The Americans – “Martial Eagle” Review. Guilt Can Do Strange Things.

Season 2, Episode 9

Air Date: Wednesday, April 23, 2014, 10 pm ET/PT on FX

Rating: ★★★★★

“I don’t need the speech. I know it’s war. It’s just easier for you.” – Philip

Philip watches the training exercises. Photo credit: Patrick Harbron/FX.

Philip watches the training exercises at Martial Eagle. Photo credit: Patrick Harbron/FX.

Guilt plays a large role in this week’s episode of The Americans. “Martial Eagle” is a very powerful episode, leaving you glued to the screen more than once during the 70 minutes it’s on. Things don’t go as planned for Philip (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth (Keri Russell) at Martial Eagle, the training camp for Nicaraguans, which has a profound effect on both of them. FBI Agent Stan Beeman (Noah Emmerich) addresses his guilt during “Martial Eagle” as well, on top of dealing with a heartbreaking turn of events with his wife Sandra (Susan Misner). Guilt can do strange things to people, as we see in this ninth installment of The Americans.

Things Go Horribly Awry

Philip and Elizabeth discuss the mission before putting their plans into action.
Photo credit: Patrick Harbron/FX

If you remember, in last week’s episode, “New Car,” Philip stopped Elizabeth from killing Lewis (guest star Graham Winton), the truck driver whose vehicle is crucial to their gaining entry to Martial Eagle. Philip has a conscience, which we have seen come into play many times since The Americans first aired on January 30, 2013. While it is interesting that Philip doesn’t think twice about killing people during missions, he can’t seem to get over finding Lewis dead, especially after reassuring Elizabeth last week no one would find the man.

Caught in Another Lie

Philip’s guilt and resulting anger come into play when he and the rest of the family attend church for “Youth Day” at Paige’s (Holly Taylor) request. As a matter of fact, Philip spends almost the entire episode in a state of anger. I thought perhaps he might actually listen to Pastor Tim’s (guest star Kelly Aucoin) speech but Philip is too wrapped up in his own culpability to pay much attention. Not only does he take his anger out on young Henry (Keidrich Sellati), he has a violent reaction to learning about another of Paige’s lies. Yes, once again, Paige is caught in a lie—well, it’s really a sin of omission— but you know it isn’t going to sit well with her parents. Rhys’ acting is stellar in his scene with Taylor, where Philip becomes livid with Paige for the disrespect she shows her parents. For a moment, I thought Rhys was so caught up with his character, he was going to lose control and harm Taylor physically. The way Philip rips pages out of Paige’s Bible is fury personified.

Elizabeth, on the other hand, deals with Paige’s lying in a completely different manner. When Paige inquires about her punishment, Elizabeth responds, “You want to be a grown up? You want to spend money the way you want? Being a grown up means doing things you don’t want to do…all the time. It means working when you are exhausted and almost never getting what you want when you want it. Your father and I never had a childhood. Nothing came easy for us…ever. You are so lucky, Paige.” Is Elizabeth truly talking about Paige here or is she referring to herself?

Project Harvey

Stan finally succeeds in getting “code word clearance” for the top secret DOD (Department of Defense) files he wanted in order to find out more about why the Russians kidnapped Anton Baklanov (Michael Aronov). It’s obvious he feels responsible for Agent Gaad (Richard Thomas) possibly losing his job, and is trying to make up for it any way he can. I get the feeling, though, he is letting his DOD access go to his head when questioning the other scientists who worked on “Project Harvey,” the nickname for the Stealth program. There is always a certain amount of believability to The Americans but the naiveté of those scientists doesn’t ring true for me. I know if I found out the Russians had kidnapped a fellow scientist, I’d be more willing to cooperate with Stan and give him the information he seeks more so than the scientists initially are.

Stan certainly knows what he’s talking about when he explains what the KGB does to get people to cooperate with them. I wonder whether he is thinking about his own betrayal when talking to Fred (guest star John Carroll Lynch), who, unbeknownst to him, has already been turned by Emmett Connors (Jeremy Davidson) in the beginning of season two.

Stan: “Look, I don’t know how they will approach you but I am sure they will.”

Fred: “Alright. But let me assure you, Agent Beeman, I would never betray my country.”

Stan: “No one ever imagines they will.”

Is that ironic or what? I found myself feeling sorry for Stan in that moment but truth be told, he got himself into this situation so he has no one to blame but himself.

Extra-Marital Affairs

Unfortunately, while Stan may be getting closer to reaching his goal at work, things at home are quickly unraveling. Since the news about Misner being made a regular on The Americans, I have wondered where she’s been. We are nine episodes in and until now, she hasn’t had a lot to do this season. So, with Sandra announcing her weekend getaway to Stan, one can only wonder how much longer Misner will be on the show. It certainly appears she and Stan are headed for divorce. I must say Stan has a set of balls on him with the manner in which he handles this news of Sandra leaving town for the weekend with someone she recently met. While he questions her about the possibility of a divorce, he’s having an affair of his own so how can he possibly be outraged? He should be feeling relieved, don’t you think?

First Encounter

Perhaps the most interesting scene in “Martial Eagle” is the conversation that takes place between Agent Gaad and Arkady (Lev Gorn) in a restaurant. This is their first meeting and I was a bit surprised at what happens. I wonder whether those tapes actually exist. I get Gaad’s reason for doing this but does he really think Arkady will heed his threat and do something to prevent his job loss?

Total Devastation

Last week, in “New Car,” Philip/Clark chose not share the doctored tape he made with Martha (Alison Wright). In “Martial Eagle,” however, he changes his mind, devastating Martha in the process. Have the tragic events of “Martial Eagle,” combined with Philip’s part in the loss of those 160 seamen aboard the submarine, changed him so much that he no longer cares about Martha’s feelings? One thing is for sure—not only has he cemented his faux marriage to Martha but she is more than willing to find out more about the Stealth program for him. Clark is now the only person Martha can truly trust. I feel so sorry for her.

Random Thought

In last week’s episode, “New Car,” Philip tied Lewis to a tree stump but in “Martial Eagle,” Lewis is tied to a full grown tree. Methinks someone in the continuity department fell down on the job this week.

This Week’s Bits of Nostalgia

Dr. Ruth Westheimer – Sandra is listening to the good doctor’s sexual relations tape when Stan walks in the bedroom and finds her packing for her trip. Dr. Ruth, as she was known when she burst on the scene in the 1980s as one of the country’s best known sex therapists, using explicit words to describe the sex act, is still relevant today, and is active on Twitter @AskDrRuth.

Overall

“Martial Eagle” is an intense episode, provoking feelings and thoughts I didn’t previously have when watching episodes of The Americans. I would like to know more about Lisa (guest star Karen Pittman), the woman Elizabeth befriends following an AA meeting. It’s interesting that we find out Lisa works for Northrup at the same time Stan finds out Northup was involved in the Stealth program. Stan is getting close to figuring things out; he just might be able to save Agent Gaad’s job after all.

So, what did you think of “Martial Eagle?” Leave me a comment below, or tweet me @SeasideTV. I’d love to discuss the episode with you!

Tune in to The Americans Wednesdays at 10:00 pm ET/PT, only on FX.

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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!