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American
Travel agency
season 4
Episode 7
Editor’s rating
Matthew Rhys as Philip.
Photo: Patrick Harberon/FX
Narratively, not much happens in “Travel Agency”. We more or less end the episode where Martha returns to a safe home and begins “The Rat” struggling to process the circumstances of her new life. The FBI is still hot on the hunt for Martha, Rez is preparing for Martha’s extradition, and Jennings and Beeman’s children go unsupervised and receive little consideration from their respective parents.
With a potential major development twice hampered by the episode’s central distraction, a well-timed phone call from Martha, Tanya Barfield’s script mocks us for its lack of real forward momentum. First, the conflict between Stan and the FBI Deputy Director over Stan’s refusal to blackmail Oleg was sidetracked by a call to his parents from Martha, whose phone was tapped by the FBI. I was. Later, at the call center where Philip is waiting to hear from Martha, operator Alice begins telling him about the “suddenly accelerated” nature of her deployment, suggesting a great revelation about Directorate S. Malta again. These little hints of lost drama underscore the narrative stance the episode has taken: It’s all about finding Martha.
This is not a bad thing. Martha’s panicked odyssey through the streets and parks of DC provokes a sort of cat-and-mouse (or cat-and-mouse, in this case) chase. American Great for building. Despite its lack of positive momentum, “Travel Agents” is wonderfully tense and well-executed TV storytelling. To-do demands that each character’s position be maximally clear in relation to the others, and director Dan Attias does a great job of keeping track of the many moving parts that make the action clear. Not only do you do that, but you create even more tension.
“Travel Agents” picks up just 40 minutes after “The Rat” ends — we know because Gabriel tells Philip and Elizabeth how long Martha is away — and Elizabeth unfolds in increments of over 30 minutes, interrupted by a phone call to Philip from the center. (Let’s think for a moment what another show is American At the same time, the FBI confirmed that “Clark Westerfeld” was in fact a false identity. This means that Stan and Adelholt’s pursuit of Martha has skyrocketed from exploratory to urgent. Martha is now a top priority for the FBI, who are comically scrutinizing all of her belongings, tampons, etc. So is the S Directorate. I am determined and equipped in the same way.
No one is more aware of this than poor Martha, who wanders through the episodes like a deer caught in a few pairs of headlights. Out on her street, she sees men in suits and black cars lurking around every corner, a paranoia that drives her to the relative safety of a park. I say “relative” because there is a great danger in the park. It is a very high bridge over very sharp rocks. The bridge turns out to be fake, aided by a sneaky cut in the commercial where Stan and Adelholt see the same bridge and realize Martha may have jumped off it, but the visual of the moment The dramatic drama highlights the despair of Martha’s situation. Whoever catches up first won’t do her any good.
This was certainly on Martha’s mind when she called Alice’s line a second time and heard “Clark” on the other end.philip plead She is visibly torn whether she should or not to tell him where she is and have him rescue her. But what other options does she have? At least. This way she can stay with Clark. Right?
And here the true case of the “travel agency” begins. With its focus on cat-and-mouse dynamics, the episode’s real payoff is much-needed emotional clarity for some characters, such as Philip and Elizabeth Chiefs. The question of Philip’s true feelings for Martha hovered throughout the season, affecting both his actions, including her, and his interactions with Elizabeth. Her concerns are never verbalized, with a worried expression and a declarative “Don’t forget who your real wife is.” When Elizabeth first called Philip on the phone, she reassured him that Martha was all right, but the look on Keri Russell’s face hinted at Philip’s It expresses Elizabeth’s frustration at having to tiptoe her feelings.She doesn’t say much, but there’s almost certainly a part of Elizabeth that wants to follow Gabriel’s unspoken instructions, and will take Martha out if she makes another scene. very close to doing so.
The fact that Elizabeth instead chooses to blow the wind out of a hysterical Martha is, oddly enough, a sign of her love and respect for Philip. or at least have an emotional connection with her that goes beyond mere guilt. is a vulnerable act, as we know Elizabeth can. You expose that vulnerability in your question.
Philip’s shocking reaction reinforces what he told William in “Chloramphenicol.” Even if he could escape life as a spy, he never could without Elizabeth. Refused to is one of the show’s most daring romantic moments, reinforcing the sanctity of Jennings’ relationships at just the right moment. .
And when Clarke returns to help Martha ice a bruise induced by Elizabeth, he keeps his promise to tell her only the truth: she’s going to Moscow alone. does not visit She must learn Russian and build her new life without him.”I’ll be alone,” says Martha, grappling with her own moment of emotional clarity. “Just like I was before I met you,” all the falsehoods that Martha has built her relationship with Clark into have collapsed, leaving her with the grim revelation that her own life is effectively over.
In the FBI world, Gaad has reached a similar realization. He knows Martha’s betrayal represents the end of his career, so he stares out the window, drinks in the office, and keeps his mouth shut at the director. , he knows his life is limited. All he can do is wait for the inevitable ending.
“Travel Agency” quietly ends on the brink of great change. Some details about next steps have been filled in, but it looks like Martha will be traveling to Moscow with a dead rat. American Allow the character to achieve emotional clarity.and the truth American Fashion, it’s devastating.
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