Back at IFF, Lee and Amanda visit Towne..
Lee: So I’m afraid we all owe you a big apology Dr Towne.
Amanda: Yeah, the KGB went to an awful lot of trouble to set you up.
Towne: Right, and you two walked right into it.
[Hmm Towne seems to believe Russians are dumb… and the agency was dumb to fall for it. Nooooo the Russians are clever! and lucky for you Towne – so was Amanda!]
Amanda: Well I would say we walked into it— 
[Nice. Amanda supported him the whole way – and that’s what she gets?! I guess she doesn’t do it for his gratitude..and thank goodness for that.. Also very diplomatic of Amanda here.. she could have pointed this out – Lee didn’t believe you but I did!! But.. she doesn’t.. ]
Towne: Hold your explanation Mrs King, I have someone down at the paper who’ll be very interested. 
Okay, fair enough, Towne has had a rough trot… and he had plenty of time left alone afraid to get angry at the situation he is in. All makes pretty good sense.
But his anger here still bugs me anyway.
It’s not the agency’s fault Russians targeted Towne, and while it may have taken some time – the agency did get to the bottom of things and prove his innocence in what 2 days. A bit of relief or gratitude wouldn’t be out of line..
Lee: Now you hold it a second. I really wish you wouldn’t do that.
[Well done Lee.. with this attitude from Towne, I’m surprised Lee didn’t respond with anger of his own. Lee is wise here to not bite back.. Whatever Towne thinks, it’s Francine’s safety now that counts]
Towne: Listen Mr Stetson, you’ve embarrassed me in front of my family and made me a prisoner in my own country. Why shouldn’t I? 
[eh? oh purlease. Maybe I’m being mean, but I don’t think it’s that bad. I mean how would his family have been embarrassed- was it on the news? on the front page of the newspaper? I don’t think so- aim your anger at the Russians Towne! I would have thought selling his story would have caused more embarrassment!]
Amanda: Because there’s someone’s life you can help us save. 
Towne: And how can I do that? 
Lee: By letting us trade you to the Russians.
haaaaaaa yeah good one Lee haaaaa! 
Love Towne’s huh?
I think they should have had TuttlePop come in so Towne could vent a bit of anger on him..
So, how good a man is Towne? Will he rise above his hurt and anger and help save a life?
We cut to the tunnel.. duh duh duhhhh it’s swap time! Are we ready? At the south entrance.. we have team America! 
We see Amanda and Towne get out of the back of an ambulance.. along with a stretcher.
Billy: Ready to go through with this?
Towne: Yes sir, I think so.
[Oh good… Towne seems to have gotten over that self-pity!]
Lee: Remember, we have to treat you like you are a spy.
[Haa just like Lee did for most of this episode 
Great that now Lee understands how hard that must have been for Towne.. and thus he warns him.]
Towne: I understand. 
Amanda: Good luck Will.
Towne: Thanks.
Amanda: Yeah. [Anger all gone! 
]
Towne: Let’s just get it over with.
Lee: Alright, here they come.
Team Russia arrives!
I do believe Gregory is a little nervous.
Billy: Alright everyone,… 
…Potsdam Regulations. Signal, countersignal. By the numbers….
…No sudden moves from either side…
[Anyone care to fill us in on these Potsdam Regulations?]
….Bring him up!
Team America brings Towne to the front and Team Russia shines a bright light on him. 
Towne: What is this for?
Lee: Positive ID.
Amanda: It’s okay Will. They want this to work as much as we do. 
[Great reassurance from Amanda! she’s such a pro]
Will in close up looks suitably afraid and non spy like.. 
Team Russia has bought it!
Gregory: Alright, bring her up.
Team America shines a bright light on Francine.
[or is it Magda??! whahahaahaa.. okay kidding!]
rofl at how Billy ID’s Francine.
Yep Billy recognises that squint!
Billy: Alright, hit it. It’s Francine. Get him on the gurney.
Lee: Come on.
Team Russia puts Francine on a gurney..
hey we never got to see Teapot again.. I wonder if he’ll show up in a future episode..[Maybe his double will! 😉 ]
I guess he was the ‘escrow’ Gregory talked about!
Billy: Alright, let’s write a little history.
We’re ready.
Gregory: Proceed. 
We see Team Russia start pushing Francine toward Team America…
And Team American starts pushing Towne toward Team Russia..
It’s America’s number 1 agent vs Russia’s Number 5.. lol!
Everyone is moving slowly and carefully..
Billy: Hit Gregory in the eyes.
They shine the spotlight into Gregory’s eyes..
Russian: Hey, watch it with that light.
Billy: Hold your fire! Don’t shoot! I’m sorry, I tripped.
[why is that so flippin hilarious??!!! I tripped??!!! The old ‘I accidentally tripped’ trick! And.. Gregory buys it?! whahahaa]
We see Lee pushing Towne on the Gurney,
he then flips Towne around.. 
and…
…up Pops TuttlePop rofl! 
He seems to be unconscious..
Towne seems to kinda fall out the bottom.. I hope that light is still shiny in Gregory’s eyes and that Billy is still tripping over.. otherwise how could Team Russia not see that?!
Anyway, Towne rushes to the wall and hugs it trying to stay out of view. 
Gregory: Resume.
Lee pushes TuttlePop and Edgar pushes Francine.. they meet in the middle.
Lee gives Edgar No.5 a nod, and they slowly approach each other to swap. 
Wouldn’t Edgar noticed TuttlePop is unconscious all of a sudden?! Apparently not!
But love the wink…
…Lee gives Francine one as he comes up next to her : Hey! we gotta ya! You’re okay! it’s kinda sweet!
Both teams continue on back to their teams…
Gregory looks through his binoculars.. 
Gregory: Paint on his shoes? That’s got to be Popovich.
[Ahhh if only the paint had been Red. I could have made some crack about Painting the Towne Red.. actually… it doesn’t seem to have stopped me and LOL at how this random moment from earlier has indeed come up again.. ahh smk.. love ya!]
…What’s he done now? It’s a trick.
[a Double?! who would have guessed?! I don’t even know why Gregory let Popovich go once the trap had been set up.. it didn’t seem Popovich was any use once he stepped in that paint]
Lee notices the gig is up he yells.. : Move it out guys! Get that light!
Shots are fired..
Amanda runs after Will to get him out of gunfire..
Amanda: Will! Come on Will! Good job!
Billy: Come on, move it!
Lee and Francine arrive at Team American’s side.. Amanda and Will too… No one’s hurt.. and Team American wins!
Defeated, Gregory looks down at Popovich.. ugh.. yes Gregory you work with idiots!!
Gregory and Billy share a look- Gregory motions ‘well played’-
Billy motions you’re welcome.. till we meet again!
funny how now it’s all over they no longer need the binoculars Billy walks away.. Game over!!!
But.. Gregory is still free… probably making a killing in the real estate business and who knows.. maybe we’ll see him again?! I do hope so!!
Here’s another reason to like this episode – the action finale was kept short. Miraculously short.. and there was no extended Lee fights the baddie sequence at all..
This action finale was a battle of wits between Gregory and Billy. A nice shake up this..
Oh and hey, wasn’t it handy that Lee had lots of practice shoving around gurney’s and avoiding gun fire in The Eyes have it? It came in handy here in this finale!
Thoughts everyone? do tell!!! Back with the tag!
"Just walk with me.." 
My favorite part of this scene is the ending acknowledgement between billy and Gregory. I think they are respectful of each other and the game they play. Maybe when the cold war is over they could be good friends.
And I always wonder what Lee and Amanda thought individually of being at such a swap together.
Oh and I love Billy’s line about making some history. I don’t know why, it just always stands out to me.
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I also enjoy the relationship between Gregory and Billy. Respect and almost liking. It’s also fun to see Billy in action, and getting an idea of his past too.
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It never bothered me that Will threatened to go to the newspaper. I figure him to be an idealistic, black and white kind of guy rather than working in the murky shades of grey. As he saw it iis rights were violated and he was held without charges or access to a lawyer (while his paperwork was ‘lost’ in the system). These things are not supposed to happen in America which prides itself on being better than its enemies. Things like this happened in countries run by dictators. Even though the delay ended up working in Towne’s favor there was some alarming lines crossed in his opinion. The Bill of Rights and the Constitution are supposed to be adhered to. If there is unsavory things going on and the secret service was going down a slippery slope then the alarm must be sounded and the public warned.
And, to add insult to injury – the intelligence community was fooled by a pretty lame-o set up — if us ordinary mortals can pick out plot holes like why didn’t they check alibis, find an official death certificate, etc. you can bet a super math genius could. So he figures he should expose the Agency for violation of basic civil rights and/or gross incompetence for the sake of transparency and truth and for the good of the American people.
But he values doing the right thing and will risk his life and freedom to save an agent he’s never met and has no connection to. He’s alright in my books. 🙂
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I think so, too! 🙂
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Yes in the end that’s the conclusion we are to draw.. inspite of his anger and the unfair treatment, Will stepped up and helped save a life.. he is a good guy! 🙂
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“Wouldn’t Edgar noticed TuttlePop is unconscious all of a sudden?! Apparently not!” That is why Edgar is only the No. 5 guy. 🙂
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Of course! that explains it 😉
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Not much to add. I do like that this wasn’t an over the top action sequence. it still strained creditability with the flipping gurney, but I’ll take what we got. I agree with what has been said about Towne’s anger. I understand it, considering the way he had been treated. So when Lee says, “we all” in regards to the apology is he once again speaking for the government?
I couldn’t find anything regarding Potsdam Regulations, however I did find that there is a bridge in Germany called the Glienicke Bridge. It was the restricted border crossing between the Eastern Bloc, near Potsdam, and the Western powers. It was called the Bridge of Spies and used by Americans and Soviets to exchange captured spies during the Cold War. The exchanges started around 1962 and the last was in 1986. This is most likely where the regulations reference comes from.
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Addition to Valeriejw’s last paragraph
Growing up in West-Berlin during the 70’s and 80’s I know as much:
The Glienicke Bridge (German: Glienicker Brücke) is a bridge across the Havel River in Germany, connecting the Wannsee district of Berlin (West) with the Brandenburg capital Potsdam (East). The bridge has a length of 128 m and the Inner German Border (IGB) was right in the middle of it.
During the Cold War there have been 3 exchanges of captured agents at this bridge. Those agents who were to exchange had to cross the bridge as pedestrians because it was closed for traffic.
So the Russians stood with their captives at the end of the eastern side of the bridge and the Americans (the bridge was part of the American Sector) stood with their captives at the end of the western side of the bridge. When both sides were reddy to go they gave a sign and the captives started to walk towards the IGB. I don’t know what would have happened if anyone of the watching teams had done anything (like shooting at the captives) while they were still at the first half of the bridge but I do know that the exchanged captives were safe as soon as they crossed the borderline.
That in mind means the tunnel stands for the bridge and the middle of the tunnel is the borderline neither American nor Russian is allowed to cross during this exchange. It also explains why Gregory and his men didn’t do anything when they realized they got TutPop and not Towne. Their hands were bound to the agreement of the Potsdam Regulations and Gregory could only congratulate Billy.
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I didn’t find anything regarding ‘Potsdam Regulations’ either. So I think that’s either a SMKism or it’s still ‘need-to-know’ classified information.
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Agree!!!!
Thanks for checking into Potsdam Regulations.. sounds like that movie Bridge of Spies! named after the bridge I guess!
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…sounds like that movie Bridge of Spies! named after the bridge I guess!
Exactly, Iwsod.
Though I never saw that movie I know they did a movie about it.
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This scene is interesting to me in several ways. First, would two countries met like that to trade agents? It just doesn’t seem realistic, but hey it’s fiction. I guess if I want real watch the news. Second, I find it interesting that Gregory just lets Billy walk away with Towne. You would think that he would start shooting or something. Thirdly, it’s interesting how both Gregory and Billy nonchalantly acknowledge each other, like until next time.
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It seems stranger than fiction but it really does happen – back in September 2015 I posted a link at Neds in the “SMK TV shows-movies” thread about a spy swap between Russia and Estonia.
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Interesting 🙂
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I can understand the desire to question – really? is that really something that could happen? because.. this is smk haaaaaaa 😉
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The believability factor goes right out the window here. How did the Russians not notice a reasonably bulky guy falling on the ground and scurrying to hide behind the pillar? Even with the light in their eyes. Gregory loses baddie points here – even if they didn’t see Towne, he should have realised something dodgey was afoot.
I have to keep reminding myself this is SMK-land where the darndest things happen. Gregory and all his coterie of top notch Russian agents didn’t see a thing when someone shone a light in their eyes.
Kudos to Gregory though for spotting the paint on PopTut’s shoes.
I see Gregory is wearing a Harcourts tie (Harcourts is a NZ real estate agency in NZ and Australia, and I think they’ve started up in California). I worked for Harcourts for a few years. I didn’t care for the experience, that’s all I’ll say on the matter except that I now realise it could have been because they were all Russian spies.
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But Kiwismh, Billy tripped!!! and there was a bright light in their eyes! ahem..
absolutely! 🙂
Harcourts to be avoided?
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But love the wink…Lee gives Francine one as he comes up next to her : Hey! we gotta ya! You’re okay! it’s kinda sweet!
That and the little smile on his face – it’s totally sweet IMHO.
Lee comes to rescue Francine (well actually it’s trading – but close enough). What was it Francine told Amanda in FFFT when Amanda hoped for Lee to come in time to rescue them? She (A.) shouldn’t always expect Lee coming in time? And now it’s HIM who comes just in time to trade Francine…. and he’s happy to do it. And I guess Francine is happy too.
And another thought comes to my mind:
Now Lee traded both Francine and Amanda. While this one is a ‘legal’ trade the other one in SBTB was not ‘legal’ and Lee committed treason when he traded Amanda…
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Wow! this is sooooo goooood! 🙂 Good one L&A!
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I don’t feel too bad about Towne’s anger here. He’s not used to dealing with the world of espionage, where anyone and everyone can be under suspicion, and it’s not personal because they know that their colleagues have to be certain where everyone stands because there are human lives and national security at stake. Towne’s a civilian, and this all feels very personal, especially after he tried to be cooperative at first, and Lee kept digging (probably thinking that he was being very clever at the time). For him, the people who should have cared most and been his protectors were the ones who betrayed him, and that hurts even more than being a target of someone who was an obvious enemy. He doesn’t even know how much Amanda really believed in him because he’s been shut up and no one’s been telling him anything.
One of the reasons why Lee is unusually subdued in his reaction to Towne’s anger is because he was wrong before, and he knows it. Righteous anger was behind Lee’s earlier digs because he thought Towne really was a mole, and now he sees that he’s responsible for Towne’s righteous anger now, and Towne has more cause to be righteously angry than Lee did.
Of course, while Towne’s being angry, he hasn’t yet realized that even though his government has treated him shabbily, the Russians have much worse in mind for him. He doesn’t have to like Lee (and, sadly, I kind of doubt he ever really will after what he’s done), but he does need him to get out of this situation and stay out of Russian hands so he can go home to his wife. Fortunately, Towne calms down and plays his part when he realizes that he’s needed to help save Francine. 🙂
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In the first paragraph, that was supposed to be “Lee kept digging at him“, as in making rude, sarcastic remarks to shake him up, not as in digging for information. Amanda was doing more of that at the time than Lee was.
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I think Towne has a right to feel angry, but I’m still surprised by him threatening to call the papers. Somehow, I expect him to the be the guy who boils inside and then goes home and complains bitterly to his wife, rather than letting it out to L & A. And Amanda validating his feeling works a treat here.
On another topic, does anyone else think that screencap of Francine has to win the prize as Francine’s most unflattering moment ever (including fashion disasters, candy floss hair styles, weapon-shaped ear-rings and other nasty jewellery)?
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Yeah. I think that newspaper bit was what bugged me!
Yes! excellent counselling skills Amanda! 🙂 good call Learjet!
rofl. Francine’s most unflattering moment ever… that is.. unless it’s really Magda?! 😉
I’m not sure it if is her most unflattering ever.. maybe her most unflattering so far? 🙂
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Towne may or may not have really gone to the newspapers with the story. Ordinarily, when things get rough, he probably is the kind who just goes home and complains to his wife rather than erupting in public, but these are extraordinary circumstances (for him) with the threat of really serious consequences hanging over his head. He’s probably spent all that time locked up thinking that he might never even see his wife again.
Then, Lee was stupid for making personal taunts at him. It was a bad strategic move and totally unnecessary, as Amanda pointed out. It was a serious issue to begin with, but those taunts turned it into a personal battle between Towne and Lee. Amanda knew that Lee was in the wrong all along, and Towne has probably been spending his time alternately worrying about his situation and trying to come up with a way to zing Lee the next time he saw him. The newspaper thing was probably the best thing he could think up, and he might have even viewed it as a life-line, if he really had connections to the press, a last-ditch way of making a public appeal that he could use to save himself if it came down to that.
I suppose when Lee was taunting Towne, he figured that he really was a spy who would get sent back “home” and he’d never see him again, so he might as well relieve his own feelings, but now he’s having to live with an enemy he helped to create. Towne’s hurt, scared, and angry enough to use his zinger now that Lee’s on the defensive, maybe seeing it as poetic justice for how Lee has treated him. It might still be an idle threat because I doubt the exposure would do Towne much good in the long run now, but I guess I don’t view it as that bad because Lee needed taking down a peg. Lee’s gotten much nicer over the series than his beginning “I’m the agent, you’re the civilian, I know what I’m doing, and you don’t, so I’m right and you’re wrong” kind of arrogance, but I don’t think that he ever completely got rid of that attitude. I think that’s part of the reason he dismissed Amanda’s work and insights earlier. This incident might well finish what was left of Lee’s arrogance and help him cultivate a little humility.
Whatever Towne meant it to do, I think what his threat actually accomplishes in the end is to remind Lee that he’s not the one in the right, and he doesn’t hold all the power here. In fact, he needs to ask Towne (politely and humbly because he doesn’t actually have any authority to give him a direct order) to do him a difficult favor, and he desperately needs Towne to agree to do it and do it right, in spite of how he’s feeling. Lee is actually fortunate that Amanda is forgiving enough not to make it clear to Towne that Lee was mainly the foolish one and that Towne is actually a really nice guy who would be willing to take a risk to help an agent he’s never even met. Amanda forgives pretty easily and would probably barely mention it, but Towne helps drive the point home so Lee can’t shrug it off or gloss over it. If it weren’t for the two of them, Lee (and poor Francine) would be in deep trouble.
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Hahahahaaa!
According to Kiwismh, Gregory needs to polish up his real estate skills a bit more. So maybe his night job (baddie) is a bit more secure, but he might consider a different day job. Then again, working for the Russians can’t be all it’s cracked up to be either! I’d be thinking about early retirement. 🙂
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Gregory might want to consider a career in real estate because the Spy vs Spy gig really isn’t working out for him.
I can help but see Gregory as English rather than Russian – he just doesn’t look Russian. (I know, gross generalisation about Russians, but you know what I mean). He is a good baddie though – more thoughtful and sinister than your average SMK baddie.
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He (Gregory) is a good baddie though – more thoughtful and sinister than your average SMK baddie.
I like Gregory too. He is not that much of a ‘you-bet-me-and-now-I-want-revanche-by-making-you-suffer’ type of guy. His kind of revenge is much more subtle. It’s like a game for him and the better team wins. I like this.
Unfortunately for him Team American’s top player is a civilian housewife by the name ‘Mrs. King’… poor Gregory… he never had a chance to win this one. 😉
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Yes Gregory is patient. Revenge takes time.. patience and cunning.. it’s a fine art to him.. IMHO he wouldn’t quit till he got it right..
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I should add “gross generalisation about the English” too. 😉
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haaaaa too funny Kiwimsh! 🙂 this had me lol’ing!
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And somehow Gregory manages to be refined and cultured without being creepy. Which is in itself a remarkable achievement for an SMK baddie. He’s also curiously attactive (anyone else think that? Or it just me?)
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Yes, I’ll admit that Gregory does have an attractive quality. Refined, educated, intellectual, always polite, good posture, not a sore loser – yep, he could be quite a catch.
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Good point! Maybe it’s because we avoid seeing him sip his tea?!
LOL I love that you shared that with us 🙂
Aha! Looks like Kiwismh agrees with you here!
Reminds me of BJo and Bracken in Burn out.. he was curiously attractive to BJo. Hey BJo what do you make of Gregory?!
I would say Gregory is charismatic.. but for me I don’t necessarily label that attractive.. but maybe for some charismatic/attractive may be viewed as the same thing..
He comes across as very ambitious, but with the smarts to actually pull it off – if not for those darn kids errr I mean agents…
the only reason he doesn’t pull it off, twice now, is because team America were at their best!
But.. even now, I still don’t doubt Gregory would give them a run for their money again in future..
He’s too ambitious and has a personal ledger he needs to balance – I can totally see him becoming obsessed with ruining Lee and Amanda.. Billy too!
A fave baddie.. I wonder if he will win Cindy’s golden teacup award.. I guess we are yet to see all the season 3 baddies.. to beat Gregory they’ll have to be pretty darn interesting! 🙂
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He’s definitely in contention for a golden teacup 🙂
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It’s not just you. See – BJo (on her own) + Learjet (on her own) = BJo + Learjet. 😀
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Agreed. I like that sinister side to him too. Gregory’s a bright one (No reference to that spotlight…lol).
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haaaa love it!
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Thanks Sara!
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