'The Americans' Wig of the Week: Back to Philip's Clark Wig

Each week from now on we will be crowning a "wig of the week" from The Americans, FX's wonderful show about Russian spies who happen to wear a variety of insane wigs when doing their spy duties.

Each week from now on we will be crowning a "wig of the week" from The Americans, FX's wonderful show about Russian spies who happen to wear a variety of insane wigs when doing their spy duties. 

Wig of the Week: As we wind down the season, we circle back to Philip's Clark wig.

Why this Wig: We admit that we picked the Clark disguise because this episode once again addressed one of the lingering questions about that wig. Yes, Martha knows that's not his real hair. "You don't have to hide anything from me," Martha says. "I even love your toupee." Philip/Clark is taken aback. "You know about that?" On one hand, the moment feels like an inside joke between Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields and the audience. On the other, it's a crucial moment in Martha and Philip/Clark's relationship. Martha, who had just brought home classified files, is become sentient, in a way that's unsettling to Philip, who frequently sees her as just a prop.

Later in the episode, when the two are lying in bed after sex, Martha begins to inquire about children. "Martha, that's not for me and I thought you understood that," Philip/Clark tells her. The simple reason Philip as Clark recoils when Martha mentions children is that she is merely his asset, not really his wife. But we can't help but think there's something else at play here.

Much of the episode focuses on the safety of children, innocents caught up in the covert war. Elizabeth is tasked with extracting Jared, the son of her muderered colleagues, who has been told about his parents' true job. Unbeknownst to Elizabeth, the vengeful Larrick is on her tail. Meanwhile, Elizabeth's own daughter Paige has grown increasingly more suspicious of the after hours activities of two supposed-travel agents. At the end of the episode, Elizabeth questions just what is to become of Jared. Philip insists that he'll make it. "If Paige and Henry were in his shoes, they wouldn't, they'd be dead in an alley within a week," she says. Philip tries to console her, but she says, "one day it's coming, you know it is." The notion of children as collateral damage has seeped into the minds of Philip and Elizabeth. Martha's inquiries couldn't have come at a worse time.