Elizabeth Jennings (Keri Russell), posing as a security company inspector, goes to the home of Adam Dorwin (Michael Countryman), an anti-ballistics program contractor who has recently lost his wife.
Elizabeth asks if he had received communications from foreign agents, and he assures her he hadn't even told his wife about his job.
After she leaves, Dorwin proceeds to call his handler, Vasili Nikolaevich (Peter Von Berg) from the Soviet embassy.
When Philip (Matthew Rhys) sees the marks on her back, he is furious and tells Elizabeth that he'll deal with the contractor.
Stan is at home learning Russian by tape when his wife, Sandra (Susan Misner), tries to bring him to bed, but he declines.
In February 2013, FX confirmed that the fifth episode of the series would be titled "COMINT", and that it would be written by Melissa James Gibson, and directed by Holly Dale.
Eric Goldman of IGN gave the episode a "great" 8.5 out of 10 and wrote, "Wow, this show sure isn't glamorizing the life of a spy, is it?
But as 'COMINT' showed, that can also include some true ugliness, as Elizabeth was put in a horrible and outright dangerous scenario by a guy with a thing for inflicting pain.
"[5] Alan Sepinwall of HitFix wrote, "Some people manage to play the game long enough to become as old and relatively serene as Granny, or Vasilli.
And it's watching the emotional toll this is taking on all the characters that’s made The Americans such gripping television over these first five excellent weeks.
"[6] Matt Zoller Seitz of Vulture gave the episode a 4 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "As written by Melissa James Gibson and directed by Holly Dale, 'Comint' doesn't flinch from any of its issues, but it's never salacious.
"[8] Carla Day of TV Fanatic gave the episode a 4.8 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "'COMINT' provided a look at how both Soviet and American spies and assets acquire information and the sacrifices that are made to get a step ahead of their adversaries.