Monthly Archives: February 2015

WTA 22-Season 3 Episode 4 Dimebag

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:27:58 — 40.7MB)

The writers will make sure you are very uncomfortable in this week’s episode 304 of The Americans entitled ”Dimebag”. It was written by Peter Ackerman and directed by Thomas Schlamme. The original air date for the episode was February 18, 2015.

“Dimebag” is chock-full of tense moments. Philip and Elizabeth continue their debate about Paige’s future, and their relationship is becoming increasingly frayed. Nina gets a proposition that could save her, and she attempts to get close to her new cellmate as a result. Stan continues trying EST and makes an ill-advised visit to Sandra. He also shares his growing unease with Gaad about the defector Zinaida. Philip takes steps to recruit a new agent to gain access to the CIA Afghani group, and she is the teenaged daughter of the CIA section chief. Paige invites Pastor Tim and his wife Alice to her birthday dinner, and makes a surprising announcement to her family.

In our history segment, we learn about Love Baby Soft from Love Cosmetics, mourn the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, listen to the new wave music sensation Yaz (aka Yazoo), and stop by Harvey’s for some meat. In tech of yesteryear, we are all about the tuneage with the Sony Walkman and the Boombox. Then we finish up by reading the venerable PC Magazine.

In our feedback segment, there are some really great comments, we read out a part of a new Twitter screenplay being developed for Martha and the Mailbot, and we ask actor Kelly AuCoin a question about the scene with the Jennings and he gives us an audio reply. Check out a great profile of him in the Washington Post!

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WTA 21-Season 3 Episode 3 Open House

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:22:51 — 38.3MB)

Adventures in dentistry await you in this week’s all-new The Americans entitled ”Open House”. It was written by Stuart Zicherman and directed by Thomas Schlamme. The original air date for the episode was February 11, 2015.

After the ratings news bummer last time, there is reason to feel better via Deadline with the DVR numbers added in for last week’s show. We also get the ratings from this week from Headlineplanet. There are a couple of neat stories, one from Hitfix with a Keri Russell interview, another interview via Vulture with director Thomas Sclamme and the story behind The Americans’ excruciating, beautifully shot tooth-pulling scene, and we wind up with both TVLine eyeing the return of Claudia and the Dallas Morning News teasing Margo Martindale is returning to The Americans.

Tonight’s episode starts with Philip at Gabriel’s apartment, playing a game of Scrabble. They discuss Paige’s future, with Philip arguing for her to choose her own path and Gabriel assuring that she will. Gabriel warns Philip about their recently selected CIA target Ted Paaswell being someone under observation and to be careful. Elizabeth and Philip remain very distant with one another while having another discussion about Paige. They later spy on Paaswell and plant a bug on an early cell phone he has. They follow him to listen to his conversations, and Elizabeth realizes they are being followed by the CIA. Philip escapes and gets Elizabeth help. After a harrowing chase, she returns home in severe pain and Philip takes action to relieve it. He revisits Gabriel who warns him off Paaswell for now, but Philip and Elizabeth tail him again and make a startling discovery.

In our history segment, we learn econ with Sir John Richard Hicks and Evgeny Evgenievich Slutsky, see the cover of Time Magazine from November 22, 1982, get more econ via the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, and try to unwind with a friendly game of Scrabble. In our technology of yesteryear we make a call with a Bag Phone and watch an old-timey TV Sign Off.

WTA 20-Season 3 Episode 2 Baggage

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:16:14 — 44.0MB)

A crushing episode awaits you with this week’s all-new The Americans! ”Baggage” was written by Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg, and directed by Daniel Sackheim. The original air date for the episode was February 4, 2015.

After a great start for the season, the ratings news was surprising and disappointing. We check them via Headline Planet.

In this episode, we see the return of Nina, alive and imprisoned at the notorious Leforto prison. From there the scene switches to right where “EST Men” ended up – the hotel where Yousaf met Annalise. Philip calls Elizabeth for help disposing of a body with bone-crunching results. Philip pressures Yousaf to arrange a meeting of CIA operatives involved in the Afghan conflict. Philip and Elizabeth follow Yousaf to his meeting at a bar and surveille. Oleg confronts Stan about Nina and Stan lives to walk away. He goes to Sandra’s new home to talk with her and she pushes him away. Oleg’s father, the Minister of Railways, visits Nina in prison. A woman defects from the USSR and Stan takes charge of her safety. The strain between Elizabeth and Phillip intensifies, and we get a flashback that helps explain why Elizabeth is so adamant about recruiting Paige. At the end of the episode, Elizabeth tells Phillip about her being approached by the KGB at 16 and her mother not hesitating to tell her to serve her country.

In this week’s history segment, we explore Reaganomics, the Leforto Prison, The Soviet Ministry of the Means of Communication aka Railroads, The Institute for US and Canadian Studies, and the Soviet newspaper Pravda. In our technology of yesteryear we sneak a peek at a KGB Spy Camera, vending machines, and the Oldsmobile Toronado.

WTA 19-Season 3 Episode 1 EST Men

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:23:59 — 48.4MB)

The Americans is back for Season 3! We begin with an astounding debut, “EST Men,” written by Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg, and directed by Daniel Sackheim. The original air date for the episode was January 28, 2015.

The news connects with the show yet again! We have a story from the New York Times detailing three Russian secret agents recently uncovered by the government. We also have great news about ratings for the season opener!

In our episode discussion, we see Elizabeth with a disgruntled CIA agent who gives her a list of CIA and FBI operatives helping the Soviet forces in Afghanistan. She is trailed by agent Gaad and loses the information during a fight. At the rezidentura, the Soviets watch a video of one of their soldiers being executed. Stan goes with Phillip to an EST meeting to try to save his marriage. He thinks it is stupid and tells Sandra so to bad effect. Phillip and Elizabeth visit their old handler Gabriel who wants to get them to bring Paige into the fold. Elizabeth tells him it’s moving along and enrages Phillip. Phillip contacts Annalise who has fallen in love with Yousaf from the Pakistani ISI. Annalise and Yousaf have a romantic encounter with a shocking outcome.

In the history segment, we discuss South African Apartheid, the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan, Hershey’s Kisses, Soviet Leader Leonid Brezhnev, the TV show The Jeffersons, and the Kama Sutra. In our technology of yesteryear we look at the payphone, video rental shops, the adding machine, and carousel slide projectors.