We’ve seen a lot of Philip’s emotional struggles as he processes the difficulties of his job. But this week, it’s Elizabeth’s turn. And I must say, it was wonderful to finally see a crisis of conscience in Elizabeth. Because her character has always been so obstinately certain of what she’s doing – and stoic in her emotions – it’s extra fun to see her now struggling with her actions. She clearly feels bad about setting up the husband of her friend Young Hee. And the job isn’t over yet. So Elizabeth has to make a decision: Is she going to move forward or not? I love that you don’t quite know what she’s thinking and what she’s going to decide. Keri Russell played the conflict perfectly, with her character’s confident history and new questions all at odds. Her scene with Gabriel was fantastic as they discuss what should happen next.
The main conflict of the episode revolves around Pastor Tim disappearing in Ethiopia on his mission trip. When his wife Alice accuses the Jennings of having something to do with it, numerous problems arise. For one, she reveals she’s taken precautions if anything happens to her or Pastor Tim. That places Philip, Elizabeth and their family in an even more precarious situation. But the disappearance also stirs up issues with Paige, who begins to question her parents once again. I enjoyed these scenes with Paige. One of my favorite lines is shown in “The Americans” promo, where Elizabeth says to Paige, “Do you think we kidnap people and… kill them?” They are really putting on a good front for Paige. And as she asks her parents about possible scenarios moving forward, she may not like their answers.
Meanwhile, a relative of Martha’s wants answers from the FBI as to what happened to her. I thought this was a nice way to keep Martha’s character a part of the story. (It’s still sad and weird not to have her around. But at least we’re hearing about her.) And we see another appearance from former agent Gaad as he’s trying to enjoy his vacation time with his wife in Thailand.
Oleg Burov and Tatiana Evgenyevna are continuing their romance. We finally get a little more information (or confirmation) on why Tatiana is so secretive and what she’s doing. And we’re treated to an appearance from an old character: Kimmy. I didn’t realize Philip’s hippie alter ego was still working Kimmy and her CIA father. But I always enjoyed that disguise. And I enjoy Philip’s interactions with Kimmy. So this scene was a welcome treat.
“Munchkins” is an extremely enjoyable episode with some great tension. You don’t know what Paige is thinking, you don’t know what Elizabeth is thinking, and you don’t think what happened to Pastor Tim – or what repercussions his disappearance will bring. Plus, without saying too much, something unexpected happens to one of the characters. So stay tuned. “Munchkins” airs this Wednesday at 10/9c on FX.
