Unforgettable Scenes in ‘Do Mail Robots Dream of Electric Sheep?’
Two sequences in ‘Do Mail Robots Dream of Electric Sheep?’ (a title adapted from the Philip K. Dick novel that was, in turn, adapted into the film Blade Runner) are graphically memorable for very different reasons. Some of The Americans‘ other scenes that have left major impressions this season—fitting a body into a suitcase and lighting someone on fire—have been deeply uncomfortable, but mostly on the visceral level. Having to watch something that’s physically difficult to watch makes for engaging viewing. Having to watch something that’s emotionally difficult to watch is something else altogether. Both Hans’ messy execution of Todd and Betty’s forced overdose overseen by Elizabeth challenge viewers in ways that should make them question the motivations of these characters, because they are characters. Unlike the mail robot that Philip and Elizabeth bug, these characters have thoughts and feelings and do not carry out missions as cold-blooded agents. They may give off that impression, but it’s clear with Elizabeth, for example, that the logistics of a mission don’t come without an emotional toll that has to be acknowledged at some point.
Hans’ Confrontation with Todd and the Emotional Complexity
Hans’ confrontation with Todd, while absolutely brutal in its own troubling way, is sandwiched between two scenes that make the nature of it even more unsettling. His conversation with Elizabeth that causes him to go after Todd is something expected, since last week’s episode made a point of noting that Hans was visible as he was climbing down, but that doesn’t make it any easier for viewers who have grown to like Hans’ character over the course of the season. He’s young, but he’s not as immature as other young assets have been. He’s respectful and apologetic when he makes mistakes, and he’s willing and eager to learn and give support to the cause. He is very much what a young Gregory might have acted like: earnest and effective, but subject to his own emotions for Elizabeth.
The other fact that complicates things is that now that Elizabeth has come out and told Philip that it’s only natural for him to develop feelings for Martha (and that Elizabeth has to be okay with that), Elizabeth’s feelings towards Hans are unclear. In their conversation after Hans kills Todd, Elizabeth doesn’t just cut off ties with Hans, which she might have done with an asset she didn’t care about. A liability is a liability, and even if a potential agent is promising, being unpredictable just isn’t acceptable in this line of work. But she doesn’t cut off ties; she makes sure that he wasn’t noticed and gives slightly comforting insight that these kinds of things rarely go down as planned. There is even a hint of admiration in how well Hans is handling himself in the aftermath, ‘messy’ belying just how affected he must be by the experience.
Lois Smith’s Guest Appearance as Betty
The Hans sub-plot would have been the easy highlight of ‘Do Mail Robots Dream of Electric Sheep?’ had not Lois Smith guested in the episode, making Betty one of the most compelling and heartbreaking minor characters in TV this year. From the moment Elizabeth actually gives her real name when Betty asks, there is no doubt: Betty isn’t making it out of the episode alive. How it goes down, though, pushes the episode very near ‘perfect’ territory. Elizabeth cares, which is something we’re used to seeing in Philip more often. She even addresses Philip, who shrugs it off with a ‘wrong place, wrong time’ matter-of-fact response. The information that Elizabeth gets still becomes more moving as the scenes progress towards Betty’s death. Not only is Betty’s son’s military background reminiscent of Mischa, Philip’s son, but the relationship between mother and child is something that Elizabeth has also been struggling with this season as her own mother approaches death.
Elizabeth’s Guilt and the Morality at Stake
Even without Betty’s dialogue, it’s clear that Elizabeth and Philip’s way of doing things is being put under the microscope. Why do they do what they do? ‘To make the world a better place,’ Elizabeth says, and nothing could sound more unconvincing in that moment. The reasoning sounds so lame in the face of pouring out the painkillers and watching Betty have to kill herself slowly (with the added detail of Betty being afraid of pain). Elizabeth tries to take on the role of benevolent angel of death when Betty asks if her deceased husband sent her, but the way that Elizabeth tries to comfort Betty by saying that the husband isn’t with the other woman feels like it’s as much for Elizabeth’s benefit as it is for Betty’s.
Guilt has never felt more real on-screen for Elizabeth in The Americans than it does here, even including last season’s intense finale. Philip may get the final scene of the episode, going off in restrained anger on Gabriel, but it’s Elizabeth who is the emotional center of the episode and, surprisingly (given that Elizabeth has been pushing for Paige to take part in all this), it’s Elizabeth who ends up being the point of entry into looking at the morality that’s at stake in this series.
Covert Observations:
– Speaking of that Philip and Gabriel scene, it’s always nice to get more Scrabble, even if Gabriel manages to pull out words like ‘amatory.’ Gabriel has a better vocabulary than I do…
– ‘Because I trust her.’ Philip really does trust Martha. Their dinner scene together is impressive evidence how far Martha is willing to go with Clark and how easily she’s able to put the past behind her. I, for one, enjoy this just because I don’t want to see Martha being miserable for the rest of the series. She’s had enough to deal with already.
– Meanwhile, Stan and Oleg try some risky business that leads nowhere other than a messed up face for Stan and a couple drinks shared in the car. Still, this is a weird partnership we can all get behind, especially since it moves closer towards bringing Nina back into the fold.
– Gabriel tells Philip that marriage and love are antithetical. Winner of The Americans‘ Understatement of the Year.
[Photo via FX]
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