A Mysterious Newspaper Ad and a Former Lover. Retrospective: The Americans - "Gregory"

Season 1, Episode 3

Air Date: Wednesday, February 13, 2013, 10 pm ET/PT on FX

Rating: ★★★★★

Margo Martindale as Claudia aka “Granny.”

Stan’s (Noah Emmerich) recruitment of Nina (Annet Mahendru) pays off big time when she tells him about the wife of a recently discovered dead Directorate S operative’. In the meantime, Philip (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth (Keri Russell) learn about the same woman via a newspaper ad, purportedly placed by Robert (Chase Coleman), their former Soviet partner, and Elizabeth uses former lover Gregory (Derek Luke) to track the woman down. Last, but certainly not least, Emmy® winner Margo Martindale joins the cast as Claudia, the Jennings’ new handler. And what a welcome addition she is.

Observations:

Tit for tat is the game Nina is playing when she offers up information to Stan about Joyce Ramirez (Audrey Esparza), the widow of the Soviet operative who died in the series premiere. I can’t wait to see what she’s going to want in return, and whether the FBI will keep its end of the bargain—collateral damage and all that. Needless to say, FBI Head Agent Gaad (Richard Thomas) immediately orders a team to surveil the woman. Thomas impresses me with his portrayal of Gaad, playing him as a no-nonsense, take-no-prisoners kind of guy. I’m wondering, since we’ve only seen his brusque business side, if we’ll get to see Gaad in a home environment, and whether he’ll be any different. I certainly hope so.

Gregory is part of an intricate sting to get to Joyce before the FBI does.

It’s fascinating how director Thomas Schlamme takes a simple city street scene and makes all of the people on that street look guilty of something merely by using tremulous sounds in the background music, and a camera darting back and forth among these seemingly innocent people who all appear to be behaving furtively. From the woman on the park bench holding a baby, to the man in the restaurant window reading a newspaper, everyone appears suspicious. But it’s not only the FBI watching Joyce. Were you as shocked as Philip and Elizabeth to learn Robert had been living in Philadelphia with a wife and child? They were astounded by Robert’s secretiveness, and now they need to know exactly what he told Joyce about them and their mission in the States. Needless to say, they’re not the only ones with a stake in what she might have to say.

We get a good look at what makes Elizabeth tick when she has second thoughts about her marriage to Philip, telling Gregory, “Things are, uh, changing at home between me and Philip.” It must be difficult not to develop feelings for the man who is your husband by demand, not choice, when you spend 24/7 together, although this is the first time Elizabeth acknowledges her feelings for Philip. It is telling when Gregory explains his past relationship with Elizabeth to Philip, a scene I particularly enjoyed. Not only does Luke do a great job emoting, but Rhys does, too, when his character keeps his thoughts in check with a simple clenching of the jaw. I feel bad for Gregory because his feelings for Elizabeth are now unrequited. It’s no secret Philip doesn’t like him, as we see when Gregory offers his opinion concerning Joyce’s future. How can someone have such deep feelings for one woman and want to kill another without blinking an eye?

Elizabeth does her best to calm a very frightened Joyce.

How could anyone not empathize with Joyce when she comes to the realization that her husband was a spy, and wonders whether Philip and Elizabeth are there to kill her and her baby? What a frightening thought, but I don’t fault her for thinking what she does. Despite Elizabeth’s reassurances to the contrary, isn’t that a possibility? I mean, how can the Soviets possibly risk having an American woman know about their existence on U.S. soil?

Outside Joyce’s apartment, a woman lurks but doesn’t go unseen. It’s Claudia and she’s keeping close tabs on the Jennings because that’s how she operates. Something tells me that’s not going to sit so well with Philip, especially when he remembers seeing her in the diner when breakfasting with Paige (Holly Taylor). Don’t let that sweet face fool you, Claudia is as ruthless as they come. The Cold War is escalating, and, according to her, the Americans are developing a “new technology, one that could put our nuclear arsenal at risk.” And, apparently, Robert was about to “buy intel” from an American contact when he died. Hopefully, that information is contained on the piece of paper Robert told Joyce to give Philip should anything happen to him.

Additional thoughts:

“I’ll win any way I can.” I think Philip is talking about more than the handball game he’s playing with Stan when “Gregory” opens. They have an intriguing rapport, although it isn’t explored further in this episode, much to my chagrin.

Claudia, aka Granny, watches as Philip and Paige have breakfast.

When I first saw Claudia in the diner, observing Philip and his daughter Paige (Holly Taylor), I was intrigued by her nonchalant manner. I thought as a Directorate S operative she would be more bold and brash. Little did I know, at that point, Claudia was only watching them to get a feel for how Philip acts. She certainly wasn’t nonchalant from that moment forward.

One of the things The Americans does well is insert a bit of levity into each episode. In “Gregory,” it’s Philip calling Claudia “Granny.” Granted, she’s older than he but he doesn’t have to be so rude about it! It did give me quite a chuckle, and I wonder whether he’ll ever call her that to her face. I’d love to see that reaction!

In the latter part of “Gregory,” my heart goes out to Philip when he questions Elizabeth about lying to him for the past 15 years while telling Gregory the truth about her marriage to him. It is absolutely gut wrenching and Rhys is to be commended for his stellar acting.

Memorable Line:

Claudia to Philip when first meeting: “Just think of me as Gabriel, only prettier.”

As Philip goes in search of the intel, one can only hope the plans he receives are fake. And with a heart-pounding foot chase, it’s frightening to realize how easily Soviet spies slip in and out of our lives.

Tune in to The Americans, Wednesdays, 10 pm ET/PT, only on FX.

LIKE The Americans on Facebook, and follow the show on Twitter. Visit the show’s official website for fun things to do, download wallpaper, and watch exclusive videos and more.

You may also want to follow the actors on Twitter: Philip @MatthewRhys, Stan Beeman @NoahEmmerich, Chris Amador @maxitois4real (Max Hernandez).

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Linda

Love TV, movies, and books--mostly mysteries, with a good love story thrown in every now and then. I have four adopted dogs who I adore. I love trying new recipes, and enjoy eating what I make. English language perfectionist. Reading in bed, Italian food, warm weather, the beach, all types of games = favs!