Been a good season so far. Really have no clue how they are going to end it, but I doubt anyone is riding off into the sunset. There are plenty of plot holes and inconsistencies...especially involving Stan who appears to be just now figuring it all out. But I just ignore them and enjoy it.
I do think Renee (Stan's girlfriend) is a spy and ends up killing him.
I think pjcas had it right in the first post...some sort of climax where Renee is about to kill Stan as he tracks them but Phillip ends up killing Renee to save Stan. Probably some sort of bang bang scene where Phillip appears to be shooting at Stan, Stan shoots Phillip out of reflex but Phillip was actually saving Stan from Renee.
I used to think that she might be a CIA plant to keep tabs on FBI CI agents, but again, why would she have stayed with Stan for years while he worked ordinary criminal cases?
Not that it won't happen, but that would be a real stretch. Now - girlfriend? Sure thing. Deep cover, full time live in? Just seems like too much could go wrong.
The Russians on the other hand - even Philip seems to think she's one of theirs. Would they take the chance? I don't see why not, when they're willing to sign up Paige with a job at the State Department.
So, does Pastor Tim spill the beans when Stan calls?
He's former CI, so he's got friends and contacts in that area. Could also be a twofer - monitor Philip and Liz while getting what they can from Stan.
Also - didn't Stan transfer after he started dating her?
I wouldn't be surprised either way.
for being the 3rd to last episode ever they slow played it.
All we really learned was:
1. Elizabeth still has the cyanide pill
2. Elizabeth has developed a conscious. Seems almost out of character for her to let Jackson live and to decide removing Gorbachev wasn't for the good of the party - she seemed like an order taker most of the series, not someone who thinks too much.
3. Most of the employees at the travel agency probably knew it wasn't just a travel agency.
4. Stan is possibly a step closer to earnestly suspecting Elizabeth and Phillip.
Anything else?
There was some conversation about finding out if the Jennings actually flew to Houston, but that would likely require a warrant which Stan is not yet prepared to get yet. Stan is not blowing the whistle until he is sure.
The Jennings are kind of on the same side now...you could see a scenario in which they go to the FBI to let them know about the plot against Gorbachev. They don't seem to be caring about loose ends at this point.
not sure though. and it's part of an investigation, not like checking cell phone records (in today's equivalent).
These are small plot holes, though. The bigger ones - like the fact that these 'travel agents' have been suspiciously leaving their kids alone for days on end and disappear in the middle of the night, not being noticed by an FBI counterintelligence agent for a decade, seem to be the best place to start.
The flight manifest I only brought up b/c if I were Stan that's the first thing I'd check (to see a) if they were in Houston, b) if they were in Chicago and c) if they don't show up on a manifest at all) the answer would give him a lot of information without getting much information if you know what I mean.
So, yeah, small hole relatively speaking, but an obvious one.
There was some conversation about finding out if the Jennings actually flew to Houston, but that would likely require a warrant which Stan is not yet prepared to get yet. Stan is not blowing the whistle until he is sure.
The Jennings are kind of on the same side now...you could see a scenario in which they go to the FBI to let them know about the plot against Gorbachev. They don't seem to be caring about loose ends at this point.
I believe I read someplace that the old KGB never had any personnel problems because they practically got whatever and whoever they wanted. Their operations had a lot of moving parts, they were highly compartmentalized, and they were very disciplined (or else). So I kind of feel them putting one agent on over-watch on another couple of agents one of whom they may have felt had the potential as a defector wouldn't be that out of line from what I read. Anyhow who knows.
The craziest thing that happened in last night's ep was Stavros admitting that he knew something was up with the Jennings. Between Phillip letting that go and Elizabeth letting the kid go, the Jennings are losing their "touch" and that could possibly lead to them getting caught.
I can't quite put my finger on why Phillip would be buying a new suit.
He just came clean with his deceit to Elizabeth, he told Stavros he's in financial ruin, he is fed up with shit like in Chicago having to chop off someone's hands and head, so it's a human (or definitely American) reaction to depression to shop to soothe yourself. Spend money you don't have because you can.
Maybe a stretch but the place I read it quoted one of the writers.
2. Elizabeth has developed a conscious. Seems almost out of character for her to let Jackson live and to decide removing Gorbachev wasn't for the good of the party - she seemed like an order taker most of the series, not someone who thinks too much.
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I kind of thought that her refusal to execute that assignment was her way of saying I am not a serial killer, I am an agent for my party and country (she really means just country but is capable of lying to herself). Plus she probably figured out it was a bogus assignment (which she's probably taken into consideration the information she's heard from Philip). She probably should be nervous about getting involved with somebodies non-official political agenda. I believe Russian history is rife with people ending up on the short end of the stick because they didn't look before the leapt and ended as fall guys.
Just a hunch