“Stealth” was The Americans doing what The Americans does best, showing the nitty-gritty side of the Cold War, as well as its devastating personal effects. When most people think of the Cold War, they probably think of the Bay of Pigs and Rocky IV. But The Americans thinks of a philanderer going through a painful separation from his wife, or of a daughter’s estrangement from her parents, or of a son losing his place in the world after his family is murdered. After last week’s decent but frustrating “Yousaf,” “Stealth” was the best The Americans has been in a while.
One thing “Stealth” does well that “Yousaf” didn’t was follow up on plot points we’re already familiar with. For instance, Paige still wants to go to Bible camp, and Elizabeth still doesn’t want to let her. She’s worried about “indoctrination” – which is something she should know about. She’s been a KGB agent almost her entire life. Paige is, for all intents and purposes, part of her mission. She acts cold towards her own daughter, but much warmer towards Jared, who she goes to visit after Philip told her that Stan had already been there. After leaving, she follows Jared, only to find him having lunch with their handler Kate. I liked this development a lot; it shows a more human side to the agency that last season took a mother’s baby away from her and then put her in a van to go get killed.
Philip, meanwhile, meets with Fred (John Carroll Lynch, who I wish was given more to do), who tells him to find John Skeevers, who can help him with the titular computer program. Skeevers was fired after blaming his cancer on the government, so to win him over Philip has to act like a similarly-styled nutjob, which he does with aplomb by donning my favorite disguise yet (see banner picture). Veteran character actor Zeljko Ivanek plays Skeevers as if he’s been doing it for years. He hits the right notes of wingnut conspiracy theorist and brain cancer sufferer. I hope we see more of him; the casting is honestly perfect.
And now we come to Larrick, who, as Kate promised, is very dangerous. He’s now firmly crossed over into Big Bad territory. That man he killed last week, who I referred to as the Phone Man, was actually called George, and he handled communications for the Centre’s operatives. Now he’s snuck into Kate’s house with the same fell intentions. After a pretty brutal fight scene, he subdues and interrogates her. When she gives him nothing, he breaks her neck, in a shot made all the more sickening for how much it resembles an embrace. Director Gregory Hoblit (Primal Fear, Frequency) absolutely nails this whole sequence.
At the episode’s end, Philip and Elizabeth search Kate’s apartment and find nothing but a note, written in code: “Get Jared out.” Consider the clock ticking.
A Few Thoughts
– Nathan Barr’s music was especially good tonight. Subtle and sinister, it felt like it snuck up on the viewer
– Nina will stand trial for treason if she can’t get Stan to betray his country outright by giving up information about Stealth. I think poor Stan is about to be turned, whether he knows it or not
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