Good second episode. One question: were they just randomly following the KGB asset into the stereo store or did I miss something in the first episode about her?
I don't remember anything in the first episode so my guess is just a 'standard surveillance' kinda deal but when you say 'random' I think you'll find it wasn't quite like that. OK! A little anecdote, (as I know you all enjoy them so much ) ). Back in the early 80's, we, (that is, my family biz), used to work as the UK sales agent for Murmansk Shipping Company. I was speaking to a couple of their guys and they told me that, when they travelled in the UK they had to give the route including any stops, times, etc. They'd always imagined this was just routine jerking them around but... er... not! It seems! On one occasion they were going from their London office to Immingham, (IIRC), with 4 of them in the car. One guy was navigating and made a cock-up... I don't know what... held the map upside down or something. Anyway, they went the wrong way. Within about a mile, (they were on a motorway so that's within about a minute), a police car came tearing up behind them, blue flashing lights and sirens going. They pulled over onto the hard shoulder. Policeman, (but in plain uniform, so... ???), gets out and they wind their window down. "You've gone the wrong way" He says. "You should have taken the last exit" They hadn't seen the car at all. In fact, they hadn't noticed anything untoward. Pretty crazy days, the early 80's tbh.
The just jumped in mid-investigation, so there wasn't any explanation. Could have been they had a tip on her, or could have been that they were just tracking anybody from the USSR embassy.
I think my favorite moment of this episode was Elisabeth's amused grin when she realized Philip's Swedish trophy-wife asset was very easy on the eyes.
When a woman says you didn't tell me she was attractive watch out. Jealousy has reared it's ugly head.
What they did to the cleaning woman and her son makes interesting television. The degree of ruthlessness in their action makes them unsympathetic characters in episode #2. Quite a departure from episode #1. Yes, they were violent, even more so, but the fact that it was against a former KGB agent and one that had raped the wife makes their actions understandable.
It was kind of hard to read whether they have remorse or not for their actions. I kept trying to gauge how they felt about what they were doing to those people. It was obvious they were nervous about getting caught.
I saw their feelings as three-fold. Fear of being caught. Disgust at their superiors for making them take such huge risks. Some remorse and regret for what they were doing to the maid and her family.
They definitely made it clear that they didn't want to kill the kid. They're main concern seemed to be getting caught though.
If they were that ruthless they'd have killed the maid, her son AND her brother after he was involved. Frankly I suspect that's what any security services, (including the west's), would do in those circumstances.
Phillip already had his pangs of jealousy in the first episode upon hearing Elizabeth's recorded "relations" with the guy she picked up in the bar. What goes around ...
I'm not sure either of them can afford jealousy when they know the job entails them sleeping with other people. And Elizabeth seems far more committed to the cause than Phillip.
Nor do I, but I think Phillip is more into their relationship as husband/wife than Elizabeth is (was?), and I got the impression he seemed bothered by her recording. She was aware that Phillip was sleeping with the Secretary's wife, but since he didn't say how attractive she was Elizabeth appeared to be a little hurt. By the end of the episode, after expressing her concerns for their kids, trying so hard to re-connect with Paige, and feeling like their bosses are giving them more impossible missions, it feels like Elizabeth is starting to see why Phillip is more family-first.
Another good episode. This show has really gotten off to a strong start. It's not that this doesn't have the kind of soapy drama that "colored" much of Homeland, it's just that the relationship that it revolves around is so much more interesting and believable. Also: was the fact that Mags Bennett lied to the mother about her intentions for both her and the baby the least surprising plot twist ever? Gregory's painting of the couple with the red squares (get it? ) covering their faces was obviously meant as a commentary on Philip and Elisabeth, no?
Was that her name? Anyway, no... it was pretty obvious. In fact I wouldn't even call it a twist. They couldn't leave her stumbling around the US with her baby and it would have been almost impossible to get her out of the USA with the FBI watching. The only thing I found a little unbelievable was that they didn't leave the baby somewhere it could be easily found so it would be taken to a hospital for care and then probably an orphanage for adoption.
Margo Martindale is a highly underrated actress. She could easily carry her own show. I believe this is the third FX show she has appeared on - The Riches, Justified, and now this. You know that lady was dead the minute she got in that van.
For sure... and thanks for explaining the name. I thought I was missing something important about the show.
Mags Bennett was her name on Justified. One of the best TV performances ever. Watch season 2 of Justified if you dont watch that show to see what Im talking about.
Mags Bennett was the name of her character on Justified. Margo Martindale is absolutely terrific in that role.
STAR WARS LASER TECHNOLOGY! Tragic end to the Puerto Rican widow of the spy that was knifed. Funny how they tried to make it plausible she might live. They told her they would relocate her with the baby to Cuba. Poor baby sent to his dad's parents home in that shit hole that is Russia.