The Americans - S6E6 - Rififi

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Previously on The Americans, “The Great Patriotic War”

This episode’s “Previously on” voiceover was done by Henry. And the episode just got better from there.

“It’s going to happen fast”

The FBI is making connections and they, of course, need Stan’s help. And Stan, like his buddy Oleg, can’t resist the good fight.

Aderholt & co has made the connection between Gennadi, the sensors, and the warehouse break-in. They bring up the alleged suicide of the genera and a Russian Orthodox Priest. These have one thing in common, one person in common. Person not appearing at Thanksgiving dinner.

Claudia unwittingly is throwing her adoptive daughter into the fire. Elizabeth can’t afford to get caught and lest she forget, she has that cyanide necklace to remind her. Given her track record as of late, she’s in big trouble. She tries drawing to calm her. She tries calling her son, an act as close as she can get to asking for help. Help is on the way but will she only succeed in dragging it down with her?

“I know how it is when work gets in the way”

Elizabeth and Philip come clean and have it out. To an extent. She admits to killing Sofia and Gennadi. He confesses to willfully slamming the door shut on the Kimmy Plot (thank goodness). He is wounded. She is disgusted.

Philip montages to Ideas as Opiates by Tears for Fears, searching Elizabeth’s hiding places and leaves a coded message (which Oleg decodes with aftershave). This is understandable from Philip’s point of view. He’s fighting for “peace and freedom,” but it did feel like a flagrant violation of trust.

After some out-the-mouth-of-babes talk from Henry, Philip calls Elizabeth. If Elizabeth will not come home, Muhammad must go to the mountain. Despite a little hand-waving betrayal (and what is a little betrayal in this marriage?), he loves his wife. And he needs a win. Jennings reunited? Will it feel so good?

She has a nice life, right?

Hypocritical Mom: Taking a page out of Paige’s book (sorry couldn’t resist), Elizabeth sidles up to a hipster intern for a much needed in/win. For those of us still cringing after last week, we’re (hopefully) saved from some icky honey trapping. But she did try. The mark is lured in with a juicy career prospect.

Neglectful Mom: Elizabeth offers her son a smoke to his horror. Later she calls him and Henry finds it as awkward as we do.

“You’re an adult now. I don’t have to hide things from you, anymore.”

Yeah right.

Dead Mom: Yikes! Let’s hope not. But she’s thinking about it.

“Everything is fine”

Henry is home. His presence lightened the dark morass of the Jennings’ household and provided an audience surrogate/Greek chorus. But more than that, he actually contributed to the plot. Henry is truly a child born in a capitalistic society. He’s willing to work for his tuition and offers help for his father’s flailing (but not failing) business. Henry knows it’s all in who you know. If anyone succeeds at the end of this show, it will be Henry.

Philip, on the other hand, is coming apart at the seams and he’s starting to look as bad as Elizabeth. Philip is not good at not being good. His pride takes a hit from his son and he is forced to let go some of his long-time employees. He’s also subject to his wife’s scathing condemnation. Philip is losing control and spinning off track. F-bomb drop. How’s that for symbolism?

The Feels

• Feel goods: Stan and Henry! Mail Robot!
• Feel mehs: Rene is going for that pay cut and joining the FBI. Surely, there’s not enough time for her to be a spy, right? So… why? Why is everyone asking Henry about his lack of love life? There’s more to life than girls. Geeeez.
• Feel blahs: Stan talks about peace and freedom. Hard to hear in this political climate. “We should be willing to fight to hold onto them.” Preach. But not about Reagan.

I’m getting nervous in a very good way. This show always does complex relationships well, but sometimes it sags a bit in plot. Not so here. Nothing momentous happened. It was the first bloodless episode this season. But we see the inevitable end rushing fast to meet us and I’m not sure I’m prepared. I don’t know how it will go down and the anticipation is making my mouth water. Plus: Henry talking to Stan (despite Rene, the Cousin Oliver of The Americans) and Mail Robot lightens and brightens.