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"She's not equipped to deal with this shit!" ― Philip about Paige

Open House is the third episode of Season Three of The Americans on FX, and the twenty-ninth episode overall.

Synopsis[]

Elizabeth and Philip get closer to the inner circle of the C.I.A. Afghan Group.

Plot[]

Philip meets with Gabriel to discuss the best way to get information from the CIA's Afghan group. They decide to focus on Ted Paaswell, who is going through a divorce and is in need of money. Paaswell's realtor is holding an open house for his property, which is for sale and has been reduced twice in price. Elizabeth continues to train Hans in counter-surveillance techniques. Hans flirts with her which Elizabeth stops. At home, Elizabeth discusses a birthday present for Paige with Philip and mentions Hans flirting with her. Philip doesn't care about the flirting and accuses Elizabeth of discussing Paige's recruitment behind his back with Gabriel. He rolls over and turns out the light.



Open House 1
I'm sure he liked what he saw.
At the FBI, Agent Aderholt has a pleasant conversation with Martha by the Mail Robot. Aderholt apologizes to Stan for his rudeness after being attacked (unknown to them both, by Elizabeth). The Jennings drop in to Paaswell's as potential buyers and a disguised Philip puts a listening device in Paaswell's mobile phone. Although he is not supposed to be present during the open house, Paaswell returns to retrieve his phone and almost catches Philip planting the device. The Jennings start following Paaswell and are able to get a signal from the device. (♫ Air Supply - All Out of Love ♫)



S03E03-Home buyer
Philip plants the device.
At the Rezidentura, Arkady notifies Oleg that his father has requested he be transferred back to Moscow. Arkady has been ordered to sign the papers, but tells Oleg he will leave the decision up to him. Oleg cautions Arkady of the dangers of going against his father, who is close to Yuri Andropov, the new Soviet leader but Arkady is unconcerned. Listening in their car, the Jennings hear Paaswell's young teen babysitter, Kimmy, trying to seduce him. Having driven around the neighborhood several times, they notice they are being tailed by a team of CIA agents in several cars assigned to guard Paaswell.



S03E03-Oleg and Arkady
If you want me to sign it, I will.
Hours later at night, unable to shake the tails, Philip jumps out of the car as it rounds a corner and hides. In Henry's room, Paige discovers a picture of Sandra Beeman in a bikini among his things which embarrasses him. At the new Clandestine call center, Joan receives a call from Philip who in code, tells her that Elizabeth needs help. The CIA asks the FBI for help tailing Elizabeth which results in Agent Gaad creating a situation room in "the vault" and notifying Stan. As Elizabeth rounds a corner, a man throws a walkie into her car on which a voice gives her instructions where to drive. Philip arrives home, finds Paige still up and apologizes for all the late nights he and Elizabeth work.



S03E03-Joan first appearance
Traffic is awful these days.
In the vault, Aderholt arrives and discovering that the CIA wants to see where Elizabeth leads them, convinces Gaad to allow them to pull her over. At home, Philip drinks coffee and frets. Stopped at a light with her tail one light behind her, a KGB agent jams the tail's radio and when the tail pulls into an intersection, another KGB agent crashes into his car and then pulls away. Elizabeth bolts out of her car and runs into a waiting car which drives her away. She arrives home to a relieved Philip who, noticing she's still in pain from the cracked molar from the fight with Aderholt, takes her into the laundry room. After several attempts, Philip pulls out the tooth with pliers.



Open House 2
Pull her over now, before it's too late.
The next morning in the vault, Stan and Aderholt rue the lost opportunity and Aderholt confirms that he captured an Illegal during his last assignment. Aderholt asks what it took for Stan to bring down a white supremacist group he was uncover with to which Stan replies that he just told them over and over again what they wanted to hear. He leaves to guard Zinaida. After much arguing, Martha convinces "Clark" to look at some orphans. Elizabeth continues to train Hans and he apologizes for flirting with her the day before. (♫ Battle Cry of Freedom ♫) She explains she's involved with someone and wants it to work. Philip meets with Gabriel and telling him about Kimmy, says that they'd like to monitor Paaswell again. Gabriel tells him no, given the close call they just had. They argue about Paige's recruitment and Philip storms out.



S03E03-Liz and Hans
In this line of work, sex is dangerous.
After discussing the latest stealth plane the US is developing with Tatiana and Arkady, Oleg tells Arkady he'd like to stay, knowing this places Arkady in an uncomfortable position. While standing backstage watching Zinaida on a monitor being interviewed by Charles Duluth, Stan recalls his earlier words to Aderholt about how people can be fooled simply by telling them repeatedly that they're right and looks at her with suspicion. Despite Gabriel telling them not to, Philip and Elizabeth return to follow Paaswell, and discover his babysitter is also his boss, Isaac Breland's daughter, Kimmy. Paaswell rebuffs her advances and they realize Kimmy has a thing for older men.



Open House 7
People love hearing how right they are.

Notes[]

  • Elizabeth criticizes modern conveniences to Hans by quoting Karl Marx: "the production of too many useful things results in too many useless people."
  • Philip reads Time magazine from November 22, 1982. (see Timeline of Historical Events)
  • A commercial for Beyer Volvo of Falls Church plays on TV.
  • Fantasy Island was an American television series that originally aired on the ABC network from 1977 to 1984. It starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke, who grants the fantasies of visitors to the island for a price. Paige watches an episode guest starring Mickey Gilley, which first aired November 20, 1982.
  • While Philip waits at home for Elizabeth to escape the CIA team, a TV news cast reports on a trade conference in Geneva which was in its fourth day of negotiations. The fourth day of the conference occurred on November 28, 1982.
  • Although it's winter in Washington, numerous scenes show leafy, green trees.
  • During Hans' training, he describes a man with a REO Speedwagon patch on his jacket. Their album Hi Infidelity was the biggest selling rock album in the US in 1981.
  • Mail Robot makes another appearance. Dennis helps Martha pick up some files that have spilt off the robot. He indicates that he never uses the robot and hand delivers his files.

Music[]

Song Title Performer(s)
All Out of Love Air Supply
Battle Cry of Freedom Orchestra

Videos[]


Season Three
#301 "EST Men" #308 "Divestment"
#302 "Baggage" #309 "Do Mail Robots Dream of Electric Sheep?"
#303 "Open House" #310 "Stingers"
#304 "Dimebag" #311 "One Day in the Life of Anton Baklanov"
#305 "Salang Pass" #312 "I Am Abassin Zadran"
#306 "Born Again" #313 "March 8, 1983"
#307 "Walter Taffet"
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