Alison Wright and Matthew Rhys are such amazing actors! I am amazed that a character like Martha, who initially seemed like a joke to me, really became the heart of the show imo. She was such a strong and tragic character by the end of it all.
Well said!!! During the 3rd & 4th seasons my main fear going into each episode was that THIS would be the episode she died. And I never was quite mentally prepared for that. Hahaha.
One of the pinnacle scenes from the entire series. How Alison Wright didn't even get nominated for an Emmy (let alone WIN) during those 3rd & 4th seasons, I'll never know. Such an iconic moment.
Phillip‘s undercover operation is based on operation Romeo, which was implemented in GDR (East Germany). We learned about it in Germany in high school. The Eastern German agents were sent to West Germany, where they targeted employees of state ministries and military installations. Most of whom were unmarried, younger women, but also bachelors and married men and gay men. The Soviets had the Eastern Germans (both, male and female) agents trained in every aspect of seduction, manipulation and sexual activity. They were employing good looking actors and models also often gays and bisexuals, who could be sent on several missions in the same city. They also had to hide their distinctive Eastern German accent, and had to speak the dialect of the region they were sent to. And they were never allowed to speak or write in Russian, nor to bring up Russia in conversations. There’s a German documentary from the 1990s about the Operation. Several highly positioned public servants, who were targeted, were interviewed. One of them was the personal secretary of the West German defense minister, who had all the classified files of the entire NATO operations in Europe in his desk. He would often travel with his secretary to Brussels, and she would always carry the files with herself to translate them from French/English to German. Another case was that of a secretly gay secretary in a German embassy. The mistake the Westerners made, was that they often employed male and female singles, who had to be at disposition 24/7. Most of them were lonely and spent their weekends in solitude (they had no additional responsibilities, like family) which made them vulnerable. They were never allowed to speak to anyone about their jobs. Not even to their families. But the Soviets had a list of all the employees. What surprised me watching the documentary, was the patience the agents showed, in order to get the files/data/intel. In the case of the above mentioned secretary, the spy who seduced her, was a good looking, young actor (younger than her) who dated her for three years, before she even had an idea about his job‘s true nature. The stories he told her („There are some people in the East, and they are afraid of what is to happen in Europe, and they would pay a great deal of money, if they would find out, what is actually going on in NATO.“) She thought, he was an art collector, often travelling to Asia, who coincidentally ran into strange people, who stole his art collection, and he needed the intel to get his stuff back. She was so head over heels, that she gave him the entire intel on NATO her boss had in his office. She really believed, that there’s an Eastern Asian cartel out there, who trades in intel. „Never for a second, I‘d have thought that the Russians were behind the whole thing.“ she said. They also interviewed the retired agents, who told their side of the story. It wasn’t easy to remain detached and distant, because some of them really fell in love with their Western targets, but they had to get the job done. With married men and gay men it was a bit easier, because they could be often blackmailed (with secretly made recordings). Some of them didn’t submit to the pressure, but rather committed suicide. The thought of their families‘ finding out about their infidelity/sexual orientation was much harder to face.
I love that for a couple of seconds it really looks like he's going to pull off his face instead of his wig. And how the hell did Alison Wright not even get nominated for anything, especially seasons 3 and 4. (The Guest Actress Emmy nomination in season 5 was too little to late).
What a great scene. I believe this was the only time we got to see Liz or Phil unveil their disguise and it was amazing. The blank look on Phillip’s face as he rips the wig off is extremely unsettling. And Martha’s shock, so believable
There would be no point to reveal himself, just to kill her! If he wanted to kill her, no need, even better not to reveal himself! You could tell he was not that evil up to that point!
@@damianwilson7526 I don't see why she didn't question why he wore a wig and glasses that he doesn't when he has hair. She knew that but maybe she thought he was bald. Took like another 6 episodes to reveal that he was a kgb agent.
@@ConnorMcCartney95 There was a scene where she let him know that she knew he wore a toupee (because that's what she thought it was). She didn't know until this scene that he wasn't bald.
The whole series are fillled with quiet scenes. Many times there is no need for words to explain whats going on. They left it to viewers to decide whats going on or what they where thinking. I think Martha knew deep inside that philp/Clark was doing shady buissines. That he wasn't working for the American government. She knew/suspected all along. But she didn't want to confront it. And when he took of his wigg and glasses, it confirmed her biggest fear, leaving her speechless. And for the other episodes after where Philip, Gabriel and Elizabeth are "explaining" to her is just confirmation what she has suspected long time before. She ignored everything about Clarkes behaviour, his disappearances, not wanting to have children, why he did not want to/can't live with her etc. It all comes as a major chock to her when shit hits the fan. Sidenote* I think Martha and Stan are very much alike. They fear/loath being alone and don't have the tools to connect with the right people in the right way, so they f**k it up for themselves. Stan could have had a healthy, thriving relationship with the mother of his son, Sandra. And I believe Martha could have had a healthy, HAPPY and thriving relationship with Aderholt if Martha showed interest in him.. But they ignored the right people, they ignored the red flags and got sucked into the wrong people, because they were desperate to feel loved and seen. That's maybe why both are an easy target for the KGB.
I don’t understand why he had to show himself to her. And why she didn’t wonder that all these years she married a guy that she knew nothing about .it meant that he never be true to her from the beginning. If she opened her eyes to these she would understand everything that she was used. It also showed that Philip never really care for her because if he did he would let her go this time when she never really know anything at all.(only that he’s not the investigator)
Alison Wright and Matthew Rhys are such amazing actors! I am amazed that a character like Martha, who initially seemed like a joke to me, really became the heart of the show imo. She was such a strong and tragic character by the end of it all.
Well said!!! During the 3rd & 4th seasons my main fear going into each episode was that THIS would be the episode she died. And I never was quite mentally prepared for that. Hahaha.
Martha and Nina really got the short end of the stick in this whole game
Both would have been better off following the path took by the other. Nina should have defected, and Martha should have come clean.
One of the pinnacle scenes from the entire series. How Alison Wright didn't even get nominated for an Emmy (let alone WIN) during those 3rd & 4th seasons, I'll never know. Such an iconic moment.
One of the pinnacle scenes in television history, period.
JUSTICE FOR MARTHA !!! she deserved all the awards
Terrifyingly good disguise... He becomes a totally different person.
Phillip‘s undercover operation is based on operation Romeo, which was implemented in GDR (East Germany). We learned about it in Germany in high school.
The Eastern German agents were sent to West Germany, where they targeted employees of state ministries and military installations. Most of whom were unmarried, younger women, but also bachelors and married men and gay men.
The Soviets had the Eastern Germans (both, male and female) agents trained in every aspect of seduction, manipulation and sexual activity. They were employing good looking actors and models also often gays and bisexuals, who could be sent on several missions in the same city. They also had to hide their distinctive Eastern German accent, and had to speak the dialect of the region they were sent to. And they were never allowed to speak or write in Russian, nor to bring up Russia in conversations.
There’s a German documentary from the 1990s about the Operation. Several highly positioned public servants, who were targeted, were interviewed. One of them was the personal secretary of the West German defense minister, who had all the classified files of the entire NATO operations in Europe in his desk. He would often travel with his secretary to Brussels, and she would always carry the files with herself to translate them from French/English to German. Another case was that of a secretly gay secretary in a German embassy.
The mistake the Westerners made, was that they often employed male and female singles, who had to be at disposition 24/7. Most of them were lonely and spent their weekends in solitude (they had no additional responsibilities, like family) which made them vulnerable. They were never allowed to speak to anyone about their jobs. Not even to their families. But the Soviets had a list of all the employees.
What surprised me watching the documentary, was the patience the agents showed, in order to get the files/data/intel. In the case of the above mentioned secretary, the spy who seduced her, was a good looking, young actor (younger than her) who dated her for three years, before she even had an idea about his job‘s true nature.
The stories he told her („There are some people in the East, and they are afraid of what is to happen in Europe, and they would pay a great deal of money, if they would find out, what is actually going on in NATO.“) She thought, he was an art collector, often travelling to Asia, who coincidentally ran into strange people, who stole his art collection, and he needed the intel to get his stuff back. She was so head over heels, that she gave him the entire intel on NATO her boss had in his office. She really believed, that there’s an Eastern Asian cartel out there, who trades in intel. „Never for a second, I‘d have thought that the Russians were behind the whole thing.“ she said.
They also interviewed the retired agents, who told their side of the story. It wasn’t easy to remain detached and distant, because some of them really fell in love with their Western targets, but they had to get the job done. With married men and gay men it was a bit easier, because they could be often blackmailed (with secretly made recordings). Some of them didn’t submit to the pressure, but rather committed suicide. The thought of their families‘ finding out about their infidelity/sexual orientation was much harder to face.
Wow, I'm impressed with that, that is so interesting!!! The show is all based on real things.
Suck i
I still remember her placing sparse groceries in the cart in the somber Russian grocery store.
This is one of the best scenes in television history. The Americans is such a fantastic show.
One of my favorites
godamn this show was so fucking good.
Rewatching this show and just finished this episode. Such a stellar scene, probably one of the top 5 tv moments of the last 10 years.
This scene makes me cry 😭
Poor Martha 😢
One of a million reasons why this series is epic
One of the best show I ever watched. Ending was so emotional and sad
Especially the Paige scene
Martha, my beloved ❤️
She deserved the world
POOR MARTHA!!!
I love that for a couple of seconds it really looks like he's going to pull off his face instead of his wig.
And how the hell did Alison Wright not even get nominated for anything, especially seasons 3 and 4. (The Guest Actress Emmy nomination in season 5 was too little to late).
Somehow Margo Martindale got nominations instead of her.
You’re not the only one. I also thought he was going to pull his face off like the Mission: Impossible masks or the ones the aliens use in V.
their corrosive relationship finally digresses...
Their accents are so frigging good, especially Allison's!
What do you mean? She is not american?
@@jenlindley7780 She's English, Manchester I think. And he's Welsh.
@@dmacbass I knew about him, but not about her
What a great scene. I believe this was the only time we got to see Liz or Phil unveil their disguise and it was amazing. The blank look on Phillip’s face as he rips the wig off is extremely unsettling. And Martha’s shock, so believable
Martha should just be happy she didn’t end up like Annelise..
100% she did not want to be ANYONE'S secret and then ends up living a life secret from everyone she loved in Witness Protection.
Witness protection? They shipped her off to live in the USSR
The one thing I'd change is have the camera only on Martha while he take it off
Why is it that all fans of The Americans are required to love Martha?
because she got abused and manipulated by our main characters for like half of the show lol 😭
We all want secretly someone with Martha's devotion. To a fellow human being, not a grand cause
I thought she was going to have her neck snapped.
She was about to. Revealing himself was a last ditch effort-if that hadnt worked and she still tried to leave, she'd have been dead.
I thought so too. And then I thought, it would've been more realistic to kill her - but damnit the drama factor is just too good if they don't.
We all did. Which caused me all kinds of panic and anxiety. 😂😯😓
There would be no point to reveal himself, just to kill her! If he wanted to kill her, no need, even better not to reveal himself! You could tell he was not that evil up to that point!
@@alexinthemiddle4170yeah, he was no Elizabeth
Why was there not a scene of Philip explaining why he's wearing a wig and using glasses he doesn't need?
She already knew he wore a wig, she mentioned that she noticed it at some point before this. Plus at this point she knows he is living a secret life
@@damianwilson7526 I don't see why she didn't question why he wore a wig and glasses that he doesn't when he has hair. She knew that but maybe she thought he was bald. Took like another 6 episodes to reveal that he was a kgb agent.
@@ConnorMcCartney95 There was a scene where she let him know that she knew he wore a toupee (because that's what she thought it was). She didn't know until this scene that he wasn't bald.
The whole series are fillled with quiet scenes. Many times there is no need for words to explain whats going on. They left it to viewers to decide whats going on or what they where thinking.
I think Martha knew deep inside that philp/Clark was doing shady buissines. That he wasn't working for the American government. She knew/suspected all along. But she didn't want to confront it. And when he took of his wigg and glasses, it confirmed her biggest fear, leaving her speechless. And for the other episodes after where Philip, Gabriel and Elizabeth are "explaining" to her is just confirmation what she has suspected long time before. She ignored everything about Clarkes behaviour, his disappearances, not wanting to have children, why he did not want to/can't live with her etc. It all comes as a major chock to her when shit hits the fan.
Sidenote* I think Martha and Stan are very much alike. They fear/loath being alone and don't have the tools to connect with the right people in the right way, so they f**k it up for themselves. Stan could have had a healthy, thriving relationship with the mother of his son, Sandra. And I believe Martha could have had a healthy, HAPPY and thriving relationship with Aderholt if Martha showed interest in him.. But they ignored the right people, they ignored the red flags and got sucked into the wrong people, because they were desperate to feel loved and seen. That's maybe why both are an easy target for the KGB.
She didn't want to know the details. She was smart enough to figure out that it was KGB of some sort.
I don’t understand why he had to show himself to her. And why she didn’t wonder that all these years she married a guy that she knew nothing about .it meant that he never be true to her from the beginning. If she opened her eyes to these she would understand everything that she was used. It also showed that Philip never really care for her because if he did he would let her go this time when she never really know anything at all.(only that he’s not the investigator)