The Americans (2013–2018): Season 1, Episode 4 - In Control - full transcript

Previously, on The Americans...

So, we take orders
from you now?

Think of me as Gabriel,
but... prettier.

Coming to you live from the home
of the Secretary of Defense.

The Prime Minister
fully supports your efforts

to build a ballistic
missile shield,

provided it covers Europe,
as well as the United States.

- We're just starting out here.
- You're starting out.

The day you forced
me to work for you,

my life got very scary.

I was 17 when I joined the KGB.



When we got here,
I was 22 years old,

living in a strange house
in a strange country

with a strange man.

It never really happened for us,

but I feel like it's happening now.

Tensions escalated
on the Polish border

as Soviet troops continued
their show of force

in response to growing unrest

inspired by the solidarity
Trade Union Movement.

Government sources called
the Russian military exercises

- troubling and destabilizing.
- Where's Poland?

It's part of Russia.

Oh.

Is that what Mr. Henrickson
is teaching you?



- Uh, yeah.
- Same neighborhood.

You guys, we have to go.
Come on.

- You need to eat something.
- I'm not hungry.

Here.
Take this with you.

- Come on, Henry.
- Okay.

Um... are we still on,
or...?

- Yeah, of course.
- Okay.

Uh, on for what?

None of your business.
Let's go.

- Come on, come on, come on,
come on, come on. - Henry, lunch.

Oh, yeah.
Thank you.

- ...both Poland and potentially the
entire Eastern Bloc. - No, you do.

So, gentlemen, Customs just stopped

the son of the Romanian
Deputy Chief of Mission

on his way back to Bucharest
with three pounds of marijuana.

Three pounds?

Well, he either really
likes the stuff,

or that's a commie
with a little business instinct.

They're swinging him by here
before they do their paperwork.

Do you know what they do
with drug dealers in Romania?

Why don't you guys
take a run at him,

see if he wants to keep his balls.

Privet.

Da.

This works. Trust me.

What time is the Romanian genius
getting here?

Uh...

Zdrast-vui-te.

Nyet.

Still waiting on him, sir.

Get in the vault.
The President's been shot.

Let's go, people.
Right now! Come on!

1x04
In Control

Thank you.

For what?

For making us take
the afternoon off.

Hmm.

That's what you want
to thank me for?

Mm-hmm.

This is the moment
of the first gunshot.

Secret Serviceman Jerry Parr
falls on the President,

- pushes him...
- I need to know

where every KGB officer
in the country is

and what they've been doing
for the past 24 hours.

- Peters.
- On it.

Get everything you can from
Secret Service about the shooter.

I need to know if he has

any Soviet connection whatsoever.

This guy said "Nyet" once
in the past 10 years,

we're gonna find out
when and where.

- Yes, sir.
- Team on the embassy, sir?

Yeah, but not you.

The bullet is believed to,

- uh, be a .22-caliber bullet.
- What happened?

- I'm just hearing.
- Possibly as many as six shots...

- from the .22-caliber weapon were fired...
- It's awful.

...we're told by law-enforcement officers...

...just outside
the Washington Hilton Hotel,

as the President emerged
from that hotel

about 2:30 this afternoon
Washington time.

Constitutionally, gentlemen,
you have the President,

the Vice President,
and the Secretary of State,

in that order,
and should the President decide

he wants to transfer the helm
to the Vice President,

- he will do so.
- What is...

As of now, I am in control here
in the White House

pending return of
the Vice President

and in close touch with him.

If something came up,
I would check with him.

What's happening?

The President's been shot.

Oh, my God.
Is he okay?

Nobody knows.
News says he's in surgery.

James Brady, the 40-year-old
White House Press Secretary...

- I'll find Charles.
- I'll check the signal site

and go home and check
the shortwave.

I'll see you at home.

Where are you on the shooter?

Eighth floor is in the process

of putting together
a bio and profile.

Is he a KGB operative?

The eighth floor will
soon let us all know

that Hinckley worked
at 31 flavors when he was 16.

Please, look for connections

to the Soviet Union
and the Communist Party.

I want you to set up a meet
A.S.A.P. with your friend.

The Rezidentura are gonna be
all over their people.

I'm aware of the risks.

But our number-one priority
is finding out

what the KGB knows about this.

All right, I'll leave a signal

for her to meet in
the next 24 hours.

Agent Beeman, we're operating
on a tight time frame.

24 hours is like two weeks.

I understand that, sir,

but she's living her life
in a tight time frame, too.

It gets even shorter
if we're not careful.

I get it that you don't want to

send her to the slaughterhouse.

But if the President has been
shot by a KGB operative,

I want to know
before nuclear missiles start

whistling over my head.

You get to your girl.
You get to her now.

Do you think what's
on the news is true?

Sam Donaldson was there when the
gun was fired. I believe him.

But since they closed the doors
at George Washington,

no actual information's
getting out.

It's all completely sanitized
by the White House press office.

Can you get the real story?

Not today.

Look, Reagan's cronies love me.

There's nothing better

than a former socialist
turned conservative

raising the hue and cry
about the evils of communism,

but I am still a
member of the press.

Today, I have no access at all.

What about the names
of the nursing staff...

those who were around
the president?

Can you get me those?

That I could do.

Say I was writing a piece,

but those people aren't
going to talk to you.

Just get me the names.

Frankly, I hope

the bastard bleeds to death
on the operating table.

Your commitment to the struggle
always was... total.

White House press
secretary James Brady is dead.

Jim Brady, 40 years old,
shot in the head in the attack

by what apparently was
one of the first bullets fired.

Having looked at videotape
so many times already,

that is the report.

And from congressional sources,

James Brady has not
survived his wounds.

No time for signals
today, I'm afraid.

- Philip's with Sparrow right now.
- Good.

You need to gather your supplies
for Operation Christopher.

I've heard so much about you,
Elizabeth...

what you've done.

I think we'll do great
things together.

I really wish we didn't
have to start this way.

I never asked. What are
we supposed to call you?

Claudia.

Claudia.

- Did we do this?
- I don't think so,

but they may try to pin it on us.

And we have no idea

who's going to seize control
of the American government now.

I've also heard rumors
the Red Army might move

into Poland in the next 24 hours.

But Operation Christopher?

You think this is headed
toward guerrilla warfare?

Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

First, we need you to find out

how the president is really doing.

We need to know who's in control
of the American government.

And we need
up-to-date intelligence

on any efforts to blame us
for the assassination attempt.

Things are gonna happen fast.

The Rezidentura will be
worthless, slow, unreliable.

We both know it.
I can say it.

We'll get as much
information as we can,

start preparations
for Christopher immediately.

I know I can count on you.

I fought behind enemy lines
in Stalingrad... two years.

I didn't have any experience,
training...

none of what you have.

If it happens...

you'll do well.

The rumors about...
about Jim Brady dying

are absolutely untrue.

Hello?

Hi. This is Richard Deutsch
from the Kennedy Center.

I had a few questions come up
about the friendship concert.

This is not a good day.

Well, there are just a few logistical
problems we're dealing with here.

Richard, I'm sorry.
I'm not available for this.

Can you discuss tomorrow?

I'm sorry.

My supervisor said there's
a deadline with our schedule.

♪ Can you hear it? ♪

♪ The sound of something burning ♪

♪ Something changing ♪

♪ On the merry-go-round
tonight ♪

Hello?

- Hi. It's Steve.
- Hi, Steve. What can I do for you?

I need the vice president's
office...

deputy chiefs of staff.

- Call back in 15 minutes.
I'll set up that line for you. - Thank you.

♪ Are about to swing and fall ♪

♪ Love it all ♪

♪ Love it all ♪

And when the president walked in,

he was holding himself
on the left side.

We are told that the president

walked into the
hospital on his own.

♪ Ooh, we should have ♪

♪ Should have got it right ♪

♪ Ooh, we should have ♪

Anything?

♪ Should have got
it right tonight ♪

♪ People come, I count every one ♪

♪ Faces burning, hearts beating ♪

♪ Nowhere left for us to run ♪

♪ Ooh, we should have ♪

♪ Should have got
it right tonight ♪

I got names.
Did orders come in?

Yeah, but not on the radio.

- In person.
- What's going on?

They want us ready
for Operation Christopher.

This could be a coup.

Is that what they think?

You saw Haig on TV.

Where are the kids?

Beemans. Watching TV.
Sandra's there.

We're gonna need a government car.

I'll signal Gregory.

Looking at the footage again...

They keep showing
the same thing over and over.

What are they supposed to show?

I don't know.

But there's just something ghoulish

about constantly showing this.

Ghoulish?

I mean, it's not gonna change

just because they showed it
over and over and over.

Oh, my God!

Finally, the bullet missed!

The president could die, you know.

I mean, any one of those guys
that got shot could die.

Isn't that pretty ghoulish?

How are you doing?

When do you need it back?

Two hours. Tops.

Hey, listen. Don't bring it back
dinged, all right?

We continue
to receive contradictory

and confusing reports
about the gunman himself.

We know he was subdued
at the scene.

David.

That's her.

Dana Simon?

I'm Justin Nezer.
This is Kelly Mainstill.

We're deputy chiefs of staff
for the vice president's office.

We need to talk to you.

Oh. Okay.

First of all,

the vice president would like
to personally thank you

for everything you did today.

I was just...
doing my job.

Dana, can we talk confidentially?

Yes. Of course.

We've had our share
of political crises,

but this one's about as political

as a crisis can get.

On a day like today, there can be

a lot of miscommunication
and misinformation,

and it's our job
to make absolutely certain

that the vice president knows
what's going on.

We're quietly checking
with everybody to make sure

what we're hearing
about the president's condition

is true.

Yes. Yes.

He's okay.
He's gonna pull through.

Good. Good. We're very
relieved to hear that.

We're really hoping
that we can count on you

to keep this meeting confidential.

Today's events don't
need to be politicized

any more than they
already have been.

I understand.
Absolutely.

You can reach us
here 24 hours a day.

They'll get a message
to either of us.

If anything changes,

or if you there's anything
you think we should know,

please give us a call.

Yeah.

Here's a pin from
the vice president's office.

Thank you.

Okay.

We're on.

7-4-E, 8-3-F,
7-4-2, 7-2-2.

F-66. 3-4-2.

C-22.

8-3-f, 7-4-2,
14-1-9,

3-42.

Hopefully that's that.

Let's check the site again.

Look, the president is okay.
We confirmed it.

I don't think, reasonably speaking,

that anyone can still believe

that someone's gonna
take over the government.

Can we just check the site?

Secretary of State Haig

did say he is in control
at the White House.

Sources have been unable
to get an official statement

from the vice president as of yet.

However, we understand
Vice President Bush

is going directly
to the White House.

We need to map our targets.
Oh, my God.

Can you just stay with me here?

Stay with you and what?
We're in the middle of a crisis.

Yeah, and you don't think Moscow's
overreacting just a little?

Well, you almost defected
a few weeks ago, Philip,

so maybe you're not the one
to be passing judgment

on whether or not
Moscow is overreacting.

Do you think you could
just do what we need to do?

Though, of course,
we anxiously await word...

...on president Reagan's
condition.

Constitutionally, gentlemen,
you have the president...

The line of succession runs
through the vice president

and speaker of the house.

Well, not according to
Al "I'm in control here" Haig.

It may not be legal,

but it reflects a
political reality.

What? Seizing power?
Bush is on a plane.

Someone has to step up to the
plate. Why don't you two relax?

The president's been shot,
and your boss is out of control!

At least my boss
isn't sitting on his ass.

You want to get into
this right now?

Guys, guys, guys!
Jesus, sit down. Sit!

A single bullet that entered
just underneath his left arm...

Hi.

Hey.

I'm sorry.

Oh, you don't have anything
to apologize for.

No, I do.

I've been thinking.

It wasn't just the president
who got shot.

Yeah?

I've been watching it
over and over again.

The footage
of that secret-service agent...

he just turns and puts himself
in front of the gun

and gets shot.

It's horrible.

It kind of makes me think
about your dad's job.

Yeah.

I try not to think
about it too much,

but today was hard.

I'm sorry.

And I'm sorry about
what I said before.

My dad doesn't do stuff like that.

He's just a travel agent.

Travel agenting is
more dangerous than you think.

Yeah.
Planes get delayed.

Boats leak.

I can't stand it

when there's gum stuck to my seat.

Travel agenting is
a world filled with peril.

I'll say.

Anything on it?

Yeah, it looks like
at least an hour.

So unless the Weinbergers
were fighting,

we'll have something to listen to.

I got it.

Neighborhood security.
First pass.

If Weinberger's car
is parked out front,

you've got six seconds
from front door.

If he's blocked
by three security guards,

I can still make two shots.

Let's go map the
rest of the targets.

He's coming back.

I got this.

Oh. Hi.

I'm... I'm so glad I found you,
officer.

I-I've got myself
totally turned around.

I was trying to get
to the Key Bridge, um,

get back over the...

I keep making this turn,
and then I end up here.

I'll be happy to
give you directions,

but I'm gonna need you
to step over to my car first.

Oh. Sure. Of course.

Um, can... can you just tell me
what this is about?

We've had a run of break-ins
in the neighborhood.

Is there someone in the van with you?
Just my husband.

Look, we're just
trying to get to Washington.

I'm sorry for the
inconvenience, ma'am.

I'm gonna need identification
from both of you.

Sure. Yes. Of course.

I'm gonna need to call this in.

The McLean Police
are gonna want to swing by

just to ask you a few
routine questions,

take a look inside the van.

Oh, God. Is there any way
you can do it?

No can do.
Company policy.

Sorry, ma'am,
you don't look like a burglar,

but we've got to call in
on every vehicle parked

along the side of the road.

It won't take more
than 15 minutes, I promise.

Well, if there is a war, we
might have the first shot...

If there is a war,

we're not the ones who started it.

We just killed a security guard

down the street
from the Secretary of Defense.

We're riding around
with enough explosives

to blow up half
the government buildings in D.C.

We're mapping sniper shots
to take out key U.S. leadership.

If anyone's escalated
things, it's us.

I'm not making the decisions.

No, but you agree with them.

I think the Americans
are capable of anything.

Do you listen to what they say?
What they say about us?

Do you listen to yourself
when you talk about them?

What is that supposed to mean?

Nothing. Forget it.

Are you clean?

I hope so.

Are you all right?
You can't do that!

You can't call me at
the embassy ever!

Everyone is...
it's crazy.

Are you trying to get me killed?

Is that what you want?!
You want to get me killed?!

It's gonna be all right.

I promise you it's gonna be okay.

How do you know?

I called you from a line

that will trace back
to the Kennedy Center.

What if you were followed?
I wasn't.

How do you know?
How can you be sure?

Because I'm the one
who does the following.

It's what I do.

What do you know
about the assassination attempt?

I don't know anything.

Everyone is freaking out.

We're all running around
like cut-off chickens.

"With their heads cut off."

What?

The expression is,

"Running around like chickens
with their heads cut off."

You think this is a joke.

No, I don't think
this is a joke, Nina.

Why is the KGB running around
like cut-off chickens?

Because they're afraid you'll
try and stick Hinckley on us.

Why would we do that?

To justify the coup.

What coup?

The one your General
Haig announced.

You're serious.

He's one of your top generals,

and he's announced
he's taking control.

What would you call that?

No, that's not what happened.

Both sides have their fingers
on the trigger,

and that's how it happens.

How it happens?

One mistake.

That's all it takes.

Hmm.

I-I don't know...

...coming back
or if they even...

Security radios, interference.

Can we get
some refreshments in here?

We're expecting them in about...

Great. Now we'll never know
what refreshments they served.

Yeah,
and they should go on alert

or be ready to go on alert.

They're not on... alert?

The crews who are normally on alert

24 hours a day
are moving from the base...

...Planes, which saves

31/2 to 4 minutes
if they need to get in the air.

The nearest submarine is...

...minutes,
44 seconds off,

which is about, uh,
two minutes closer than normal.

Nearest Soviet sub...

Cap... minutes, 57 seconds.

How the hell did
Haig get... nuclear football?

Are you convinced now?

No, I'm not.
Because it's not clear.

He sounded upset.

He said,
"General Haig get..."

And he made a reference

to the copy of the briefcase
with the missile-launch codes

that could authorize
a nuclear attack.

Yeah.
We need to get this to Moscow.

Okay, but let's check
it out and get

some more information first.

More infor... he's getting ready
to make a move.

Nobody can challenge him
if he has the capability

to launch America's
nuclear arsenal.

What more do you need,
a written manifesto?

Is there one available?

Philip, please. Philip.

Can we please move on this now?

He's holding a copy
of the nuclear football.

We need to transmit.

All these years walking
these streets,

living with these people,

you still really don't
understand this place.

Haig could have 10
nuclear footballs.

This still wouldn't be a coup.

- Really?
- Yes, really.

And if we send that to Moscow,
they will go on high alert.

And our command control
isn't quite state-of-the-art.

We will escalate.

They will escalate.

This thing will spin
out of control.

So could you please...

can you please just
try and get yourself

in a different way
of looking at it for one minute?

You think you understand things
so much better than I do.

Why?

- Because you look good in an American suit?
- What?

Because everybody loves talking to you
because you think like the kids do?

No, that's not what I think...
Because I fit in just fine,

but I remember
where I came from...

not having all of these things,

it being about something bigger
than just myself.

I remember, too.

That doesn't blind me
to what's in front of my face.

I know how the Americans do things,

and Al Haig isn't taking over
the government.

You don't think they're all about

lies and conspiracy
like everybody else?!

Because they are!

Why do you think that they're so
different, that they're so pure?!

I don't. But the last
two times our leaders died,

our government pretended
they weren't dead for weeks.

Things are different here.

- Philip.
- Look, you're the one

who keeps saying
how dangerous things are

and how we're at the edge of war.

I say our job is to try
and stop that from happening.

And you know
what we're gonna do for once?

We're gonna do it my way.

- Are you sure?
- As far as she knows

the Soviets have nothing
to do with anything.

The A.G.'s
on the line for you.

They want all the division heads
on for this conference call.

When they get all
the division heads at once,

it means nothing's happening.

Gaad. Yes.

Sources
at George Washington Hospital

tell us that President Reagan
came out of surgery...

Look, if you've got
something to say...

I'm good.

I saw the car.

There was glare from
the streetlight.

I-I couldn't see
their faces.

I couldn't see the license plate,

- but I saw the car.
- Look, you know what, Chris?

Next time you get glare
kicked back at you,

just put it out on the radio.

I'll act accordingly.

While the president
remains in recovery,

tensions continue around the world.

I spoke earlier with Charles Duluth

of Conservative Statesman Magazine.

Of course,
we're all deeply concerned

about the president,
not just personally,

but for the implications
of his recovery

on the world stage.

We are at a dangerous time
in human history,

and a moment like this
can change everything.

When Archduke Ferdinand
was assassinated,

37 million people were killed

in one of the greatest
conflagrations of all time...

the First World War.

But today, the threat is nuclear.

It's billions of lives
at stake, not just millions.

Hey, dad. When were
37 million people killed?

You don't have to worry about that.

It's history, which repeats itself,

so he does have to worry about it.

Cloud cover over Eastern Europe

is reportedly preventing
American satellites

from monitoring Soviet
troop movements

near Poland.

But NATO has said
they have no concerns

that this will happen, and
those reading the tea leaves...

Stan's home.

Maybe we should go over there

and see how they got
through the day.

Sure.

- Stan?
- Ohh, what a day, huh?

I just...
I can't even believe it.

Yeah, how are you guys doing?
Come in. Have some wine.

Oh, we're good. How are you guys?
Uh, are the kids all right?

Yeah, I mean,
Henry's still so young.

I don't think he really even
gets it, which is fine.

And Paige is a teenager,
so, you know, who knows?

Well, that's good.
I remember with Kennedy, I...

a guy in a sandwich shop told me
what had happened,

and I-I just jumped in my car
and drove to my parents' house.

I just...
I just wanted to be home.

Yeah. Nothing really
felt safe after that.

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

So, were... were you involved
in this at work?

Oh, yeah, yeah, we all were.
Right. Thanks.

Do you think it's
gonna be all right?

What do you mean?

Just... I mean,
we were just watching the news,

and they...
they're talking about war.

I mean, how worried
do we need to be?

Oh, no, no.
This is all gonna blow over.

I got to, uh,
peek at the file of the guy

who shot the president...
Hinckley.

And he is totally nuts, 100%.

Really?

Yeah, he actually thought
that he was going to impress

this movie star, Jodie Foster.

But... I'm sorry, by doing what,
shooting the president?

Like I said, he's 100% nuts.
I mean, certifiably looney.

Wow. So you got
to investigate him.

I thought... d-didn't...
I thought you worked against spies.

Counterintelligence, yeah,
but we were worried

that the Russians
might have been involved,

so we had to check that out.

Oh, my God.

But I-it turns out that they...
they weren't.

Which is a good thing because,
you know, that, uh...

Well, that could have started
World War III.

Yeah.

You all right?

Sure. Yeah.

Oh.

Man, it's a hell of a day, huh?

Yeah.

What is it?

What?

No, never mind.

Feels sort of petty

to even think about
that kind of thing right now.

Think about what? I don't know
what you're talking about, Sandra.

It's kind of my point.

Okay, I'm feeling like I need a
crystal ball for this conversation.

Okay. Uh...

You know, I was happy.

I was happy
when we were in St. Louis.

Matthew and I,

we made a life for ourselves
when you were away.

I mean, I had a job.
I had friends, like...

Matthew liked his school.

We were kind of close
to my parents,

and the only thing
that was missing was you.

And then your assignment
was finally over

and you're back.

Or...

some version of you is back.

And then we just, you know,
suddenly move here

and start this whole life and...

I thought you wanted me
to take this job,

to come to D.C.

I did.

I did, but I thought
we were gonna get the chance

to get to know each other again,
living in the same house.

Well, that's what we're doing.

Stan.
What?

You never talk to me.

Why is it so hard?

I don't know.

Just tell me.

I was living with psycho
militants for too long, okay?

I don't know.

I don't know how to...

How to what?

It just doesn't feel
like it did before.

I'm trying.

It's okay. I'm awake.

Site was clear.
Transmission was good.

Radio news was quiet
on the way home.

Good.

I, um...

I...

I just, uh...

I'm glad we did it
your way this time.

It all worked out.

The center was lucky to have you
on the ground today.

If Moscow ever finds out we sat
on the Haig intelligence,

we're finished.

I won't tell if you won't.