“Cleavers. Haven’t done that in a while.” – Eliot
Yep, there’s a little bit of a pun in the title … it was a fashion episode, after all….
I’ve got to hand it to Leverage: even though they may not be firing on all eight cylinders like they were in their near-perfect debut season, they really are making the most of Gina Bellman‘s maternity leave. The writers have masterfully woven Jeri Ryan‘s Tara right into the story lines and have easily created a new dynamic within the team that really, really works for me.
I like Tara a lot, and I especially like how she just fell into step with Nate and the rest of the team and was able to pull off the con with a last-minute save. She really fits in and adds a new dynamic that the show needed. They wrote this in well, too, with Tara complaining throughout the episode about Nate’s codes, cyrptic clues and slogans but she finally gets it when it counts, and she counters with her own “5-0″ code and Nate knows exactly what to do.
I don’t miss Sophie at all, actually, but I do think there’s something more in store for us than just some strange shots of her in foreign countries. I get that they have to write in Gina Bellman’s maternity leave, but Ivey and Keith mentioned just how absurd the costumes and backgrounds are of the webcam shots of Sophie. I have a feeling she’s pulling something on Nate, and by default, the rest of the team.
My guess is that she’s not traveling the globe and happy, but actually somewhere very nearby and faking the backdrops. The last episode before the hiatus made it seem like the team was dependent on Sophie (she did mentor some of them to great guffaws last season), but I actually think it’s the other way around. I don’t think Sophie can tear herself away, and maybe she and Tara even have the whole thing planned from the start. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out, and if the writers are thinking along the same warped (but fun!) lines as I am.
Other things worth mentioning:
I’m still not buying this whole season. Maybe its just because the first 13 episodes were damn near perfect, or maybe its the dynamic disrupted by Sophie being gone. But its just not working for me.
*POST AUTHOR*
I agree it’s not quite up to snuff, but hang in there, because I do think the rest of this season promises to be great. I still think there’s something there with Sophie, and I know Maggie and Sterling will be guest-starring at some point, so I’m hopeful we’re going to end on a very, very high note. Besides, it’s still better than 90% of what’s on TV right now. :-)
How many episodes are we getting in this part of the season? I hope it isn’t going to be like The Closer and only be three episodes with a long break until summer.
Of the group Sophie is my least favorite (I love them all so this is not an insult to her) but I do hope she is back soon. I am trying to reserve judgment on Tara but I am picking up some kind of ulterior motive vibe from her and it colors my impression of her. Maybe that is how we are supposed to feel about her?
*POST AUTHOR*
I know that season 2 got picked up for 15 episodes, and this was the 10th. I would think they’d show them all consecutively and finish out the season, which means we’d have 5 more weeks.
I’m really hoping that vibe from Tara is b/c she and Sophie are in on something together.
No no no no no no no. Awful.
I agree with Ivey in that the first season was SO good that everything else after has just fallen on its face. The writing is terrible, the plots are ridiculous, and the group is once again acting like The A-Team.
It’s become schlocky and predictable. DVR set to delete.
I agree with the others who are no longer impressed. The writers have completely lost the sophisticated cons from season 1 and replaced them with over the top schlock. Con men every where are cringing! I’ll hang in there until Sterling shows up, but after that…
I’ve seen the next episode too, and while its better, I still think its not in the same ballpark.
*POST AUTHOR*
Agree, on both counts.