Leverage – They have guns and manpower. We have a prop truck.

(Season 1, Episode 6 – “The Stork Job”)

After a bit of scheduling weirdness last week, the show  returned to the original episode order with a job that took the team to Belgrade. An odd mix of circumstances that included gun runners, orphans, and what appeared to be the set of a Sci Fi Original movie set the stage for a fun caper. And along the way, we got a couple more little peeks into the histories of the team. It made for what was, mostly, another very good episode.

Let’s start with some of the fun bits. It didn’t really get much play, and I don’t think anyone actually said the title of the movie out loud, but I laughed at everything about Howl Force. It’s a movie about NATO forces being attacked by werewolves! If that didn’t bring the Sci Fi Saturday to mind for you, I’m guessing you never saw SS Doomtrooper or Aztec Rex. I would totally buy that as a Sci Fi original, and most likely watch it.

So far in the series, Nate’s roles in the various cons have been the most suspect. It’s still early, and I’m willing to go with the idea that it’s a nod to the fact that being on this side of the game is new to him. That being said, his turn as the crazed director was probably my favorite Nate character so far. It was also a good spot for Sophie, both as the writer, and acting when it’s an act.

The initial setup at the Embassy didn’t work quite as well. Parker’s reluctant flirtation with Nicolas, and the resulting stabbing, was fun. But that whole back and forth between Nate and Sophie, right in the middle of the big moment, didn’t feel right. Out of the country, with the whole plan on the line, they’re better than that.

While we’re knocking off a couple points, I have to ask – did the whole orphan thing not make sense to anyone else? So, Irina managed to get $120,000 for Luca. Why would she not just give them the kid? I get that the orphanage was a cover for the gun operation, but at $120,000 a kid, why would they invite trouble? It wasn’t like they had a shortage of kids back at the warehouse. That sounds kind of mean, but from the perspective of a gun runner with ties to organized crime, it has to look like a solid side business.

It probably could have been handled better, but the orphans did lead us to a little more background on Parker and Hardison. Part of that actually caught me off guard. It was clear from the beginning, at HQ, that Parker was invested in the kids, so it came as something of a surprise when Hardison was the one demanding that they had to get them all. I was as sure about that being Parker’s role as I was that the fake guns would find their way into the crates.

In the end, of course, it did end up being her role, and that line about the prop truck came back to pay off. Hardison popping into the frame to blow up the building sealed the deal perfectly. Overall, it was a little rough around the edges, but ultimately, another fun hour. Finally, a few of my favorite quotes this week:

“How was I supposed to know it was a lesbian bar?” – Eliot, upon showing up at HQ all beaten up.

“I will make your tomato shiny.” - Parker, mangling Serbian(?). That joke with someone saying something ridiculous in a foreign language is an oldie, but a goodie.

“I like how you turned out.” - Hardison, sharing a moment with Parker. Is that pointing to the possibility of a romance in the future?

“A little more than a team.” – Both Parker and Hardison, for the line of the night. It gets right to what has become one of the strengths of the show. These characters have already come a long way from “The Nigerian Job.”

Clacked by Brett Love
on Jan 07, 2009 @ 12:03 EST5EDT