It's hard to judge a show three episodes after its inception, but I can say I like the direction The Americans is heading in. Its darkest episode airing last night, we saw Philip and Elizabeth dealing with the aftermath of their partner Robert's death, who died in the pilot. It turns out he has a wife and kid that he never told them about. After a clever diversion set up by a gang of Russia-friendly Americans led by Gregory (Derek Luke), they get Robert's wife Joyce and her kid to a secure location.
Gregory the character is obviously a one-and-done sort of guy, but he was a clever tool, a measuring stick of sorts to judge what Philip and Elizabeth each think of their "marriage." Gregory and Elizabeth have been lovers for years, but Elizabeth tells him she's breaking it off because she wants to make her marriage with Philip, which was never real in the first place, work. To rattle his cage, once in the hideaway, Gregory reveals his and Elizabeth's past, imploring Philip to let her go and give her a chance at real love with him. Philip is an interesting character, in that he's way more in love with Elizabeth than vice versa and he also appears to be somewhat sensitive, even while being a extremely competent and sometimes intimidating spy.
The heart-to-heart in the kitchen at the end with Elizabeth and Philip is the best acting scene in the series yet. While it's painful for Philip to hear that she never felt that spark with him in the beginning, he can be hopeful that she's feeling it now. As for poor Joyce, I had a very bad feeling once E & P turned her and her kid over to Margo Martindale (pictured). Clearly, the KGB doesn't take any chances with family members who may even have a slight hint of sensitive information, and Joyce, probably innocent, was killed while Robert's heir is sent back to Russia to live with his grandparents.
I'm excited to see how this real marriage keeps blooming since they both seem to keep sleeping with people for information. And I'm guessing, sooner or later, our couple is going to run into the Russian woman now working for their neighbor, the Fed.
-Rex
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