Safe House (''The Americans'')

"Safe House" is the ninth episode of the first season of the period drama television series The Americans. It originally aired on FX in the United States on April 3, 2013.

Plot

Philip (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth Jennings (Keri Russell) tell their children that they are separating. Paige (Holly Taylor) blames Elizabeth, but Philip tells her that it was a joint decision.

The Beemans (Noah Emmerich and Susan Misner) have a party the next day, with Philip, Elizabeth, and the children attending. Also there are Agent Frank Gaad (Richard Thomas) and Stan's partner Chris Amador (Maximiliano Hernández). Gaad announces to Stan, Amador, and several other agents that he is planning to assassinate Arkady Ivanovich (Lev Gorn), the KGB's Resident, in retaliation for the deaths of the FBI agents from the previous episode, an idea which Stan isn't enthusiastic about. Elizabeth confides in Sandra about Philip leaving and Sandra offers her support.

Philip spends the night with Martha (Alison Wright), who confesses her love for him and tells him she would do anything for him. The next morning, Martha reveals to Philip that Gaad is preparing to assassinate a KGB agent. She leaves for work and Philip soon follows, but is stopped by Amador, who had been stalking Martha. Amador tells Philip to come in for questioning, but he resists and claims that he "banged her brains out for the last ten hours." Amador gets angry, fights Philip, and pulls a knife, but Philip turns it on him, wounding him badly. He puts Amador in his trunk and drives off. He brings him to a safe house to try to treat the wound as Elizabeth arrives. They realize he was at Stan's party.

Stan notices that Amador is late for work, which is unlike him. He calls Amador's apartment, but there is no answer. He then goes to the apartment, finding only his car, wiped of all fingerprints. He reports back to Gaad, believing that the KGB has taken him hostage. Later, he meets Nina (Annet Mahendru) and aggressively questions her about what has happened to Amador. This upsets her and she leaves.

Amador wakes up next to Philip and asks for water. Philip asks him who the FBI are planning to assassinate, but Amador denies any knowledge of the plan. Meanwhile, Gaad prepares to take out Arkady on his regular run. Stan shows up, telling Gaad to call it off as it would mean the KGB will kill Amador. At the embassy, Arkady tells a KGB colleague who he runs with that he has burnt his hand and is not going running. The colleague, Vlad, goes anyway and Stan decides to take Vlad. Gaad, despite being upset by this, allows Stan to interrogate Vlad. Amador tells Elizabeth that Arkady is the target, but he's already dead. Stan calls the embassy and tells Arkady that if they don't release Amador, he will kill Vlad. Arkady tells Nina to find out everything she can about Amador.

Elizabeth calls Arkady to find out whether he is dead, but he answers and she hangs up. Philip and Elizabeth are confused as to why Amador would lie and decide to overdose him on morphine. However, Amador has already died and Philip and Elizabeth dump the body; the police and Stan confirm that it's him.

Stan brings fast food back to Vlad. He asks Vlad if he works for the KGB, and Vlad confirms that he does but doesn't know anything. Stan tells Vlad that he's getting him a drink from the kitchen behind him, but instead shoots Vlad in the back of the head, killing him.

Production

The episode was written by Joshua Brand and directed by Jim McKay.

Reception

In its original American broadcast on April 3, 2013, "Safe House" was watched by 1.38 million viewers, according to Nielsen ratings.^[1]

References

External links

• "Safe House" at FX
• "Safe House" on IMDb
• "Safe House" at TV.com