Which is what makes Paige so jarring, and polarizing, and invaluable: Her character alone seems to grasp how ludicrous and unsustainable all this is. The Americans strives for gritty realism, to avoid James Bond fabulousness and cartoonishness, but this is still a show about Russian spies living in total secrecy across the street from an FBI agent. She thinks its as bizarre as you do. Its hard to watch her struggle; OK, fine, its a little irritating, too. She is objectively the character least equipped to survive in such a hostile, claustrophobic environment, and shes acting like it. But shes also the only character with a legitimate chance of surviving. Im rooting for her, but do so at your own peril: If she actually makes it through this, shell be strong enough to conquer us all.
