The Americans - Season 1 Episode 5 - Recap and Review - COMINT

The Americans was all about the ladies this week. “COMINT” surrounded a scramble to reach a crumbling KGB agent. With a new FBI encryption technology capturing their every move, the KBG would have to act fast if they were to save their only link to the American missile development team. Sex has proven to be a valuable weapon on this show, yet how far could the women of the KBG push it before things got too out of hand?

The episode opened with Elizabeth (Keri Russell) posing as a friend to the incredibly paranoid agent. A man who’d just lost his wife of thirty-five years, he found himself friendless and without any safe means of communicating with Vasili, his only trusted friend. The man seemed stable enough, in the dark on Elizabeth’s true identity as a KGB officer. Outside, Claudia (Margo Martindale) reminded Elizabeth of the importance behind cracking the U.S. encryption technology plaguing their radio waves.

Meanwhile, Phillip (Matthew Rhys) had continued pursuing his budding friendship with Stan (Noah Emmerich) over a few more rounds of raquetball. Personally, the development of their relationship is my favorite part of the series thus far. I like watching Phillip and Elizabeth build a legitimate marriage, but I like the genuine friendship chemistry that seems to be brewing between the two male leads.

A phonebooth conversation with the agent under watch was picked up by the FBI, cluing them in to the situation at hand. Unfortunately for them, they had no name or address leading them to the agent.  The information was enough to inform them of a looming meeting between Vasili and the man. This, of course, prompted Stan to meet with Nina (Annet Mahendru), his KBG mole. I’m also enjoying the increasingly flirtatious nature of the conversations between these two. I find Stan believable in his promises to protect her, but as he put it, he stands as a wall between Nina and the FBI. Sooner or later, the pounding for information will increase, and there will be nothing stopping them from breaking down the wall to get to her. She would have to get crafty to get information surrounding the meeting, and she’d have to do it quickly.

Phillip revived his famous “Claude” routine from the pilot. Acting as a special safeguard division for the safeguard division (a clearly fabricated position), he attempted to wine and dine some information out of Martha, the FBI weak-link, surrounding who made the encryption technology. With that information, they could become more aware of the technology at hand.

Once she had a company to work with, Elizabeth threw on her best sex-kitten getup and attempted to woo the man in charge. She was masquerading as a representative from a rival company looking to buy his. Elizabeth has this routine down. Men in power are easily seduced by women who play into that ego. Unfortunately, this session took a pretty brutal turn, as the freakish man took to whipping her with a belt! No, not Felicity! Elizabeth sucked it up but played the damsel in distress. I liked that little glint and smirk she gave to the camera! In the after-sex scene, she managed to coerce the creep into slipping her some answers as to why his specific brand of encryption coding was so valuable. Apparently, he made it portable. He gave the FBI a way to take it with them via the trunks of their cars.

FX "The Americans"

Meanwhile, Nina had a similar means of milking Vasili for answers surrounding the situation. Vasili was obviously not at all aggressive with Nina. Rather, he seemed kind of touched by her advances. Basically, she found her way in. Stan was caught off guard by her means to an end, promising her that his intention was never for her to take it there. He promised her a bright future with a new identity if she could continue to help.

That night, Phillip was infuriated by the sight of belt welts on Elizabeth’s back. She chalked it up to a rough day’s work, but he snapped into “protective husband” mode. Elizabeth was still getting used to seeing Phillip like this, and she’s not normally a girl who expects a man to fight her battles for her. She stopped him from doing something she felt was stupid. It was actually Claudia who seemed to help Elizabeth through a touch situation. According to her, the American women shouldn’t wait around to have equal rights approved by the law. Instead, they should take a note from the Russians and take their rights whether the men like it or not. Claudia would find the logs on FBI cars for Elizabeth.

Still livid from their argument the night before, Phillip and Elizabeth had an icy car ride on the way to purposely causing an accident with an FBI agent. Once they had the man’s car stored at a mechanic for fixing, Phillip also had his car sent in for a checkup. Elizabeth was in the trunk, and the sequence that followed— featuring Elizabeth’s snakelike slither from one trunk to the other while the cars were raised up on the lifts— was stellar! Once inside the FBI agent’s trunk, she imprinted the encryption key; however, the agent’s car was finished too early, and he ended up driving away with her still inside! I loved how Elizabeth just opened up the trunk, fixed her hair, and walked straight past the guard with a wave goodbye.

FX "The Americans"

Elizabeth: “See ya!”

Phillip was waiting right outside the gate with coffee, a donut, and an apology.

After another sexual encounter with Vasili, Nina learned of a meeting time and immediately blabbed the information to Stan. The FBI had planned on letting Vasili lead them straight to the “jittery” agent, before busting the two of them. Problem; Nina’s tip also prompted the FBI to change their codes on the spot. They couldn’t wait just a little while to do that? This is the move that would inevitably tip off the KGB to change their plan. Vasili, saddened, lead Stan to a dead end, while Elizabeth encountered her faux-friend, the other agent, and killed him on the spot. There would only be one explanation as to how the Americans knew to change their encryption code so quickly; mole! Oh no, Nina!

FX "The Americans"

What did you all think of The Americans Season 1 Episode 5, “COMINT”? What will become of Nina the mole? Which relationship are you most interested in seeing grow as the series continues?

Thanks for reading my Recap and Review of The Americans Season 1 Episode 5, “COMINT”!