Note: Do not read on if you have not seen Season 2, Episode 5 of FX's The Americans, titled "Behind the Red Door."
Wig count: 5. The most interesting being the one that Philip dons as Clark... for Elizabeth. Her girl talk with Martha made her curious to see what the 'animal' in bed was like. But they're in a dirty hotel, and Clark does it like all of the jerks in the world. Just when things were getting good -- it feels like he assaults her. They end with her curled in the he ended, sobbing, him in the bathroom, ripping off the wig. It's a shot in stark contrast to one earlier in the hour, with her lying naked next to him, fully clothed, after a nice evening together.
Best one-liner: 'Good night, Mr. President.' Lucia, the rookie spy Elizabeth helped out a few episodes back is called into help Elizabeth get into the office of a congressman in order to expose the situation in Nicaruaga that Larick is a part of. Acting on Elizabeth's advice, sort of, Lucia lets the congressional aide have her over the desk and under a portrait of Reagan, while Elizabeth sneaks in behind them. But while the girls recap their mission, and talk of fighting for 'dignity for all,' Elizabeth gives her an extra lesson. It's strange to watch her and the young woman, there's a lot going on with female on female dynamics and girls breaking bad with boys. Elizabeth talks the girl into giving it up -- then killing -- for the cause, as she grapples with Philip and her family, and bad Clark sex. And also working with Larick and Granny. Then Claudia admits that she was involved with someone who may be Emmet and Leanne's murderer. Sex might be a good tool in the spy biz, but it certainly wrecks just as much as it helps.
Lessons learned: Everything is getting very complicated. Beeman and Agent Gaade are at odds. Beeman's making Nina take a polygraph and meeting with Oleg. The FBI is starting to scan documents into the intranet and no one knows that means. Arkady and Oleg are getting along. And the Jennings thought they could talk the center into protecting them, by offering Larick. Instead, they have to expose the mission he's on. Again and again Moscow makes them work for it. And no matter how adorable the new handler is, 'dignity for all' is starting to get very blurry. If it turns out that Granny's man was the one who's out to get them -- was that goodbye for good?
Also, Paige has a Rick Springfield poster I need, immediately.
What did you think? Talk to me in the comments or tweet me @karenfratti.
"The Americans" airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on FX.