Were all vulnerable to outside opinions and events.
Every viewing experience comes along with context.
My context is often other peoples opinions.
Other peoples opinions are like assholes: everybody has one and I want to see all of them.
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Thats why TV critic ubermenschAlan Sepinwalls review of last weeksThe Americansepisode Immersionchanged my perspective.
Were used to shows about characters making bad or otherwise self-destructive decisions.
And that means my context for watching the show fundamentally changed.
Good critic finds good TV show momentarily tedious is an incredibly benign statement and reality.
All of this is to say: I do not particularly care for IHOP.
Im inclined to think its the former.
Morpheus Sepinwall just opened the door, I had to walk through it.
*
*Ok, maybe thats the definition of a rut.
The main throughline of whats going on with Tuan?
is certainly something weve seen before.
That scene was strong enough to stand on its own.
This is one of those cases of breadcrumbs not needing to lead to an eventual payoff of a feast.
The breadcrumbs were fine as is.
Im always excited to see the return of Kimmy.
Her youth and earnestness makes Philips twisting and exploitation of her feelings incredibly poignant and tragic.
In fact, Philips limited interaction with Kimmy covers remarkably similar territory to their previous rendezvous.
You miss your son, dont you, Kimmy says.
I dont think anybody does it right, Kimmy says.
Ok, I wont screw it up completely.
Thats a better ambition.
Thankfully, while the means arent that worthwhile, the end is pretty great.
I love howThe Americanscontinues to handle Philips slow waking up process.
Maybe it wasnt us, Elizabeth offers.
Its a hell of a coincidence if it isnt, Philip says.
This is the kind of rut or wheel-spinning storyline thatThe Americansexcels that.
Logically one would expect a character on shaky patriotic ground to view this information as the final straw.
But human beings are not logical.
There is enough murkiness to the information that Philip can remain plausibly cognitively dissonant.
And life has a hell of a lot more cognitive dissonance than emotional clarity.
Philip and Elizabeths day of reckoning is coming…or it isnt!
Either way, I trust the show to make that day feel both authentic and non-obvious.
Its just not clear what kind of connection or statement that its trying to make.
Henrys situation has no discernable similarities with Tuans.
Perhaps, they are reacting to the reality that theyre lives in becoming more and more entrenched in Americana.
Its hard enough to raise their children within the family business when both are under the same roof.
But Paige will be heading to college soon and Henry seems intent on fleeing the coop even before then.
Equally as inert is the time that IHOP spends in Russia.
Marthas brief cameo early in the season was one of the more delightful Easter Eggs of the TV season.
This time around is also nice but not substantial enough to justify its own inclusion.
Its all a little too neat and coherent and writerly.
I suppose its nice to witness Marthas grand awakening.
And no, she would not like to share her potato snack Gabriel thank you very much.
Stans dilemma, in particular, is fascinating.
He is presented with the knowledge that the FBI may know who killed Agent Gaad.
Revenge isnt that important and I dont think it would be to Frank, he tells her.
Revenge would be important to him, she replies, matter of factly.
Would revenge really be important to Agent Gaad or is it just something that Linh needs for closure?
The truth is that it doesnt really matter.
The only person who can make that decision is dead and its the living who get to decide.
Maybe being dead makes you wiser and more immured to the violent, needless machinations of mankind.
But it also makes you a hell of a lot less communicative.
It would certainly put the decision of whether Henry can go to boarding school in perspective.
Rating:
3 out of 5
