Ep 5. Salang Pass

Set during the height of the Cold War in the 1980s, The Americans follows two Soviet KGB officers, Phillip and Elizabeth, who have been living undercover as a married couple in the suburbs of Washington D.C. for years. Season 3 episode 5, titled Salang Pass, delves into the continued struggles faced by the Jennings family as they navigate their dual lives.

At the start of the episode, we see Phillip and Elizabeth grappling with their own moral compasses as they are tasked with retrieving a deceased Afghan leader's body to bring back to the Soviet Union. Meanwhile, their daughter Paige is struggling with her own moral dilemma as she tries to reconcile with her faith, while their son Henry becomes increasingly curious about his parents' secretive double lives.

As the family navigates these existential crises, their mission takes them on a harrowing journey to a remote mountain pass in Afghanistan. There, they are forced to confront the realities of war and the human toll it takes on all involved.

The episode also explores the complex relationships between the characters. We see Phillip and Elizabeth grow closer as they navigate the mission together, but their bond is also tested by Phillip's deepening sense of guilt over their work as Soviet spies. Paige, too, struggles with her relationship with her parents as she grapples with the enormity of their secrets.

Overall, Salang Pass is a thrilling and emotionally charged episode that both expands on the overall story of The Americans and delves deep into the psyches of its characters. Fans of the show will not want to miss this installment.