Dinner for Seven

An Elizabeth-centric episode, her “Patty” plan is brought to its final stages. The Center denies her request to find another path to get the codes from Don’s office so she has to go through with it.

I thought the plan was going to be a straightforward blackmail attempt. Elizabeth would threaten to go to Young about them “sleeping” together to get the codes they need to get to the level the bio-weapons are kept. They went with a much more intense route. Elizabeth visits Don at home just after Young takes the kids to school and tells him she’s pregnant. He asks her to get an abortion and she leaves. Then the other half went into effect. Philip goes with Gabriel and another woman to Don’s office and poses as Elizabeth’s family. They tell him that “Patty” killed herself after their discussion and demand that he pay for her funeral back in CA. They sideswipe this poor something fierce with this story. He goes with Philip to the bank to get the cash leaving the “parents” in the office. They sweep the place looking for the code and copy all of his computer data.

After the mission, Elizabeth is told that no codes were found but they have yet to check the data they copied. She goes to a pay phone to check her “Patty” message and hears a distraught Young asking where she went. Her marriage is strained and she can’t figure out, she wants to talk to her best friend, but she won’t return her messages. Elizabeth hangs up in shame and regret before the message ends. The end of a rough one for Elizabeth (she can never be seen by that family again) it’s going to take some series repression for Elizabeth to move on from this.

After last weeks’ Alice freak out Pastor Tim comes by to apologize to Elizabeth and Philip. They graciously accept but no attempt to get the tape back is made (or offered).

Elizabeth works on Pastor Tim a few times, talking to him privately each time. What starts as a rather clear (by the viewer’s perspective) attempt to manipulate sympathy, she changes after the “Patty” mission is done. Pastor Tim has no clue about it, but Elizabeth gets into talking about guilt with him. He tells her he prays in times like that and they have an interesting discussion about faith.

Stan makes two appearances in the Jennings household this week. First talking to Philip about stuff where he lets it slip that his ex-boss was killed in Thailand. Stunned, Philip relays the info to Elizabeth and recalls that he put Gaad’s vacation into his report. He might have made an unintentional connect the dot for Stan to find. Second, he pops into a dinner party where Pastor Tim and his wife are guests. Wow, what a scene. Two worlds collide and as they sit down the dinner you just wait until the small talk turns to work. Stan says he works for the FBI and it’s the crazy anticipation to see how Pastor Tim and Alice handle it. Will their facial expressions tip off Stan in any way? Will they let anything slip? The dinner goes off without a problem. Stan also sets up a meeting to see Oleg Burov. Stan looks terrible and tells Oleg that this will be the last time they meet. Oleg has become a kind of friend to him and he’s sick of people close to him getting used and killed.

Last but not least, Paige continues to give her parents information. The finals scene, she’s walking back to the car with her mother at night. Paige tells her about the conversation she had with Stan’s son, about Stan and his partner talking to the father of a spy who disappeared. Elizabeth knows exactly who she’s talking about, but doesn’t let on. While chewing on that bit of news, they are confronted by two shady men in the parking lot. Elizabeth tries to diffuse the situation by handing over her wallet right away, but one of the guys tries to put his hands on Paige. Elizabeth snaps into action and kills one of the guys. This scene was simply amazing. A scenario I never considered or saw coming. A physical threat to Paige in front of one of her parents. Elizabeth is a dangerous woman and blindsides everyone with her skill, speed, and ferocity. She doesn’t hesitate for a second and blows Paige’s mind in the process. She’s now seen her mother in action. No talk, which she’s more accustomed to but physical prowess. Paige can barely function and Elizabeth has to pull her away and force her to run. Cut to credits.

Paige has been struggling with just the basics of what her parents do. She’s not astute enough to really notice them indoctrinating her (another sign it’s working: talking strategy with her mom before the fight). Seeing training is something else. She’s going to be a blithering mess in the next episode.