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In this week’s all-new Watching the Americans, we analyze The Americans Season 2 episode 10 entitled “Yousaf.” This episode’s story was by Stephen Schiff and Stuart Zicherman, and it was directed by Stefan Schwartz. The original air date was April 30, 2014.

In the news, we go over the latest ratings and The Wire’s feature “Wig of the Week.” We also talk about Pete Townshend’s collaboration with show composer Nathan Barr on the new song “It Must Be Done”  which debuted in this week’s episode  Finally, we look at a neat interview in Rolling Stone with actress Alison Wright who plays Martha

In our episode discussion, we pick up right where the last show ended and begin with Philip and Elizabeth’s tender moment after the emotional exchange with Pastor Tim. Later, Elizabeth has terse exchanges with Philip and Paige about the teen’s desire to go to a religious camp for the summer. We also talk about the return of Annelise, a character from Season 1. Agent Gaad comes back to the FBI and there is a second confrontation between him and Arkady. Stan reveals Sandra’s affair to Nina and later questions Jared Conner about his parent’s murder. We see Larrick’s return and his interactions with Ma Bell in his hunt for those responsible for the Contra base attack. And Philip and Elizabeth have a short time frame mission to set up a new source of Intel from the Pakistani ISI intelligence service.

In our history segment, we learn about the ISI, the doctrine of mutually assured destruction and the Cold War, the First, Second, and Third Worlds in geopolitics, the Golden Guinness Girls, the Young Pioneers, and the Glow Worm. During tech of yesteryear we relive old analog phone tech like rotary dial phones, junction boxes and switchboards, and of course Ma Bell.

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