User Reviews

General Zhukov is killed by the Americans which strike a personal chord foe Elizabeth, because he literally taught her everything in life like we saw in this episode. So, she wanted revenge, but they won't allow her on the excuse that it's time to stop bloodshed for the moment. Elizabeth didn't listen and wants to kill him anyway. It's one of those situations that you know she will plan to do it but doesn't pull the trigger because of the consequences of that if it happens. They used this incident to dig deeper in Elizabeth past and beliefs, as they show us flashbacks of Zhukov teaching her what love is. I think that part is the best part of the episode. Zhukov tells her that he loves his dog even though the dog can't communicate, why is that it's because he took care of him, and the dog took care of him in his own way. Which brings the mental issues Elizabeth was dealing with to surface especially after the conversation with the American. The questions she is asking are: do you love anybody? Does anybody love you? Do you love Philip just because you took care of each other all these years despite all of what happened before? The answer to the question (do they love each other?) is clearly yes. I had doubts but this episode clears it out for me, we see Philip literally risking his life for a reckless thing that wasn't an order, we also notice that Elizabeth wants Philip back home badly, she is trying to think it's a kids thing, but its not. We had this mini twist when they reveal to us that Claudia wanted Elizabeth to kill the American not the opposite because she had some kind of a relationship with him. That should be interesting moving forward if she stays with us.

Overall great episode that builds the momentum for something greater.

Elizabeth wanted to kill Paterson, the "architect" of Zhukov's killing, because she loved Zhukov. Claudia wanted her to do it for the same reason, I think that's true. Phillip helped Elizabeth in her crazy pursuit because he loved her. This is the way the world works sometimes.

I'm sure that many other viewers were like me, expecting that Elizabeth would change her mind about killing Paterson in the end. In fact, I'm pretty sure the writers set us up to feel just that, which speaks to their and Keri Russell's abilities. What Russell and the writers also did, though, was carry us through Elizabeth's moment of self-realisation, coming not from her own conscience, but from the mouth of a womanising CIA middleman. "Do you love anyone?" She didn't want to hear that, especially from someone like him. Zhukov's role in showing Elizabeth what true love is only made the question more biting.

Good writers give all their characters backstories. I'm sure that Paterson's backstory includes true love, somehow lost, and that his own behaviour is an unconscious form a self-punishment. "No more true love for you, not when you screwed it up so royally that other time!" Stan's destruction of both his marriage and his affair just seems like more context. Clearly he doesn't love himself anymore.

At least Elizabeth seems aware now how much she still loves Phillip, though neither can admit it yet. Admitting love makes you vulnerable, and Phillip and Elizabeth's lives are all about avoiding such risks.

I'll be sorry to see this season end, but am glad a second season is on its way.

The Americans Covert War is a good episode because the characters spies show signs of wear from using people, living lies and double lives. The Liz character is shown as human, with flash backs of her close relationship with her mentor. Liz goes on the war path and grabs the CIA handler. The CIA handler saves his life by asking self righteous Liz who did you grind down and how many lives have you destroyed. He says to her "you know the rules of the game we play." This speech gives a perspective of what the Covert War is about. Liz also realizes that she cannot even trust her own people. Covert War resonates with what the feel of a covert war is about. The Americans' spy game aspects drives the series with dangerous and dirty story lines which compels the viewer with drama. I give Covert War a nine out of ten. I believe The Americans will be a great series for years to come.