Yes, there's definitely something odd about how much they're patting themselves on the back over digging up an unguarded plant in broad daylight. Even going so far as to literally put a bow on it (I know this is supposed to make the plant look like a gift so it's easier for Gabriel to travel with it, but still). …

It's more about the loss of Frank Langella the actor, because I agree that Gabriel is not a particularly likable character.

I suspect it's because they don't yet know for sure if the wheat they stole is what they hope it is.

So right! Well, except for the countless examples to the contrary.

As long as we're formalizing the nicknames of minor characters here, I'd like to suggest "Ol' Black Hans."

And don't forget Oleg longing to speak to his brother again…

Another nice little detail: When Gabriel and Philip are sitting at the table for their final conversation, the paint on Philip's side of the window is solid and dark. On Gabriel's side, there's a bunch of light-colored spackle or primer, creating the effect that the darkness above his head is evaporating. This…

Didn't she also say a bunch of stuff about the Pittsburgh area a couple episodes back? Someone from Pittsburgh should re-watch that to see if she made any similar mistakes.

I hear Pete Vukovich is angling for that job.

I've got all sorts of hot takes.

…

If they're still looking, I could probably throw something together for four grand.

That book looks interesting. I might check it out.

It's simply a fact that the average person in the US had more economic opportunity that the average person in the USSR (and in present-day Russia, not to mention most every other country in the world). You and I are debating the extent to which their business has been propped up by the USSR, but the real point is…

Although they must have been given a certain amount of seed money early on, their lifestyle cannot be entirely financed by the USSR. Financial autonomy would be a critical part of being an long-term operative hiding in plain sight. That is, they need to have legit, sourceable income that pays for the majority of…

To claim that "when you are born into a disadvantaged family in a poor neighborhood, no - you have no chance" is going too far. True, no two people are born into the exact same circumstances, with the same resources, same talents, etc. But to say "no chance" is overly pessimistic.

I agree that Oleg has never explicitly disavowed his country's ideology, but I think there is plenty of circumstantial evidence that he doesn't exactly buy into the party line.

You may be splitting hairs here. I'm not saying you're wrong, but your analysis is probably too nuanced considering we're talking about an hour-long weekly TV show. I think it's enough to say that Philip knows that food was scarce in the past and it continues to be scarce now, and that this is undoubtedly the result…

Thank you for this terrific comment. I appreciate your insight and perspective.

He lived in the USSR until he was maybe 20-25 years old, right?. Probably longer than he has lived in the US, if we use Paige's age as a guide. So while he might not know the specifics of the systemic corruption Oleg is investigating, he knows enough. He certainly knows there are food shortages, since he openly…