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"I don't want to be like them." ― Elizabeth about Americans

Urban Transport Planning is the third episode of the final season of The Americans on FX, and the sixty-eighth episode overall.

Synopsis[]

In the aftermath of a disastrous operation, Philip and Elizabeth clash about how to handle things with Paige. Stan struggles to contain the growing risks of Sofia and Gennadi's fraying relationship.

Plot[]

In a garage, Elizabeth scrubs her face of blood after shooting General Rennhull. At home, Philip calmly discusses Paige's mistake in leaving her position and running into the meeting between Elizabeth and Rennhull when she heard shots until interrupted by a phone call from Henry. Elizabeth arrives and berates Paige, warning her that if anyone else had made such a mistake, they'd be let go. After apologizing, Paige leaves and Philip gets Elizabeth to calm down. She tells Philip some of the details of her mission and that there's trouble at home with Gorbochev. She reveals she met with Rennhull and was rushed to get a radiation sensor from him, but stops before telling him about Dead Hand



Urban Transport Planning episode Philip
It's better to feel bad and go through it.
Sofia tells Stan that she's discussed her and Gennadi's involvement with the FBI with her friend Bogdan at TASS. She dismisses Stan's concerns. At Dupont Circle Travel, Philip negotiates an extension on Henry's tuition payment at St. Edward's with David Sato. Walking along the river, Paige discusses seeing Rennhull's death with Elizabeth. Elizabeth doesn't tell Paige that she blackmailed Rennhull but does reveal many other details of why she met him. Discussing the dangers of their work, Elizabeth touts sacrifice and not being afraid. With the agency failing, Philip gives the staff a sales pep talk, pointing out strategies that Rick used in recent sales. Also asking Lacey questions, he tells that staff to follow the strategies, which falls flat with Stavos and the other staff.



Urban Transport Planning episode Sofia
We know how to keep secrets.
Stan discusses the danger to Gennadi with Agent Aderholt and after some disagreement, they make plans to have Gennadi get asylum when he returns to the US in four days. Aderholt tells Stan about Rennhull's death which he finds a suspicious suicide. He asks Stan to meet with Oleg soon. In disguise, Elizabeth meets with Father Andrei, who she's been handling. Elizabeth discusses training Paige and he asks her to bring Philip next time they meet. With Paige, Marilyn, Hank and Norm running counter-surveillance, Elizabeth follows the summit negotiation team including Glenn Haskard, Martin Gurrin and Fyodor Nesterenko to lunch. Sitting at a table next to the team, Elizabeth eavesdrops while they discuss hockey and baseball. Gurrin invites the Russians to his house to see a baseball game but only Nesterenko accepts the invitation. Elizabeth hears which jacket Glenn will wear to watch the game.



Urban Transport Planning episode negotiators
Everybody has their favorite pizza.
Stan surprises Oleg at his hotel room who reluctantly lets him in. He apologizes for the CIA trying to blackmail him in Moscow three years before and although indicating he was the reason the CIA stopped, Oleg doesn't believe him. Asking about Oleg's Urban Transport Planning course, Stan doesn't believe that's why he's in Washington. Oleg asks if Stan thinks about Nina who confesses he does. Stan warns Oleg about the consequences if he's there to spy.



S06E03-Oleg Stan
Whatever you're doing here, don't.
Claudia, Elizabeth, and Paige cook zharkoye, a Russian stew, and after sending Paige to get sour cream, Claudia gives Elizabeth a new target for acquiring the sensor, a warehousing/quality control supervisor at Altheon, the sensor plant, named Evan Urqhardt. After Elizabeth brings a sample of the zharkoye home to Philip, she and Philip discuss their very different views of the changes in Russia and Elizabeth's hatred of America. Elizabeth claims that ordinary Russians don't want to be like Americans. When Philip says that Elizabeth has not been home in 20 years and so has no idea what ordinary Russians want, she says that he hasn't either. Philip has, though he doesn't tell her about meeting Oleg. Renee tells Stan that she would like to work at the FBI, but Stan tells her she's too old to be hired as an agent.



TA603-2
Things are changing back home.
Upon Gennadi's return to the U.S., Stan and several FBI teams simultaneously pick up him, Sofia, and Agent Brooks picks up her son Ilia at school and give them asylum. In private, Stan explains the situation to Gennadi and they discuss Sofia wanting a divorce. Learning they'll stay in different places until relocated, Gennadi begs Stan to convince Sofia that they should be together. In disguise, posing as a security consultant hired by Altheon, Elizabeth meets with Evan to find weaknesses in plant security procedures and then kills him when she learns Evan's girlfriend actually does work in security and would expose her cover. (♫ Leonard Cohen - Dance Me to the End of Love ♫) A disguised Philip meets with Oleg in a park.



Urban Transport Planning episode Elizabeth Evan
We only kill in self-defense...

Notes[]

  • At the pizza lunch, one of Nesterenko's team, Kirill, mentions that hockey is much better than baseball and briefly discusses the 1987 Canada Cup, widely considered the greatest international hockey series of all time. The Soviets narrowly lost in game 3 of the finals on a last minute goal by Mario Lemieux assisted by Wayne Gretzky. (see Timeline of Historical Events)
  • To illustrate the changes happening in the USSR, Philip points out that there's talk of a Pizza Hut opening up in Moscow. Elizabeth dismisses this as propaganda. The first Pizza Hut would open in Moscow less than three years after their discussion, on September 11, 1990.
  • "Previously on The Americans" voice: Claudia.

Music[]

Song Title Performer(s)
Dance Me to the End of Love Leonard Cohen

Videos[]


Season Six
#601 "Dead Hand" #606 "Rififi"
#602 "Tchaikovsky" #607 "Harvest"
#603 "Urban Transport Planning" #608 "The Summit"
#604 "Mr. and Mrs. Teacup" #609 "Jennings, Elizabeth"
#605 "The Great Patriotic War" #610 "START"
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