Everything after 32:14 is embargoed until after the conclusion of the East Coast broadcast of the episode.
Philip and Elizabeth have to make a Paige-related choice that could shift the balance of their lives forever?
And FX wants to keep it super under wraps?
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But no.
Pastor Tim gets to keep his life and his organs for now.
Instead, what happens in the last 16 or so minutes of Darkroom is somehow far more devastating.
Even before that mythical 32:14 mark, Darkroom is a superb episode of television.
Its subtle, atmospheric and equally parts tragic and funny.
Its such a hilariously juvenile way to make someones life a living hell for no reason.
*What an absolutely incredible name for a fictional 80s high school bully.
Its so real and tragic that Elizabeth cant even repress some of her motherly empathy.
Pasha is struggling and her husband Alexei can tell.
He looks like a dog somebody beat with stick, Alexei tells Philip earlier.
So Alexei is doubling down on his efforts to do what it takes to help his family.
Maybe that means staying, maybe that means going but Alexei and Evgenhiya seem redoubled to making it work.
She just wants her family to be happy.
Then fight for that, Elizabeth tells her.
This might be the first time Elizabeth has told a mark the truth in a long time.
Is it still on message for the Centers mission to get the Morozovs back to Moscow?
But Elizabeth cant for sure know what decision Alexei and Evgheniya will make to make their family happy.
Lets just take a moment to appreciate the status quo that it transform.
The less momentous first two-thirds of Darkroom may even be better than the final act.
The sense that the pre-32:14 portions of Darkroom instills is that yes, this is all there is.
We know as an audience that Philip and Elizabeth are nearing the end of their story.
Yes, Gabriel has retired.
Yes, the Afghan war is winding down.
Yes, the kids are getting closer to flying the coop.
On a micro level, however, its still same dog shit in a locker, different day.
Theres a malaise of nonstop work that follows the Jennings family.
The Center gave them a break once last year after Martha.
Now those days are gone.
Theres no more American dream for them.
Or as Alexei puts it: This place have food and money but not so easy to be happy.
As a reward for this good work: Philip and Elizabeth have to keep working.
They must stick with Stobert and Kemp just in case anything else comes up.
They present Claudia with the audio recording that suggests the U.S.S.R. is using weaponized viruses in Afghanistan.
Claudia says she doesnt know anything about that and the conversation is over just like that.
Then herpes in human form Pastor Tim flares up again.
Philip and Elizabeth come home to find Paige aggressively mopping the floor in the dead of night.
Whats wrong, they ask?
Pastor Tim thinks I might really be screwed up.
Hes worried about my soul, Paige says.
She found it in his diary.
Great, now the Opiate of the Masses is striking back.
Even characters outside the Jennings family are suddenly dealing with the same issues they always have.
Oleg is following a lead in his grocery corruption case that seems to be going nowhere.
This woman in particular drives a beatdown car with no windshield wipers and lives in a rundown apartment.
Another day in Moscow.
Stan and Aderholt seem to be making only minimal progress with their new mole, Sofia.
We know the end is near.
Even EST has a telling lesson for Philip on the subject.
Finally, confirmation of what weve always expected.
Mail Robot is the most well-adjusted character on the show.
First, Philip and Elizabeth get married.
For real this time.
The Russian orthodox priest who Philip meets with last week comes back for an encore.
Its a powerful scene, if a touch long.
I kind of think she does as shes her parents daughter after all.
She intuitively knows how to make people tick how to make them hurt.
Regardless of intent, the effects are devastating.
Paige has concurred with her parents plan to help get Pastor Tim a job elsewhere.
First, however, they should develop some of these diary photos.
Pastor Tim says Philip and Elizabeth are monsters the likes of which hes never seen.
Theyre evil, true evil.
The damage theyve done to Paiges soul and psyche is incalculable.
Pastor Tim has dealt with survivors of sexual assault less traumatized than Paige.
Heres something to break the monotony of day to day missions and tasks.
Heres every scar that Philip and Elizabeth have unknowingly inflicted on their daughter laid bare.
There is real damage here.
This place have food and money but not so easy to be happy.
Rating:
4.5 out of 5
