By Joe R
It's the day that President Reagan got shot and everybody is on high alert. The Soviets didn't do it (or at least Granny/Claudia is pretty sure they didn't), but they're worried the Americans will blame them for it as a pretext for war. Misinformation is running rampant in Washington and because Secretary of State Haig can't get his shit together when speaking of lines of succession, there are worries that a coup could be in process. Claudia tells Elizabeth they have to prepare for "Operation Christopher," which is apparently a guerilla-insurgency operation. Through-the-looking-glass stuff.
It's too bad, because the Jenningses were on such a good path this week, meeting at a hotel for sex like a couple of weirdos, but it was helping their relationship out. Now -- with the prospect of war looming -- the philosophical dividing line between them returns. While "mapping targets" of high-level U.S. officials, they get busted by a rent-a-cop and Elizabeth has to kill him. Later, Elizabeth listens in on the taps they've got going and thinks she hears confirmation that Haig is taking over and has control of the nuclear launch codes. Philip thinks they should get more information, because he knows then what we know now: America doesn't have coups. Not that kind, at least.
Meanwhile, the FBI counterintelligence division is trying to figure out if the Russians were indeed behind the assassination attempt. Agent John-Boy presses Stan to go talk to Nina, but when he does, she's followed by someone at the Rezidentura. Nina also thinks General Haig is taking control, even though Stan is also like, "Not in America, sweetie. "
Ultimately, Elizabeth and Philip find out from one of the nurses on duty that Reagan survived and later, they pay the Beemans a neighborly visit where Stan confirms that Hinckley acted alone and the Russians aren't being blamed for it. So WWIII isn't going to happen… at least not yet.
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