'The Plot Against America' Episode 4: Philip struggles to keep a grounded perspective as uncertainty hits his family
In its fourth episode, 'The Plot Against America' introduced us to how one could be turned against one's own family if the right opportunity were provided at the right time; and Philip is the one character who gives viewers a grounded perspective of what it really means to live in uncertain times.
While his brother Sandy is dead set on going against his family to attend the state dinner that will welcome a German minister, Philip, the youngest son of the Herman family, has no choice but to watch as things change around him.
His grandmother, Dora Finkel, is dead and she was someone that Philip loved dearly. He also learns about Alvin's condition in Canada and how he lost his leg and he finds it hard to comprehend the change. He sees Alvin return home without a leg and drowning in the bitterness of it - all of which upsets Philip. It is understandable that with constant change, one would be anxious as they just end up expecting the worst in any given situation.
He also learns that his best friend Seldan's father is now extremely sick and by the end of the episode, Philip loses another person. Despite Alvin having returned, Philip is unable to stop and talk to Alvin like he used to in the past. Furthermore, when an FBI agent approaches him to check with him about what his family says about Hitler and President Lindberg, in the hopes of finding a way to make both Alvin and Herman curtail their opinions about Jews' rights, Philip is worried.
He is even frantic as he runs home to find a body being taken out of the house and his first thought is that his dad has been captured. All the fear that Philip had begun to bury within himself has surfaced and when he runs to his mother all he can think about is the fact that his father is not going to be able to breathe if wrapped in a cloth-like that. It is only when his mother Bess explains explains to him that the person carried out was their neighbor and not his father that he calms down.
His life has also taken a grand 180-degree turn as he cannot confide in his brother Sandy anymore. Sandy has made it clear that he doesn't care about what happens in the world as long as he is able to use every opportunity that is available to him and that includes attending a state dinner honoring a Nazi. Despite Herman trying his best to explain the repercussions of getting in bed with such people, Sandy doesn't care. To see his brother act so extremely has Philip shocked. What shocks the little boy further is when their mother slaps Sandy for calling Herman worse than Hitler.
Not only Sandy, but Philip's aunt Evelyn has also had an argument with Herman about the same state dinner and things are just not that simple. From being accosted by an FBI agent to seeing death at close quarters does change lives; Philip struggles to adapt and this grounded perspective is much needed to understand the kind of effect such a political climate could have on kids.
'The Plot Against America' airs on HBO on Mondays at 9 pm ET.