Obviously catching up here, but I worked for McDonald’s in the 80’s (store manager, went to Hamburger U, etc...) and they started painting the bricks at my store in probably around 84/85.  Can’t remember the exact year but I left McD’s in 87 and it was awhile before that. 

EMMYRICH

I knew Id be emotional, and I was definitely on the edge of my seat the entire time. Really *anything* could have happened. I didn’t expect that scene in the garage to happen - at least not so early in the episode. And if Stan and the Jennings ended up in a room together, I figured *someone* would end up dead. I held…

I’m pretty sure they were already married. Stan was wearing a wedding ring all season. I don’t know that they stay married though.

Time for some head-canoning:
* Stan retires from the FBI before he can be “retired” and goes into private security consulting. He pays for the rest of Henry’s tuition and looks out for him.
* Renee leaves him shortly after he retires. He confronts her about what Phillip said and she leaves. He digs and finds out she…

In twenty-five years or so this show MUST be rebooted, with a much older Phillip and Elizabeth returning to duty to help undermine the 2016 election.

I was tense the entire drive into Moscow because I was sure - sure! - they’d end up getting slammed by another car, JJ Abrams style. That they didn’t is such a testament to how carefully and lovingly the showrunners crafted this finale.

While Elizabeth and Philip were asleep in the back seat, they showed a rear-view of Arkady Ivanovich yawning behind the wheel and—just for a second—I thought they were all going to die in an automobile accident. After all of the life-and-death shit they survived, for the Jennings to be done in by something as prosaic…

For me this finale was up there with the Mad Men finale.

That really was such a dick move. “So... we’re spies, but we gotta go now, thanks! Oh and your wife might be a spy... but might not who knows gotta go byeee!”

I can’t come up with anything coherent yet, but stray observations:

I’ve had more issues with this final season than most - I do think there were some pacing issues and certain things were dragged out longer than they had to be.

one more thing - what woman goes to bed in full make up, except on tv? looking at you, Renee

That was a great bookend to a wonderful, wonderful show.

I have to say it is of greatest compliment that the show both wrapped up the story and left me wanting more. It felt equal measure satisfying and gut wrenching. I just felt my whole stomach drop when I realized Oleg was going to lose so very much. And Stan lost…

NOAH. FREAKING. EMMERICH.

Here’s a lot of as-I-watched quotes/thoughts! There was no body count for this episode but I’ll be damned if there wasn’t a “gasp/holy shit/fuck” count of my own.

I still haven’t fully processed this episode, but HOLY SHIT GIVE THIS SHOW ALL THE EMMYS. ALL OF THEM.

Oh good point about Oleg! His whole purpose and reason for taking the risk to return to the U.S. was to stop the coup. That scene with his father getting the news of his arrest was heartbreaking.

Thanks for the reviews Erik.

And for the final time.