Spy For Sale – The episode opens with Martian (Michael Fassbender) watching live footage of Simon (Bilal Hasna) walking to the pick-up point. He enters a code to access a compartment that he initially believes is empty. Feeling around the interior, Simon discovers a Polaroid photo of a motorbike and a series of numbers etched into the back. He snaps a photo of the front and back. Recognizing it as a phone number, Martian dials the number. A man asks if he lost a bike. Martian says yes. He tells him it is a 24-hour auction and to make a bid. Martian asks several questions and the line goes dead. Bosko (Richard Gere) questions if Coyote (Alex Reznik) was sold to someone else. The auction is posted on DotBid and the current bid is $140k with two bidders. Bosko refuses to bid. Martian doubts it’s an agency. Owen (John Magaro) suggests whoever is behind the auction doesn’t want to be identified. Bosko says it doesn’t fit FSB’s motto. Martian insists Cossack is working alone. The current bid increased by $20k. Elsewhere, Guo (Curtis Lum) informs Sami Zahir (Jodie Turner-Smith) that he canceled the taxi and will drive her wherever she needs to go. He asks her to not leave the hotel unaccompanied. She asks why. He says it is his job to protect her. She asks if it is protection or control. Abdel (Abdullahi Islaw) arrives wearing Martian’s jacket. Sami asks where he got it. He assures her that Martian will fully recover. She makes a phone call.
The current bid is $350k. Bosko believes Cossack is bluffing. Martian says they cannot ignore it. Bosko refuses to negotiate until he finds Cossack. Martian studies Mikhail Bortnik, Cossack’s first contact. Raine Miller (Sabrina Wu) informs Henry Ogletree (Jeffrey Wright) that James Richardson (Hugh Bonneville) is downstairs. A short time later, Richardson tells Henry and Naomi (Katherine Waterston) that Eric Huang and the de factor ruler of Sudan, General Fattah al-Burhan, are negotiating peace which would give the Chinese full control of the Horn of Africa. Naomi says they were aware of the ongoing peace talks and asks if he has something new to add. Martian arrives to speak with Henry. Raine tells him that he and Richardson are in a meeting. Richardson asks why they were never notified of the peace talks. Martian barges in and says Henry is needed in the crisis room. Richardson and Martian served together overseas. As they walk toward the exit, Martian warns him against trying to deceive him. Richardson vows to make a few changes if he gets C.
Naomi educates Danny (Saura Lightfoot-Leon) on the PC-9 Zoaf. They test-fire the weapon. Naomi warns her against getting involved with Edward. Danny claims they are just having sex and reminds her that she will be shipping out soon. Later, Martian watches footage that shows two men searching his hotel room. Sami calls to see if he is okay. He assures her that he is okay. She complains about being closely monitored. He urges her to do as they say and they will realize it was a mistake. She misses his laugh. The next morning, two Chinese men watch Martian leave the hotel in a taxi. They follow the taxi to a publishing company. A recycling truck pulls up in front of the publishing company. Martian gets inside. Grandma (Adam Nagaitis) asks who is pursuing him. Martian says it may be nothing. Later, Martian tells Henry, Owen, and Simon about Lukashenko steamrolling his secret service for years and hoarding power for himself. Colonel Buloychyk tried to stop Lukashenko but ended up getting sent to the provinces. General Matskevich was an opportunist, not a traitor. He suggests Cossack is Novikov, a retired KGB general who is still active behind the scenes. Novikov’s code name is Vasminoh “The Octopus.” In 25 minutes, the auction will end. Elsewhere, one of the Chinese men following Martian approaches the publishing company. At the agency, Martian calls Matskevich claiming to be his oncologist, Dr. Ian Kemple. When Matskevich comes to the phone, Martian addresses him as Novikov and says he is calling about the motorbike. The call goes dead. Henry insists he is Cossack. Elsewhere, the Chinese man informs the other one that Paul Lewis left his publishers an hour ago.
Henry, Bosko, and Martian discuss their options when it comes to auction. Henry stresses the need to make Coyote their priority. Martian suggests the auction is a game to Novikov who isn’t concerned about money but seeing if he can still play it. The top bid is $1.4m. Elsewhere, Novikov learns Sun Investors Partner Limited deposited $1.4m into his account via a Switzerland bank. Henry, Martian, Simon, and Owen listen to an audio of the accountant informing Novikov of the deposit. Novikov orders the accountant to return it. Martian says he may be ready to respond. Simon is listening to Kemple’s calls when Novikov calls in. He tells Kemple that his surgery contacted him the other day. Confused, Kemple says he doesn’t have an appointment. Novikov insists on seeing him tomorrow at noon and to have a car pick him up at City Airport. Later, Simon notifies Martian that Novikov is en route to Kemple’s office.
Poppy (India Fowler) visits a coffee shop to pick up her ID that someone turned in. A clerk hands her the ID. Osman (Kurt Egyiawan) arrives and orders an espresso. He claims to have met Paul Lewis while attending LIE. She denies knowing him and hurriedly leaves. The two Chinese men follow Martian. Once out of sight, he runs a short distance, stops, pulls out a keyfob, and inspects his jacket to find what appears to be a keycard. The Chinese men get into a Turbo Parcel van. Martian races across the road. Elsewhere, Owen apologizes to Novikov for being late. He makes a call to ask where Martian is. Martian is in a taxi trailing the Turbo Parcel van. The driver is tracking Martian to Whitechapel Road. He receives a call from a frightened Poppy telling him about a potential African man asking her about Paul Lewis. He says an Uber will arrive to pick her up but she is to check the license plate. It will take her to her mother’s house. She enters a business. The Chinese tracks the keycard to a taxi but no Martian. Elsewhere, Martian emerges from a taxi and runs toward a bridge.
At the agency, Bosko and Henry watch live footage of Owen and Novikov when Martian arrives. Novikov offers to see him information about a 42-year-old investment manager, Piotr Rybak “Coyote.” Henry curses. Martian demands proof that Coyote is alive. Novikov says they will keep him alive for five more days but there is no proof. He asks for CIA audio recordings made on February 11, 1989, at Vogelsang barracks outside Berlin. Bosko authorizes the deal. Martian asks where is Coyote. Elsewhere, Guo and Sami enter an elevator. When Osman arrives, they find her gone. She is walking down the sidewalk. Osman scolds Guo. Elsewhere, Novikov warns Martian that he will watch his family burn. At the hotel, Sami arrives at Martian’s room to find it empty. Novikov listens to the 1989 recording. Martian orders Owen to stop the tape. Novikov claims Coyote is on drugs and mistakenly recruited an individual linked to the Russian mercenaries and they convinced his psychiatrist to mess with his pills. Coyote was arrested for DUI but he was drugged. From the police station, a corrupt agent, Bogdan Antuyk took Coyote through the underground tunnels and turned him over to the Russian mercenaries for 20,000 euros. The officer works for General Volchok. He suspects Coyote is behind enemy lines in Ukraine now and the handover with the FSB will occur next week.
They’ll have to move fast if they want Coyote back. Bosko wants to speak to Langley. Henry tells Blair about Reiner Mielke who is the head of the Stasi in East Berlin from 1957 to 1989. They discuss the other person. Blair suggests it could be Volchok. The men on the tape talk about the woman’s body which is where no one will ever look. They had to destroy his wife to eliminate the snake. Novikov gets emotional listening to it. Sami still can’t get in touch with Paul. Osman and Guo approach her. Martian calls Poppy to ask if she told Mom. He insists it’s nothing and she’s safe. The CIA Director and others find out what is going on with Coyote. Bosko believes Coyote will sing whatever tune they call. He says they can say there are American spies in Ukraine and this will no longer be a proxy war. The Chief of Staff asks what she should tell the President. She believes they’ll have to lean out of Ukraine. Martian claims this is good news because Valhalla has Coyote.
He suggests they can still get him back. The CIA Director reminds them London station has failed to get him back. The Director wants to speak to Bosko in private. After the meeting, the others are upset with Martian. Meanwhile, Martian admits he knew something was about to go wrong. He could only place a bigger bet. Osman gets in touch with him and says his daughter Poppy was easy to find. Osman asks if it is Poppy Lewis or Poppy Cunningham. He suspects he’s very close.
The Agency Review
The story grows more complex and confusing. It rambles on to the point where boredom kicks in. It’s impossible to remember all the details and names thrown out every second. The scenes are so poorly edited that very little of what is happening makes sense.
The performances are not always believable. It tries to be smarter than it is and comes off as being muddled. The episode deserves a 4.2 out of 10.
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Jay Skelton is a fan of all television shows and movies. He tries his best to keep up with the latest foreign television shows and movies. Jay loves skinny dipping in the dark too.
