He was created by series creator Joe Weisberg and is portrayed by Welsh actor Matthew Rhys.

In the first episode of season 4, Philip describes being attacked by gangs at a young age while collecting milk across the city.

As a teenager, Philip dated a young Russian woman named Irina, who shared his dream of joining the KGB.

When Philip is accepted into the Illegals Program (where KGB agents live permanently undercover in the US, posing as American citizens), Irina breaks up with him and tells him that she's met someone else.

Philip trains for several years before meeting "Elizabeth Jennings," another member of the Illegals Program, who is assigned to be his wife in America.

At the time of Timoshev's kidnapping, FBI counter-intelligence agent Stan Beeman moves in next door, causing Philip to suggest defecting themselves.

Philip and Elizabeth plant a bug in Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger's office, and begin listening for vital intelligence.

Philip quickly marries Martha in an attempt to get her to bug her boss's office after Elizabeth finds out that a United States Air Force colonel has information on the SDI missile defense project.

However he and Elizabeth kidnap the Mossad agent and trade him for the scientist as well as the Soviet Union letting 1500 Jews go to Israel.

Philip is focusing on the travel agency, which he has enlarged recently, but which develops financial difficulties, jeopardizing the tuition payments for Henry's final year at his elite boarding school and forcing Philip to fire some long-time employees.

Philip is depicted as a very attentive father, and it means a lot to him to make sure his children are happy and taken care of.

Philip becomes very angry with Paige when she becomes very religious, partly due to the fact that she becomes disrespectful when her parents don't approve.

In season 3, he starts attending EST (Erhard Seminars Training) meetings for reasons initially unknown to him, but later feels more in touch with his emotions.

However, when season 3 comes to a close, Philip realizes the negativity of his emotions and thoughts, and feels he can't work for the KGB anymore when he is forced to kill a man to protect Martha's cover.