Among all the cold opens The Americans has done, the sequence for “Baggage” stands out as one of the series’ best. Three different short scenes all contribute hugely to establishing the episode and showing off the technical prowess of just about every person involved in the making of them.
A dolly shot moves from a Moscow prison corridor to roll into Nina’s cell, where she sits on the toilet–bare, stripped of the energy that once made her feel so alive, alone.
Then, a similar shot takes us past Annelise’s dead body as Philip leads Yousaf into the adjoining room to talk practical considerations. The look on Yousaf’s face is about as cold as his dead lover’s, and visually comparing Nina to Annelise is a drastic way of showing the complete lack of margin of error or lapses of discretion while living in the world of The Americans.
Finally, we get a surprisingly warm scene with Paige and Elizabeth. After hearing again that her dad is at the office late, Paige asks her mom if she ever wonders if Philip is cheating on her. Contextually, there couldn’t possibly be a better example of dramatic irony. We know that Philip does technically cheat on Elizabeth, but not in the sense that Paige is talking about; Elizabeth is always aware of what’s required of Philip, even when that’s physical intimacy. Instead, when Paige presents just how much her parents care about one another–more than they look after Paige and Henry–that fact rings true, and that Paige is glad that’s the case shows an incredible maturity that is rare in someone her age.
It’s impossible not to marvel at Keri Russell and Holly Taylor in the exchange. The way Elizabeth comes quietly back to sit at the table to reassure Paige even after Philip’s asked for her help. The casual tone Paige puts on as she’s basically admitting she likes that her parents are the most important people in each other’s lives ahead of herself. It’s a hushed, domestic scene (and the episode will also end on a similar one), but it’s The Americans operating at its most effective. Cue the credits.
That’s not to say that the rest of “Baggage” isn’t top-notch, because the sequence that gives the episode its title is one of the most memorable in an episode of television this year so far. The series has never been shy about displaying the blunt process of going from point A to point B for Elizabeth and Philip. Their job is sometimes incredibly difficult. But breaking Annelise’s bones so that she can fit into a piece of luggage before rigor mortis fully sets in redefines the word “difficult” in all its various meanings. The double entendre of “baggage” isn’t lost either, but sometimes what is being shown on-screen is more effective than the metaphor it’s trying to convey. I’d say this is an instance of that, and even though the disposal of Annelise’s body has comparatively little effect on the plot of this season, I would be shocked if it didn’t retain its most memorable status.
An area in which The Americans had been looking for material in the past was whenever Stan would be on-screen without Nina. The two together always made for almost electrifying scenes, even when the chemistry between the characters began to falter (though the chemistry between the actors never did). Stan by himself, though, or with other characters in the cast usually only amounted to simple entertainment, such as seeing Stan and Philip do mundane American things together. “Baggage” completely subverts that history by giving Stan huge moments in the episode, first with Oleg and then later with Sandra. Even his phone call to reach out to his son is heartbreaking when it’s clear he has no idea what to say, just that he wants to say something. The Oleg scene might irk viewers who demand stories to follow logic, since Oleg probably could get away with killing Stan. Regardless, the scene works as part of a fictional narrative, and it makes both characters seem stronger overall. The scene with Sandra, conversely, reduces Stan to his weakest and gives Noah Emmerich an Emmy-worthy episode. As the central protagonists, Philip and Elizabeth are almost always totally interesting. Stan, the third option for The Americans, sometimes can’t quite carry an episode, but “Baggage” is a clear example of his ability to do that when the material is right.
Finally, Nina’s presence wraps up “Baggage” nicely as an all-time The Americans episode, since Annet Mahendru’s breakout performance in season one defined what the rest of the series would look like with her in it. Even behind bars and silent towards her new cellmate, Nina remains compelling. What little she does say–that the prison isn’t for the innocent–speaks to her mindset so well. And when she’s faced with the realization that Oleg is trying to get her out in any way he can, she doesn’t fall to the temptation of hoping. She merely asks that a message be delivered to him, as if it were a final message: “Tell him I wasn’t pretending with him.” Because of how busy last season of The Americans was, I never really bought into the romantic connection between Nina and Oleg, but the defeat in Nina’s voice when she says these words is convincing enough with the help of the off-season to make me feel like she really does love him.
After a ridiculously strong start, “Baggage” eventually settles into being just a great episode of television. And while some scenes are there to prop up storylines that are obviously meant to develop over the season, many of the scenes stand out individually and make for a near-perfect episode for The Americans‘ early third season. This is the series firing on all cylinders–acting, directing, writing, editing. If this is the standard for the episodes to come, FX is going to have an absolute monster on their hands come awards season.
Covert Observations:
– Elizabeth’s relationship with her mother, a storyline being built mostly on the side, is fascinating. The simplicity of remembering that dress is beautiful, and she gets to apply her feelings organically at the episode’s end when she says, “When I was called, my mother didn’t hesitate.”
– Philip and Elizabeth’s mission winds up taking them to a bar for drinks. “We should do this more often,” Philip says. All great dramas do comedy well, and The Americans is no exception.
– Did I mention how disgusting that Annelise scene was?
– It’s great to see the professionalism of the Jennings couple as they continue to clash on the Paige issue. Though they might be annoyed with one another, the job doesn’t suffer.
– That Annelise scene!
– Nina is told that parents’ great misfortune is trying to do what’s best for their children. Why is it a misfortune? “Because we’re so often disappointed.” Yeesh. Talk about brutal honesty. Also, it’s nice to see the themes of the episode transcend the different geographical locations of the characters.
– There was also that other–NO, WAIT. UGH, THOSE BONES CRACKING.
[Photo via FX]
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