Everything is not all right in Paigeland.
Warning: Full spoilers for the episode below.
I’m not sure if I’ll have time to review every episode of The Americans this season and it’s likely some weeks, even if I do, I’ll need to keep them on the short side. All of which is to say, here’s some quick thoughts on Season 5’s second episode!
Paige’s situation just keeps getting more complicated in more compelling ways. The discovery that she’s distraught enough to be sleeping in her closet sometimes was heartbreaking – but of course Philip and Elizabeth barely had time to worry about that once Stan revealed he’d noticed something was wrong with her.
I loved the demented Americans version of “the sex talk” Philip and Elizabeth then had with Paige. Which wasn’t, “Make sure you’re ready” or, “Be sure and use protection,” but basically, “Don’t tell him we’re Russian spies.” Paige in the meantime denied that she and Matthew were having sex, after a scene that seemed to imply they were about to. But perhaps the show is leaving that moment (and her decision) a private one - and hell, Paige deserves some privacy at this point.
A great transition in this episode was Stan asking if Paige was okay cutting to Paige training to fight with Elizabeth – a very visceral underlining that no, Stan, no she isn’t.
So… who else thinks Stan’s new potential love interest Renee could be a spy? The fact that she’s played by a notable guest star (The Walking Dead’s Laurie Holden) and Stan telling Philip “she’s like a female you” both had me wondering. Especially in an episode that once more showed just how skilled Philip is at acting casual and buddy-buddy with Stan.
Stan trying so hard to stop Oleg from being pulled back in by the US government was a great storyline for him. The two may have been connected by their mutual love of Nina (and Stan may have fears of that relationship causing problems) but his insistence that Oleg was a good guy who should be left alone also felt genuine. The fact that they not only ignored him but even used his name to connect to Oleg was terrible to see unfold.
Lastly… wow on Elizabeth and those bugs that helped give this episode its title! The way she stayed so calm in the face of such a horrific scenario was an awesome display of just how well trained she is. Keri Russell was terrific showing this calmness take over in the moment and then her disgust/fear unloading later as she took that shower.
The Verdict
The situation with the Jennings and the Beemans has been a powder keg since The Americans began, but it’s never been more dangerous (and thus exciting) than it is now – even while the two families are closer than ever. Meanwhile, we’re learning how Oleg’s story is in fact tied back to Stan (and why it’s worth still following Oleg’s story), as much as Stan wishes it weren’t.
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