THE AMERICANS: "The Clock" S1E2 (review)

By Morayo Sayles

Soviet spies, The Jennings, return in another tension filled episode. This episode, Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Phillip (Matthew Rhys) Jennings are assigned a rushed and incredibly dangerous mission, which compromises their safety as surely as them being placed squarely in front of an oncoming train. 

Some new characters are introduced - Annalisa (Gillian Alexy) the beautiful, lonely and slightly unstable wife of the undersecretary of defense and an as-yet-to-be-identified Soviet informant who is coerced into the FBI-KGB battle for spy supremacy.   

When they learn of their mission – to infiltrate the home of Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, both agents are aghast.  Phillip is mortified and initially defiant of taking on a mission that seems so stupid that will most certainly blow their cover, while Elizabeth is determined in her obedience and does not question her deadly orders.  She rationalizes that for their directorate to place them in such a dangerous and compromising situation, the information needed must be incredibly crucial. 


Read more »