Lily Thomas continues her steely debrief of Nicholas Elliott, convinced he’s hiding something from their final 96 hours in Beirut.
The episode's namesake refers to a meeting in 1941 where Elliott shadowed Philby to a pub, only to find him with a woman named Litzi. Philby easily explains her away as a "romantic adventure" from his time fighting fascism in Vienna. A Spy Among Friends subtitles English S01E02
A paranoid Philby begins his cold new life in the USSR, under the watchful, condescending eye of his handler, Sergei. Lily Thomas continues her steely debrief of Nicholas
Flashbacks to a pub called The Admiral's Glass reveal a pivotal moment where Elliott chose to trust his friend over the growing evidence of Philby’s double life. "The Admiral’s Glass" and the Blind Spot of Class A paranoid Philby begins his cold new life
What do you think was the turning point for Elliott? Was it the Litzi meeting, or was he willfully blind until the very end? on his true motivations. A Spy Among Friends, Episode 2: The Admiral's Glass
The central mystery remains: Did Elliott let Philby escape Beirut as a final act of friendship, or is he playing a much deeper game? By the end of the episode, Lily’s trap is set, and the focus shifts to James Angleton’s own shadowy movements in the US.
The episode masterfully balances three parallel timelines, each serving as a different kind of interrogation: