Leverage Classic - Past Seasons Discussion

[fastiller]

20 hours ago, MargeGunderson said:

Leverage is my go-to show. I just finished my 3rd watch of the entire series. I would love a few TV movies, maybe some special cases that require them to get back together.

One thing I noticed this time is how Parker really learns from everyone, but especially Nate. It made total sense to me that she would take on the mastermind role. 

They really were great with two separate things that most/many TV shows get wrong-ish:

• Growth of the characters - Parker's a great example, and so is Nate: he really grew into the person that was willing to give the running of Leverage to Parker.
• Continuity of the characters.  This one was illustrated well with Eliot and how consistently he took his role as team 'protector' to heart.

41 minutes ago, scriggle said:

I just finished rewatching the entire series with the commentaries.  I have to say the Leverage commentaries have spoiled me for all others.

For serious!  They did Fan Service like no other program I can remember: commentaries on the DVDs, Rogers's Kung Fu Monkey site.

Edited July 8, 2016 by fastiller

[kassygreene]

I really enjoyed Kung Fu Monkey, and I am still sad that John Rogers just abandoned it.  It's like a really good fanfic left as a work in progress, something I've loathed for two decades now (Totally Off Topic: Scully in Paradise, an X-File/Magnum P.I. crossover in which early Scully quits or is forced out of the FBI and winds up taking over Magnum's position at Robin's Nest, tragically abandoned after ten or eleven chapters.) 

Don't know where JR went online with his stuff, but I did enjoy reading it.

[Julia]

I think maybe fans are a bit more... ambivalent? about Librarians than they were about Leverage.

[netlyon2]

^^^^ This fan definitely is.

[Julia]

46 minutes ago, netlyon2 said:

^^^^ This fan definitely is.

And based on the episode where Parker came back as a goddess to tell us how totally more awesome than everyone thinks manic pixie traitor math girl is, I'm going to guess we're not alone.

[kassygreene]

My problem with The Librarians is, I think, a fairly common one: too much Flynn, not nearly enough new Librarians.

When this series was announced (Christian Kane!), I found the three movies and watched them.  Tried to, actually.  I don't know if the writing didn't quite make it, or Noah Wyle just vacuumed up all the possibilities of joy and stashed 'em in a black hole, but...  it had all sorts of elements I expected to like, and instead it added up to something I've no desire to re-watch.  The series, however, sans Wyle, is consistently enjoyable.  When does season 3 premiere, TNT?  The Fall of 2016 is rapidly approaching.

[scriggle]

3 hours ago, kassygreene said:

I really enjoyed Kung Fu Monkey, and I am still sad that John Rogers just abandoned it.  It's like a really good fanfic left as a work in progress, something I've loathed for two decades now (Totally Off Topic: Scully in Paradise, an X-File/Magnum P.I. crossover in which early Scully quits or is forced out of the FBI and winds up taking over Magnum's position at Robin's Nest, tragically abandoned after ten or eleven chapters.) 

Don't know where JR went online with his stuff, but I did enjoy reading it.

I loved Kung Fu Monkey.  I still go back and read it from time to time.  I know JR is on twitter.

26 minutes ago, kassygreene said:

My problem with The Librarians is, I think, a fairly common one: too much Flynn, not nearly enough new Librarians.

When this series was announced (Christian Kane!), I found the three movies and watched them.  Tried to, actually.  I don't know if the writing didn't quite make it, or Noah Wyle just vacuumed up all the possibilities of joy and stashed 'em in a black hole, but...  it had all sorts of elements I expected to like, and instead it added up to something I've no desire to re-watch.  The series, however, sans Wyle, is consistently enjoyable.  When does season 3 premiere, TNT?  The Fall of 2016 is rapidly approaching.

Yeah, Wyle just sucks all the air out of any ep he's in with all the scenery chewing. I'm really fearing what will happen in S3 as Wyle's no longer has Falling Skies and instead will be in more eps.

[roseha]

I *love* The Hot Potato Job, especially the part when Nate and Hardison make friends with the kid Trevor, and he ends up sneaking the potato out of the building.

Parker:  "The diamond's in the potato?"

It's great seeing this show in reruns, because I think some of them I only saw first run and it's great to revisit them.

[andromeda331]

On ‎7‎/‎13‎/‎2016 at 8:11 PM, roseha said:

I *love* The Hot Potato Job, especially the part when Nate and Hardison make friends with the kid Trevor, and he ends up sneaking the potato out of the building.

Parker:  "The diamond's in the potato?"

It's great seeing this show in reruns, because I think some of them I only saw first run and it's great to revisit them.

I also love Nate asking why he had a cellphone and Trevor answers its in case he got kidnapped or something. And Elliot asking about the voice Sophie was using and if she was doing him.

Edited July 15, 2016 by andromeda331

[fastiller]

Dean Devlin on ‘Stargate’ Reboot: ‘It’s to Let Us Finish Telling Our Story’

[Hanahope]

I didn't realize Dean Devlin was part of the Stargate movie.  I loved the whole franchise, movie to television series (even Stargate Universe, though it certainly had its problems).  I'm looking forward to seeing these new movies.

[Rinaldo]

Heh, I'm old enough that my first image when I hear the name Dean Devlin is of his early days as a striking young actor on L.A. Law and Hard Copy.

[saber5055]

My Sundays are all Leverage all the time. I've seen each episode several times, but I never get tired of seeing every one of them again. And again. ION Sundays are the best, since Leverage is the best viewed one after the other. I freaked when ION went to Bond Sundays. The heck? But now Leverage is back and my life balance is restored. I noticed Elliot's hair cut/not cut too, and just guessed he was shooting that other show he was on. Whatever Elliot does is okay with me since he's my tv boyfriend.

Edited July 15, 2016 by saber5055

[Gigi43]

On 7/13/2016 at 10:11 PM, roseha said:

I *love* The Hot Potato Job, especially the part when Nate and Hardison make friends with the kid Trevor, and he ends up sneaking the potato out of the building.

Parker:  "The diamond's in the potato?"

It's great seeing this show in reruns, because I think some of them I only saw first run and it's great to revisit them.

 

I love that episode too, It's also notable for me that in the later episode where Nate is explaining how the CEO being saved related to Latimere, Parker remarks "I liked that potato."

 

I love Christian Kane's haircut in season 5. Sometimes it just looked either too straightened (season 3 was the worst) or too frizzed. Since Eliot was a fighter it didn't make sense to have all the hair, too, I'd think that would be problematic. The Rundown Job could have ended up being a bad episode plot-wise, and I'd still like it upon seeing the haircut.

[Christina]

On 7/15/2016 at 10:03 AM, Rinaldo said:

Heh, I'm old enough that my first image when I hear the name Dean Devlin is of his early days as a striking young actor on L.A. Law and Hard Copy.

Real Genius for me. I found the DVD in a bargain bin in my grocery store, of all places, about five years ago. My 5-year-old niece stole it from my house, took it home, and made my sister play it over and over so much that she almost began to miss The Little Mermaid. That is a movie that holds up over time. She also stole one of my Pepsi's. I eventually got my movie back when my mom bought her one for Christmas, but never saw that Pepsi again. sigh...

I bought all of the Leverage DVDs and let my nephew watch them, and he then borrowed them and they also played non-stop on her house. She didn't have cable for awhile, and where we live that means no television, and they played videos for entertainment. All of her family plus everyone that happened to stop by loved Leverage, with several of her in-laws become fans of the show. It's another show that holds up to the tests of time and generations, that all family members can enjoy, and I miss it.

ETA: I'm glad that they didn't drag it out so long that the story lines started repeating and were able to end on their own terms. There are many shows that needed to end gracefully at season 5 or 6, but didn't, and I wish we could get an annual movie out of Leverage, at least. Maybe a Christmas movie because I thoroughly enjoyed a cranky Eliot Santa Claus. Or the team takes on a ruthless Easter Bunny.

Edited July 16, 2016 by Christina
Added paragraph

[andromeda331]

Today Ion TV was back to season one The Mile High was on today its one of my favorites I never tire of hearing Parker's emergency instructions or scaring Marissa with all the ways she could die or Hardison just showing up at the office, conducting a meeting, gets them throw him a birthday party and firing himself at the end. Also, the Bank Job with the list of demands after a two second call. 

[Raingirlkm]

"And and etch-a-sketch, somebody in there likes to squiggle."

[andromeda331]

They also apparently wanted to tailgate and someone's overalls.

[fastiller]

Because it's so good in its entirety, here's the 'list of demands' - all given in that very short phone call (Hall & Oates? love that mention):

Quote

Now look, they have a list of demands. First off they want 12 large pizzas, one cheese, one Hawaiian extra pineapple, 2 pepperoni black olives, 2 meat lovers. Seriously, nobody's writing this down? Seriously? One Triple-Shot Half-Caff Moca Latte. Three of the latest copies of Hall & Oates CD. I know right, exciting stuff, I didn't know they were still coming out with a new one either. Um, we're gonna need some steaks people and a grill. Okay they need your overalls, I don't know why. We need some Kibbles 'n Bits. We need a Etch-A-Sketch, someone likes to squiggle. Possibly could we get some stuffed bears... Are we good? Let's go people.

Edited to add this:

Quote

Hardison: [to the deputy who acknowledged to Hall and Oates albums] You stay, we're gonna talk Hall and Oates.

Edited July 18, 2016 by fastiller

[spaceytraci1208]

I'm so glad I left a  marathon of this show on by happenstance a couple months ago...now I look forward to it every Sunday if I'm home (I was pissed about those Bond marathons we were stuck with for a few weeks lol). I love the ensemble cast, but I must admit to loving Hardison the most individually; he never fails to make me laugh out loud at least once per episode.  His friendship with Elliot and the way they banter is great.

[andromeda331]

6 hours ago, fastiller said:

Because it's so good in its entirety, here's the 'list of demands' - all given in that very short phone call (Hall & Oates? love that mention):

Edited to add this:

LOL! That list of demands is so hilarious.

2 hours ago, spaceytraci1208 said:

I'm so glad I left a  marathon of this show on by happenstance a couple months ago...now I look forward to it every Sunday if I'm home (I was pissed about those Bond marathons we were stuck with for a few weeks lol). I love the ensemble cast, but I must admit to loving Hardison the most individually; he never fails to make me laugh out loud at least once per episode.  His friendship with Elliot and the way they banter is great.

Its one of the few shows I watch that I love the entire cast. All five are really great and work really well together. 

[SSAHotchner]

On 7/3/2016 at 3:11 PM, Commando Cody said:

Did the Hot Potato Job seem odd to anyone else? Was there only one potato?

I love that episode. There was just one potato, can't remember why. Just love the way Nate and Hardison interact with the smart alec kid and then the end when he tries to tell all his friends on the bus what happened and the teacher thinks he's making it all up. 

[Raingirlkm]

Re: The Hot Potato Job.

From the Leverage wikia:

Quote

 

Emily Margold, developer of a nutrient rich potato that she plans to make available at no cost to poor families. Agricultural conglomerate VerdAgra is determined to buy, or steal, the potato from her in order to profit from it.

 

The reason they wanted that one potato is that potatoes grown from seed are unpredictable. From the North Dakota State University site:

Quote

Potatoes are mainly propagated by vegetative methods (cloning). Potato tubers have nodes or eyes from which the new growth begins. The new stems growing from each eye are called sprouts which giver rise to the new plant. Vegetative seed can be either a whole tuber or a cut tuber.

So all of one kind of potato, say Yukon gold, are descended from one potato plant. The potatoes are cut up for "seed" with each eye growing into a new plant producing the exact kind of potatoes. VerdAgra wanted control of her one potato to propagate it.

Edited July 27, 2016 by Raingirlkm
Because see and seed are not the same thing.

[fastiller]

Saw this on the show's Facebook page:

Quote

Responding to a fan's question of whether or not Christian Kane would ever grow his hair back. Dean Devlin replied "Yes. When we do the Leverage Movie."  ?

[andromeda331]

23 hours ago, fastiller said:

Saw this on the show's Facebook page:

Let's hope its soon. And movies. As in several movies.

[fastiller]

22 minutes ago, andromeda331 said:

Let's hope its soon. And movies. As in several movies.

I replied to him (it was a tweet; I don't expect a response) "from your Twitter account to the Flying Spaghetti  Monster's ears".

[Commando Cody]

I don't see a cast in other roles topic so I'll post it here.

I was watching the team choice awards and the two guys who are in the TV series Lethal Weapon were on stage. I know Damon Wayons but I didn't know who Clay Crawford was. Then I looked at him. It's Mr. Quinn. 

[SSAHotchner]

On 7/8/2016 at 5:11 PM, Julia said:

I think maybe fans are a bit more... ambivalent? about Librarians than they were about Leverage.

Just couldn't get into the Librarians and, for me, the team lacked the chemistry that the Leverage team had. 

[Commando Cody]

I still watch The Librarians, but I don't really like the cast. Except for Christian Kane it was a big miss. 

[andromeda331]

For me its Jones and Cassandra. I like Eve, I love Christian Kane, and John Larroquette. But its not the same as Leverage. Leverage I loved all five main characters immediately. They worked so well as a team and the Librarians I agree the chemistry just isn't there.

[lizzyp]

The Librarians has most of the elements, but then carries them to the extreme.  Cassandra is too much - too quirky, too wide eyed innocent.  Jones is too cocky, and too self centered.  Flynn is too hammy, etc.  I stopped at Flynn because when he's in The Library he takes over the entire episode, and that's all you see.  It feels like the others are considered pale substitutes and they 'make due' with those characters when the Amazing Flynn can't be there.  Even my mom watched one of the Flynn episodes (her first time watching) and thought it was a shame the other characters had so little to do.

I also feel like the characters in The Librarians were all based on the Leverage characters, then 'tweaked'.

[fastiller]

On 8/6/2016 at 5:38 PM, SSAHotchner said:

Just couldn't get into the Librarians and, for me, the team lacked the chemistry that the Leverage team had. 

I've repeatedly said that when they brought together the cast & crew of Leverage it was as if they caught lightning in a bottle.  I think that hitting that 'just-right' combo is very difficult & rare.  One other program that did it (for me) was Person of Interest.  I really can't think of any others but these two shows.

[lizzyp]

I'd still love to see Kane do a guest spot on the Lethal Weapon show as the Busey.

[SSAHotchner]

11 hours ago, fastiller said:

I've repeatedly said that when they brought together the cast & crew of Leverage it was as if they caught lightning in a bottle.  I think that hitting that 'just-right' combo is very difficult & rare.  One other program that did it (for me) was Person of Interest.  I really can't think of any others but these two shows.

Hill Street Blues, if you're old enough to remember it. 

[Rinaldo]

7 hours ago, SSAHotchner said:

Hill Street Blues, if you're old enough to remember it. 

Certainly. And Arrested Development -- as efforts to revive it, or new projects from the same creators, have shown. When elements come together and really work, it's a kind of miracle and can't be intentionally repeated.

[fastiller]

I don't know if Nashville was picked up by CMT (I heard rumors it would be): I really wanted Kane to do a guest spot on Nashville.  I think he'd've been a great guest for it.

[Hanahope]

On 8/8/2016 at 10:32 AM, lizzyp said:

 

The Librarians has most of the elements, but then carries them to the extreme.  Cassandra is too much - too quirky, too wide eyed innocent.  Jones is too cocky, and too self centered.  Flynn is too hammy, etc.  I stopped at Flynn because when he's in The Library he takes over the entire episode, and that's all you see.  It feels like the others are considered pale substitutes and they 'make due' with those characters when the Amazing Flynn can't be there.  Even my mom watched one of the Flynn episodes (her first time watching) and thought it was a shame the other characters had so little to do.

I also feel like the characters in The Librarians were all based on the Leverage characters, then 'tweaked'.

 

I suppose that Flynn is the Nate Ford character, but even though Ford was the "mastermind", he could not do everything, he needed the other's unique skills to pull off the cons.  However, Flynn seems to be able to do everything himself. The only thing he really can't do is be in several places as once, hence the need for others.  But really, they do seem to be merely placeholders.  Leverage did a much better job of highlighting each characters individual skills and how they all were needed, most of the time, to pull off the con.  Most episodes of Librarians really don't highlight Jones' thief skills or Cassandra's math skills in the same way.  And I'm still not really concrete on what Stone's skills are supposed to me.  We've been told art history, but that hasn't really been utilized that well either.  Nor, frankly, Eve's combat skills.  But it seemed like every Leverage episode well used Parker's thief, Hardison's hacking, Sophie's con, Elliot's fighting and Nate's planning.

[lizzyp]

4 hours ago, Hanahope said:

I suppose that Flynn is the Nate Ford character, but even though Ford was the "mastermind", he could not do everything, he needed the other's unique skills to pull off the cons.  However, Flynn seems to be able to do everything himself. The only thing he really can't do is be in several places as once, hence the need for others.  But really, they do seem to be merely placeholders.  Leverage did a much better job of highlighting each characters individual skills and how they all were needed, most of the time, to pull off the con.  Most episodes of Librarians really don't highlight Jones' thief skills or Cassandra's math skills in the same way.  And I'm still not really concrete on what Stone's skills are supposed to me.  We've been told art history, but that hasn't really been utilized that well either.  Nor, frankly, Eve's combat skills.  But it seemed like every Leverage episode well used Parker's thief, Hardison's hacking, Sophie's con, Elliot's fighting and Nate's planning.

Nate's little speech in the first episode set the entire tone for the series.

"You all know what you can do, but I know what you can all do" or something to that effect. It may have been right after he said "and I'm the one with the plan"

It sent a clear message that he knew their strengths and knew how to use those strengths to maximum advantage.  Flynn is resistant to using anyone's strengths to build a better team because he can't really see them as anything other than 'less than' him.

[Gigi43]

I'm not looking forward to more Flynn on The Librarians (and that kills me as someone who used to sneak ER on in my room way back when!) but I am hoping that since he will be on more his appearance won't be treated as "special" so it will be more balanced. In all of the Flynn episodes I just get so frustrated thinking how these producers/writers did the team dynamic so well on Leverage and they really drop the ball on that here. 

 

I made a post once in the Librarian's thread season one that Jones is the worst of Parker and Hardison and that hasn't gotten much better. Parker didn't know how to have positive feelings, we watched her evolve from having such a traumatic background, and Hardison may have been cocky but he had the most emotions in general, he worried about everyone, he spent his weekends making the outfits, was so freaking great with Parker's journey, the list goes on. The way Jones doesn't give a damn and is cocky isn't entertaining to me since that's pretty much all there is too him, though the video game episode was decent for his character.

Edited August 12, 2016 by Gigi43

[joanne3482]

ION reran the Broken Wing Job this weekend. That's easily my favorite episode since Parker is my favorite. 

[andromeda331]

5 hours ago, joanne3482 said:

ION reran the Broken Wing Job this weekend. That's easily my favorite episode since Parker is my favorite. 

Mine too. I loved watching Parker try to figure out how to do things on her own. And I loved when Amy asked her how long she was in the French prison and she answers in French "Not as long as they thought I'd be". And seeing little parts of the job the rest of the team was doing.

[fastiller]

Yesterday Dean Devlin tweeted about a new film project announcement coming shortly and in case you don't follow him if you're a Leverage fan you should be aware that the number of "Leverage (Leverage International) movie please" responses was very, very high.  I added at least one.  Still no announcement.  Fingers crossed!!

[fastiller]

No Leverage movie. Just an announcement that David Tennant will star in Devlin's upcoming film Bad Samaritan.

[lizzyp]

Rewatching The French Connnection Job, and 'Gar Slabdash- the 'n' is mostly silent' is quite possibly my favorite character note from all their aliases.  It is so perfect to that character. 

I've never quite figured out where the 'n' should be, though.  That's what makes it even funnier to me.

[Hanahope]

So, semi-Parker related.  Beth Reisgraf's stunt double, Jessie Graff, was the first woman to complete Stage 1 of the National Finals of American Ninja Warrior.  

[Gigi43]

On 8/25/2016 at 10:18 PM, fastiller said:

No Leverage movie. Just an announcement that David Tennant will star in Devlin's upcoming film Bad Samaritan.

 

 

The title sounds like seasons 4 & 5 of Person of Interest to me.

[Maelstrom]

On September 2, 2016 at 10:05 AM, lizzyp said:

Rewatching The French Connnection Job, and 'Gar Slabdash- the 'n' is mostly silent' is quite possibly my favorite character note from all their aliases.  It is so perfect to that character. 

I've never quite figured out where the 'n' should be, though.  That's what makes it even funnier to me.

I believe Rogers said over at KFM that it's spelled "Gnar" - I love how Nate feels compelled to add "and the N is silent" every single time :D

[lizzyp]

Ahhh.

Fantastic character, Gnar.  I snarfed my beverage when he said "Oh no, I don't get out of the tub for a cherimoya' the first time I saw that episode.    

[SSAHotchner]

On 9/2/2016 at 1:05 PM, lizzyp said:

Rewatching The French Connnection Job, and 'Gar Slabdash- the 'n' is mostly silent' is quite possibly my favorite character note from all their aliases.  It is so perfect to that character. 

I've never quite figured out where the 'n' should be, though.  That's what makes it even funnier to me.

I also like Jimmy Poppadocolis.

[fastiller]

1 hour ago, SSAHotchner said:

I also like Jimmy Poppadocolis.

Nitpicking here: it is Papadokalis.