Because he respects Oleg and his work. When Oleg first showed up, it was assumed that he would be the arrogant upper-class twit killing time in a cushy post in the US. But he turned out to be a hard worker and his commitment to Nina showed Arkady that he actually gave a crap about her as a person, not just the office…

Listen to Slate's weekly Americans podcast (the EIC of Slate is the brother of one of the EPs). It's a discussion with the script supervisor, one of both of the EPs and pertinent cast and crew. Today's guests were Allison Wright (Martha) and the stunt coordinator - who describes in detail how they did this one. The…

I'd respond with a moratorium on Manhattan and brownstone/hipster Brooklyn. There's so much more to NYC than the neighborhoods with artistic/rich white people. When was the last time you saw anything made in or about the South Bronx, Canarsie, Jamaica, Tottenville, Dyker Heights, Flatbush? Shit, when was the last time…

I noted downthread that Todd saw Hans come off the lookout point - not good, Liz.

Todd saw Hans come down off the wall on his way into the van and Elizabeth noticed but kept her mouth shut - I think that will come back to bite her in the ass.

I'm betting she's gonna be Mama Solverson.

The Cold War in Africa is a really under-discussed topic in America, probably due to the lack of direct American involvement. A majority of the sub-Saharan nations went through a relatively rapid period of decolonization. The outgoing Western European governments generally tried to maintain power through the private…

I've been a watch guy since I was a kid. My parents drilled it into me that you should always have a watch and a pen on you.

That works if you believe in the US as a political empire run by its government. As a cultural empire run by its corporations, its influence is much more vast than the American nation and is just getting started. I'm not some New World Order fanatic but the reality is increasingly harder to ignore.

Those podcasts are really good and Keri Russell swears like a sailor.

Just replace the I with a 1 - S1ngles. Worked for Chvrches.

Seeing that film at 13 years old was a life-changing experience.

And note how she pointedly replied with the Russian/Ukranian "Budem" to his English "cheers" as they toasted the conspicuously American whisky.

She was also the hooker on Joseph Gordon Levitt's arm in his segment on the Sin City sequel.

There were instances where I had to remember to breathe after realizing I had been holding it for long stretches.

They've been handling the Afghanistan situation very well without being heavy handed with it - they trust the audience to understand the consequences of the increasingly fundamental ISI.

I think Oleg needs to watch his words around Tatiana - I still suspect she's there to root out any weaknesses in the Rezidentura after the fallout around having a double agent in house.

I don't know if he will - her brushoff of Elizabeth's impending offer likely won't end well for her.

The show did a great job of making her an actual character instead of just a plot device.

How else is he going to get the money Boyd's going to steal and that Ava told him about?