S01.E16: The Harry Wilson Job

[tessaray]

The team has to infiltrate the shadowy R.I.Z. to stop it from unleashing a worm that can take down the entire electrical grid, and they must use Harry to do it.

Original air date: October 8, 2021

[Prevailing Wind]

Well, that was fun. Now I have to wait & read what everybody else has to say & then rewatch the last 8 episodes. I'm glad they left the door open for more.

[SnapHappy]

YAY!!!  We finally got the whole team!  I LOVED the whole "recap" between Sophie and R.I.Z. bitch.   Those always clear up any little bits I miss or that are confusing.  

And a drone!  

I loved that Parker measured Eliot's head for a robot body.....*ROFL*

So much happy, I'm going to have to re-watch next weekend.  

 

[Llywela]

Man. I was planning to pace myself, watch one episode a day, make it last all week. And then the arc kicked in and that was it, I just mainlined the whole back half of the season. So much fun. I loved what they did with the characters and their stories, always moving forward. I was dubious about this revival going in, but I'm so glad we have it. 

Edited October 11, 2021 by Llywela

[P2C2E]

Don't mind me, I'm just over here grinning wildly about my OT3.

 

[Claire85]

What a great finale! Damn it Hardison, welcome back! Jumping off buildings! Wooo! 

[Llywela]

On 10/12/2021 at 12:49 AM, P2C2E said:

Don't mind me, I'm just over here grinning wildly about my OT3.

 

I'm glad, since a lot of the die-hard OT3 shippers on Tumblr are up in arms. I think nothing less than seeing the three characters in bed together (and definitely no outside romance for Eliot) would have satisfied them!

[Maelstrom]

Great episode and a great finale for the season. Here's hoping we get another! I really wasn't sure about a reboot when I first about heard this, and even more so after Noah Wyle was cast since I didn't care for him on Librarians. But this season has proven me wrong and I couldn't be happier about it. Original Leverage is one of my very favorite shows, so for it to not only come back but come back even stronger than before is just amazing luck. Yay Leverage!

Hardison's back!!! Really, that was all I needed to make me happy. Harry and Breanna have been good additions to the cast and the show has done a better job than most would have to keep Hardison present and alive despite being offscreen (frequent mentions, texts, etc) but Leverage just isn't the same without Hardison. And his orange soda! He had a bottle at the end. 🥰 We even got to see him getting shoved out of a building (I think he was the only one who didn't see it coming). And best of all... Hardison and Eliot hugging it out - I loved that Sophie knew they were ones with abandonment issues to work out, not Parker and Hardison as would be typical. There is just such magic between the original crew, it's so wonderful to see that they still have it on screen and off after all these years.

I'd figured that Harry hadn't turned back to the dark side but was working his own game on RIZ. Breanna realizing that Parker really intended to kill Harry was a tough but necessary awakening for her - she's seen the fun and games of the Leverage crew, but when shit gets serious they don't mess around.

I loved that everyone's special skill set came into play, but with a twist - they're no longer pigeonholed into their 'roles' like they were when the crew first came together. Sophie's entire conversation with RIZ (I've forgotten the character's name) was a masterpiece of manipulation worthy of a Sherlock and Moriarty confrontation. RIZ's line about "We don't manipulate the system, we are the system" perfectly sums up why this reboot is so timely and so needed in this increasingly insane world. I saw that John Rogers (co-creator and show runner of the original) co-wrote this one, and man, no one gets these character better than him.

Poor Eliot finally opens up to someone and gets shut down! 😢 I was hoping he could finally find a little bit of happiness, mostly because in order for him to open up to anyone else he would have finally reached some amount of self-acceptance and forgiveness toward his own past. Seriously hoping we get more of this show, and maybe Eliot can have another chance.

Agents McSweetin and Taggert got promoted! Undoubtedly due to our crew. 😉 They were on my shortlist of characters I'd hoped to see this season (happy to see Hurley again, would have loved to have seen Tara).

Random goodness that I loved: Parker's obsession with puppets getting another mention; Parker's plans for herself, Hardison and Eliot to get robot bodies after their deaths ("well, if you've already measured my head")(won't lie, this gave me a Golden Girls flashback for sec 🤣); Parker comparing Eliot to bear traps (she makes a decent point); Eliot getting a $300 haircut (no wonder his hair always looks amazing); Sophie's utter dismay at the mounds of paperwork required of the mastermind; Parker's entire conversation to Hardison and Eliot about how she was sad but now isn't, and that Past Parker is dead and dies over and over.

"Don't let Eliot fight in darkness if you want to live." Exactly what I was thinking!

I loved this one and clearly I'm no more coherent about it now than I was when I finished it the other day. Now to see how long I can hold out before I start rewatching them all over again. Here's hoping to another season of Leveragey goodness - let's go steal a season 2!

[Mabinogia]

I have purposely been hiding the credits in the beginning in case they showed Aldis Hodge's name because I remember an ep of Lost where a "surprise" character wasn't a surprise because the actor insisted on being in the credits, so I was SO excited when they hinted that Hardison was back, then to see him! I literally shouted (my poor neighbor). 

I am heartbroken that the season is over. Maybe shouldn't have stuck to my original one a day plan, but I couldn't. This show was my happy place this week and I want to thank everyone involved for coming back to us. 

The Sophie Riz Lady standoff was a masterpiece. This is one of the most "hell yeah!" shows out there. 

I hope the show comes back and I hope Harry comes back with it. I have to admit, I thought he and Sophie had way more chemistry than her and Nate ever did. Chemistry is suck a funny thing, isn't it? We each have our own standard. Original run I shipped her and Elliot. I always have and always will ship Hardison and Parker though. They are one of my all time favorite pairings. They just work. 

I am sad for poor Elliot. It just wasn't going to work because either he had to keep lying to her or she had to compromise being a Marshal which seemed to be a huge part of who she is. The nice thing is, that is a legitimate reason for them to break up. Not some stupid understanding, not "you lied to me, how can I trust you", not some random made up reason that most shows would do just to cause angst. 

I have to say, though, as much as I love this show, it also makes me extremely conspiracy theorist paranoid and chills me to the bone. Riz is some next level evil. 

[Hanahope]

seemed a bit complicated, these last two episodes, but overall pretty good.  I hope the team returns for another season.

I really missed Hardison.  Breanna is good, but Aldis Hodge is such a great part of this cast.  

Lol on letting Elliot Spencer have 60 seconds in the dark.

[AnimeMania]

I thought this was the best episode of the season with a plot and production values worthy of being on Network TV. Before this, my favorite was "The Hurricane Job".

Did anyone else think that the server should have had a very large cable for the power supply that would have been difficult to remove. Also the size of the server seemed to change as they showed it being carried off by the drone. How did they know which server to take and how did the power return to the city if the server's integrity had been compromised during the blackout?

I liked that Harry felt confident enough to run his own sting and wasn't intimidated by R.I.Z.

[DearEvette]

Can I just say I frickin' loved that entire robot body conversation between Parker, Hardison and Elliot?  Parker and Hardison had their march to immortality it all planned out.  So much so that Elliot's feeble protests were largely ignored because it was a done deal. And of course he caved.  These three are perfect.  Also Hardison and Parker trying to commiserate with Elliot on his failed relationship.  What did Hardison call him "little skipper?"

And I agree with everyone, Sophie and the Bligh's spy vs spy conversation was delicious.  Just delicious!

Also very proud of Harry's foray into his own con.  The desk! I should have realized the desk was significant.  You don't mention it 3 times without it being important.

So many little funny parts:

Elliot being offended that guard git an apple fritter instead of a bear claw

Hardison's selection of animal magazines he sent to Harry

Parker's commitment to killing that Ethan guy with fire

Parker: "Fire fixes everything"

Sophie: "If Ethan mysteriously dies.."

Parker: "...in a fire"

Elliot: 'Or he can go head first down a staircase"

Parker '..while on fire"

This was such a good episode and a finale to the season and that whole final act starting with Sophie and Bligh's stand off and ending with our team handing her her ass was great.  I hope it comes back.

Edited October 15, 2021 by DearEvette

[Mabinogia]

1 hour ago, DearEvette said:

This was such a good episode and a finale to the season and that whole final act starting with Sophie and Bligh's stand off and ending with our team handing her her ass was great.

Sophie's swagger was just perfect. She let Bligh act all superior and just sat there knowing full well Bligh was going down. Then she does her scenario, and from a production POV I love how it was filmed/narrated. Beautifully done. This show really is the total package. It's got great writing, fun dialog, lots of call backs, fan appreciation (rather than fan service), the perfect cast (they really work so well together) and really slick production. But back to that stand off, Sophie just getting up and leaving like "yeah, bitch, try to stop me" was perfect. You just don't give Elliot any time to fight, dark or light. Speaking of, I loved the lighting of that fight scene, Elliot with a torch in each hand beating the baddies with them was great. I usually hate fight scenes, but with Elliot I never seem to mind. Must be the $300 hair cut. lol

[Lugal]

2 hours ago, DearEvette said:

Hardison's selection of animal magazines he sent to Harry

"Pony Lovers?"

"That is not what we thought it was!"

Note to Bligh: when the person you've captured knows you plan to kill them and they're still not scared, you should be.  "You didn't really think it was a good idea to give Elliot Spencer 60 seconds in the dark did you?"

[DearEvette]

Sophie had so many killer lines in her convo with Bligh.  I loved the 'You were so concerned about the lion at your door that you missed the mouse in your walls."  Cut to Breanna coming out of a wall.

Sigh.  So good.

[Abra]

And I've finally finished the last episode. For now, I hope - I dearly hope this revival continues. I love the whole Redemption cast (I'm of course including Hardison, even though he's billed as a guest star now) and I want to see what happens with all of them working together in the future.

I'm kind of happy they ended the Eliot/Maria relationship - they had actual negative chemistry together, it was awkward. At least Eliot's hopefully open to trying relationships in the future if he finds the right person. (Or just being with Parker and Hardison in their robot bodies, which is one of the best onscreen conversations I've ever seen anywhere. )

And maybe even Sophie will be ready for that soon, although of course the removal of her engagement/wedding rings could really just be moving on from her grief. She may not want a relationship again.

At any rate, if the Amazon/IMDb people read forums in addition to looking at numbers to decide about investing in future seasons, please put me down as a Yes.

 

[SnoGirl]

Gah. Elliott, Parker and Hardison are pure magic. Like, they might be my favorite trio ever, they literally sparkle together. I really hope Hardison is around more next season, the episodes he was in were so much better. I could also really tell Jon Rogers wrote this episode too.

Hardison having just enough time to change the code?? *chefs kiss*

I love Sophie. She has delightfully stepped right into the Mastermind role and I LOVE IT for her. And damn, Harry better be back because this episode had me on the shipping train hard.

I will take any more seasons Leverage has to give. Definitely my favorite show and one, I feel, that is needed in today’s world. I wish they would do commentary’s for the shows, I’d love to hear what true life story they borrow bad guy stories from.

[Prevailing Wind]

I'm reading this while I have PlutoTV on, "watching" American's Test Kitchen. Pluto just ran an ad for Leverage: Redemption.  LOL

[quarks]

Bring on another season.

Only this time, without the ads for fake eggs, which were considerably worse than the awkward Benjamin Moore product placement bit. 

[Maelstrom]

The Benjamin Moore product placement didn't bother me too much, because of course Eliot is particular about what kind of paint should be used on old wood ("it's a very distinctive paint!" he didn't say it but you know he was thinking it) but the fake eggs have to go. Just no.

[Abra]

24 minutes ago, Maelstrom said:

but the fake eggs have to go.

Okay someone please point out the fake eggs to me. When I first heard them mentioned I think I assumed someone was talking about the ad breaks, which I don't pay attention to. I noticed the BM paint in this episode, and just now I suddenly remembered the incredibly clunky car ads in the script from the OG series (I seriously must have blocked those out). But when did the show have fake eggs?

[rainsmom]

3 minutes ago, Abra said:

Okay someone please point out the fake eggs to me. When I first heard them mentioned I think I assumed someone was talking about the ad breaks, which I don't pay attention to. I noticed the BM paint in this episode, and just now I suddenly remembered the incredibly clunky car ads in the script from the OG series (I seriously must have blocked those out). But when did the show have fake eggs?

It wasn't the show -- it was the painfully repetitive ad breaks.

[Abra]

5 hours ago, rainsmom said:

It wasn't the show -- it was the painfully repetitive ad breaks.

Luckily I paid little to no attention to the ads. My ADHD worked in my favor.

[DoctorAtomic]

JB Smoove was doing the narration for the eggs though, and I love that guy on Curb. 

Wow forethought on the supply chain issue. 

Good on Eliot to call out on the problem with shutting the entire grid. I was saying the same thing. 

When Parker was doing her weird squirrel voice the first time, Eliot pinched his nose and covered his mouth; it looked like Kane was losing it. 

I have a hard time believing that servers of that magnitude, in terms of data, wouldn't have uninterrupted 

I liked how Harry got locked in and decided to just have a drink. 

Please tell me someone else noticed Breanna's anime landing when she popped down from the vent. 

I don't know if anyone heard about this, but last year, I remember reading how bitcoin was unhackable, and a bunch of thieves just handtrucked the servers away. It might have been in Denmark. I was kind of hoping they'd just steal them outright. 

Well, the actors all seemed to have plenty in the tank to jump into these characters again. I do hope there's more show to come. I think Harry being a lawyer again actually expands the plot opportunities. Great job all around. 

Edited October 24, 2021 by DoctorAtomic

[blueray]

On 10/10/2021 at 6:21 PM, SnapHappy said:

YAY!!!  We finally got the whole team!  I LOVED the whole "recap" between Sophie and R.I.Z. bitch.   Those always clear up any little bits I miss or that are confusing.  

I love how they did it in this episode. By having it be Sophie "telling" and showing us what happened while it happened. I knew it was going to result in them jumping out the window. And when she was talking about the people she didn't count Hardison.

I figured that Harry didn't betray them but thought he just got in way over his head. Which I guess was the case but he was uncover. I was glad that they had him show how much he had learn over the months of working with them. I love the reveal of Hardison when they thought they were made. It was kind of sad that Elliot and the Maria broke up. But I suppose she couldn't look past what he did for a living. Of course when the grid went out, how does fell when she knew she had a tip about it and didn't act on it. 

Overall, I loved this season and hope we do get more. It's good that they left it open at the end, with Sophie formally rejoining. The team being back together at the end and Bianna still being there.

[chaifan]

On 10/15/2021 at 5:35 PM, DearEvette said:

Also very proud of Harry's foray into his own con.  The desk! I should have realized the desk was significant.  You don't mention it 3 times without it being important.

 

I knew the desk would figure in somehow.  But I was guessing there would be a secret hiding compartment for Parker.  A desk is just a box on legs, and a box is just a movable air duct, you know. 😁

Great finale, to a great season.  I always enjoyed Leverage, but mostly caught it in reruns/syndication, so I know I haven't seen all the original episodes.  I think this season, especially the second 1/2, is actually better than the original.  While I really missed Hardison (I love Aldis Hodge!) I didn't miss Nathan.  Not one bit.  I never really liked him in the original.  I think the show is better without him.  It took a while to warm up to Harry, and I think they teased some mystery about his past that never really came to be. 

If they come back with a second season, I'd like to see Harry and Sophie have a real date.  If he's not a part of the official team, I think it would work.  But it doesn't have to be a full blown relationship, just a date or two would be nice.  Or maybe just a friends with benefits arrangement.  I think they could both use that.  😉  Also, I think they could make Eliot and Maria work - one of the high up Feds lets her know that the Feds know all about the Leverage crew, and their satellite offices, and allow them to run "outside the law" because they do things the Feds can't and they're "the good guys" now.  So it's all a wink and a nod type of stuff where the Feds purposely turn a blind eye to the crew.  That gives Maria the ability to date Eliot without a conflict of interest. 

I suppose I need to find the original series somewhere on streaming, and make that part of my winter watchlist. 

 

 

[DoctorAtomic]

On 10/25/2021 at 7:05 PM, blueray said:

Of course when the grid went out, how does fell when she knew she had a tip about it and didn't act on it. 

Or when Leverage unraveled how insidious RIZ was and Ethan's involvement in blowing up the rig. 

On 10/30/2021 at 9:30 PM, chaifan said:

So it's all a wink and a nod type of stuff where the Feds purposely turn a blind eye to the crew. 

To my point, not to be cynical, but how would NSA, for example, subcontracting out to Leverage be any different than a Blackwater irl? Just generally speaking. They're only on the other side of the law until they aren't. 

 

[Johannah]

I could quote everyone's posts, so just pretend  I did.  Love, love LOVE this show!

A couple extra things, that if mentioned, I missed:

"Come with me if you want to live."  'I'll be back' was never so satisfying as Hardison coming back.

Sophie in the white suit was GORGEOUS.

"That was a long 60 seconds."   -- YES!  ... every time a show/movie takes 20 minutes to countdown a 60 second bomb!  I realize they were showing us things that were happening simultaneously, so not bad in this case,  but it is one of those things I sometimes watch - when a bomb has to be diffused in 10 seconds, there are no cut-screens and I've already counted out 20 seconds.  I thought the writers were validating all of us.  Next season someone will remark how you don't identify yourself to a criminal from across the street.  "FBI!  Wait, don't run!  Oh, okay, I'll chase you..."

There will be a next season, right?

 

[Mabinogia]

18 minutes ago, Johann said:

"That was a long 60 seconds."   -- YES!  ... every time a show/movie takes 20 minutes to countdown a 60 second bomb! 

So true. It was a nice subtle jab at that particular cinematic quirk. I hope it was intentional because if so, it was brilliant. If not, it was still perfect. 

19 minutes ago, Johann said:

"Come with me if you want to live."  'I'll be back' was never so satisfying as Hardison coming back.

Hardison showing up was one of the greatest moment of tv ever! I always knew I loved Hardison but didn't realize just how much until I realized he was back. I screamed a big old "yes" did a fist pump into the air and clapped like a weirdly excited clown. 

[judyri]

I loved the big Canadian desk with all the paper trail hidden inside.   Former librarian, I love the power of the printed word on paper!  And I loved Harry's remark about how young people overlook paper!

[LisaM]

Fabulous episode! Sophie's 60 second countdown with the RIZ head was gold. When Hardison first popped up, I yelled like an idiot. So glad that Sophie decided to stay and lead the team. She has great chemistry with Harry, who I assume will still be with the team next season. 

[Zaffy]

Finally, a revival that was GOOD. Actually, I think it was even better than the already great original Leverage series. And I did not expect that.
I really enjoyed this episode and overall the whole series.  I love these characters and the addition of Breanna was pure gold, kudos to the casting crew. Everyone seemed to have so much fun.
Great news that it was renewed for another season. Can't wait.
Thank you Leverage.

[Mabinogia]

6 minutes ago, Zaffy said:

Finally, a revival that was GOOD.

yeah, I was so worried that I'd have my hopes up too high for it, but I really, really enjoyed this season, and even more than I enjoyed the original run to be honest. I just prefer Harry to Nate, though I really, REALLY missed Hardison and hope that he can play a larger role next season. If they have to wait a few months to film to get Aldis I say wait, he's worth it. I really liked Brianna. 

It was wonderful to not be let down by this. I've been let down a lot in the past couple years by shows so I'm very grateful that this one managed to nail it. 

[andromeda331]

I love Sophie showing the head of RIZ how awesome she and the team is. Sophie just sits there and tells her how it's going to happen and it does. I love that she realized this was her stage. It really is. 

[aradia22]

I thought everyone on the oil rig died. They were careful about showing us those five actors; I recognize each of them.

"Fire fixes everything." "Yes, I do. I want to kill a lot of people, all the time. I just don't." I love Parker

I appreciated the two month time jump, though I kind of wish this was one of those jobs where they called in a backup squad. Hard to believe RIZ can't identify their faces and that they even got that far into the building. That was a HUGE risk. Given that they're supposed to have all these teams, this would have been the episode to bring in guest actors. They didn't even put a temporary wrap on the food truck? 

I was worried they were going to know Harry was infiltrating RIZ, so I'm glad they stuck to him really going undercover on his own. And it was the perfect time for Hardison to show up again.

Giggled at Pony Fans. Aldis even makes the dumb jokes work.

Well, they managed to keep Maria for a season.

Harry was lucky RIZ didn't shoot him immediately. 

She wasn't that exciting of an actress but I think they did a decent job with the Big Bad from RIZ. Finally a character who has earned an evil villain monologue.

The blackout was good cover for meh special effects. Though I still saw every bit of texture on everyone's skin... pores, wrinkles, everything.

What kind of magical drone could carry a server that size? They can't just get a helicopter or something?

I know Harry will be back but it makes sense for him to focus on being a dad. I hope that doesn't get lost in season 2 even if he can't quite return to civilian life.

[aradia22]

Quote

I really hope Hardison is around more next season, the episodes he was in were so much better. I could also really tell Jon Rogers wrote this episode too.

Yes. And yes. The quality of the episodes has really varied but this one had a much larger share of that old magic. 

Quote

"That was a long 60 seconds."

It was taking so long I truly thought part of their plan was to extend the blackout and somehow make them look foolish by showing they'd lost control of their own security.