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Counter-Intelligence Division

    Gaad 

Supervisory Agent Frank Gaad

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gaad_frank.jpg
"They kill us. We kill them. That's the world that we live in."
Played By: Richard Thomas

"This isn't a cold war. There's nothing cold about the covert violent exchanges between the United States and the Soviet Union. They've killed not only our agents, but our citizens. And for that they'll pay."

The FBI supervisor, an intense man eager to root out Soviet spies.


  • Cowboy Cop: Gaad tends to play fast and loose with the rules; after an American scientist and three FBI agents are killed by a German assassin on Moscow's orders, Gaad is furious and launches an off-the-books revenge killing operation that targets Arkady.
  • Da Chief: He's the head of the FBI's Counter-Intelligence Division.
  • A Father to His Men: Although he isn't quite a Benevolent Boss and can be an outright jerk at times, he does care about the agents under his command and takes their deaths hard.
  • FBI Agent: The supervisor, even.
  • Foil: He has a few things in common with Claudia, the KGB handler: both are fervent believers who can be ruthless in their strive to succeed.
  • Hidden in Plain Sight: Gaad had no idea that Martha, his secretary for 10 years, was secretly giving information to the KGB. Upon being told this information by Stan, he reacts with stunned surprise, and quickly realizes that such a gaffe will be enough to immediately force him into retirement.
  • Retirony: Gaad actually makes it to his retirement, partially averting this trope but it turns out that retirement won't stop the KGB from coming after him on vacation in Thailand and causing him to accidentally impale himself on a glass door while trying to escape.
  • Revenge Before Reason: After a bombing that kills three FBI agents and a scientist, he fully embraces his Cowboy Cop tendencies, regardless of the consequences.

    Aderholt 

Dennis Aderholt

  • The Ace: In stark contrast to Stan's Broken Ace, Aderholt is very good at his job and seems to have a functional family life. Stan immediately feels threatened by him because of this, but later warms up to him as he continually proves himself.
  • Dogged Nice Guy: Really wants to take Martha out on a date. When he finally does, it's more to get her out of the apartment so Stan can search it and Martha was already consciously helping Philip. Their chance had long since passed.
  • Nice Guy: Aderholt is a generally warm, likable fellow in contrast to the more abrasive Stan.
  • Properly Paranoid: He finds both KGB bugs planted in the office, when an entire FBI surveillance team couldn't. The first simply by investigating why a random pen was both hollow and rattling. The second by meticulously backtracking every one of Martha's movements within the office, leading him to discover her at-best tangential connection to the Mail Robot.
  • Red Oni, Blue Oni: The Blue Oni to Stan's Red. He's far more meticulous and less overtly emotional in his work. He's driven more by persistent observation and small details compared to Stan's hunches. This is why they make such a great team.
  • Replacement Goldfish: Becomes Stan's partner after Amador's death. However, he is both significantly more competent and level-headed than the former.

    Amador 

Special Agent Chris Amador

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ta-1_1-5_full_1765.jpg
"I am as unencumbered as bedbugs in a flophouse."

An FBI agent and Stan Beeman's partner. In contrast to Stan, he's much more easy-going and snarky.


  • Cowboy Cop: He has zero compunction about beating a suspect or using his authority to intimidate a romantic rival.
  • Defiant to the End: When he's being interrogated by the Jennings, he refuses to cooperate and points out confidently that the Soviets are going to lose the Cold War.
  • Hidden Depths: He is a Nam vet.
  • Hopeless Suitor: To Martha. They used to date, and Amador is still very infatuated with her, even though Martha has made it clear that she's not interested in him.
  • Married to the Job: When he joined the FBI's Counter-Intelligence Division, he tells Stan that he's single with no hobbies by choice, so he can be free to devote all his energy to his job. Of course, his efforts to begin a relationship with Martha might cast doubt on the "by choice" part.
  • Token Minority: According to Stan, as one of only three minorities in his department, they can't fire Amador so he can rough up suspects with impunity...although Stan might have just been acting tough.
  • Working with the Ex: He is Martha's ex-boyfriend.

    Martha 

Martha Hanson

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hanson_martha_2350.jpg
Played By: Alison Wright

An FBI clerical worker who is unwittingly providing vital information to Phillip under a cover identity.

  • Casual Kink: She likes rough sex, and she mentions it in conversation with Elizabeth (who is posing as "Clark's" sister).
  • Earn Your Happy Ending: She goes through quite a rough time from mid-season 3 to Season 4, beginning with her learning "Clark's" real identity and culminating with her being extradited to the USSR, a totally alien country for her, after the FBI learns of her relationship with Philip and declares her a traitor. Furthermore, she has to say goodbye to Philip, who she genuinely loved, with the knowledge that they can never see each other again. However, her final appearance in the Season 5 finale indicates that she's adjusting to her new life in Russia, and hints that she's going to adopt an orphan girl, referencing an earlier desire she expressed to have children.
  • Immodest Orgasm: When in bed, she is extremely...'vocal'.
  • Morality Pet: In a bizarre, backwards way to Philip. Despite seducing her based on a lie and destroying her life, he refuses to let her be killed if there's another option, fighting with Gabriel and Elizabeth to send her to Russia, and taking several brazen risks (like showing her his face) in the process.
  • Old Maid: A middle-aged woman who has been yearning for the right man for a long time. This is what makes her so vulnerable to the Single Woman Seeks Good Man scenario fabricated by Phillip.
  • Put on a Bus: To Russia, where she doesn't know anyone or speak the language.
  • Unwitting Pawn: Of Philip's, who gaslights her into feeding him intel and then manipulates into marriage so he can continue to get information on the FBI's activities.
  • Secret-Keeper: As of late season 3, Martha chooses to protect Phllip's cover instead of turning him in. Of course, by the time she learns the truth, she has no good choices left with decades in prison being a probable best case scenario if she turns him in.

Other FBI Agents

    Taffet 

Walter Taffet

Played By: Jefferson Mays

An internal investigator for the FBI, which is exactly what "Clark" claims to be.


  • Knight in Sour Armor: Taffet is clearly jaded by his work finding turncoats, but he's also more understanding of the reasons agents are turned.
  • Beleaguered Bureaucrat: Contrast to Philip/Clark, who has to charm Martha into thinking he's who he says he is. Taffet actually is that person, and thus has nothing to prove.

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