The Americans Season 1 Episode 10

The Americans Season 1 Episode 10, Only You: The Murderous Episode

Tasnim Ishrar

 

Disaster strikes the USSR as The Americans Season 1 Episode 10 discusses the deaths of two of their agents. No one said being a spy would be easy but doesn’t necessarily end as badly as it did for Elizabeth’s recruit/lover, Gregory. I was never too fond of his character, as he was the pit where Philip and Elizabeth’s marriage went to die, but the death scene of this passionate man really made it hard to not root for him. But mainly why The Americans Season 1 Episode 10 will draw in audience is the synchronization. We learn about three deaths, all of which are inter-linked. I’m going to jump into the description of it all, an insight of the episode through my eyes. “Spoiler Alert”, so that none of you can have an excuse to curse me later!

Death of Chris AmadorThe Ring: The Americans Season 1 Episode 10 is emphatically depressing as it begins with the news of one death. The whole federal bureau gathers around while Agent Gaad delivered a eulogy for the deceased Chris Amador. After losing his a close friend and colleague, Stan is upset and at the same time quite determined to find and penalize the one responsible for the murder. The evidence to solve this case was left by none other than Agent Amador himself! So, even a dead spy is useful, huh! Chris Amador left back his ring in the trunk of the car in which he was held captive. Stan, obviously, recognized it which gave them a lead. The FBI was successful in getting a salvage yard owner in recognizing the man who was in possession of the car. The man, Curtis, who the officers took into custody, was one of the crew members of Gregory. It took Stan a while to make Curtis crack but he finally did. This leads to the FBI discovering Gregory’s apartment.

Gregory's first and last encounter with Granny!The Choice: In the meanwhile, Elizabeth, Philip and Claudia are trying to get Gregory to leave the state and fly off to Moscow to which the man is highly objective. In The Americans Season 1 Episode 10, Claudia meets Gregory for the first time and that too with bad news. She reveals to him that evidence connecting him to the murder of Chris Amador have been planted in his apartment. This is understandable as Gregory’s cover had already been blown and the FBI had to be made convinced that only Gregory was involved. Thus, their search would come to a halt before Philip and Elizabeth’s disguises were jeopardized. Gregory wasn’t taken by surprise at this. He knew what he was signing up for as the joined Elizabeth’s recruit. Only thing the poor man asked for was to be sent off to California instead of Moscow. But that was not a risk the KGB was willing to take. Claudia made it clear that moving to Moscow was his only option to live. Elizabeth gives her best shot trying to convince Gregory to move to Moscow but Gregory refuses.

The Inevitable: In The Americans Season 1 Episode 10 I was hoping throughout there would be some opening and Gregory wouldn’t have to die. Well, there were openings alright! Gregory at one point offers Elizabeth to elope with him but Elizabeth, being too loyal to the cause or considering her husband and children, refuses to the proposition. He could have gone to Moscow, where after a few years, he would adjust, according to Claudia. He could have been granted his wish to live in the city of his choice with a new identity and a new face. However, none of those happened and it is lamentable how there were so many ways by which he could have cheated death but Gregory sincerely chose not to.

No one made her smile like he did!Going against everyone’s will, he decided to hand himself over to the cops. This was not what the USSR would want, so, Elizabeth tried to stop him at first and Philip wasn’t hesitant for even a second to pull out a gun for killing his wife’s former lover but Elizabeth requested her husband to do as Gregory asked, she said they owed him that much.

This move on Gregory’s part was honestly incomprehensible for normal people like you and me, but then again, most of the things that the spies do are. According to Gregory, he had done something purposeful in life, which is probably how he wanted to end it. Maybe that is what he wanted to take with him, the satisfaction. At the end of the day, it’s only your life and Only You are responsible for the decisions you make. If the title of The Americans Season 1 Episode 10 was to confound us, then consider their mission accomplished! It is tough to put your finger on who “Only You” refers to exactly. But I have got my guess while you should your’s. The one person of great significance in The Americans Season 1 Episode 10 was Gregory. Therefore, he deserves a place in the episode title, don’t toy think?

Soon after Gregory says good bye to Elizabeth, he hits the street. Minutes later there is an intense cross-fire and Gregory gets shot in an encounter. The moment is heart-breaking! But with his death, he gift wrapped and gave a greater life time to Elizabeth and Philip.

Stan, who’s only motive was to bring Amador’s killer to justice, had accomplished his mission. He took satisfaction in looking at a photograph of the dead traitor of the USA. Stan, however, also betrayed Nina, killing her friend Vlad and lying to Nina about it.

Elizabeth is probably the only one left deeply hurt after The Americans Season 1 Episode 10, losing the one person she could share anything with. Stan had his revenge. Nina was upset over her friend, Vlad’s death but her consolation was that he at least got an honorable goodbye in his native land. But Elizabeth, with her marriage going through such a rough spat, had not only lost the one man she loved, but also had to keep a straight face when she heard the news of his death on television, as she was in front of her children, she couldn’t even mourn in peace. Guess, this is the life of a spy, you are never you!

       

     

Also Check out:   The Americans: Season 1, Episode 1
               The Americans: Season 1, Episode 2
                                The Americans: Season 1, Episode 3
              The Americans: Season 1, Episode 4
                             The Americans: Season 1, Episode 5
            The Americans: Season 1, Episode 6
                            The Americans: Season 1, Episode 7
             The Americans: Season 1, Episode 9
                          The Americans: Season 1, Episode 10
             The Americans: Season 1, Episode 11
                          The Americans: Season 1, Episode 12
             The Americans: Season 1, Episode 13

  

Quotes from The Americans Season 1 Episode 10

  • Elizabeth, while dropping Philip off at the hotel, “ Doesn’t look so bad.” Philip, “Let me know when you wanna switch”

  • “I would appreciate it if you didn’t make surprise appearances, especially when we are adjusting to new   routines,” Elizabeth says to Philip.

  • Curtis says to Stan during investigation, “I might look dumb but I’m not.”

  • Stan, “You and I don’t have much in common.”  Chris, “No shit.”  Stan, “But we’re both god-damn Americans, right?”

The Americans Season 1 Episode 10

  • “Let’s just get outta here, you and me,” Gregory. Elizabeth, “I can’t, I gotta…I……”

  • “Your friend, Claudia, she stepped between me and that door. She really think she can stop me if I wanted to walk out?” Gregory. Elizabeth, “You’d be surprised!”

  • “Find somebody that will love you for being so strong,” Gregory to Elizabeth.

  • “Moscow is beautiful! It’s cosmopolitan, much more so than Washington!” Elizabeth to Gregory.

 

 

 

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