Yes, yes, I'm behind on answering 300 of your questions. As soon as I'm done with my work, I'll get to it. But in the meantime, post your various wonderings and bemusements here in the Comments.
No questions just praise. I gotta tell you that Leverage is appointment television in our house. 10 p.m. Wednesday my two teenage sons, my husband and I sit down together to watch. I like the fact that despite the fact that it is a "formula" show you manage to keep it interesting by making the action twist. Good job and thank you.
Jon, that you even DO this is just a huge, huge, HUGE thing. Much appreciation from this Leverage Fan to you and the whole crew for making Wednesday nights fun -- and I am SO RELIEVED you have a third season! Seriously, every show I love gets canceled, and I stopped watching episodic TV.
So you just keep writing on that third season and make it so good you get a forth, and I'll be happy.
i love Leverage, and i wanna see it stick around for a long time, so when its on i turn all three tv's on so it will get higher ratings! how big a dork does that make me? (dont answer that!)the last two eps had some pretty awesome twists! anyway you rock and so does Leverage! keep the awesomeness coming!
I had the good fortune of working on this episode with Luke Perry. He was nothing short of amazing. He was kind, gracious, humble, and one hell of an actor. How someone so famous could remain so down to earth is impressive and commendable. I have met other famous actors and many of them..... let's just say they are not approachable in the least. I would have a beer with Luke anytime!
I had the good fortune of working on this episode with Luke Perry. He was nothing short of amazing. He was kind, gracious, humble, and one hell of an actor. How someone so famous could remain so down to earth is impressive and commendable. I have met other famous actors and many of them..... let's just say they are not approachable in the least. I would have a beer with Luke anytime!
I had the good fortune of working on this episode with Luke Perry. He was nothing short of amazing. He was kind, gracious, humble, and one hell of an actor. How someone so famous could remain so down to earth is impressive and commendable. I have met other famous actors and many of them..... let's just say they are not approachable in the least. I would have a beer with Luke anytime!
Oooh, not to freak you out, but at this exact moment 8:45pm CST, there are precisely 400 comments to be answered.
209 from Bottle Job and 191 from Zanzibar Job.
I say we shoot for a nice round 600 before you respond.
Kidding...but really can't wait. (for the responses AND the show)Luke Perry on Leverage is one of the things I've been looking forward too most. Forget Christmas, Leverage Wednesdays should be a holiday.
13 minutes to Leverage!
wv: miligg= the sound Boddington's makes while being quaffed.
PARKER HAD A BROTHER?????? Poor Parker. That was evil, even showing all her tells was evil because now she feels like a doofus on top of being shredded by a conman. I'd want to chop him to bits too.
Eliot offering to kill the guy for Parker was the ultimate big brother move. I just lost my big brother and that is exactly what he would have done for me. It brought tears to my eyes. This is why I try to get everyone to watch Leverage!
Yes, yes Mr Rogers, seriously we understand..just don't "miss" answering mine LOL ! Okay, did you groan right there?;D Sorry! Got to say, you've given me the opportunity to express my love for the characters in your show, I really,really appreciate it!:)
And Parker's negative experience was a chance to grow for her, plus it told US a little bit about her. And, yes, Eliot offering to do the violence was perfection. And Parker HUGGED BACK. All these little things just please me to a ridiculous amount.
And what gave Tara that scar? Hmmm.
Luke Perry -- great job! Now that's a bad guy that could come back and get the team.
I KNEW the twist was coming, but I never EVER guessed THAT twist. Rope on a stick, I love the Leverage writing team! I love the actors and the directors and the producers, but I LOVE the writers extra!
Okay, number one: OH MY GOD PARKER HAD A BROTHER?! Can I ask, younger or older? I know you won't give a name, so that's my question lol. Also, it must of been when she was really young cause all the flashbacks of her never included a brother. Makes me wonder if he was even in foster care with her or was only around when she was with her real parents, whoever they may be...
Second, did Parker give her own money to that guy? It was a bit confusing at the end. If she did, MAJOR points to her.
AND OMG! Tara finally getting why they do it. Aww.
The fridge full of Orange Soda rocked too. Hardison's just taken over the fridge haha xD
I just watched tonight's episode and want to say thank you. There is a special angry stabby place in my heart for the vultures who prey on the grieving and gullible. Thank you so much for explaining what they do in such a clear straightforward way. This is the episode of Leverage I will burn to DVD and force several of my more "open-minded" relatives to watch.
"It's baby clothes." "It says BOOKS man!" Awesome. Love the byplay between Hardison & Eliot - Aldis & Christian are always spot on with that. This is my new favorite episode I think - I loved the amount of emotion running through it, from Parker and the reveal about her younger brother (I wonder if his name was Parker...?) to Tara finally understanding why they do it. And that bit from Nate at the end about seeing Mike again was wonderfully written and portrayed by Tim. Bravo!!
Justwatched, you made me cry! Loved Beth....just awesome. Great show. Loved how you explained cold reads and body language. Every show gets better and better. Did Tara get her cut of the found money?
That was a really nice episode. I hope this comes out right, that was an "average" episode and it rocked. It had some neat character moments, but wasn't a big mover in the long arcs, and it rocked. Leverage may have the highest mean enjoyability factor of anything I watch these days.
I really don't have any questions at the moment; gonna have to re-watch it to catch everything that happened. I got all weepy and just.....wanna say that Beth Riesgraf was amazing in this episode.
Heh, i just hope that some fans of Sylvia Browne, James Van Pragh, John Edward and similar parasites watched this and recognize the cold and hot reads the next the they are in the audience.
How fitting that this episode aired the same night Nightline is running a report on the arrest of the sweatlodge guru. Maybe y'all are psychic? ;-)
No questions (yet), just much love for y'all, writers, actors, everybody. And tonight belonged to Beth Riesgraf. My heart just broke for Parker. Then I wanted Rand's liver on a stick. And I fell in love with Eliot all over again when he offered to kill the guy. Now *that's* family!
Ooh, wait, I do have a question. Nate actually seemed in control in this ep. Was that because he wanted to do this right for Parker's sake, or just because he didn't really have a chance to fall apart? Or did getting Rand suitably exorcise his demons for now?
And can we assume that Eliot and Tara are blinking like bunnies after hours?
Anonymous (poster #5): I'm right there with you on the Show-Love, but - and I may be wrong - I don't think you can impact the ratings unless you have a Nielsen box...
LOVED this ep! Wow - 3 in a row just blasted out of the park! Loved the con, loved the Eliot muscle moments, and especially loved all the great perfect little character moments... between Parker & Eliot, Parker & Hardison, everyone being so gentle w/ Parker, Tara getting it, everything Tim did.... the whole thing was just so well-written and acted.
Question: Was Jeri reluctant to appear un-glamorous as Bethany? I mean, she looked gorgeous but she was doing a plainer look.
I'll also throw some love for late S1/early S2 Eliot-hair... blown straight and w/ highlights. I mean, CK is never not beautiful, and I like the beads, but the highlights were better. Too dark makes everyone look older.
Forgot to say: Usually either the fight scenes or the final takedown / Sting scenes are my favorite parts. My favorite scene tonight was in the office, with everyone explaining Rand's tricks to Parker. First I LOVE that she went to the office - where they would be able to find her - rather than take off someplace alone. That seems like character growth. And I love how they were all so gentle with her, with the explanations of her tells. I love how together and paternal Nate was. Like others, I loved Eliot offering to kill the guy. The whole scene was just fabulous.
Completely unrelated to this episode, but what would happen to the team if they were forced to do the con in a loud workspace so the ear buds or microphones didn't work?
I really loved how we got to see emotion from Parker and how the whole team gathered around to comfort and support her after, Nate talking to her like she was a wounded child, Eliot offering to take him out (like a true big brother-like protector). My question is: Did Parker's brother getting hit by the car have anything to do with why she was in foster care?
Beth Riesgraf was fantastic. We got a bit more backstory on Parker. I loved how the entire group worked together to show Parker how the 'psychic' figured out her past.
Luke Perry was great.
Was this the first episode Tara's been in where she didn't ask for some sort of fee from the group?
Great episode as usual. So, a question: Eliot's bitchfit at the end of the episode: what was that about? I couldn't tell whether it was because Hardison and Parker were sharing something without him, that they pulled a con without letting the rest of the group know, or whether it was something else.
Last season it felt a lot like Eliot, Hardison and Parker were closer to each other than they were to Nate and Sophie (who were, in turn, closer to each other than the other three). Am I wrong in feeling as though that balance has been upset this season? Were you guys trying to change that up?
Also, it's interesting how much Hardison obviously does that the rest of the group doesn't seem to give him credit for-- since he does the unglamorous, behind-the-scenes work. Will he get his moment of triumph soon?
there was a LOT of stuff in this ep. a LOT. some of the con turns almost gave me whiplash... a LOT of stuff, man.... i almost want to say luke perry was underutilized, but... man, a LOT of stuff in this ep.
Great episode! Beth Riesgraf was just amazing. Loved how Jeri Ryan did the plain homely look for Bethany it really worked for the character. The chemistry between the actors was great in the episode. Love how Tara is working with the group. I miss Sophie and love Gina Bellman too but I'm also saying lets keep Jeri Ryan. Would like to see a little more interaction between Tara and Parker. Heard the actresses got along really well off screen.
As much as competence porn, I love the "family" byplay. Favorite this week was not only Eliot offering to kill the guy who made her cry, but the way he did it. One of my all time favorite Eliot scenes.
And Nate/Hardison kitchen interaction, plus - of course - Eliot/Hardison in the storage unit. Love, love, love seeing all of that.
Beth really was awesome in this one.
One question only...so far...
After all the times we've seen Eliot take down big ass thugs, how could those two idiots manage to escape from Eliot and Tara *together*?
Not that I care, that kind of thing certainly wouldn't make me stop watching. I don't think anything would, really.
But I heard Dean was polling in Twitter, and I just wanted to mention that I wouldn't mind the front "saga" dropped. Maybe Nate could just relate to the team what the problem was and they could just go from there.
But after Tim's fabulous ending this evening, I think the payoff with the victims at the end needs to stay in.
Oh, and though I've never been a huge fan of Jeri Ryan's character, she's certainly done an excellent job of fitting into the show. But somebody fell down on the job with her look tonight. I don't know if it was makeup or lighting or what, but the woman is a bombshell and she spent most of this episode looking pretty rough. That's just wrong.
Did Eliot hesistate because he knew they wouldn't "approve" of him killing Dalton, or because he knew Parker didn't mean it? (Or some other, more elaborate reason?)
There was never a doubt that it would get better, but it's always so sweet to watch it unfold. What a fantastic episode. There is no better TV than that which can make me laugh, cry and actually cheer out loud.
My question is actually technical rather than show based. Someone (you or Dean, I believe) said that it was important to watch the show as it aired. In this day and age of cable and direct TV boxes, are they receiving information about to which channel the boxes are tuned and is that information fed to TPTB?
I'm loving Tara to pieces, I didn't think I could love Parker more... And my question is this: What is the show going to be without the amazing skills of Amy Berg? Her episodes are so spot on. Everytime.
Yknow, I think this is the first Sophieless episode - right? Did she have a scene that just got cut, or was it getting too close to her due date, or..?
Hey, love the show. Though not the same, it brings back memories of why I enjoyed Hustle so much. Anyways, just wondering if we'll ever get to see what the Leverage team does on the days in between clients? Keep up the wonderful work!
Finally someone who not only describes mediums as false, but actually talks about how that DOESN'T help you grieving, doesn't let you progress and cope, and in fact doesn't make you feel better. Thank you, and thank you. And also thank you for conning such a bastard! *g*
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for creating such an amazing show. I've never so consistently loved anything on TV. And your doing the Q & A is almost more goodness than I can take--But please don't stop!
Could we get a rough timeline on Parker and her brother? In her flashback in the pilot, she looked a little young to have taught her brother to ride a bike. Were they bounced around different foster homes where they were sometimes together and sometimes not? Or should I assume that, if she already had the skills to blow up a house, she could probably manage to teach someone to ride a two-wheeler? Or am I off on the age thing? (By the way, that flashback was the moment I knew I was hopelessly hooked on the show.) And I couldn't agree more with all the love for the last three episodes--Just amazing! Thank you!
Sparkly and cocky, she is a huge improvement compared to overly sugary and whiny Sophie.
I know there is no chance for her replacing Sophie permanently, but could she at least be a recurring character in S3? Please?
@Greer, @OhShinyTomato:
Eliot was pissed at Hardison and Parker because they found the bank robbery loot and didn't tell him about it. That's where money Parker gave the guy in the end came from.
Major kudos. Everything about this episode just rocked. We really got to see the dynamics of this little "family". Parker is so the baby. I thought Jeri Ryan was particularly good in this one, especially in the scene with Tim at the end. Now we know that Tara gets it. Very sneaky - having us actually like the character right before the finale. The team's confidence level is so high right now and they seem so proud of what they accomplish. Sounds like a big "Uh-Oh" may come our way in 215. Now I'm really anxious for episode 301.
:) Questions: 1.Did Parker take it literally , "...or I don't know, a *better* thief!" (flashback in pilot ep) and actually steal a bicycle, that led to the tragedy? 2.Eliot said he'd only use violence as an "appropriate response"(before Sterling got it!)- so was Parker's verbally laced violence (towards Rand)to further showcase: "Parker? She's insane" character? 3.Did those hoods get away because Eliot was distracted/concerned with Tara during the fight? Tara didn't defend herself cos' she was staying in character? 4.Parker/Hardison found the "hidden" money and decided to give it to victim? The only reason I can think of why Nate didn't do it this time..Parker actually hugged the guy, a stranger, something "weird" for Parker to do? Thank you again for putting in Eliot's POV..in the most ordinary conversation: E: You electrocuted him?! Parker say's she approves! Nate, thanks her..E: No! Her agreeing with you is not a good thing! LOL!
Loved the episode. You really know who your friends are when one of them is just willing to kill the bad guy. AWESOME!!! I have to admit this is the first episode where Tara did not get on my very last nerve. I still miss Sophie so I am glad she will be back soon. Of course there should have been more Eliot beating on people. I was hoping to see him kick "Dillon's" butt. You cannot have everything I suppose. To see something from new from Parker was really great. Nate was in rare form it is hard to explain it was just very fun to watch.
Like everyone, I loved the emotional Parker and everyone rallying around her. Though I expected Hardison to show a bit more emotion, like "I usually don't hit, but I'm gonna hurt Dylan for hurting Parker, cuz I have a crush on Parker."
More short sleeved Eliot please. And how does Kane like being the resident heartthrob?
I also like the development of Tara, showing how a new character becomes integrated into an existing albeit slightly testy unit.
As for Tara as Bethany looking rough, I appreciate that Jeri Ryan is not a classic beauty, which I imagine makes it easier for Tara to dress up or down to blend in to succeed in her cons.
The Leverage team isn't a family, but people have been commenting about the Nate and Sophie being the parents and Parker, Eliot, and Hardison as being the kids. I don't really agree but have noticed that at the end of the episodes, it's generally P, E, and H together and N and S/T together. Why?
Nate and Sophie generally meet with the clients and then take the case to the others. Parker and Eliot (if I remember correctly) have also sat in on these initial meetings, and now Tara but not Hardison. Why not?
As much as I *LOVED* the scene where Eliot said he could kill the guy for Parker, it was Nate's scene at the end, talking about how the client would see her husband in their son, that made me get a bit misty. That was a beautifully written and brilliantly acted scene. Kudos to the Leverage team!
Just moved into my #2 spot on the favorite list. Without a doubt.
Things I loved:
As everyone is saying..Eliot offering to kill Rand for Parker.
Nate explaining the cold read to Parker.
Hardison's reaction from the van when Parker ran from the audience.
Baby clothes and books.
The final section where Nate gives the "see Mike again" speech. I, too, am among the criers.
Parker reacting to a hug.
Parker/Hardison banding together against Eliot
Tara finally getting it.
Things that were perfect:
The shot of Eliot backlit as he watched Tara walk into the warehouse. Gorgeous silhouette and camera work.
Kane's hair as he was digging through the car of the woman who owned the salon and whose mother died of breast cancer. At that moment I thought "how can anyone hate his hair? look how incredible it is"
All things Luke Perry. Can I borrow the writers because I do not have the words to express how much I loved him in this episode. I hope he gets to come back someday. I know he was headed for prison but maybe he'll con himself into early release and pop back up in S3. One can only hope.
I DO NOT think you should lose the saga sell at the beginning. It gives essential information and provides a good setup. While I get this can be done other ways, I love the symmetry we get from the open and close of the show dealing with how they help people. At its core that's what it is about and this is demonstrated through these minor scenes. Which, if you read enough KFM, you can see people really dig. They reference them all the time.
My question is this: in Nigerian we learned that they made oodles of money. It's never specified but my brain is leaping to bajillions. Yet, in this season...post blowing up the offices, it seems the gang is touchy about money. Is there something I'm missing here? They should have enough money ten times over for anything they need. Paying Tara should be no sweat. Giving money to a pregnant woman...why would that be an issue? Couldn't they have just given her money? Did it have to be that they stole it or found the loot? Or was that set up that way for a reason?
re: my question up there about Eliot and Tara should be "boinking like bunnies," not "blinking like bunnies." Sorry. Not enough coffee yet + typing on an iPod.
But I totally think they are.
A few more things …
I, too, loved that Parker ran to Nate's apartment, thus cementing the notion of that place as "home" and the team as "family." I also loved how they all just sort of slid into place around her, forming a nice little circle. Very much an "us against the world" vibe.
Loved Hardison's "he should be shot" comment in the van. Oh, yeah, this one was personal! And, hm, telling that only he and Parker knew about the money. Did they perhaps have a "date" as only a hacker and thief could? ;-)
Adored Nate's gentleness with Parker in explaining how Rand did it. That's not a side of him we see often, or at all, and it's just a nice reminder that, yes, there is a human being in there somewhere. And at the end, damn, Hutton made me tear up. Usually I want to smack Nate. This time, I just wanted to hug him.
And, of course, Parker. Oh, man, PARKER!! Beth just knocked it out of the park in this one. The human emotion/vulnerability we just don't see in Parker, along with all the lovely little insane touches that we adore – grousing about having to give the wallets back, wanting Rand to die, gleefully approving of the electrocution. And then, at the end, when she hugged the guy back, yeah, I teared up *again*.
Also, *please* can Tara come back and play in S3? I love her character, I love what Jeri Ryan does with her, and I love the feisty chemistry between her and the others. Yes, I adore Sophie and will be glad to have her back, but Tara has taken her place in my heart as well.
Hubby also requests (begs) that y'all bring her back. I'd almost be jealous of his love for her, if I weren't so busy ogling Eliot …
Oh, yeah, when Rand did his job on Parker, my 12YO Parker wannabe growled, "He must die." I think at that moment she was taking Eliot as her role model.
You're molding young minds and bringing families together, Rogers! Aren't you proud?
It has been stated that Eliot doesn't screw around with the people he works with. (Opponents are another matter.)
Nate knew exactly where to find the gummi frogs...
When Rand started to confess that he wasn't really psychic, I finally noticed that the clock was 10:53 and the hammer of justice was about to come down. So congratulations, y'all made me lose track of time. Although I was kind of happier thinking I had another two or three plot twists to go.
I gotta second the questions about Parker's timeline, since she looked so young when she blew up the house to get her bunny. (Also, sociopaths tend not to have those kinds of loving relationships in their background. Not that Parker is a pure sociopath, but she definitely bends that way.) Loved her angelic smile when Nate promised her Rand's destruction (see? bending).
wv: werisp - A Rice Krispy that turns into a Count Chocula in the full moon
Like a lot of the others, no questions at this point, just enjoyment of the fun train :)
Love that Parker huddles down - floor and something at her back - but that she does seem to be feeling safer in that space. Echoed by Hardison's gummi frogs and Nate knowing where they are; Nate's place is home for these guys, especially his two youngest. You've created a really good vibe there ... which I really hope doesn't mean you're going to blow it up for the finale.
One theme I've really enjoyed (and which tends to make for eps that dig a little more into the team) are those jobs where they're dealing with someone who does essentially the same things they do. I like the morality mirror that tends to force them to confront. In this one, though, after they stated that Rand used the same techniques they do, I didn't really see any ramifications of that for any of them.
Usually it's Nate, being reminded how very close he is to the "bad" guys; perhaps the rest of the team are still comfortable enough with being the bad guys doing good things, and haven't yet embraced being "good guys" enough yet to be terribly discomfited by the proximity. Not sure whether to read it as something that fell out of the story due to time, or was just too much to deal with on top of Parker's thread, or if it was indicating a subtle shift in Nate's thinking. Only you guys usually flag that kind of turn, especially in Nate's journey. Not a question though! I'm happy to keep riding the train and find out.
And seriously ... thanks. It's a huge deal that you do this, and you can see how much we love it. But at the same time, I (and I'm kind of assuming everyone else here too) don't want to break you with it. I don't know how obliged you feel to answer everything, and if that's something you're holding yourself to, well, that's great for us! Otherwise, I don't know, answer us as much as is fun for you, as much as it charges you up and excites you about what you're doing on the show and here. We're not entitled to your time and energy. If we're draining you ... I'd rather you pour your energy into the show, if you have to choose!*
wv: vuent. Fluency in saying things in a vague way.
*The opinions expressed in this comment are Nina May's and do not necessarily reflect those of anyone else on this thread. The other commenters cannot be held responsible for the views expressed in this comment.
first off, i want to thank jeri ryan the person for, more than anyone else, setting the stage for the triumph of barack obama.
you done good there.
as an actress this is the first time i've seen her range. it's subtle things too, like when she's on the con she allows us to "see" her acting. i don't know if that's craft or something natural, i dont' care, it's some brilliant stuff.
i just want to chime in saying i love the show. whoopee for season3, and dude, find a way to bring tara back now and again. you can do it for the boston cop, you can do it for the doofus fbi team, shit, you did it for sterling.
Kudos for this one, JR. I know you guys like to use the show to cast some light on the real-world bastards who prey on people, but you out-did yourself with the clear explanation of the cold read.
BTW, double-kudos -- during the actual "read", you made it clear to anyone LOOKING for it just how Rand was "reading" Parker. Good scripting, good direction, and good acting on Beth's part, for playing those "tells" Just Subtly Enough.
That's better educational television than anything on the various documentary channels these days.
Oh, and I lost track of time, too. It did NOT feel like 0:53 when Rand started confessing to the thugs; in fact, I was still wondering just how they'd get him out of their hands and still have time to bring him down properly. The Twist was perfect.
D'aaaaaaaaaawww! Oh this is easily going to make it into my top five Fave Episodes. Wonderful Parker moments and much, much kudus to Beth for her outstanding performance. I adore the way the team rallies round her and of course, now we understand why Elliot offers to kill someone :)
I saw Luke Perry in a Criminal Minds episode a while back and thought he was seriously good then. Now I see he can play sleazy charmer as effortlessly as he played a spooky fanatic. Great guest performance, he really made Rand's psychic performances so good you could understand how people would buy into the con.
So many lovely things here, I could spend several paragraphs listing them, but I'll just say the look between Parker and Hardison at the end was beautiful. And that whole end sequence maaay have caused me to sniffle a lot.
Thank you cast and crew, that was a beautiful episode.
The only thing that's making me sad is I'm adoring Jeri Ryan's Tara more and more. I'm going to seriously miss her when she goes. Can you bring her back for guest spots? She's too good to lose completely!
Bonus points if you ever establish that Parker's brother was named Lewis. Or, more subtly, Sheldon with a nickname of Shelley.
In a more general sense, I think one reason I like the Tara character is that her con personas so far feel much more naturalistic than many of Sophie's. Perhaps because you chose to emphasize accents for Sophie, which Ryan didn't have time to prep for for a limited role? At any rate, when Sophie comes back, perhaps dial down the exaggerated nature of her con roles a bit, unless such is really necessary for the con.
Question about Nate: His role was more controlled (and sober) this time. Was this because his moment with Maggie last ep was a cathartic moment and he's back on the wagon? Or was it just more shelved this ep because of everything else going on character/plot wise?
Loved the insights on Parker and Tara especially this ep.
I gotta disagree about Sophie's con roles. One of my absolute faves was her East Indian persona. I love seeing the reminder in the opening credits. Gina's got the talent for it and does an excellent job. It's one of the things I most look forward to in every ep, the variety she brings. I say, let her just go for it.
But one of the other comments reminded me, what was the smell in the van...or was Tara messing with Hardison, for some reason?
Jeri got a lot more into this episode, and it looked good on her. Well done.
But Beth!! Ole Sparky wasn't even in this episode! How did you find her twin sister? Right from the opening scene I could tell she wasn't herself. Actually, she shouldn't really have been so transformed at the start, because nothing had happened yet. I'm guessing that Beth did some heavy method in the prep for this episode and blew everyone away. Everyone was a little more sincere.
I like how invisible she was with the dark hair, too. Transformed inside and out. Now you really have to give her some sex.
Loved the episode. You made me cry - twice. Beth did a brilliant job with that scene for Parker. So did Luke Perry (I *really* hated his character for getting her so upset and making her cry .. notice I said I hate his character, because his acting was great).
Was this the episode you were referring to when you said that Eliot was going to offer to kill someone in the back half of this season? (Cause in the fictional world, I would SO be behind that! And definitely understand that desire in the real world sometimes too)
I saw that Dean said he wanted to do an episode regarding fake psychics because of his mom. I just wanted to thank you all for not only doing the episode, but also for breaking down and explaining all the visual clues that fake psychics/con artists use to read people.
Suggestion: Answer in batches, sahib! Burnout is no-one's friend.
Question: What's up with Con Con? By which I mean, as someone of capable of googling for information my own damn self, "Maybe you should mention Con Con." I was surprised the first I heard of it wasn't from here.
Loved the episode, though I have to admit I was thrown (but not necessarily in a bad way) by Parker wearing a wig.
Does this mean you guys plan on using more elaborate props for the team's costumes?
Also- how did they get from the storage room to the place where they were filming the psychic show? Did the two place just happen to be right next to each other the whole time?
Dalton Rand cold reading Parker and then the break-down of it in Nate's apartment. Very effective and nice acting by Beth R.
The con the team used to make Rand believe Tara was a psychic, starting with Jose's Misto. That was seriously a lot of fun.
The not as great:
I thought things were not as compelling after Rand's kidnapping. I've been trying to pinpoint exactly what I didn't like, and I have to say, I think Luke Perry didn't sell it for me. To me, he was flat when he should have been a little more hysterical. There he is with these thugs knowing he can never do the one thing that he has to do to save his own life. A little stronger whining and grovelling would have made the reveal much more funny and satisfying, at least from my perspective.
That said, good episode overall, and Tara is feeling a bit more like a member of the team. In fact, when I saw the ep, I was like - "that't it, she's in . . . and now she is totally gonna buy the farm in the finale."
But now I'm gonna retract and predict that she quits. You've hinted that Nate loses it and botches at least part of the con in the finale, and I can't imagine the team ever quite getting the trust back with him - or Nate getting over it himself - if he actually got someone killed. Plus, now that the audience is really starting to like her, you wouldn't dare kill her, right.
Also- how did they get from the storage room to the place where they were filming the psychic show? Did the two place just happen to be right next to each other the whole time?
When Nate & Parker are in line at the beginning, they note that Rand's studio is right in the middle of warehouses and storage units. Then when Bethany brings the thug (Kusen?) to the storage facility, Rand starts to say that he knows where they are... but Bethany shushes him. The studio always backed up to a storage unit. Hardison just figured out which one.
I loved Nate bringing the orange soda to Hardison; was that in any way a nod to Abby's KafPows on NCIS? Also I loved the way Nate talked about seeing the father in the son and it made me wonder if he sees his son in Maggie?
I still don't get why Eliot was so pissed about the money at the end. I didn't think too much about the relatively paltry sum of emergency cash in Bottle Job, but now I'm wondering if you're setting up for a big money job to keep the team afloat. Or was Eliot mad because he thought Parker had used her own money, that she loves so dearly? Part of the protective big brother thing?
Oh, one comment. I find it interesting that Eliot is no longer sitting at the "kids' table" with Parker and Hardison and has moved to the grownup table.
What are you talking about??? Eliot was never at kids' table. Didn't you read the comments for 2.10? Let me quote for you:
If you go back and look at the pilot, there are several intentional implications that Eliot and Nate see each other as peers. The way I originally described it to the actors, back when we were shooting in Chicago, was: "Gunslingers. You know each other. You know how good you are. Half of you wants to settle it once and for all, and half of you is glad to have someone around who's that good."
He likes goofing about with Hardison, but he was never one of the "kids".
Nate and Sophie meet with the client and go back and tell the rest what's what. Nate and Sophie sending Parker and Hardison out of the office, lunch in hand, Eliot starting to go with them. Eliot worked more directly with Hardison and Parker in the beginning, but now he's sitting with Nate, talking strategy, and Parker and Hardison are off together on a different path. I'm not saying Eliot was treated as a child. It was more like the uncle who is closer to the kids in the family than the grownups; but now he's focusing more on Nate and Tara's side of the equation.
During the flashback sequence detailing how the team fulfilled Tara's "predictions" for Rand, we see Hardison working with … something … while studying a picture and profile of the officer who goes to see Rand. The stuff looks like latex or some such. I just know I missed something terribly obvious there, but what?
I'm pretty sure Hardison didn't actually fabricate a guy out of latex, so what am I missing? Nate in a *really* good disguise? Hardison in an even better disguise?
Great show, characters and plot! I'll hate to see Jeri Ryan go at the end of the season. I think her charater would continue to grow on people... It just takes time for a character to develop.
"What's that smell?" It was too random for it to mean nothing. It had to be a hint. My prediction is someone planted a bomb in the van. And Tara recognized something was off.
I just got to say, I've watched the ep again and, yup, Jeri Ryan is gorgeous and earthy. And Luke Perry is seriously growing into himself; fortunate are those who mature to look better at 40 than they did at 20. Being able to knowingly work the sensitive shtick like that doesn't hurt either. Nicely done! The chemistry and tension of charlatanry between them was fantastic. Made me want to watch a spin-off about those two characters, which is a first. The fake psychic and the fake psychic she's psyching out.
And I'm kind of wondering about Nate, again. It's been noted that he was fairly in control this ep, seeing how we're all now tracking his control barometer, but I started thinking about it and I don't know. It was a Parker-centric ep, so Nate's issues can take a back seat for once, and correspondingly more time was spent on the set up of the villan, so the job flowed pretty fast once started, leaving less time for anyone's issues at that point.
So, Nate's control torque couldn't take up time there. But how about at the beginning? Sitting in that audience, sussing Rand out, he intentionally blew both his and Parker's potential covers by taunting Rand. That's two out of five players down; maybe he already had the scam in mind, and so wasn't too worried about losing that flexibility for planning, but when they got to the storage facility I was amazed that Rand didn't recognize him (which is what got me thinking about this in the first place).
Sure, Rand was under pressure and whatever, but then he makes his living through observation, and in moderately stressful conditions. And Nate had drawn his attention pretty substantially; he challenged him, and Rand retaliated by deliberately using Parker's vulnerability to hit Nate where it hurt. It's unlikely to me that he'd forget something like that quickly, even if it weren't forefront of his mind right then.
So, I can't think of a particularly good reason for Nate to call attention to himself that way (apart from the story needed him to so that Parker's thread could be set up). I mean, maybe Nate was testing how good Rand was with a hostile audience member, but that reason seems kind of weak to me. And even if that was the reason, it was sloppy of him not to anticipate the collateral damage that his teammate sitting right next to him, who was clearly uncomfortable and vulnerable, could catch.
Either he didn't think through how it could play out - which is one of his strengths - or he wasn't paying attention to an in-house weakness. Why was that? The only thing, other than testing Rand, I can think of is that Nate let his belligerence get the better of him. Rand was ticking him off and he wanted to get in his face, and had become over-confident enough that he just assumed the team could deal with any fallout ... and cue remorse and strict self-control when he saw that it unexpectedly ended up hurting Parker. All those things set up potential problems for our final two episodes. Again, I await to see how it all plays out....
wv: madmom. Really? I don't think it's even trying.
My first impression about Sophie, and now Tara commenting about the "smell" in the van, was that Hardison likes finger food? But this part about Hardison eating while working doesn't really *register" with me.. Anyway, I actually didn't like that scene from The Zanzibar Market Place when Hardison whines long and hard to (all people!) Sterling about being left behind, eating "stale candy" in the van. I'm not sure but I think Hardison ends by noting the "van smells like" erm, canape finger food)or something?;)
That cold reading on Parker was excellent, but what was a gazillion times better was how everyone rallied together to console her...using competence porn. :D
What was the original con meant to be though? If Kusen hadn't butted in?
I have wondered, in the past, about the difference between Parker and Beth, but that's just to understand how much is pretend. I guess that question is answered. Girl got range!
Oh, and was that "skateboard" from Luke a nod to Beth+Jason's involvement in skateboarding?
I have to second Livlife on the "saga sell" love. There have been some wonderful moments during those scenes, my favorite probably being Parker poking Eliot in his bruise.
Parker in the wig very much reminded me of a couple disguises from Veronica Mars. So that's cool. And Beth gave an amazing performance overall. It's like we got a whole episode of the vulnerability she showed for just a moment during 'Stork Job'. Makes me think that maybe Parker is so bad a acting on the grift because her entire life is an act for the purpose of self-preservation.
I felt like Nate was more in control because he had somebody (Parker) in a fragile emotional state that needed taking care of. His self-destructive streak really kicked off when he lost his son, but the team - and more specifically Parker in this instance - is giving him an external focus again, which allows him to follow his protective instincts rather than his self-destructive ones. It's easier to fix somebody else's problems than his own.
wv: folloill -- the substance which makes one's hair follicles shiny
I just wanted to let you know that when we adopted our dachshund/beagle mix we seriously considered several names from our favorite T.V. shows before settling on the name Parker. Parker is my favorite character so I hope she would like the idea! Unfortunately, our Parker is a lot like your Parker--she LOVES jumping from high places, she's crazy [wild running spurts for one thing], and she figured out how to unlock her doggy crate...
Also, Leverage continues to be awesome. I love seeing Christian Kane [Angel!!] again and the team is something I would love to be a part of. So glad you guys got a third season! Hope season 4 is forthcoming. :) And that Sophie comes back. I miss her!!
Eliot is THAT Uncle. The one your mom, dad and other aunts and uncles whisper about when they think you are not listening. He is cool, rides a motorcycle and dates beautiful women. He acts gruff and mean, but is always game for an adventure. But he is an adult and sometimes when you least expect it sides with the adults when you do something reckless. He is also the one to bail you out of trouble and not tell your parents “this time.” He is everyone’s favorite Uncle.
This was emphasized for me in the Zanzibar Job when Eliot took charge and no one questioned him. Parker and Hardison (and Tara) accepted without a blink and Eliot proved that he was very capable, not only with figuring out what was going on, but with using the team member’s strengths to their greatest potential. I think we saw it again in his quiet offer to kill Rand. Despite all the poking Parker has done, Uncle Eliot would do anything to punish the guy who made her cry.
@Mockette, I think that's a great description of Eliot, and we've seen it time and again. Yes, he can "play" with the kids (and how I love it when he does; those three together are gold), but he's also quite comfortable moving in the grownup circle.
I think the first time I really noticed that was way back in the Mile High Job, when we saw *very* grown-up Eliot discussing, first, how he'd set up a hit and, second, bringing down an airplane. The bomb scene in Two Live Crew echoed that, and Zanzibar really fleshed it out.
I think the smile, the charm, the snark and, yes, the hair all hide a dude who could get *seriously* grown-up and *seriously* scary in a heartbeat.
Re: grown-up Eliot, I think as Rogers said it was there in the pilot. That conversation with Nate at the pool table? That was when he became more than a hitter, when he was at Nate's (ie, adult) level. (And when that character really got my attention.)
Not only was he reading Nate at a very mature, sophisticated level, but Nate didn't muck about in responding. He shut him down as quickly and coldly as he could, which he wouldn't have done to the "kids". He shut him down as a peer. And then Eliot surprises anyone who's underestimating him again by the way he handles the shut-down; controlled, wry, finely-judged comeback. That was an exchange between equals.
Then again, I don't think you can use a conventional family structure to catagorize the team. It shifts between sibling and parental nuances, and it should.
wv: wingstee. The state of the emo youth of flighted creatures.
The internet is a vast swamp of sometimes true information...
In general, the team trawls for clients -- Hardison's web crawlers pick up stories of the type that would yield victims and Nate vets them. But naturally rumors of the team have made it onto teh interwebs, so it's possible for the resourceful client to make contact.
Glad I'm not the only person who still refers to him as Sideshow Luke Perry!
Was Christopher Brookmyre's book "Attack of the Unsinkable Rubber Ducks" an influence on this episode? Both feature a semi-famous "psychic" being exposed as a fraud, and I noted a similarity in lines. It could just be me wanting to find connections though!
wow, I loved that ep. my 15y old wannabe parker pointed at the screen and yelled 'yes eliot,do it!'I just felt like going over there and cuddle Parker. she(my 15y old daughter) was also the one who mentioned 'is it me or is he that small, I don't think that car is THAT high' when Luke Perry gets out of the car, at the coffee shop. He really pissed her off with hurting her beloved Parker. my Q is, where the heck did they take those boxes from? I thought from just another storageroom but my girl,like always said ,they steel them some where else, who is right? Thanks again JR for takin' your precious time to answer, and even more, for readin' all this stuff.
When Eliot planed the camera in the control room, he said sth like...that is this wizard... was that meant like..yk..an abracadabra wizard, or a reference to those guys who work at the airports and watch for suspect activitys. I know they are called wizards and they are trained in 'cold reading'....
or maybe I think tooo much and should stop rewatch every ep over and over...
but is it just me or did anyone else check every public builing for cameras and wires...? just wondering... reaaalllly should go to sleep now.... seriously...
I gotta say, that guy playing the bank robber was amazing fun to watch. Usually the actors in those little roles seem a bit on the mediocre side, but this guy, he was *inspired*! I was wishing his character had a bigger role in the story so I'd have longer to watch him and his vaulting back and forth between the awkward and amiable/screaming with a gun in your face act.
@someone up there, I don't even know who and I'm too lazy to find it again: I think Eliot's totally one of the kids - he's just the grown-up kid who's already as good at the family business as dad is, and who probably has more sense than dad, too.
Oh, for Pete's sake, I just meant that it's nice to see Eliot get to do more than bust heads. We all know he can do it, he's said things that proved it, but now we're getting to actually watch. him. run. the. show. Competence porn at its finest.
I guess it also depends on what character traits specifically indicate "kid" or "adult" status to each viewer, and how strongly the viewer sees Team Leverage as a traditional family structure. I mean, there have been times when they've seemed to be a close-knit group of siblings more than anything else. Sophie particularly swings between mother/oldest sister, which, granted, can be pretty similar at times. Nate's pretty paternal, but there are times when he's totally the big brother leading his tribe of siblings into trouble with his ideas for play. And I can totally see Eliot as a middle child.
In fact, that variance is part of what makes it fun, both to watch and to discuss. I'll argue my case for what I'm seeing, but I like to see other people's take on it, too. The civility with which people have expressed differing opinions so far on this blog has made it a haven of both passion and respect, for which I saulte pretty much everybody.
On the other hand, if we all just feel like devolving into a yelling match over Eliot's place at the kids' table/abused past/hair/eyes (GREEN I tell you!) to blow off some steam and show our fanatic devotion to the character, we could always go over and start a thread on imdb. I feel like Eliot might even approve ("no he wouldn't!"). Heck, we could throw in Sterling win/lose/draw and Tara vs Sophie too. Although I haven't checked - there are probably plenty of threads on that already.
:)
wv: hedefe. The sound of Eliot fans butting e-heads.
Nina May, you're right, there are some related imdb threads, and some of them are mean! Yowzah. You bring up a good question, why are Eliot's eyes green when Kane's eyes are blue? Is it something about the color mixing that Dean mentioned someplace, on the S1 DVD, maybe?
Really enjoyed this one! Luke Perry did a terrific job -- you've done terrific work this season coming up with unusual and interesting villains, from Perry's glib oiliness to the nifty joviality of the thug who took him hostage.
Ms. Riesgraf turned in stellar work as always, although Parker is so entertaining when she's her usual ADD sociopath self that it was a little weird to see her acting like a human being. And her reaction at the end was very well played; we can see, maybe for the first time, that there is a real human being under that blank, childish facade, and then watch as the wall goes back up.
Also, the actress in Perry's audience who broke out in tears was really quite astonishing. Kudos to her for a brief but very convincing performance.
... Also, 'cause I forgot to mention it the first time around, kudos to your writers for packing a whole big wad of exposition about how Perry's scam worked into the beginning of the episode in a natural, organic way Tying it to Parker's distress, and having the explanation key off her reactions, and be used by the other characters in an effort to comfort her, was darn fine writing.
Parker had a brother?! Wow. So I guess my question is this: Does the death of her brother have anything to do with why she ended up in the foster care system?
I've been stalking your blog for a while now and just wanted to say that I really love that you take the time to do this Thank you so much. I think the dynamics of the team while very family like are not nessisarily set in stone I mean even in my own family we sometimes act outside our "given roles" My brother is actually almost a year yonger than me but he still seems to see himself as "big/older brother" and my sister and I play jump rope with the position of older sibling all the time even my mom and me have times where we act more like sisters I think that the show does a good job of showing that. Considering that its a "found" family it makes sense that the characters wouldn't slide into the traditional positions perfectly. Its kinda like taking puzzle pieces from different puzzle you may be able to make them fit together but the picure formed isn't going to be anything that you could have predicted
Okay on to my question I know that character development in Television in general is often a much more fluid process than it would be in a Film where you have only on script and rarely more than a handfull of writers but how much of the Characters backstories are set in stone and planned out. Did you know that Parker had lost a brother back in season one or was something that the writers as a group decided on when they were breaking the episoide or something Amy Berg added? sorry about the long winded and confusing question. Thanks for taking the time to answer these
Question : :) Eliot says, "I can..I mean, I could.." (voice trails off, face is VERY CALM?) IMO, to me personally Christian said it *like* he *could* perhaps do OR suggest *something else*(more favorable? FOR THE TEAM?-OTHER than.."CHOP OF HIS ARMS!!..AND HIS HEAD!!.." - IMO, to me personally again, Parker felt extremely, extremely..erm, childish(?)and high strung ("Parker? Parker she's insane").. Parker wants to make the WHOLE team take revenge for hurting the feeling(s)of "Parker"..other people who was duped like her?..not.so.sure:) Okay, yes maybe. Question:;D The scene after the "electrocution" of Rand. Eliot asks about it and goes on to say to Nate: "No, Parker "agreeing" with you, is NOT a good thing." Nate winks at Parker. IMO Eliot has done a "read" on the people he is "working with?" True or false? LOL Even Sophie was caught out by Eliot (First David Job)- tells Nate about how Sophie's got a selfish?) grifter plan to destroy Blackpoole completely.. In the Bottle Job, Eliot asks Nate: "Want me to go..and break his knees?" AND that was for the son of an IRA bomber and an aggressive loan shark! I can't help comparing Rand's "crime" with that guy. Rand wasn't into mind-control he was a parasite, feeding off people's own erm, insecurities? Thank you!
Lol, guys, I had no idea whether Eliot was "one of the kids" or not was such a matter of passionate contention. I just stated my interpretation of things, you can take it or leave it. ;) None of it is literal anyway, so I can't imagine why anyone would get worked up about it.
I don't recall Rodgers saying that Eliot wasn't "one of the kids", only that the atmosphere between Nate and Eliot was that of equals regarding each other with respect (which doesn't, to me, negate the possibility of Eliot filling the "eldest brother" role) - although he certainly might have and I just missed it or forgot about it, since there's rather too much info on this blog to remember it all.
have to admit...this one slipped out of my head til' you mentioned it... *hitting myself on the forehead* like I said, I should stop rewatch it over and over... Maybe I'm too 'wizardish' somtimes... definitely watching to much crime shows and tv in general.
Given that Eliot only uses violence as an appropriate response - killing Rand is appropriate because he made Parker cry, but "electrocuting" him isn't because it was not strictly necessary for the con? Or is there another reason?
And in a not-episode related question: On the season one DVDs there are minor cuts made. Noticeably in Homecoming Job where the scene with Hardison and the sports channels and Eliot's "Hockey" is missing. Any idea why? Or who I can poke for that? :-)
@snowyowl "On the season one DVDs there are minor cuts made."
Thank you for mentioning this! I thought I was making scenes up in my head. I think there was a little cut in the first episode too, after the explosion Nate opens his eyes and all three are standing over him looking at him.
I think Eliot was being just a little tongue-in- cheek when he offered to kill Rand. Same in the Bottle Job when he offered to break knees. He meant it - but not really.
just thinking, Hardison would know everyones real names and their back story huh? because he is the biggest computer geek genius! he can get the dirt on anyone, so he would know all their dirty little secrets! it would be fun to see him slowly spill the beans on the crew, you know a little slip in calling someone by their real name! oohhhh, so fun, cant wait to see what you guys do next!!! LOVE IT!!
I can't believe anyone thought Jeri looked bad as Bethany. She's a lovely woman, whether or not she's got on lots of makeup and hair product. She looked like a person looks who doesn't have Hair&Makeup following them around.
Nate's fridge is full of orange soda (and eggs), and he knows which drawer the gummi frogs are in. That's hysterical! Poor Nate, his apartment's been taken over by thieves. Which reminds me, why did Eliot cut out part of the wall with a chainsaw, way back when?
Parker looks lovely with the short dark hair! Not that I want her to change her hair. She really wants to kill that guy, too; she's not speaking metaphorically. Parker doesn't do metaphor, so much, though, does she?
The woman in the audience who wanted to know if her husband was hiding something - but Kusen was sitting right next to her! Right in front of her husband she asked the psychic if he was hiding something? Wow.
Questions, for real: 1) What was the story with the police officer? And was he the arresting officer at the end? Did the guys give him a tip-off on Rand or something? Hardison pulled up his license but we never saw why he went to Rand. (And, what I originally thought were latex pieces, I see were about a zillion fortune cookies that Hardison was stuffing with the predicted fortune. Hardison does a lot of work! He needs to get more credit!)
2) The crushed soda can at Rand's feet made it clear that Nate got REALLY close to him with his drive-by. Like, inches. Either Nate was uncannily confident that Rand wouldn't step forward, or he didn't much care. But what made Rand pause, anyway? He stopped, looking down at the soda can, before he ever saw Nate's car. Was there a bit about the can in his "reading" that got cut?
(The Leverage drinking game includes, take one drink whenever the Hyundai logo appears on screen. I love Hyundai, myself. Bought one this year.)
3) Time. How much time passed between Rand leaving the studio to encounter the van and his fateful step through Hardison's "magic door" back into the studio? Bethany said they had a show to do "later", but the same audience members were still there, in their seats. That wasn't a 30-minute intermission.
4) What was the con supposed to be, before the bank robber intervened?
5) Parker gave away money! Aw. Well, the odds that the bank robbery money exactly equaled Jodie's lost money are virtually nil, and if it had been less, well, then Parker would've been giving away her own money, and I don't expect she's quite there yet, so I'm thinking there was bank robbery money left over for Parker and Hardison to split. How did they find it, and when did they have time? And boy, Eliot was mad that they didn't let him in on it. Ha!
Not sure about the Homecoming Job (have to watch that again) But with the scene from the pilot- The DVD has the FULL cut whereas the subsequent TV broadcast only has the scene with Nate opening his eyes and NOT the entire Hospital sequence. (Which I think establishes so much about the team and miss it in the 43 min cut)
@Ally I think Eliot WOULD do actual damage to defend his friends.
Great episode. I, like many others, have had tears each time I watch this one!
Cant remember my questions (and didnt actually write them down this time!)
Obviously you don't need any help with your guest-casting, having found Saul Rubinek, Mark Sheppard, Wil Wheaton, and Kari Matchett. But could I please request Ed Quinn, lately of "Eureka" fame? He'd make an excellent villain. And I need him back on my television.
I think maybe the cut on the DVD S1 has to do with the fact that Hardison said he had gotten Direct TV and that would be advertising. I'm not sure why they couldn't just cut the Direct TV part but maybe the sentence was a package deal.
to LivLife- in the Nigerian Job, they "earned" $32.7 million (plus change).
This show has an amazing writing staff but there is something special about the ones that Rogers, Downey or Berg write together. There is a smoothness or rhythm that sometimes is missing in other epiosdes.
2 episodes to go - then what am I going to watch??!!
I realize I'm probably taking this too seriously, but there are a couple of words being bandied about that are bugging me. (Hello alliteration! ;)
First, the word sociopath in regard to Parker. That's a pretty strong word. She's often shown emotion, she just has no verbal censor a great deal of the time. And while she occasionally takes things a little more literally than most people, no way she's a sociopath.
Second, no one was electrocuted for heaven's sake! A slight burst of electric current was introduced to the table so he'd feel something tangible to go with the mind fu...messing.
On a final note...I agree, Biehn definitely needs to guest star. :)
2) The crushed soda can at Rand's feet made it clear that Nate got REALLY close to him with his drive-by. Like, inches. Either Nate was uncannily confident that Rand wouldn't step forward, or he didn't much care. Zenkitty-714
I figure, the camera cutting from the wide smirk on Nate's face,to Hardison's wide (satisfied) grin, Nate was just holding the steering, the car was computerized(?)and Hardison was in control..I immediately remembered what he did to those golf balls Nate used in the Tap Out Job?;)
First, the word sociopath in regard to Parker. That's a pretty strong word. She's often shown emotion
Sociopaths don't lack emotion, they lack empathy. They see other people more as objects than as beings of equal stature, which enables them to use other people to their benefit without guilt. In general, this is because they don't have much experience of human bonds in their childhoods.
Parker is not a true sociopath, because true sociopaths are not fun. However, she doesn't have a lot of empathy. "... we realize Maggie is indeed the only human Parker even acknowledges exists" -- Parker doesn't connect easily with people, and at best tends to view them the way we look at pets. Fortunately, she's not malicious or sadistic, just greedy.
A friend in the UK confirmed that the scene in Homecoming Job is missing, but the uncut pilot is on the DVD. But the explanation @msd gave sounds reasonable. I just wonder why it wasn't considered advertising in the original airing? Weird. :-)
Completely agree with you on Parker not being a sociopath. As a teacher of children with behavioral disorders, some of whom have traumatic case histories, I have to say that Parker more closely fits the profile of an EBD child with an attachment disorder. I have to teach my students to have empathy, and it doesn’t come easily to them. Lack of empathy is also very common in students with Asperger Syndrome, whom I also teach, and which is why I smile every time I see Parker sniff someone. I have had several students with sensory issues related to smelling (which is all quirky and amusing until you have a runny nose unexpectedly sniffing your shoulder!) It says a lot for Beth Riesgraf’s portrayal of Parker that she’s able to take some qualities that in real life can be quite difficult and turn them into an interesting character!
My question is for John Rogers is, when you all were creating the character of Parker to be all crazy and fearless, were the social skill issues and sensory issues part of that plan or did they evolve after you cast Beth Riesgraf in the role? Also, someone (Amy Berg?) mentioned on the S1 DVD commentary that Beth had ad-libbed the pill-sniffing in The Twelve-Step Job, and I know you’ve mentioned elsewhere that several of the other actors are champion ad-libbers. Do you find that you worry less about the specific wording of lines now knowing that ad-libbing may occur?
@snowyowl - somewhere I think Direct TV was one of the sponsors - like Hyundai. I don't think I can prove it but I think in one of the comments from S1 that was brought up.
My question for Mr. Rogers is this: regarding the supposed slide in ratings. (I can't believe that! There has to be some way to count those of us who aren't Nielsen families) Do you think splitting the season had a negative effect on the ratings?
Also, SERIOUSLY - any idea when the S2 DVD will be out? We NEED it before this summer!
My first instinct was to say Asperger's, but I'm not that familiar with it, and in doing research I read quite a few things about lack of dexterity and "clumsiness" (for lack of a better word), which definitely wouldn't describe Parker. It's nice to know someone with some knowledge has thoughts in the same direction. :D
Regardless of the underlying intent, Beth plays Parker beautifully. She makes me laugh (and I never expected her to make me cry, too).
Eliot Spencer is categorized as "the retrieval specialist." Rogers knew Christian Kane before Leverage from casting for the never-aired pilot Global Frequency, and though they auditioned other people, "Chris had it from day one." It was thanks in part to him that his character became more than a one-note hitting machine. Rogers referred to the moment in the pilot when Eliot disarmed an attacker and discharged the gun clip, letting it fall with a look that indicated he had no more time for such things. Kane took that moment and repeated it in every encounter Eliot had with a gun, making disarmament his signature move.
"[Eliot] is the closest to Nate in not thinking himself a thief," explained Rogers. "There are situations where a certain amount of brute force is required, he applies precisely the amount of brute force, and no more, no less…He considers himself a negotiator, not a thug. Just sometimes you have to hit the person you're negotiating with several times." Very cleverly/clearly explained :) May be will come back with "something" on Parker & her (mild) case of Asperger..which I think is a fact.
"Beth [Riesgraf] and Aldis [Hodge] were just straight auditions," Rogers said about the scene-stealing actors who play Parker and Hardison respectively. For Parker, the producers saw "the Parade O' Television Hot Chicks" before Riesgraf came in with her hair in her face.
"Beth made a really specific choice with that character," said Rogers, referring to Riesgraf's Asperger's-like performance which stood out from the crowd. Though initially discomforting, even off-putting, Riesgraf stuck with her decision, embodying that character completely until you couldn't help rooting for Parker and her social ineptitude, culminating this season in one of Rogers' favorite episodes, "The Juror #6 Job." (And in case you were wondering, the people in the house Parker blew up in the pilot were not her parents.)
This is the 140th post? Looking forward to next episode.. E: What, can't have friends? N: ..join a softball team! Eliot might just turn baseball into (American) football midway!
It was only a matter of time before someone decided Parker had Asperger's based on the common pseudo-knowledge of what it is.
All I can say to that is NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, Parker does not have Asperger's, not even close. I have yet to see the TV writer who has enough of a grasp of real Asperger's to get it right.
Parker is just plain odd, and carrying the scars of her childhood. She's a mess of quirky characteristics that are common to attachment disorder, abandonment syndrome, emotional abuse, Aspergers, or whatever else you might care to drag out of the DSM based on what she does in any given episode.
Most importantly: she's not a real person, and trying to diagnose a fictional character is like trying to piss up a rope. It's a losing proposition.
Quirks: Is an adrenaline junkie, is obsessed with money, sometimes behaves in ways that suggest an undiagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder. Hobbies:Picking locks, collecting money, imagining scenarios to pull off near-impossible heists. Virtues: Compassion towards children in need. Vices: Generally apathetic.
I actually liked "vices" the best...generally I don't give a t*** - I'm way past "analyzing" the characteristics in detail - they're all, erm "damaged" in one way or other? Nate included, of course ;) That's actually been established by the showrunners themselves... But sometimes I "question" something that felt..too much/overboard :) For example Parker's venomous, verbal outburst towards Rand..I mean it was BECAUSE SHE was the victim this time, and the team has gone up against worse criminals. Parker asks: Can we do that (kill)..twice. What?
just one quick question before I head into a meeting: the "et tu brute"-quote the victim brings up as something her husband used to say to their dog: Is that just a quote that Americans would know and/or understand, or were you implying a higher than average level of education on the part of the victim, which would make the falling-for-the-psychic kinda even better. Because, lets face it intelligent people fall for cons all the time.
(note how the pronunciation of Latin words as it is practiced in the US/England always weirds me out as a German .. completely different. Nice underline of the fact that we just don't know how to pronounce it correctly, so every cultural area just does it as they see best ..)
"In a more general sense, I think one reason I like the Tara character is that her con personas so far feel much more naturalistic than many of Sophie's. Perhaps because you chose to emphasize accents for Sophie, which Ryan didn't have time to prep for for a limited role? At any rate, when Sophie comes back, perhaps dial down the exaggerated nature of her con roles a bit, unless such is really necessary for the con."
I have a feeling that Sophie's performances were exaggerated because Sophie herself tends to overact horribly, except during cons, though. Perhaps it's just her trying to make it more fun for herself, more enjoyable, so she can connect the dressing up and conning to actual acting.
"I gotta disagree about Sophie's con roles. One of my absolute faves was her East Indian persona. I love seeing the reminder in the opening credits. Gina's got the talent for it and does an excellent job. It's one of the things I most look forward to in every ep, the variety she brings. I say, let her just go for it."
I have to agree with this, though. I absolutely LOVED Sophie's performances, no matter how exaggerated they might have seemed. They were brilliant. We need them back for S3!!
"Also- how did they get from the storage room to the place where they were filming the psychic show? Did the two place just happen to be right next to each other the whole time?"
Rand: "Hey, I know this place, it's where - "
Tara: "Sssssh! I need to concentrate."
"Also I loved the way Nate talked about seeing the father in the son and it made me wonder if he sees his son in Maggie?"
The cold read of Parker reminded me of agent Starling being needled and disected by Lecter. Only Starling was able to overcome. That would be too much development for Parker. Interesting that Parker doesn't have to overcome, because the team can, and we can keep Parker just the way she is.
To a certain extent, I think Tara's cons have to be more naturalistic because of Jeri Ryan's physical characteristics (tall, busty, gorgeous blonde with anything close to an over the top persona would be much less effective).
Gonna try not to be offended at my master’s degree being dismissed as pseudo-knowledge and resist the urge to lecture, although I do have to point out that instead of the fictional “abandonment syndrome” you mention you probably meant to say the very real “borderline personality disorder”. But I digress.
I’m with @Donna that discussing a character’s quirks is part of the fun of watching a show for me, though for others maybe not so much. While I do agree that quirkiness is not a criterion for AS, and again, I feel personally that the character more closely fits the profile of someone with an attachment disorder, all of these issues clearly make the character of Parker a lot more interesting for a lot of us—which is a good thing for the show!
I wish I could think of a question to make this less of a hijacking, but I can't, so instead I'll just retreat quietly to my corner and wait excitedly for tomorrow night's new episode!
A great episode. I read Eliot's "I'll kill him for you" as him starting out as a joke, then thinking about how he would do it, then thinking Parker might take him up on it.
Was Nate exposing himself to Rand three times in this con this week's "Nate is Falling Apart" tip? The touch with the coffee mug at the beginning was nice, but I thought it was dangerous that he showed up as three different characters in front of Rand (the snarky audience member,, Bethany's customer, and the storage unit guy).
If I get a SLEEP, SLEEP NOW!, my wife owes me a cookie.
I'll see your Master's and raise you a PhD and 30 years in the field, but so what? The comment was general and not targeted at anyone in particular. If the shoe doesn't fit, don't wear it.
Abandonment syndrome is very real. If I meant borderline personality disorder, I'd have said borderline personality disorder.
Where exactly did I say, or even remotely suggest discussing characters quirks, habits, or you name it wasn't fun? I've heard of reading between the lines, but holy cow.
Sorry, Rogers. We should all stop using your blog as a message board, take all this to the TNT Forums and return your blog to Q&A mode.
1) Did Nate bring Parker to the psychic's show as bait? He brings the most socially twitchy member of the crew to the show and then catches the psychic's attention by heckling. Then he sits back and observes what happens when the bad guy goes to work on Parker.
2) Who is Nate's AA sponsor? We know he went to the meetings regularly for a while. Some poor sap has a thankless job.
I know Tara is all about "getting her cut" and even though she finally realizes why the team does what they do, before she came to this realization was she still expecting to get paid from a job like this where there is no payout?
Scanned the comments but couldn't see it mentioned...
Did nobody notice the bug/spider crawling on Tara's leg during the Officer Bellick from Prison Break interrogation scene at the warehouse? Creeped me out. She was such a pro for not flinching.
I didn't find a thread for "Zanzibar," but just a couple of things:
1. Love Kari Matchett. She is just so. Freaking. Good. And it's so great to see her and Hutton together again. Thank you a million times for making that happen.
2. On the "together again" theme, the pattern on Hutton's tie... an homage to the costuming in Nero Wolfe?
Oh - third thing: Joss Whedon said that with Buffy, anytime he wanted to jerk the audience's chain (or words to that effect), he would have someone hurt Willow.
Parker's your Willow. Just sayin'.
(And sorry I didn't look far enough in the archives for the Zanzibar thread...)
I know that this thread is probably comatose, but I just watched this ep., and damn me if it didn't show why these woo-pushing parasites are so insidious -- it had me emotional not only because he was fucking with Parker, but also because, on some level, I wanted to believe that this sort of connection with lost loved ones is possible. In other words, while the show was pressing my buttons re: Parker, Luke Perry was pushing the exact same buttons his character was trying to push. So, well done, and fuck the psychics.
Had to hit pause and read the bit about Kusen. I love how the first two sentences match perfectly with what Hardison says, then turns into gibberish. "The intact nuisance orbits the least corridor. The conspicuous milk hopes for violent without a talented gate". AWESOME. I am the milkman - my milk is cold and delicious.
Bukan hanya pengobatan medis saja tapi ada juga pengobatan rumah alami yang dapat digunakan untukmenyingkirkanpenyakitkencingbernanah ini. Maka anda harus mencari pengobatan yang terbaik pada penyakit Anda dan jika diperlukan juga dibantu dengan tenaga medis yang professional.
Sekitar Vagina Tumbuh Daging, Berbahayakah? KutilPadaKepalaPenismiripbungakolataujengger ayam, Merupakan Penyakit Yang diakibatkan Oleh Virus.Kutil kelamin, atau disebut juga condyloma acuminata, adalah kutil atau daging berwarna kulit atau keabuan yang tumbuh di sekitar alat kelamin dan
208 comments:
1 – 200 of 208 Newer› Newest»No questions just praise. I gotta tell you that Leverage is appointment television in our house. 10 p.m. Wednesday my two teenage sons, my husband and I sit down together to watch. I like the fact that despite the fact that it is a "formula" show you manage to keep it interesting by making the action twist. Good job and thank you.
Looking forward to seeing Luke Perry as a bad guy
WV: tatti -- the plural of tattoo
He will always be Sideshow Luke Perry to me.
Jon, that you even DO this is just a huge, huge, HUGE thing. Much appreciation from this Leverage Fan to you and the whole crew for making Wednesday nights fun -- and I am SO RELIEVED you have a third season! Seriously, every show I love gets canceled, and I stopped watching episodic TV.
So you just keep writing on that third season and make it so good you get a forth, and I'll be happy.
i love Leverage, and i wanna see it stick around for a long time, so when its on i turn all three tv's on so it will get higher ratings! how big a dork does that make me? (dont answer that!)the last two eps had some pretty awesome twists! anyway you rock and so does Leverage! keep the awesomeness coming!
I had the good fortune of working on this episode with Luke Perry. He was nothing short of amazing. He was kind, gracious, humble, and one hell of an actor. How someone so famous could remain so down to earth is impressive and commendable. I have met other famous actors and many of them..... let's just say they are not approachable in the least. I would have a beer with Luke anytime!
I had the good fortune of working on this episode with Luke Perry. He was nothing short of amazing. He was kind, gracious, humble, and one hell of an actor. How someone so famous could remain so down to earth is impressive and commendable. I have met other famous actors and many of them..... let's just say they are not approachable in the least. I would have a beer with Luke anytime!
I had the good fortune of working on this episode with Luke Perry. He was nothing short of amazing. He was kind, gracious, humble, and one hell of an actor. How someone so famous could remain so down to earth is impressive and commendable. I have met other famous actors and many of them..... let's just say they are not approachable in the least. I would have a beer with Luke anytime!
Oooh, not to freak you out, but at this exact moment 8:45pm CST, there are precisely 400 comments to be answered.
209 from Bottle Job and 191 from Zanzibar Job.
I say we shoot for a nice round 600 before you respond.
Kidding...but really can't wait. (for the responses AND the show)Luke Perry on Leverage is one of the things I've been looking forward too most. Forget Christmas, Leverage Wednesdays should be a holiday.
13 minutes to Leverage!
wv: miligg= the sound Boddington's makes while being quaffed.
Anyone that makes Parker cry should have his arms and head ripped out. Just saying....
Tamara Rand reference?
PARKER HAD A BROTHER?????? Poor Parker. That was evil, even showing all her tells was evil because now she feels like a doofus on top of being shredded by a conman. I'd want to chop him to bits too.
How dare you guys hurt little Parker like that!
Eliot offering to kill the guy for Parker was the ultimate big brother move. I just lost my big brother and that is exactly what he would have done for me. It brought tears to my eyes. This is why I try to get everyone to watch Leverage!
I'm still loving this show! But I'm hoping to see Gina back soon. (And can we keep Jeri Ryan too? I love Sophie AND Tara.)
Yes, yes Mr Rogers, seriously we understand..just don't "miss" answering mine LOL ! Okay, did you groan right there?;D Sorry!
Got to say, you've given me the opportunity to express my love for the characters in your show, I really,really appreciate it!:)
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE!
And Parker's negative experience was a chance to grow for her, plus it told US a little bit about her. And, yes, Eliot offering to do the violence was perfection. And Parker HUGGED BACK. All these little things just please me to a ridiculous amount.
And what gave Tara that scar? Hmmm.
Luke Perry -- great job! Now that's a bad guy that could come back and get the team.
I KNEW the twist was coming, but I never EVER guessed THAT twist. Rope on a stick, I love the Leverage writing team! I love the actors and the directors and the producers, but I LOVE the writers extra!
Ok, I need to sleep it off now.
Okay, number one: OH MY GOD PARKER HAD A BROTHER?! Can I ask, younger or older? I know you won't give a name, so that's my question lol. Also, it must of been when she was really young cause all the flashbacks of her never included a brother. Makes me wonder if he was even in foster care with her or was only around when she was with her real parents, whoever they may be...
Second, did Parker give her own money to that guy? It was a bit confusing at the end. If she did, MAJOR points to her.
AND OMG! Tara finally getting why they do it. Aww.
The fridge full of Orange Soda rocked too. Hardison's just taken over the fridge haha xD
I just watched tonight's episode and want to say thank you. There is a special angry stabby place in my heart for the vultures who prey on the grieving and gullible. Thank you so much for explaining what they do in such a clear straightforward way. This is the episode of Leverage I will burn to DVD and force several of my more "open-minded" relatives to watch.
I mean it. Thank you.
"It's baby clothes." "It says BOOKS man!" Awesome. Love the byplay between Hardison & Eliot - Aldis & Christian are always spot on with that.
This is my new favorite episode I think - I loved the amount of emotion running through it, from Parker and the reveal about her younger brother (I wonder if his name was Parker...?) to Tara finally understanding why they do it. And that bit from Nate at the end about seeing Mike again was wonderfully written and portrayed by Tim. Bravo!!
Justwatched, you made me cry! Loved Beth....just awesome. Great show. Loved how you explained cold reads and body language. Every show gets better and better. Did Tara get her cut of the found money?
That was a really nice episode. I hope this comes out right, that was an "average" episode and it rocked. It had some neat character moments, but wasn't a big mover in the long arcs, and it rocked. Leverage may have the highest mean enjoyability factor of anything I watch these days.
I really don't have any questions at the moment; gonna have to re-watch it to catch everything that happened. I got all weepy and just.....wanna say that Beth Riesgraf was amazing in this episode.
I'm glad that Tara finally understands why they do what they do! She was really starting to get on my nerves!
Anyway, about Parker's brother, was he killed before or after the flashback scenes in the first season? I'm guessing before, but I wanted to be sure.
Oh, and Parker's disguise at the studio. Were you purposely trying to imitate Alice Cullen of Twlight? If so, I salute you good sir!
Great episode! Tied with Tap Out and Bottle for my season 2 faves! Can't wait for next week though I predict I'm going to need tissues!
Loved the episode! Just have to know: would Eliot really have killed the guy if Nate had said go? 'Cause I kinda think he would.
Heh, i just hope that some fans of Sylvia Browne, James Van Pragh, John Edward and similar parasites watched this and recognize the cold and hot reads the next the they are in the audience.
Thank you.
How fitting that this episode aired the same night Nightline is running a report on the arrest of the sweatlodge guru. Maybe y'all are psychic? ;-)
No questions (yet), just much love for y'all, writers, actors, everybody. And tonight belonged to Beth Riesgraf. My heart just broke for Parker. Then I wanted Rand's liver on a stick. And I fell in love with Eliot all over again when he offered to kill the guy. Now *that's* family!
Ooh, wait, I do have a question. Nate actually seemed in control in this ep. Was that because he wanted to do this right for Parker's sake, or just because he didn't really have a chance to fall apart? Or did getting Rand suitably exorcise his demons for now?
And can we assume that Eliot and Tara are blinking like bunnies after hours?
Anonymous (poster #5): I'm right there with you on the Show-Love, but - and I may be wrong - I don't think you can impact the ratings unless you have a Nielsen box...
LOVED this ep! Wow - 3 in a row just blasted out of the park! Loved the con, loved the Eliot muscle moments, and especially loved all the great perfect little character moments... between Parker & Eliot, Parker & Hardison, everyone being so gentle w/ Parker, Tara getting it, everything Tim did.... the whole thing was just so well-written and acted.
Question: Was Jeri reluctant to appear un-glamorous as Bethany? I mean, she looked gorgeous but she was doing a plainer look.
I'll also throw some love for late S1/early S2 Eliot-hair... blown straight and w/ highlights. I mean, CK is never not beautiful, and I like the beads, but the highlights were better. Too dark makes everyone look older.
Forgot to say: Usually either the fight scenes or the final takedown / Sting scenes are my favorite parts. My favorite scene tonight was in the office, with everyone explaining Rand's tricks to Parker. First I LOVE that she went to the office - where they would be able to find her - rather than take off someplace alone. That seems like character growth. And I love how they were all so gentle with her, with the explanations of her tells. I love how together and paternal Nate was. Like others, I loved Eliot offering to kill the guy. The whole scene was just fabulous.
Please tell me that Tara & Eliot are not fucking?
Completely unrelated to this episode, but what would happen to the team if they were forced to do the con in a loud workspace so the ear buds or microphones didn't work?
I really loved how we got to see emotion from Parker and how the whole team gathered around to comfort and support her after, Nate talking to her like she was a wounded child, Eliot offering to take him out (like a true big brother-like protector). My question is: Did Parker's brother getting hit by the car have anything to do with why she was in foster care?
Beth Riesgraf was fantastic. We got a bit more backstory on Parker. I loved how the entire group worked together to show Parker how the 'psychic' figured out her past.
Luke Perry was great.
Was this the first episode Tara's been in where she didn't ask for some sort of fee from the group?
I can't believe you made me cry - twice. Damn, that was a good episode.
It's amazing how this show just keeps getting better.
No question this week, just congratulations and thank you!
Great episode as usual. So, a question: Eliot's bitchfit at the end of the episode: what was that about? I couldn't tell whether it was because Hardison and Parker were sharing something without him, that they pulled a con without letting the rest of the group know, or whether it was something else.
Last season it felt a lot like Eliot, Hardison and Parker were closer to each other than they were to Nate and Sophie (who were, in turn, closer to each other than the other three). Am I wrong in feeling as though that balance has been upset this season? Were you guys trying to change that up?
Also, it's interesting how much Hardison obviously does that the rest of the group doesn't seem to give him credit for-- since he does the unglamorous, behind-the-scenes work. Will he get his moment of triumph soon?
I'm really enjoying Jeri's performances. Any chance she'll pop up in Season 3?
there was a LOT of stuff in this ep. a LOT. some of the con turns almost gave me whiplash... a LOT of stuff, man.... i almost want to say luke perry was underutilized, but... man, a LOT of stuff in this ep.
Great episode! Beth Riesgraf was just amazing. Loved how Jeri Ryan did the plain homely look for Bethany it really worked for the character. The chemistry between the actors was great in the episode. Love how Tara is working with the group. I miss Sophie and love Gina Bellman too but I'm also saying lets keep Jeri Ryan. Would like to see a little more interaction between Tara and Parker. Heard the actresses got along really well off screen.
As much as competence porn, I love the "family" byplay. Favorite this week was not only Eliot offering to kill the guy who made her cry, but the way he did it. One of my all time favorite Eliot scenes.
And Nate/Hardison kitchen interaction, plus - of course - Eliot/Hardison in the storage unit. Love, love, love seeing all of that.
Beth really was awesome in this one.
One question only...so far...
After all the times we've seen Eliot take down big ass thugs, how could those two idiots manage to escape from Eliot and Tara *together*?
Not that I care, that kind of thing certainly wouldn't make me stop watching. I don't think anything would, really.
But I heard Dean was polling in Twitter, and I just wanted to mention that I wouldn't mind the front "saga" dropped. Maybe Nate could just relate to the team what the problem was and they could just go from there.
But after Tim's fabulous ending this evening, I think the payoff with the victims at the end needs to stay in.
Oh, and though I've never been a huge fan of Jeri Ryan's character, she's certainly done an excellent job of fitting into the show. But somebody fell down on the job with her look tonight. I don't know if it was makeup or lighting or what, but the woman is a bombshell and she spent most of this episode looking pretty rough. That's just wrong.
Did Eliot hesistate because he knew they wouldn't "approve" of him killing Dalton, or because he knew Parker didn't mean it? (Or some other, more elaborate reason?)
There was never a doubt that it would get better, but it's always so sweet to watch it unfold. What a fantastic episode. There is no better TV than that which can make me laugh, cry and actually cheer out loud.
My question is actually technical rather than show based. Someone (you or Dean, I believe) said that it was important to watch the show as it aired. In this day and age of cable and direct TV boxes, are they receiving information about to which channel the boxes are tuned and is that information fed to TPTB?
Thank you for taking the time to talk with us.
SO. GOOD.
I'm loving Tara to pieces, I didn't think I could love Parker more... And my question is this:
What is the show going to be without the amazing skills of Amy Berg? Her episodes are so spot on. Everytime.
Yknow, I think this is the first Sophieless episode - right? Did she have a scene that just got cut, or was it getting too close to her due date, or..?
Hey, love the show. Though not the same, it brings back memories of why I enjoyed Hustle so much. Anyways, just wondering if we'll ever get to see what the Leverage team does on the days in between clients? Keep up the wonderful work!
Let me just say THANK YOU!
Finally someone who not only describes mediums as false, but actually talks about how that DOESN'T help you grieving, doesn't let you progress and cope, and in fact doesn't make you feel better. Thank you, and thank you. And also thank you for conning such a bastard! *g*
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for creating such an amazing show. I've never so consistently loved anything on TV. And your doing the Q & A is almost more goodness than I can take--But please don't stop!
Could we get a rough timeline on Parker and her brother? In her flashback in the pilot, she looked a little young to have taught her brother to ride a bike. Were they bounced around different foster homes where they were sometimes together and sometimes not? Or should I assume that, if she already had the skills to blow up a house, she could probably manage to teach someone to ride a two-wheeler? Or am I off on the age thing? (By the way, that flashback was the moment I knew I was hopelessly hooked on the show.) And I couldn't agree more with all the love for the last three episodes--Just amazing! Thank you!
Love, love, LOVE Tara!
Sparkly and cocky, she is a huge improvement compared to overly sugary and whiny Sophie.
I know there is no chance for her replacing Sophie permanently, but could she at least be a recurring character in S3? Please?
@Greer, @OhShinyTomato:
Eliot was pissed at Hardison and Parker because they found the bank robbery loot and didn't tell him about it. That's where money Parker gave the guy in the end came from.
@Coren, this was the second ep with no Sophie. She wasn't in "Bottle Job," either.
Major kudos. Everything about this episode just rocked. We really got to see the dynamics of this little "family". Parker is so the baby. I thought Jeri Ryan was particularly good in this one, especially in the scene with Tim at the end. Now we know that Tara gets it. Very sneaky - having us actually like the character right before the finale. The team's confidence level is so high right now and they seem so proud of what they accomplish. Sounds like a big "Uh-Oh" may come our way in 215. Now I'm really anxious for episode 301.
:) Questions:
1.Did Parker take it literally , "...or I don't know, a *better* thief!" (flashback in pilot ep) and actually steal a bicycle, that led to the tragedy?
2.Eliot said he'd only use violence as an "appropriate response"(before Sterling got it!)- so was Parker's verbally laced violence (towards Rand)to further showcase: "Parker? She's insane" character?
3.Did those hoods get away because Eliot was distracted/concerned with Tara during the fight? Tara didn't defend herself cos' she was staying in character?
4.Parker/Hardison found the "hidden" money and decided to give it to victim? The only reason I can think of why Nate didn't do it this time..Parker actually hugged the guy, a stranger, something "weird" for Parker to do?
Thank you again for putting in Eliot's POV..in the most ordinary conversation:
E: You electrocuted him?! Parker say's she approves! Nate, thanks her..E: No! Her agreeing with you is not a good thing! LOL!
Loved the episode. You really know who your friends are when one of them is just willing to kill the bad guy. AWESOME!!! I have to admit this is the first episode where Tara did not get on my very last nerve. I still miss Sophie so I am glad she will be back soon. Of course there should have been more Eliot beating on people. I was hoping to see him kick "Dillon's" butt. You cannot have everything I suppose. To see something from new from Parker was really great. Nate was in rare form it is hard to explain it was just very fun to watch.
Like everyone, I loved the emotional Parker and everyone rallying around her. Though I expected Hardison to show a bit more emotion, like "I usually don't hit, but I'm gonna hurt Dylan for hurting Parker, cuz I have a crush on Parker."
More short sleeved Eliot please. And how does Kane like being the resident heartthrob?
I also like the development of Tara, showing how a new character becomes integrated into an existing albeit slightly testy unit.
As for Tara as Bethany looking rough, I appreciate that Jeri Ryan is not a classic beauty, which I imagine makes it easier for Tara to dress up or down to blend in to succeed in her cons.
The Leverage team isn't a family, but people have been commenting about the Nate and Sophie being the parents and Parker, Eliot, and Hardison as being the kids. I don't really agree but have noticed that at the end of the episodes, it's generally P, E, and H together and N and S/T together. Why?
Nate and Sophie generally meet with the clients and then take the case to the others. Parker and Eliot (if I remember correctly) have also sat in on these initial meetings, and now Tara but not Hardison. Why not?
Looking forward to seeing how things develop.
As much as I *LOVED* the scene where Eliot said he could kill the guy for Parker, it was Nate's scene at the end, talking about how the client would see her husband in their son, that made me get a bit misty. That was a beautifully written and brilliantly acted scene. Kudos to the Leverage team!
Just moved into my #2 spot on the favorite list. Without a doubt.
Things I loved:
As everyone is saying..Eliot offering to kill Rand for Parker.
Nate explaining the cold read to Parker.
Hardison's reaction from the van when Parker ran from the audience.
Baby clothes and books.
The final section where Nate gives the "see Mike again" speech. I, too, am among the criers.
Parker reacting to a hug.
Parker/Hardison banding together against Eliot
Tara finally getting it.
Things that were perfect:
The shot of Eliot backlit as he watched Tara walk into the warehouse. Gorgeous silhouette and camera work.
Kane's hair as he was digging through the car of the woman who owned the salon and whose mother died of breast cancer. At that moment I thought "how can anyone hate his hair? look how incredible it is"
All things Luke Perry. Can I borrow the writers because I do not have the words to express how much I loved him in this episode. I hope he gets to come back someday. I know he was headed for prison but maybe he'll con himself into early release and pop back up in S3. One can only hope.
I DO NOT think you should lose the saga sell at the beginning. It gives essential information and provides a good setup. While I get this can be done other ways, I love the symmetry we get from the open and close of the show dealing with how they help people. At its core that's what it is about and this is demonstrated through these minor scenes. Which, if you read enough KFM, you can see people really dig. They reference them all the time.
My question is this: in Nigerian we learned that they made oodles of money. It's never specified but my brain is leaping to bajillions. Yet, in this season...post blowing up the offices, it seems the gang is touchy about money. Is there something I'm missing here? They should have enough money ten times over for anything they need. Paying Tara should be no sweat. Giving money to a pregnant woman...why would that be an issue? Couldn't they have just given her money? Did it have to be that they stole it or found the loot? Or was that set up that way for a reason?
As always, THANK YOU!
wv: nonions= candy flavored onions
re: my question up there about Eliot and Tara should be "boinking like bunnies," not "blinking like bunnies." Sorry. Not enough coffee yet + typing on an iPod.
But I totally think they are.
A few more things …
I, too, loved that Parker ran to Nate's apartment, thus cementing the notion of that place as "home" and the team as "family." I also loved how they all just sort of slid into place around her, forming a nice little circle. Very much an "us against the world" vibe.
Loved Hardison's "he should be shot" comment in the van. Oh, yeah, this one was personal! And, hm, telling that only he and Parker knew about the money. Did they perhaps have a "date" as only a hacker and thief could? ;-)
Adored Nate's gentleness with Parker in explaining how Rand did it. That's not a side of him we see often, or at all, and it's just a nice reminder that, yes, there is a human being in there somewhere. And at the end, damn, Hutton made me tear up. Usually I want to smack Nate. This time, I just wanted to hug him.
And, of course, Parker. Oh, man, PARKER!! Beth just knocked it out of the park in this one. The human emotion/vulnerability we just don't see in Parker, along with all the lovely little insane touches that we adore – grousing about having to give the wallets back, wanting Rand to die, gleefully approving of the electrocution. And then, at the end, when she hugged the guy back, yeah, I teared up *again*.
Also, *please* can Tara come back and play in S3? I love her character, I love what Jeri Ryan does with her, and I love the feisty chemistry between her and the others. Yes, I adore Sophie and will be glad to have her back, but Tara has taken her place in my heart as well.
Hubby also requests (begs) that y'all bring her back. I'd almost be jealous of his love for her, if I weren't so busy ogling Eliot …
Oh, yeah, when Rand did his job on Parker, my 12YO Parker wannabe growled, "He must die." I think at that moment she was taking Eliot as her role model.
You're molding young minds and bringing families together, Rogers! Aren't you proud?
Please tell me that Tara & Eliot are not fucking?
It has been stated that Eliot doesn't screw around with the people he works with. (Opponents are another matter.)
Nate knew exactly where to find the gummi frogs...
When Rand started to confess that he wasn't really psychic, I finally noticed that the clock was 10:53 and the hammer of justice was about to come down. So congratulations, y'all made me lose track of time. Although I was kind of happier thinking I had another two or three plot twists to go.
I gotta second the questions about Parker's timeline, since she looked so young when she blew up the house to get her bunny. (Also, sociopaths tend not to have those kinds of loving relationships in their background. Not that Parker is a pure sociopath, but she definitely bends that way.) Loved her angelic smile when Nate promised her Rand's destruction (see? bending).
wv: werisp - A Rice Krispy that turns into a Count Chocula in the full moon
Oh, yeah, what was the smell in the van?
Like a lot of the others, no questions at this point, just enjoyment of the fun train :)
Love that Parker huddles down - floor and something at her back - but that she does seem to be feeling safer in that space. Echoed by Hardison's gummi frogs and Nate knowing where they are; Nate's place is home for these guys, especially his two youngest. You've created a really good vibe there ... which I really hope doesn't mean you're going to blow it up for the finale.
One theme I've really enjoyed (and which tends to make for eps that dig a little more into the team) are those jobs where they're dealing with someone who does essentially the same things they do. I like the morality mirror that tends to force them to confront. In this one, though, after they stated that Rand used the same techniques they do, I didn't really see any ramifications of that for any of them.
Usually it's Nate, being reminded how very close he is to the "bad" guys; perhaps the rest of the team are still comfortable enough with being the bad guys doing good things, and haven't yet embraced being "good guys" enough yet to be terribly discomfited by the proximity. Not sure whether to read it as something that fell out of the story due to time, or was just too much to deal with on top of Parker's thread, or if it was indicating a subtle shift in Nate's thinking. Only you guys usually flag that kind of turn, especially in Nate's journey. Not a question though! I'm happy to keep riding the train and find out.
And seriously ... thanks. It's a huge deal that you do this, and you can see how much we love it. But at the same time, I (and I'm kind of assuming everyone else here too) don't want to break you with it. I don't know how obliged you feel to answer everything, and if that's something you're holding yourself to, well, that's great for us! Otherwise, I don't know, answer us as much as is fun for you, as much as it charges you up and excites you about what you're doing on the show and here. We're not entitled to your time and energy. If we're draining you ... I'd rather you pour your energy into the show, if you have to choose!*
wv: vuent. Fluency in saying things in a vague way.
*The opinions expressed in this comment are Nina May's and do not necessarily reflect those of anyone else on this thread. The other commenters cannot be held responsible for the views expressed in this comment.
first off, i want to thank jeri ryan the person for, more than anyone else, setting the stage for the triumph of barack obama.
you done good there.
as an actress this is the first time i've seen her range. it's subtle things too, like when she's on the con she allows us to "see" her acting. i don't know if that's craft or something natural, i dont' care, it's some brilliant stuff.
i just want to chime in saying i love the show. whoopee for season3, and dude, find a way to bring tara back now and again. you can do it for the boston cop, you can do it for the doofus fbi team, shit, you did it for sterling.
me. wantses. more. tara.
Kudos for this one, JR. I know you guys like to use the show to cast some light on the real-world bastards who prey on people, but you out-did yourself with the clear explanation of the cold read.
BTW, double-kudos -- during the actual "read", you made it clear to anyone LOOKING for it just how Rand was "reading" Parker. Good scripting, good direction, and good acting on Beth's part, for playing those "tells" Just Subtly Enough.
That's better educational television than anything on the various documentary channels these days.
Oh, and I lost track of time, too. It did NOT feel like 0:53 when Rand started confessing to the thugs; in fact, I was still wondering just how they'd get him out of their hands and still have time to bring him down properly. The Twist was perfect.
D'aaaaaaaaaawww! Oh this is easily going to make it into my top five Fave Episodes. Wonderful Parker moments and much, much kudus to Beth for her outstanding performance. I adore the way the team rallies round her and of course, now we understand why Elliot offers to kill someone :)
I saw Luke Perry in a Criminal Minds episode a while back and thought he was seriously good then. Now I see he can play sleazy charmer as effortlessly as he played a spooky fanatic. Great guest performance, he really made Rand's psychic performances so good you could understand how people would buy into the con.
So many lovely things here, I could spend several paragraphs listing them, but I'll just say the look between Parker and Hardison at the end was beautiful. And that whole end sequence maaay have caused me to sniffle a lot.
Thank you cast and crew, that was a beautiful episode.
The only thing that's making me sad is I'm adoring Jeri Ryan's Tara more and more. I'm going to seriously miss her when she goes. Can you bring her back for guest spots? She's too good to lose completely!
Sophie! Where are you?
Bonus points if you ever establish that Parker's brother was named Lewis. Or, more subtly, Sheldon with a nickname of Shelley.
In a more general sense, I think one reason I like the Tara character is that her con personas so far feel much more naturalistic than many of Sophie's. Perhaps because you chose to emphasize accents for Sophie, which Ryan didn't have time to prep for for a limited role? At any rate, when Sophie comes back, perhaps dial down the exaggerated nature of her con roles a bit, unless such is really necessary for the con.
Question about Nate: His role was more controlled (and sober) this time. Was this because his moment with Maggie last ep was a cathartic moment and he's back on the wagon? Or was it just more shelved this ep because of everything else going on character/plot wise?
Loved the insights on Parker and Tara especially this ep.
@Tom Galloway
I gotta disagree about Sophie's con roles. One of my absolute faves was her East Indian persona. I love seeing the reminder in the opening credits. Gina's got the talent for it and does an excellent job. It's one of the things I most look forward to in every ep, the variety she brings. I say, let her just go for it.
But one of the other comments reminded me, what was the smell in the van...or was Tara messing with Hardison, for some reason?
Jeri got a lot more into this episode, and it looked good on her. Well done.
But Beth!! Ole Sparky wasn't even in this episode! How did you find her twin sister? Right from the opening scene I could tell she wasn't herself. Actually, she shouldn't really have been so transformed at the start, because nothing had happened yet. I'm guessing that Beth did some heavy method in the prep for this episode and blew everyone away. Everyone was a little more sincere.
I like how invisible she was with the dark hair, too. Transformed inside and out. Now you really have to give her some sex.
And a car.
Loved the episode. You made me cry - twice. Beth did a brilliant job with that scene for Parker. So did Luke Perry (I *really* hated his character for getting her so upset and making her cry .. notice I said I hate his character, because his acting was great).
Was this the episode you were referring to when you said that Eliot was going to offer to kill someone in the back half of this season? (Cause in the fictional world, I would SO be behind that! And definitely understand that desire in the real world sometimes too)
I saw that Dean said he wanted to do an episode regarding fake psychics because of his mom. I just wanted to thank you all for not only doing the episode, but also for breaking down and explaining all the visual clues that fake psychics/con artists use to read people.
Almost forgot.
Tara's scar on her head. Team didn't seem to know about it .. so will we find out more about that scar before end of season?
Suggestion: Answer in batches, sahib! Burnout is no-one's friend.
Question: What's up with Con Con? By which I mean, as someone of capable of googling for information my own damn self, "Maybe you should mention Con Con." I was surprised the first I heard of it wasn't from here.
Loved the episode, though I have to admit I was thrown (but not necessarily in a bad way) by Parker wearing a wig.
Does this mean you guys plan on using more elaborate props for the team's costumes?
Also- how did they get from the storage room to the place where they were filming the psychic show? Did the two place just happen to be right next to each other the whole time?
Best things about last night:
Dalton Rand cold reading Parker and then the break-down of it in Nate's apartment. Very effective and nice acting by Beth R.
The con the team used to make Rand believe Tara was a psychic, starting with Jose's Misto. That was seriously a lot of fun.
The not as great:
I thought things were not as compelling after Rand's kidnapping. I've been trying to pinpoint exactly what I didn't like, and I have to say, I think Luke Perry didn't sell it for me. To me, he was flat when he should have been a little more hysterical. There he is with these thugs knowing he can never do the one thing that he has to do to save his own life. A little stronger whining and grovelling would have made the reveal much more funny and satisfying, at least from my perspective.
That said, good episode overall, and Tara is feeling a bit more like a member of the team. In fact, when I saw the ep, I was like - "that't it, she's in . . . and now she is totally gonna buy the farm in the finale."
But now I'm gonna retract and predict that she quits. You've hinted that Nate loses it and botches at least part of the con in the finale, and I can't imagine the team ever quite getting the trust back with him - or Nate getting over it himself - if he actually got someone killed. Plus, now that the audience is really starting to like her, you wouldn't dare kill her, right.
Right?!?
I love the show never miss an episode and I would like to know how the rating is.
One of the cast dying would really derail the fun train.
Also- how did they get from the storage room to the place where they were filming the psychic show? Did the two place just happen to be right next to each other the whole time?
When Nate & Parker are in line at the beginning, they note that Rand's studio is right in the middle of warehouses and storage units. Then when Bethany brings the thug (Kusen?) to the storage facility, Rand starts to say that he knows where they are... but Bethany shushes him. The studio always backed up to a storage unit. Hardison just figured out which one.
I loved Nate bringing the orange soda to Hardison; was that in any way a nod to Abby's KafPows on NCIS? Also I loved the way Nate talked about seeing the father in the son and it made me wonder if he sees his son in Maggie?
I still don't get why Eliot was so pissed about the money at the end. I didn't think too much about the relatively paltry sum of emergency cash in Bottle Job, but now I'm wondering if you're setting up for a big money job to keep the team afloat. Or was Eliot mad because he thought Parker had used her own money, that she loves so dearly? Part of the protective big brother thing?
Oh, one comment. I find it interesting that Eliot is no longer sitting at the "kids' table" with Parker and Hardison and has moved to the grownup table.
What are you talking about??? Eliot was never at kids' table. Didn't you read the comments for 2.10? Let me quote for you:
If you go back and look at the pilot, there are several intentional implications that Eliot and Nate see each other as peers. The way I originally described it to the actors, back when we were shooting in Chicago, was: "Gunslingers. You know each other. You know how good you are. Half of you wants to settle it once and for all, and half of you is glad to have someone around who's that good."
He likes goofing about with Hardison, but he was never one of the "kids".
Nate and Sophie meet with the client and go back and tell the rest what's what. Nate and Sophie sending Parker and Hardison out of the office, lunch in hand, Eliot starting to go with them. Eliot worked more directly with Hardison and Parker in the beginning, but now he's sitting with Nate, talking strategy, and Parker and Hardison are off together on a different path. I'm not saying Eliot was treated as a child. It was more like the uncle who is closer to the kids in the family than the grownups; but now he's focusing more on Nate and Tara's side of the equation.
Oh man. That was the best treatment of the subject I've since South Park.
"Any way we can get them in the same prison?"
Here's a question:
During the flashback sequence detailing how the team fulfilled Tara's "predictions" for Rand, we see Hardison working with … something … while studying a picture and profile of the officer who goes to see Rand. The stuff looks like latex or some such. I just know I missed something terribly obvious there, but what?
I'm pretty sure Hardison didn't actually fabricate a guy out of latex, so what am I missing? Nate in a *really* good disguise? Hardison in an even better disguise?
Anybody?
Great show, characters and plot! I'll hate to see Jeri Ryan go at the end of the season. I think her charater would continue to grow on people... It just takes time for a character to develop.
"What's that smell?"
It was too random for it to mean nothing. It had to be a hint. My prediction is someone planted a bomb in the van. And Tara recognized something was off.
I just got to say, I've watched the ep again and, yup, Jeri Ryan is gorgeous and earthy. And Luke Perry is seriously growing into himself; fortunate are those who mature to look better at 40 than they did at 20. Being able to knowingly work the sensitive shtick like that doesn't hurt either. Nicely done! The chemistry and tension of charlatanry between them was fantastic. Made me want to watch a spin-off about those two characters, which is a first. The fake psychic and the fake psychic she's psyching out.
And I'm kind of wondering about Nate, again. It's been noted that he was fairly in control this ep, seeing how we're all now tracking his control barometer, but I started thinking about it and I don't know. It was a Parker-centric ep, so Nate's issues can take a back seat for once, and correspondingly more time was spent on the set up of the villan, so the job flowed pretty fast once started, leaving less time for anyone's issues at that point.
So, Nate's control torque couldn't take up time there. But how about at the beginning? Sitting in that audience, sussing Rand out, he intentionally blew both his and Parker's potential covers by taunting Rand. That's two out of five players down; maybe he already had the scam in mind, and so wasn't too worried about losing that flexibility for planning, but when they got to the storage facility I was amazed that Rand didn't recognize him (which is what got me thinking about this in the first place).
Sure, Rand was under pressure and whatever, but then he makes his living through observation, and in moderately stressful conditions. And Nate had drawn his attention pretty substantially; he challenged him, and Rand retaliated by deliberately using Parker's vulnerability to hit Nate where it hurt. It's unlikely to me that he'd forget something like that quickly, even if it weren't forefront of his mind right then.
So, I can't think of a particularly good reason for Nate to call attention to himself that way (apart from the story needed him to so that Parker's thread could be set up). I mean, maybe Nate was testing how good Rand was with a hostile audience member, but that reason seems kind of weak to me. And even if that was the reason, it was sloppy of him not to anticipate the collateral damage that his teammate sitting right next to him, who was clearly uncomfortable and vulnerable, could catch.
Either he didn't think through how it could play out - which is one of his strengths - or he wasn't paying attention to an in-house weakness. Why was that? The only thing, other than testing Rand, I can think of is that Nate let his belligerence get the better of him. Rand was ticking him off and he wanted to get in his face, and had become over-confident enough that he just assumed the team could deal with any fallout ... and cue remorse and strict self-control when he saw that it unexpectedly ended up hurting Parker. All those things set up potential problems for our final two episodes. Again, I await to see how it all plays out....
wv: madmom. Really? I don't think it's even trying.
Sorry, I thought up a question:
I would think long, especially loose, hair would get in the way during a fight. So, I find it an interesting choice.
Eliot's hair is getting SO long and it's always in good shape. What products to CK and the projection folks use to keep it so full and silky? Thanks!
My first impression about Sophie, and now Tara commenting about the "smell" in the van, was that Hardison likes finger food? But this part about Hardison eating while working doesn't really *register" with me.. Anyway, I actually didn't like that scene from The Zanzibar Market Place when Hardison whines long and hard to (all people!) Sterling about being left behind, eating "stale candy" in the van. I'm not sure but I think Hardison ends by noting the "van smells like" erm, canape finger food)or something?;)
The smell in the van is "hard work". It's a callback to an early episode where Sophie had to sit in the van with Hardison.
great ep! \m/ i had mixed emotions while watchin it..
my question is.. if Hardison's fave snacks are his gummy bears and the orange soda, what are Eliot's and Parker's?
well we know that Nate's is his beer/wine...
That cold reading on Parker was excellent, but what was a gazillion times better was how everyone rallied together to console her...using competence porn. :D
What was the original con meant to be though? If Kusen hadn't butted in?
...to make up for it. :)
I have wondered, in the past, about the difference between Parker and Beth, but that's just to understand how much is pretend. I guess that question is answered. Girl got range!
Oh, and was that "skateboard" from Luke a nod to Beth+Jason's involvement in skateboarding?
if Hardison's fave snacks are his gummy bears and the orange soda
Gummy frogs. Don't think he won't notice the difference; you don't want to make the hacker cranky.
I have to second Livlife on the "saga sell" love. There have been some wonderful moments during those scenes, my favorite probably being Parker poking Eliot in his bruise.
Parker in the wig very much reminded me of a couple disguises from Veronica Mars. So that's cool. And Beth gave an amazing performance overall. It's like we got a whole episode of the vulnerability she showed for just a moment during 'Stork Job'. Makes me think that maybe Parker is so bad a acting on the grift because her entire life is an act for the purpose of self-preservation.
I felt like Nate was more in control because he had somebody (Parker) in a fragile emotional state that needed taking care of. His self-destructive streak really kicked off when he lost his son, but the team - and more specifically Parker in this instance - is giving him an external focus again, which allows him to follow his protective instincts rather than his self-destructive ones. It's easier to fix somebody else's problems than his own.
wv: folloill -- the substance which makes one's hair follicles shiny
Another amazing episode. Loved seeing Eliot offer to kill for Parker.
I just wanted to let you know that when we adopted our dachshund/beagle mix we seriously considered several names from our favorite T.V. shows before settling on the name Parker. Parker is my favorite character so I hope she would like the idea! Unfortunately, our Parker is a lot like your Parker--she LOVES jumping from high places, she's crazy [wild running spurts for one thing], and she figured out how to unlock her doggy crate...
Also, Leverage continues to be awesome. I love seeing Christian Kane [Angel!!] again and the team is something I would love to be a part of. So glad you guys got a third season! Hope season 4 is forthcoming. :) And that Sophie comes back. I miss her!!
I never saw Eliot as one of the kids.
Eliot is THAT Uncle. The one your mom, dad and other aunts and uncles whisper about when they think you are not listening. He is cool, rides a motorcycle and dates beautiful women. He acts gruff and mean, but is always game for an adventure. But he is an adult and sometimes when you least expect it sides with the adults when you do something reckless. He is also the one to bail you out of trouble and not tell your parents “this time.” He is everyone’s favorite Uncle.
This was emphasized for me in the Zanzibar Job when Eliot took charge and no one questioned him. Parker and Hardison (and Tara) accepted without a blink and Eliot proved that he was very capable, not only with figuring out what was going on, but with using the team member’s strengths to their greatest potential. I think we saw it again in his quiet offer to kill Rand. Despite all the poking Parker has done, Uncle Eliot would do anything to punish the guy who made her cry.
@Mockette, I think that's a great description of Eliot, and we've seen it time and again. Yes, he can "play" with the kids (and how I love it when he does; those three together are gold), but he's also quite comfortable moving in the grownup circle.
I think the first time I really noticed that was way back in the Mile High Job, when we saw *very* grown-up Eliot discussing, first, how he'd set up a hit and, second, bringing down an airplane. The bomb scene in Two Live Crew echoed that, and Zanzibar really fleshed it out.
I think the smile, the charm, the snark and, yes, the hair all hide a dude who could get *seriously* grown-up and *seriously* scary in a heartbeat.
Luke Perry needs to be sent to android hell for making Parker cry.
wv:picac--a drug used to only partially induce vomiting.
Definitely missed Sophie. She's truly the heart of the show for me. Looking forward to the finale, hope you guys make the Tara-Sophie switch then!
Re: grown-up Eliot, I think as Rogers said it was there in the pilot. That conversation with Nate at the pool table? That was when he became more than a hitter, when he was at Nate's (ie, adult) level. (And when that character really got my attention.)
Not only was he reading Nate at a very mature, sophisticated level, but Nate didn't muck about in responding. He shut him down as quickly and coldly as he could, which he wouldn't have done to the "kids". He shut him down as a peer. And then Eliot surprises anyone who's underestimating him again by the way he handles the shut-down; controlled, wry, finely-judged comeback. That was an exchange between equals.
Then again, I don't think you can use a conventional family structure to catagorize the team. It shifts between sibling and parental nuances, and it should.
wv: wingstee. The state of the emo youth of flighted creatures.
Well, Eliot gets lumped in with the other two kids when people do their OT3 fantasizing.
Not that that fic ever gets written.
Or read.
I haven't read every question/answer ever posted, so this may be a repeat, but how do "clients" find the team???
how do "clients" find the team???
The internet is a vast swamp of sometimes true information...
In general, the team trawls for clients -- Hardison's web crawlers pick up stories of the type that would yield victims and Nate vets them. But naturally rumors of the team have made it onto teh interwebs, so it's possible for the resourceful client to make contact.
Okay everyone-Mr. Rogers now has over 500 (502 at this moment) comments to check out and reply to.
Shall we make it 600?
I sure hope he's feeling the love and not running for the hills...
wv: serfes= disease you get from saying "cowabunga" one too many times.
Glad I'm not the only person who still refers to him as Sideshow Luke Perry!
Was Christopher Brookmyre's book "Attack of the Unsinkable Rubber Ducks" an influence on this episode? Both feature a semi-famous "psychic" being exposed as a fraud, and I noted a similarity in lines. It could just be me wanting to find connections though!
wow, I loved that ep. my 15y old wannabe parker pointed at the screen and yelled 'yes eliot,do it!'I just felt like going over there and cuddle Parker. she(my 15y old daughter) was also the one who mentioned 'is it me or is he that small, I don't think that car is THAT high' when Luke Perry gets out of the car, at the coffee shop. He really pissed her off with hurting her beloved Parker.
my Q is, where the heck did they take those boxes from? I thought from just another storageroom but my girl,like always said ,they steel them some where else, who is right?
Thanks again JR for takin' your precious time to answer, and even more, for readin' all this stuff.
When Eliot planed the camera in the control room, he said sth like...that is this wizard...
was that meant like..yk..an abracadabra wizard, or a reference to those guys who work at the airports and watch for suspect activitys. I know they are called wizards and they are trained in 'cold reading'....
or maybe I think tooo much and should stop rewatch every ep over and over...
but is it just me or did anyone else check every public builing for cameras and wires...? just wondering...
reaaalllly should go to sleep now....
seriously...
@anonymous, I think Eliot's "wizard" comment was a reference to the Wizard of Oz. You know, "pay no attention to that man behind the curtain."
I gotta say, that guy playing the bank robber was amazing fun to watch. Usually the actors in those little roles seem a bit on the mediocre side, but this guy, he was *inspired*! I was wishing his character had a bigger role in the story so I'd have longer to watch him and his vaulting back and forth between the awkward and amiable/screaming with a gun in your face act.
@someone up there, I don't even know who and I'm too lazy to find it again: I think Eliot's totally one of the kids - he's just the grown-up kid who's already as good at the family business as dad is, and who probably has more sense than dad, too.
Y' know, when the showmaker himself tells you specifically he's NOT and he was never intended to be, it might be a good idea to STFU and accept it.
Oh, for Pete's sake, I just meant that it's nice to see Eliot get to do more than bust heads. We all know he can do it, he's said things that proved it, but now we're getting to actually watch. him. run. the. show. Competence porn at its finest.
I guess it also depends on what character traits specifically indicate "kid" or "adult" status to each viewer, and how strongly the viewer sees Team Leverage as a traditional family structure. I mean, there have been times when they've seemed to be a close-knit group of siblings more than anything else. Sophie particularly swings between mother/oldest sister, which, granted, can be pretty similar at times. Nate's pretty paternal, but there are times when he's totally the big brother leading his tribe of siblings into trouble with his ideas for play. And I can totally see Eliot as a middle child.
In fact, that variance is part of what makes it fun, both to watch and to discuss. I'll argue my case for what I'm seeing, but I like to see other people's take on it, too. The civility with which people have expressed differing opinions so far on this blog has made it a haven of both passion and respect, for which I saulte pretty much everybody.
On the other hand, if we all just feel like devolving into a yelling match over Eliot's place at the kids' table/abused past/hair/eyes (GREEN I tell you!) to blow off some steam and show our fanatic devotion to the character, we could always go over and start a thread on imdb. I feel like Eliot might even approve ("no he wouldn't!"). Heck, we could throw in Sterling win/lose/draw and Tara vs Sophie too. Although I haven't checked - there are probably plenty of threads on that already.
:)
wv: hedefe. The sound of Eliot fans butting e-heads.
Or "salute". But I'll saulte y'all too, once I figure out what that is.
Livlife, I think I've done my dash to help get us to 600. *pants* I hope we don't give him a heart-attack.
Nina May, you're right, there are some related imdb threads, and some of them are mean! Yowzah. You bring up a good question, why are Eliot's eyes green when Kane's eyes are blue? Is it something about the color mixing that Dean mentioned someplace, on the S1 DVD, maybe?
wv: whees. Yep, that's Leverage.
Really enjoyed this one! Luke Perry did a terrific job -- you've done terrific work this season coming up with unusual and interesting villains, from Perry's glib oiliness to the nifty joviality of the thug who took him hostage.
Ms. Riesgraf turned in stellar work as always, although Parker is so entertaining when she's her usual ADD sociopath self that it was a little weird to see her acting like a human being. And her reaction at the end was very well played; we can see, maybe for the first time, that there is a real human being under that blank, childish facade, and then watch as the wall goes back up.
Also, the actress in Perry's audience who broke out in tears was really quite astonishing. Kudos to her for a brief but very convincing performance.
... Also, 'cause I forgot to mention it the first time around, kudos to your writers for packing a whole big wad of exposition about how Perry's scam worked into the beginning of the episode in a natural, organic way Tying it to Parker's distress, and having the explanation key off her reactions, and be used by the other characters in an effort to comfort her, was darn fine writing.
Parker had a brother?! Wow. So I guess my question is this: Does the death of her brother have anything to do with why she ended up in the foster care system?
I've been stalking your blog for a while now and just wanted to say that I really love that you take the time to do this Thank you so much.
I think the dynamics of the team while very family like are not nessisarily set in stone I mean even in my own family we sometimes act outside our "given roles" My brother is actually almost a year yonger than me but he still seems to see himself as "big/older brother" and my sister and I play jump rope with the position of older sibling all the time even my mom and me have times where we act more like sisters I think that the show does a good job of showing that. Considering that its a "found" family it makes sense that the characters wouldn't slide into the traditional positions perfectly. Its kinda like taking puzzle pieces from different puzzle you may be able to make them fit together but the picure formed isn't going to be anything that you could have predicted
Okay on to my question
I know that character development in Television in general is often a much more fluid process than it would be in a Film where you have only on script and rarely more than a handfull of writers but how much of the Characters backstories are set in stone and planned out. Did you know that Parker had lost a brother back in season one or was something that the writers as a group decided on when they were breaking the episoide or something Amy Berg added? sorry about the long winded and confusing question.
Thanks for taking the time to answer these
Question : :)
Eliot says, "I can..I mean, I could.." (voice trails off, face is VERY CALM?) IMO, to me personally Christian said it *like* he *could* perhaps do OR suggest *something else*(more favorable? FOR THE TEAM?-OTHER than.."CHOP OF HIS ARMS!!..AND HIS HEAD!!.." - IMO, to me personally again, Parker felt extremely, extremely..erm, childish(?)and high strung ("Parker? Parker she's insane").. Parker wants to make the WHOLE team take revenge for hurting the feeling(s)of "Parker"..other people who was duped like her?..not.so.sure:) Okay, yes maybe.
Question:;D
The scene after the "electrocution" of Rand. Eliot asks about it and goes on to say to Nate: "No, Parker "agreeing" with you, is NOT a good thing." Nate winks at Parker.
IMO Eliot has done a "read" on the people he is "working with?" True or false? LOL Even Sophie was caught out by Eliot (First David Job)- tells Nate about how Sophie's got a selfish?) grifter plan to destroy Blackpoole completely..
In the Bottle Job, Eliot asks Nate: "Want me to go..and break his knees?" AND that was for the son of an IRA bomber and an aggressive loan shark! I can't help comparing Rand's "crime" with that guy. Rand wasn't into mind-control he was a parasite, feeding off people's own erm, insecurities?
Thank you!
Lol, guys, I had no idea whether Eliot was "one of the kids" or not was such a matter of passionate contention. I just stated my interpretation of things, you can take it or leave it. ;) None of it is literal anyway, so I can't imagine why anyone would get worked up about it.
I don't recall Rodgers saying that Eliot wasn't "one of the kids", only that the atmosphere between Nate and Eliot was that of equals regarding each other with respect (which doesn't, to me, negate the possibility of Eliot filling the "eldest brother" role) - although he certainly might have and I just missed it or forgot about it, since there's rather too much info on this blog to remember it all.
@ SueN ...the wizard of Oz...
have to admit...this one slipped out of my head til' you mentioned it...
*hitting myself on the forehead*
like I said, I should stop rewatch it over and over...
Maybe I'm too 'wizardish' somtimes...
definitely watching to much crime shows and tv in general.
Given that Eliot only uses violence as an appropriate response - killing Rand is appropriate because he made Parker cry, but "electrocuting" him isn't because it was not strictly necessary for the con? Or is there another reason?
And in a not-episode related question: On the season one DVDs there are minor cuts made. Noticeably in Homecoming Job where the scene with Hardison and the sports channels and Eliot's "Hockey" is missing. Any idea why? Or who I can poke for that? :-)
WV: plasigm = too drunk to say "plagiarism"
I feel like crying. I think I was watching something else.
Oops! Wrong emotion!
@snowyowl "On the season one DVDs there are minor cuts made."
Thank you for mentioning this! I thought I was making scenes up in my head. I think there was a little cut in the first episode too, after the explosion Nate opens his eyes and all three are standing over him looking at him.
Why cuts? DVDs aren't supposed to have cuts!
I think Eliot was being just a little tongue-in- cheek when he offered to kill Rand. Same in the Bottle Job when he offered to break knees. He meant it - but not really.
just thinking, Hardison would know everyones real names and their back story huh? because he is the biggest computer geek genius! he can get the dirt on anyone, so he would know all their dirty little secrets! it would be fun to see him slowly spill the beans on the crew, you know a little slip in calling someone by their real name! oohhhh, so fun, cant wait to see what you guys do next!!! LOVE IT!!
I can't believe anyone thought Jeri looked bad as Bethany. She's a lovely woman, whether or not she's got on lots of makeup and hair product. She looked like a person looks who doesn't have Hair&Makeup following them around.
Nate's fridge is full of orange soda (and eggs), and he knows which drawer the gummi frogs are in. That's hysterical! Poor Nate, his apartment's been taken over by thieves. Which reminds me, why did Eliot cut out part of the wall with a chainsaw, way back when?
Parker looks lovely with the short dark hair! Not that I want her to change her hair. She really wants to kill that guy, too; she's not speaking metaphorically. Parker doesn't do metaphor, so much, though, does she?
The woman in the audience who wanted to know if her husband was hiding something - but Kusen was sitting right next to her! Right in front of her husband she asked the psychic if he was hiding something? Wow.
Questions, for real:
1) What was the story with the police officer? And was he the arresting officer at the end? Did the guys give him a tip-off on Rand or something? Hardison pulled up his license but we never saw why he went to Rand. (And, what I originally thought were latex pieces, I see were about a zillion fortune cookies that Hardison was stuffing with the predicted fortune. Hardison does a lot of work! He needs to get more credit!)
2) The crushed soda can at Rand's feet made it clear that Nate got REALLY close to him with his drive-by. Like, inches. Either Nate was uncannily confident that Rand wouldn't step forward, or he didn't much care. But what made Rand pause, anyway? He stopped, looking down at the soda can, before he ever saw Nate's car. Was there a bit about the can in his "reading" that got cut?
(The Leverage drinking game includes, take one drink whenever the Hyundai logo appears on screen. I love Hyundai, myself. Bought one this year.)
3) Time. How much time passed between Rand leaving the studio to encounter the van and his fateful step through Hardison's "magic door" back into the studio? Bethany said they had a show to do "later", but the same audience members were still there, in their seats. That wasn't a 30-minute intermission.
4) What was the con supposed to be, before the bank robber intervened?
5) Parker gave away money! Aw. Well, the odds that the bank robbery money exactly equaled Jodie's lost money are virtually nil, and if it had been less, well, then Parker would've been giving away her own money, and I don't expect she's quite there yet, so I'm thinking there was bank robbery money left over for Parker and Hardison to split. How did they find it, and when did they have time? And boy, Eliot was mad that they didn't let him in on it. Ha!
OK, I'm done. Thanks!
@snowyowl and @Zenkitty-714
Not sure about the Homecoming Job (have to watch that again) But with the scene from the pilot- The DVD has the FULL cut whereas the subsequent TV broadcast only has the scene with Nate opening his eyes and NOT the entire Hospital sequence. (Which I think establishes so much about the team and miss it in the 43 min cut)
@Ally I think Eliot WOULD do actual damage to defend his friends.
Great episode. I, like many others, have had tears each time I watch this one!
Cant remember my questions (and didnt actually write them down this time!)
Obviously you don't need any help with your guest-casting, having found Saul Rubinek, Mark Sheppard, Wil Wheaton, and Kari Matchett. But could I please request Ed Quinn, lately of "Eureka" fame? He'd make an excellent villain. And I need him back on my television.
If you're taking suggestions for guest casting, Michael Biehn makes a good bad guy too.
WV: gentivil -- Being gently evil
I think maybe the cut on the DVD S1 has to do with the fact that Hardison said he had gotten Direct TV and that would be advertising. I'm not sure why they couldn't just cut the Direct TV part but maybe the sentence was a package deal.
to LivLife- in the Nigerian Job, they "earned" $32.7 million (plus change).
This show has an amazing writing staff but there is something special about the ones that Rogers, Downey or Berg write together. There is a smoothness or rhythm that sometimes is missing in other epiosdes.
2 episodes to go - then what am I going to watch??!!
wv: lancests - something a drunk doctor asks for
I realize I'm probably taking this too seriously, but there are a couple of words being bandied about that are bugging me. (Hello alliteration! ;)
First, the word sociopath in regard to Parker. That's a pretty strong word. She's often shown emotion, she just has no verbal censor a great deal of the time. And while she occasionally takes things a little more literally than most people, no way she's a sociopath.
Second, no one was electrocuted for heaven's sake! A slight burst of electric current was introduced to the table so he'd feel something tangible to go with the mind fu...messing.
On a final note...I agree, Biehn definitely needs to guest star. :)
2) The crushed soda can at Rand's feet made it clear that Nate got REALLY close to him with his drive-by. Like, inches. Either Nate was uncannily confident that Rand wouldn't step forward, or he didn't much care. Zenkitty-714
I figure, the camera cutting from the wide smirk on Nate's face,to Hardison's wide (satisfied) grin, Nate was just holding the steering, the car was computerized(?)and Hardison was in control..I immediately remembered what he did to those golf balls Nate used in the Tap Out Job?;)
@Donna
In all fairness to ppl on these posts - It was Eliot who said...'You electrocuted him?'
First, the word sociopath in regard to Parker. That's a pretty strong word. She's often shown emotion
Sociopaths don't lack emotion, they lack empathy. They see other people more as objects than as beings of equal stature, which enables them to use other people to their benefit without guilt. In general, this is because they don't have much experience of human bonds in their childhoods.
Parker is not a true sociopath, because true sociopaths are not fun. However, she doesn't have a lot of empathy. "... we realize Maggie is indeed the only human Parker even acknowledges exists" -- Parker doesn't connect easily with people, and at best tends to view them the way we look at pets. Fortunately, she's not malicious or sadistic, just greedy.
@Melissa in St Louis and ChelseaNH:
Good points, both. *g* I'm just gonna return to my seat on the Fun Train!
@melissa in St. Louis and zenkitty-714:
A friend in the UK confirmed that the scene in Homecoming Job is missing, but the uncut pilot is on the DVD. But the explanation @msd gave sounds reasonable. I just wonder why it wasn't considered advertising in the original airing? Weird. :-)
@Donna and ChelseaNH
Completely agree with you on Parker not being a sociopath. As a teacher of children with behavioral disorders, some of whom have traumatic case histories, I have to say that Parker more closely fits the profile of an EBD child with an attachment disorder. I have to teach my students to have empathy, and it doesn’t come easily to them. Lack of empathy is also very common in students with Asperger Syndrome, whom I also teach, and which is why I smile every time I see Parker sniff someone. I have had several students with sensory issues related to smelling (which is all quirky and amusing until you have a runny nose unexpectedly sniffing your shoulder!) It says a lot for Beth Riesgraf’s portrayal of Parker that she’s able to take some qualities that in real life can be quite difficult and turn them into an interesting character!
My question is for John Rogers is, when you all were creating the character of Parker to be all crazy and fearless, were the social skill issues and sensory issues part of that plan or did they evolve after you cast Beth Riesgraf in the role? Also, someone (Amy Berg?) mentioned on the S1 DVD commentary that Beth had ad-libbed the pill-sniffing in The Twelve-Step Job, and I know you’ve mentioned elsewhere that several of the other actors are champion ad-libbers. Do you find that you worry less about the specific wording of lines now knowing that ad-libbing may occur?
@snowyowl - somewhere I think Direct TV was one of the sponsors - like Hyundai. I don't think I can prove it but I think in one of the comments from S1 that was brought up.
My question for Mr. Rogers is this: regarding the supposed slide in ratings. (I can't believe that! There has to be some way to count those of us who aren't Nielsen families) Do you think splitting the season had a negative effect on the ratings?
Also, SERIOUSLY - any idea when the S2 DVD will be out? We NEED it before this summer!
@Bex
My first instinct was to say Asperger's, but I'm not that familiar with it, and in doing research I read quite a few things about lack of dexterity and "clumsiness" (for lack of a better word), which definitely wouldn't describe Parker. It's nice to know someone with some knowledge has thoughts in the same direction. :D
Regardless of the underlying intent, Beth plays Parker beautifully. She makes me laugh (and I never expected her to make me cry, too).
Eliot Spencer is categorized as "the retrieval specialist." Rogers knew Christian Kane before Leverage from casting for the never-aired pilot Global Frequency, and though they auditioned other people, "Chris had it from day one." It was thanks in part to him that his character became more than a one-note hitting machine. Rogers referred to the moment in the pilot when Eliot disarmed an attacker and discharged the gun clip, letting it fall with a look that indicated he had no more time for such things. Kane took that moment and repeated it in every encounter Eliot had with a gun, making disarmament his signature move.
"[Eliot] is the closest to Nate in not thinking himself a thief," explained Rogers. "There are situations where a certain amount of brute force is required, he applies precisely the amount of brute force, and no more, no less…He considers himself a negotiator, not a thug. Just sometimes you have to hit the person you're negotiating with several times."
Very cleverly/clearly explained :)
May be will come back with "something" on Parker & her (mild) case of Asperger..which I think is a fact.
"Beth [Riesgraf] and Aldis [Hodge] were just straight auditions," Rogers said about the scene-stealing actors who play Parker and Hardison respectively. For Parker, the producers saw "the Parade O' Television Hot Chicks" before Riesgraf came in with her hair in her face.
"Beth made a really specific choice with that character," said Rogers, referring to Riesgraf's Asperger's-like performance which stood out from the crowd. Though initially discomforting, even off-putting, Riesgraf stuck with her decision, embodying that character completely until you couldn't help rooting for Parker and her social ineptitude, culminating this season in one of Rogers' favorite episodes, "The Juror #6 Job." (And in case you were wondering, the people in the house Parker blew up in the pilot were not her parents.)
This is the 140th post?
Looking forward to next episode..
E: What, can't have friends?
N: ..join a softball team!
Eliot might just turn baseball into (American) football midway!
It was only a matter of time before someone decided Parker had Asperger's based on the common pseudo-knowledge of what it is.
All I can say to that is NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, Parker does not have Asperger's, not even close. I have yet to see the TV writer who has enough of a grasp of real Asperger's to get it right.
Parker is just plain odd, and carrying the scars of her childhood. She's a mess of quirky characteristics that are common to attachment disorder, abandonment syndrome, emotional abuse, Aspergers, or whatever else you might care to drag out of the DSM based on what she does in any given episode.
Most importantly: she's not a real person, and trying to diagnose a fictional character is like trying to piss up a rope. It's a losing proposition.
@Gordon
Very true! But both can be fun in the right setting. :D
Er...okay. Right. Back to the Fun Train!
(Sorry, Mr. Rogers, for hijacking your questions thread.)
Quirks: Is an adrenaline junkie, is obsessed with money, sometimes behaves in ways that suggest an undiagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Hobbies:Picking locks, collecting money, imagining scenarios to pull off near-impossible heists.
Virtues: Compassion towards children in need.
Vices: Generally apathetic.
I actually liked "vices" the best...generally I don't give a t*** - I'm way past "analyzing" the characteristics in detail - they're all, erm "damaged" in one way or other? Nate included, of course ;) That's actually been established by the showrunners themselves...
But sometimes I "question" something that felt..too much/overboard :) For example Parker's venomous, verbal outburst towards Rand..I mean it was BECAUSE SHE was the victim this time, and the team has gone up against worse criminals. Parker asks: Can we do that (kill)..twice. What?
just one quick question before I head into a meeting: the "et tu brute"-quote the victim brings up as something her husband used to say to their dog: Is that just a quote that Americans would know and/or understand, or were you implying a higher than average level of education on the part of the victim, which would make the falling-for-the-psychic kinda even better. Because, lets face it intelligent people fall for cons all the time.
(note how the pronunciation of Latin words as it is practiced in the US/England always weirds me out as a German .. completely different. Nice underline of the fact that we just don't know how to pronounce it correctly, so every cultural area just does it as they see best ..)
@msd Ah thanks, I didn't know that. That really would explain it!
WV: operl = a really really short german opera
@ChelseaNH:
"Oh, yeah, what was the smell in the van?"
I think it was the "wiffy" smell that Sophie picked up on in The Two Live Crew Job.
@ Tom Galloway:
"In a more general sense, I think one reason I like the Tara character is that her con personas so far feel much more naturalistic than many of Sophie's. Perhaps because you chose to emphasize accents for Sophie, which Ryan didn't have time to prep for for a limited role? At any rate, when Sophie comes back, perhaps dial down the exaggerated nature of her con roles a bit, unless such is really necessary for the con."
I have a feeling that Sophie's performances were exaggerated because Sophie herself tends to overact horribly, except during cons, though. Perhaps it's just her trying to make it more fun for herself, more enjoyable, so she can connect the dressing up and conning to actual acting.
"I gotta disagree about Sophie's con roles. One of my absolute faves was her East Indian persona. I love seeing the reminder in the opening credits. Gina's got the talent for it and does an excellent job. It's one of the things I most look forward to in every ep, the variety she brings. I say, let her just go for it."
I have to agree with this, though. I absolutely LOVED Sophie's performances, no matter how exaggerated they might have seemed. They were brilliant. We need them back for S3!!
"Also- how did they get from the storage room to the place where they were filming the psychic show? Did the two place just happen to be right next to each other the whole time?"
Rand: "Hey, I know this place, it's where - "
Tara: "Sssssh! I need to concentrate."
"Also I loved the way Nate talked about seeing the father in the son and it made me wonder if he sees his son in Maggie?"
Or sees his father in himself...
The cold read of Parker reminded me of agent Starling being needled and disected by Lecter. Only Starling was able to overcome. That would be too much development for Parker. Interesting that Parker doesn't have to overcome, because the team can, and we can keep Parker just the way she is.
To a certain extent, I think Tara's cons have to be more naturalistic because of Jeri Ryan's physical characteristics (tall, busty, gorgeous blonde with anything close to an over the top persona would be much less effective).
@Gordon
Gonna try not to be offended at my master’s degree being dismissed as pseudo-knowledge and resist the urge to lecture, although I do have to point out that instead of the fictional “abandonment syndrome” you mention you probably meant to say the very real “borderline personality disorder”. But I digress.
I’m with @Donna that discussing a character’s quirks is part of the fun of watching a show for me, though for others maybe not so much. While I do agree that quirkiness is not a criterion for AS, and again, I feel personally that the character more closely fits the profile of someone with an attachment disorder, all of these issues clearly make the character of Parker a lot more interesting for a lot of us—which is a good thing for the show!
I wish I could think of a question to make this less of a hijacking, but I can't, so instead I'll just retreat quietly to my corner and wait excitedly for tomorrow night's new episode!
A great episode. I read Eliot's "I'll kill him for you" as him starting out as a joke, then thinking about how he would do it, then thinking Parker might take him up on it.
Was Nate exposing himself to Rand three times in this con this week's "Nate is Falling Apart" tip? The touch with the coffee mug at the beginning was nice, but I thought it was dangerous that he showed up as three different characters in front of Rand (the snarky audience member,, Bethany's customer, and the storage unit guy).
If I get a SLEEP, SLEEP NOW!, my wife owes me a cookie.
I agree with everyone who has called out Beth's awesome performance, but my question is just how is Timothy Hutton so amazing??
Seriously, when he is talking to the client at the end, he had me tearing up from a few lines that spanned maybe 60 seconds total...
i was just wonderin.. your blog name is Kung Fu Monkey, is that related to Eliot's monkey on Two-Horse Job? =)
@ Bex
I'll see your Master's and raise you a PhD and 30 years in the field, but so what? The comment was general and not targeted at anyone in particular. If the shoe doesn't fit, don't wear it.
Abandonment syndrome is very real. If I meant borderline personality disorder, I'd have said borderline personality disorder.
Where exactly did I say, or even remotely suggest discussing characters quirks, habits, or you name it wasn't fun? I've heard of reading between the lines, but holy cow.
Sorry, Rogers. We should all stop using your blog as a message board, take all this to the TNT Forums and return your blog to Q&A mode.
Two questions -
1) Did Nate bring Parker to the psychic's show as bait? He brings the most socially twitchy member of the crew to the show and then catches the psychic's attention by heckling. Then he sits back and observes what happens when the bad guy goes to work on Parker.
2) Who is Nate's AA sponsor? We know he went to the meetings regularly for a while. Some poor sap has a thankless job.
I know Tara is all about "getting her cut" and even though she finally realizes why the team does what they do, before she came to this realization was she still expecting to get paid from a job like this where there is no payout?
Scanned the comments but couldn't see it mentioned...
Did nobody notice the bug/spider crawling on Tara's leg during the Officer Bellick from Prison Break interrogation scene at the warehouse? Creeped me out. She was such a pro for not flinching.
@Vaughn:
Coolio! I was too busy staring at her face, haha! Maybe that's why she moved her leg and breathed in suddenly.
@ Bex and @ Gordon
what's wrong with you guys? Who cares what disorder it is , do you've just to have a name for everything? It's a TV show for heaven sake...
It's Parker....
PARKER.IS.INSANE.PERIOD
so much for that...
I didn't find a thread for "Zanzibar," but just a couple of things:
1. Love Kari Matchett. She is just so. Freaking. Good. And it's so great to see her and Hutton together again. Thank you a million times for making that happen.
2. On the "together again" theme, the pattern on Hutton's tie... an homage to the costuming in Nero Wolfe?
Oh - third thing: Joss Whedon said that with Buffy, anytime he wanted to jerk the audience's chain (or words to that effect), he would have someone hurt Willow.
Parker's your Willow. Just sayin'.
(And sorry I didn't look far enough in the archives for the Zanzibar thread...)
I know that this thread is probably comatose, but I just watched this ep., and damn me if it didn't show why these woo-pushing parasites are so insidious -- it had me emotional not only because he was fucking with Parker, but also because, on some level, I wanted to believe that this sort of connection with lost loved ones is possible. In other words, while the show was pressing my buttons re: Parker, Luke Perry was pushing the exact same buttons his character was trying to push. So, well done, and fuck the psychics.
Had to hit pause and read the bit about Kusen. I love how the first two sentences match perfectly with what Hardison says, then turns into gibberish. "The intact nuisance orbits the least corridor. The conspicuous milk hopes for violent without a talented gate". AWESOME. I am the milkman - my milk is cold and delicious.
I love you - so much - for doing this episode. Cold readers are subhuman scum who need to hurt.
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شركة مكافحة الصراصير بالظهران
شركة مكافحة الصراصير براس تنورة
شركة مكافحة الصراصير بسيهات
شركة مكافحة الصراصير بالخبر
شركة مكافحة الصراصير بالدمام
obat ambeien wasir paling manjur mengobati penyakit wasir ambeien tanpa efek samping terbuat dari bahan alami herbal seperti daun ungu mahkota dewa kunyit putih
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