The Americans - Finale Recap: A Real 'Paige'-Turner

The Americans closed out its first season tonight with a stellar finale that brought the story to the exact point at which I’d hoped we’d get to heading into Season 2. With regard to the relationship between the Jennings, Nina’s (Annet Mahendru) choice between Stan (Noah Emmerich) and her people, and the revelation of Claudia’s (Margo Martindale) true colors, I left the episode more than pleased. Plus, the final scene was certainly a doozy, leaving the door open for a massive shocker during the Season 2 premiere.

Firstly, there’s nothing that can push a couple past bumps in the road and back into each other’s arms than a true brush with death. Heading into two dangerous missions, Philip (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth (Keri Russell) reflected on the waning ways of their arranged marriage and, of course, the wellbeing of their oblivious and innocent children. After a meeting with Grannie, which needless to say went poorly, Elizabeth had her mission reconfirmed by Moscow. Grannie, on the other hand, might have her own mission taken away from her, as she became privy to the fact that the Jennings had requested a new handler in America. Grannie is an anomaly, but I believed her when she claimed to know more about Elizabeth than Elizabeth knew about herself.

Elizabeth’s mission, to meet with the incredibly powerful connection known as the colonel, seemed more and more like a trap. The man who’d linked the two together, Sanford Prince, had been arrested by the feds for failing to pay child support, and his link to the KGB would surely be uncovered. Meaning, if the meeting set up with the colonel wasn’t a trap before, it would become one once her connection squealed. Philip, meanwhile, was expected to pick up a recording of a meeting at the Weinberger house. Remember, the duo had bugged a clock in the man’s study, but the FBI managed to uncover their scheme and turn the tables. The meeting was a hoax set up to trap a KGB officer, and Philip was completely unaware. The arguing back and forth between the couple was fantastic to watch, as the Jennings clan hasn’t been in finest form as of late. It was nice to see Philip plead with Elizabeth to switch missions, so that he could take the fall for her. Elizabeth, on the other hand, recognized her children’s love for their father, and refused to let them lose Philip. In the end, Philip was to take the kids to Canada if and when Elizabeth’s mission failed miserably.

Meanwhile, Nina had a tough decision to make. Moscow agreed to allow her the chance to make amends, as Arkady (Lev Gorn) still had faith in her commitment to their cause. Nina assured him that she would, yet again, play the role of a double agent, promising to milk Stan for all of the information she could get; however, she did not see any opportunity to turn him. Arkady, on the other hand, knows that someone who behaved as Stan did is weaker than he lets off. Nina did meet with Stan, and this is where her conundrum began. Knowing a massive trap had been set to catch an agent, Stan promised her that his success would offer enough pull to finally free Nina and send her westward with a new life. Nina’s motivation was selfless, though, as her turning on Stan was prompted by his murdering of her close friend, Vlad. That wouldn’t be forgotten, and Nina informed Arkady of the impending trap, and her lost opportunity to escape. Unfortunately, Arkady, unaware of faux meeting at the Weinberger’s house, would eventually start an emergency plan to abort the mission to meet with the colonel.

FX "The Americans"

The waiting time leading up to both missions was, for me, the best part of the finale. First, I loved the scene in which Elizabeth listened to a letter via tape from her mother. The laundry room is her sanctuary, and it was the perfect place for her to reflect on the life she’d built in America, with her family, before marching to her impending doom. Grannie, meanwhile, had met with Arkady prior to Nina’s revelation. Here, she revealed her true colors. She begged him to pull the plug on both missions, claiming to have fought with the higher-ups over how this meeting with the colonel was quite obviously a death wish. Even if they stabbed her in the back, her duty was to protect Philip and Elizabeth. Arkady wouldn’t have reason to act until Nina gave the word, but Grannie’s sentiments were important considering that she could be heading back to Moscow shortly (Not that the show would ever willingly lose Margo Martindale. They're certainly not writing her off). In addition, Grannie had a great moment when she paid Patterson a visit. Remember, he was the FBI official who’d ordered General Zhukov’s assassination. From the costume to the tazer attack, I very much enjoyed this moment in Patterson’s apartment. Once he was incapacitated but aware, she recalled the story of her friendship with Zhukov and how he’d fought the Nazis. Elizabeth was wrong about Claudia’s intentions, and she finished Elizabeth’s botched work. Patterson was dead.

In the end, Philip left Elizabeth a note alerting her that he’d taking it upon himself to switch missions. In fact, the meeting with the colonel went rather well, as Grannie watched from afar, unbeknownst to him. The colonel was an honest man, and there was no threat at all. He revealed to Philip that the super-plans he’d given Elizabeth were a joke, nearly fifty years from being a reality. Whether the Reagan administration intended to fool the Soviets into thinking the plans were real, or whether he was dumb enough to think he could pull it off within his time as president, remained a mystery. Suddenly, Claudia came speeding through the park, warning Philip that she’d seen the warning sign to abort the mission. Still, something was clearly off. The park was empty, and the colonel seemed legitimate. It was Elizabeth who was in dire circumstances.

As Philip sped to rescue her from the American trap, Elizabeth casually walked toward the vehicle holding the recorder for the Weinberger bugged clock. From a distance, Stan and his team watched patiently. In the end, Philip managed to swoop in and pick up his wife before they could apprehend her; however, it was an obvious tip off that the couple was KGB. The chase scene that resulted was super suspenseful and a hell of a lot of fun to watch. The Jennings, dodging bullets, managed to sneak into a garage, clean the car for prints, and hijack a new getaway ride. It seemed like they’d escaped unscathed, but a hazy Elizabeth, suggesting that they take a vacation to Canada anyway, sent up a red flag. She’d been shot. Philip rushed her to an underground care facility to save her life. Grannie watched over her too as the doctor removed the bullet. Eventually, a somewhat delirious Elizabeth asked Philip to “come home” in Russian.

FX "The Americans"

Meanwhile, Stan had agreed to watch the Jennings kids while Elizabeth and Philip tended to “a great aunt who’d fallen down.” The episode closed with Paige (Holly Taylor) rushing back home to pick up some forgotten homework, only to find herself a little too curious. She decided to journey into the forbidden laundry room. Would her snooping lead her to her parents’ secret? Only Season 2 will tell!

What did you all think of The Americans Season 1 finale, Episode 13, “The Colonel”? Do you think Paige will uncover anything? Does Margo Martindale get the Season 1 MVP award? Will the Jennings rekindle things following Elizabeth’s near death experience?

Thanks for reading my Recap and Review of The Americans Season 1 finale, Episode 13, “The Colonel”!