The Americans Season 3

In this instance, I think you are very much correct, but my devil's advocate counterpoint would be the Russian in the woods from Pine Barrens, a device that I think is most effective because the tension remains forever a mystery. Is he out there, stalking Paulie and Chris, or lying dead in the snow? I think Chase tapped into something there that's not often utilized in scripted drama, taking a typical trope and leaving it dangling forever.

Martha's gun is different, of course, because it's a object as opposed to actor, and for now the gun seems underdeveloped as a piece of the story that might prove important.