracking in Chicago but it served as an organizing concept for the hour’s themes. Philip travels to assist Elizabeth in the extraction or “harvesting” of their spy to safety. Dennis has gleaned a cornucopia of information through “Harvest” about the techniques and practices by covert agents all over the country. Stan harvests the seeds of doubt he’s held for many years regarding Philip and Elizabeth. The final season has tipped over the halfway mark and the tension continues to rise as each minute unfolds.
The hour begins with Philip paying a visit to Stan’s where Henry has been enjoying some Thanksgiving leftovers. Philip explains how he has to leave for Texas immediately to help Elizabeth with a “difficult client.” Stan agrees to look after Henry by providing him company and meals until he needs to travel back to his boarding school. When Philip says he has to leave Henry seems unfazed, he’s more eager to watch Police Academy with Stan. Stan follows Philip outside, “Is something going on?” Philip tries to appear casual but Stan notes, “I’m good with these things, knowing when someone is not telling me something.” Stan elaborates that’s he’s noticed how late they work and stressed Philip appears. Stan pushes, “Are you involved in something? You can trust me.” Philip explains his troubles as related to the travel agency, stating that he fears it may be failing. Stan extends his friendship and states that he’ll be there for Philip. The men embrace before parting. Stan accepts this story on the surface but one can also sense that his professional investigative intuition is that something else is causing Philip’s distress.
Philip arrives in Chicago, with a goatee and blonde wig he resembles an older Shaggy of Scooby Doo fame. He enters the Edison Park Hotel where Elizabeth is staying. Despite the phone call, she’s surprised that Philip came to help her with the extraction; she looks younger than usual in long-sleeved white t-shirt and acid wash jeans. Elizabeth suggests that they go out to eat. The couple eats Chicago style hot dogs in silence. Later in the privacy of the hotel room, the couple can finally speak freely. Philip states that Stan was “giving him a hard time” before he left but he thinks Stan believes that their problems are all about the travel business. Elizabeth hopes that Stan will not continue to be curious. Elizabeth takes Philip’s hand as they fall asleep.
The next day wearing their respective disguises Elizabeth shows Philip the location where they hope to grab the man despite his heavy FBI surveillance. Philip is concerned about the tight timeline of approximately thirty seconds. Elizabeth can’t think of a safer alternative but adds, “I feel a lot better about our chances with you here.”
Stan drives Henry to the bus station, apologizing for not being able to bring him all the way to his boarding school. Henry discusses his wealthy friend Brandon. His best friend, like most of his fellow classmates, are much wealthier than the Jennings’. Henry theorizes it might be nice to have a mom like his friend, at his “beck and call.” Stan says that might “get old” for the teenager and tries to defend the Jennings’ by saying, “Work has a way of getting in the way.” Henry doesn’t think it’s normal how hard his mom works, especially her missing the Thanksgiving meal. Henry is frustrated with both parents, “I don’t know why I even bother coming home for the holidays.” Henry does understand his parents are having problems with the business. Stan probes, “Does this kind of thing happen a lot?” Henry has grown accustomed to the fact that business comes first for his parents. “When they get a phone call in the middle of the night they run off to work, you’d think they were brain surgeons.” (Although Stan has observed some of this activity, Henry has just confirmed their unusual schedule.) Stan asks about other relatives but Henry has never met any other family member, even “Aunt Helen.” Stan remembers that incident from years ago. It’s clear Stan has been thinking about the lives of the illegals, not having any other family certainly raises his suspicions. Henry adds philosophically, “It’s important to take care of family when the chips are down.” Stan ponders these details in a new way as they drive on.
Back at the hotel, Philip expresses his doubts that they will be able to pull off this mission. Elizabeth tells Philip about her trip to Mexico City in October and vaguely describes the top-secret mission. She reveals the spy they are extracting is working on the same project. She shows Philip the locket containing the cyanide capsule. Neither Elizabeth or this man can be taken alive and that's part of the reason she's been sent. Philip is understandably concerned, but Elizabeth has explicit instructions not to tell him because he “quit.” Philip requests the tablet so that he can flush it down the toilet. Elizabeth refuses. He wonders why she showed him then, “You’re always asking me to tell you things. So I told you.” Despite her hardness, Elizabeth wanted to explain her mission to at least one other person. (Even Claudia is not privy to it.) The couple looks at each other intently.
The van arrives at a parking garage. Elizabeth quickly unlocks and tries to start a large sedan. Philip drags Marilyn’s body out of the van and eyes a fire ax mounted on a nearby wall. Philip breaks the glass to remove the ax. Elizabeth recognizes Philip’s purpose and exits the car to assist him. Philip removes Marilyn’s hands with Elizabeth helping to stabilize her arms. Philip hesitates a moment before beginning to decapitate Marilyn. A woman walks briskly to her Volvo and speeds away listening to pop music, oblivious to the horrific scene. Philip looks down at Marilyn between blows, her wig lies several feet away. It takes three strikes to detach her head. (This is graphic but realistic; the fire ax would not be sharp enough for this task.) Once the grizzly task is complete, Elizabeth and Philip quickly change clothes. They place the old clothes and Harvest’s empty locket into a duffle bag. Elizabeth gathers up the head and hands in a blanket and stuffs it in the bag as well before she places it the trunk of the car.
Stan visits Dennis in his office. Dennis is distraught. He shows Stan the crime scene photos of the agents Harvest shot. He notes Harvest was found in the van but without her head and hands, it's unlikely they will ever identify the woman. (Marilyn) Dennis sighs, “You were right, all of it. You said everything we do turns to shit! And now we got two of our guys dead and no illegal.” Stan tries to offer Dennis some hope but Dennis shrugs, “I don’t need it.”
Pattie Smith’s “Broken Flag” plays as over a montage of the fallout from the Harvest incident. Philip and Elizabeth speed away in silence. Dennis fills his team on details they’ve learned about the people involved with the extraction attempt. Stan asks, “When are we getting sketches?” The song is mournful, “Nodding through the lights down low, nodding for the passers underground. To and fro she’s darning and the land is weeping red and pale.” Elizabeth exits the car and pulls out the incriminating duffle bag of body parts. She places bricks inside the bag before chucking the Marilyn’s remains into the deep dark water. Philip looks on as the song continues, “In the sky a broken flag.” Stan pulls into his driveway and looks at the empty Jennings’ home. The song ends.
Stan walks across the street. He notices the terra cotta pot filled with cigarette butts stained with Elizabeth’s lipstick. After a moment, he jimmies open the door. He walks around in the dark, staring at the photos on the wall of the “happy family” as if seeing it for the first time. Stan replays words spoken by William as he lay dying from poisoning. William narrates, “A couple of kids, the American dream, never suspect them. She’s pretty, he’s lucky…” Stan looks through Paige’s room, noting the cross necklace she no longer wears. He spends very little time in Henry’s room, perhaps not wanting to invade the privacy of the boy he views as a second son. Stan looks around the laundry room, he unscrews a light bulb and peers in the washer. He opens the fuse box, which contains a secret compartment but Stan doesn’t find it. Stan looks around the garage, he enters their sedan. Although he hasn’t found anything concrete, the activities in Chicago coupled with their mysterious flight out-of-state has piqued his senses.
Elizabeth and Philip are disguised as a middle-aged couple on the flight home. Their recent experiences and stress allow them to pull off the grey wigs. Philip looks on as Elizabeth sketches the plane’s window. “Someone’s making me learn.” She explains.
Once at home, Philip calls Henry at school even before removing his jacket. It’s clear he’s remorseful about abandoning Henry. Henry doesn’t seem that concerned about his parents having long grown accustomed to their absences. After the call, Elizabeth states she has to leave again for work. She's especially busy ahead of the summit which is to occur the following week. She touches Philip’s face before she leaves. Is she thanking him or is it because she fears she may not return home?
Elizabeth is at Erica’s bedside. Erica channels her agony by trying to teach art to Elizabeth. Erica looks at Elizabeth’s sketches and asks, “Why did you draw this?” Erica wants Elizabeth to “bring herself into” the work. Through her pain, she tries to explain that Elizabeth needs to “get out of her own way” to let the art come through. Erica is exasperated; she refuses medication, “Shut up, I need to work!” In this sense, Elizabeth can relate to the terminally ill woman, only the “work” is important in the end.
The vault at the FBI continues to buzz with activity. Dennis rubs his temples while gazing at a wall of the crime scene photos from Chicago. Stan offers to get Dennis some coffee. It’s clear Dennis has been living at work recently. Stan brings Dennis a box of documents. “Six years ago we had a team on a woman in Philly, the wife of an illegal that got killed.” The woman was Elizabeth, would Stan be able to recognize her from an old sketch and in a disguise?
Elizabeth arrives at the travel agency to visit Philip. “Thought you were working?” Philip asks. Elizabeth says she wanted to “check on him” after what she saw on his face in the garage in Chicago. Philip remains silent. Elizabeth says she’s going to Paige’s later to explain the events in Chicago. Philip discloses that he’s had to fire three people in order to save the business.
Paige asks her mother if the mission in Chicago was successful. “No, it didn’t go well. He died, Marilyn too.” Elizabeth is vague regarding the details but states Marilyn was shot. She states her father is fine. Elizabeth says although rare, death can happen in their line of work. “You’re going to have to make a decision, commit to this work or get out! Because sometimes this is what we have to do, it’s not easy and it doesn’t always end well but it’s a commitment you have to make for life!”
Paige explains she doesn’t really have any friends. She doesn't relate to the liberal-minded people at the university, she feels like they are blind to the truth. Whether it's religion or politics the desire to belong is a powerful pull. Paige will commit to her mother's "faith" to experience the feeling of belonging to a very exclusive club. Paige states she’s not afraid of death as much as being alone. She hopes to meet someone like her father to someday to share the work. (Sadly, Paige's relationship with Matthew was probably the last chance she had at an honest relationship.) Elizabeth disparages Philip, “He made a mistake when he committed to this life, he was young, younger than you.” It’s frustrating after all that Philip’s done for Elizabeth she still hates him for “quitting.” Elizabeth says this work has to be forever. Paige affirms her commitment to the work. Elizabeth says forcefully, “Then it’s time for you to apply for an internship at the State Department!” Paige walks away alone.
Philip sits alone in the living room. He remembers Father Andrei marrying them in secret. What does his commitment mean to him now? That image ends this week’s episode.
The grim reaper was busy this episode harvesting operatives on both sides. Paige is deemed ready for her first assignment in the State Department. Does Elizabeth hope to have her in place prior to the Reagan-Gorbachev summit? Oleg was absent for this episode, is Philip still thinking of betraying Elizabeth to help him?
The preview of upcoming events shows the counter-intelligence team looking at series of sketches with Dennis noting, “They’re either all the same people or all different people.” Philip looks at a drawer of disguises and passports, “They tell us what to do and we do it, that’s how it works, but WE do it, not them so it’s on us.” A montage of Philip and Elizabeth’s past atrocities are shown. Jackson, the film noir enthusiast from Sam Nunn’s office reaches out to Elizabeth. A photo of Elizabeth without a disguise appears to be in FBI possession! Elizabeth tells Philip she knows what she’s doing. Phillip asks, “Do you?” After this week’s installment, I predict that the final hours of the series will continue to be a nail-biting ride until the finale.
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