This season has been a slow burn, I don't know if I can say it's lost a step, or lost it's direction, I think it's probably due to the fact it's the second to last season. The acting and personal hells of the characters are some of the best work on tv, it's a devastating show, that gets more and more wrenching as it goes on. The lies, the duplicity, the guilt, anguish, regret and remorse, just watching them zero in on people's weaknesses and flaws, then twisting the knife in further and further, sometimes with this person in their arms, and smiling at the them adoringly.
Who hasn't wondered if the person you are laying next to, or sitting across from his sincere? Who hasn't wondered if someone they had feelings for was lying, or would lie? Who hasn't manipulated someone, even innocently enough? If you know how to twist someone, if you wonder if someone is trying to "twist" you? The emotional toll that this takes is where the shows real heart is. A lifetime of lies, deceit, taking advantage of people has wrecked Phillip. You know that feeling when your emotionally raw, and you just want the truth, or someones feelings that you know are real? Phillip has lost that. Never had it maybe, and has to fake it everyday.
A few observations:
-I think Elizabeth is falling for her mark
-I don't know if it's a self esteem thing or a prove to Elizabeth/Gabriel I haven't lost it, when he tries to get that girl back
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, we saw how quickly she picked up the phone when he started talking about being married 
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, at least she learned Tai Chi from it.
a lot of the times.
