Note: Do not read on if you have not seen Season 2, Episode 7 of FX's The Americans, titled "New Car."
Wig count: 3 and one scar
Best one-liner: "Don't you like any of this?" Phillip finally pulls the trigger on a white Camaro and is as American as ever. It promotes a battle with Elizabeth -- she can't bring herself to admit that her house is comfortable, she had nice things, and things are kind of easy here. For her, it's all about work. Not so for Philip. He does kind of like it here. Remember he was talking about defecting last season? That's not entirely off of the table.
Elizabeth's dedication to the cause is in that ark contrast not just to Philip's but others on her team. Anton is back in Russia and forced to help Moscow make sense of the bugged Arpanet. But he's pining for his family and his adopted country. A mentor there is similarly nostalgic for the States, but ready to take whatever Mother Russia bestows upon him.
Likewise, Nina and Oleg, still glowing with sexual tension, are letting themselves have a little fun with American games, too. I used to think Elizabeth was wound too tight, but she's probably onto something. If you start get used to the perks, it's more of a shock when they send you 'home.' The things -- the food, the shoes, the air conditioners -- can only corrupt you.
Lessons Learned: Revenge is a serious thing. Lucia heads over to Laric's to kill him for training the men whi killed her father. But he ties her up, calls Elizabeth and makes a deal. Elizabeth lets him strangle her in return his own freedom. He goes to Nicaragua, passes along signals to the Jennings, and never has to deal with th KGB again. He, too, doesn't want to come out on the wrong side.
After learning that he picked up dummy plans for a sub that ended up sinking 160 Russians, Philip's Camaro loses it's sparkle, and it's hard to talk to Stan. Martha asks to stop being a snitch for him, and at first he's too nice to tell her what her bosses really think. Will the American's sneaky ways get to him? They're getting to Stan. His request for a code word clearance to get Oleg more info for Nina is denied. The bureaucracy and uselessness of it all might start to turn him.
Everyone's doubting where they are and why: Philip won't let Elizabeth kill a truck driver, Arkady is thinking about responsibility, Stan's pounding car doors, and only Oleg seems optimistic about the KGB's Chances if coming out on top.
What do you think Henry's deal is? Why break into the neighbors house -- because they have nicer things? Or do B&E's run in the family? And what's up with Sandra and her self help cult? I feel like there has to be a reason they keep inserting her into a scene to talk about it.
Let me know what you think in the comments or tweet me @karenfratti.
"The Americans" airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on FX.