Ep 7. Travel Agents

Elizabeth and Philip Jennings are Soviet spies posing as an all-American couple and living in suburban Washington, D.C. The Americans has been a tense and complex drama since its debut, and as the series moves into its fourth season, the stakes for our protagonists are higher than ever before. One of the strengths of the show is the way it blends the personal lives of its characters with the cloak-and-dagger espionage shenanigans, and this episode, titled "Travel Agents," is no exception.

As the episode begins, tensions are running high for the Jennings family. Elizabeth is feeling the psychological pressure of her job -- she's been tasked with trying to turn an important CIA operative into a Soviet asset, but she's worried that she's losing her touch. Meanwhile, her husband Philip is growing disillusioned with their life as spies. He's been struggling with the moral ambiguity of their job for a long time, but in this episode, we see just how much the violence and subterfuge is getting to him. It's clear that he's reaching a breaking point, and it's not clear how much longer he can keep up this double life.

On top of all this, the Jennings are dealing with the fallout of a messy operation from the previous episode. One of their fellow spies had a breakdown and ended up killing both himself and a security guard who discovered him. The repercussions of that incident are ricocheting around the KGB, putting the Jennings and their handlers at risk of being exposed. Elizabeth is tasked with cleaning up the mess and trying to ensure that none of the blame falls on her or her husband.

All of these personal issues are set against the backdrop of the ongoing Cold War tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union. In this episode, we see both the Jennings and their American counterparts grappling with the shifting allegiances and constant danger that defined the era. The stakes are high for everyone involved, and no one can afford to make a mistake.

As with all episodes of The Americans, "Travel Agents" is a dense and meticulously crafted hour of television. The show is known for its attention to detail, and this episode is no exception. From the carefully crafted period details to the complex emotional dynamics between the characters, everything about this episode is designed to keep the audience on the edge of their seat.

The standout performance in this episode is undoubtedly Keri Russell as Elizabeth Jennings. Russell has always been a formidable actress, but in this season of The Americans, she's truly at the top of her game. The inner turmoil and external toughness that Elizabeth displays is fascinating to watch, and Russell is able to convey a complex range of emotions with ease. It's also worth noting that this episode features a lot of scenes between Elizabeth and her husband Philip, played by Matthew Rhys. The chemistry between these two actors is off the charts, and the tension between their characters is palpable.

Overall, "Travel Agents" is another excellent episode of The Americans. It's a hard-hitting and unapologetic look at the world of espionage and what it costs the people who engage in it. The show has always been a character-driven drama first and foremost, and this episode is no exception. Fans of the series will no doubt be eager to see what happens next, while newcomers will find a lot to enjoy in this tense and gripping hour of television.