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- Review--Leverage: The Future Job
Review--Leverage: The Future Job
- By Mara Greengrass
- Published 02/17/2010
- Television
- Unrated
Mara Greengrass
I'm a 30-something work-at-home mom. I divide my time between working as a freelance writer/editor, taking care of my husband and kids, and various fannish pursuits.
In my past life, I was a writer, editor, PR flunky, administrative assistant, and archaeologist. (No, not at the same time.)
I'm thrilled that Leverage took on the John Edwards-type con men/scum and even happier that they did it with such style and character growth. "The Future Job" was yet another amazing episode. This show keeps getting better!
Let me start by saying that Luke Perry did a fabulous job as villain Dalton Rand. Even though I knew he was a con man and knew he wasn't sincere, when he was pretending to comfort the widow, my mind kept making excuses for him. And that snap when he switched off the charm and sincerity was almost physical. Seriously, kudos to Perry for making us understand why victims would believe him.
The team goes to check out what kinds of tricks Rand has up his sleeve...and the bastard gets Parker. I suspect most viewers probably sided with Alec on this one: "He should be shot."
Of course, to anyone who knows how cold reading works, it was pretty much the most obvious cold reading in the entire universe...but Parker doesn't know how it works, does she? She's bad at reading people at the best of times and she's not a con artist anyway. She's a stone cold thief and she's never needed to learn the tricks the others know about as a matter of course. What an interesting side to Parker.
I was almost in tears myself when I realized that Parker had gone back to Nate's place rather than wherever she lives.
Her safe space is there, by the couches, where the team meets. Oh, Parker. And the way everyone gathered around her was beautiful. This isn't a hugging crowd with Sophie gone, but they were there, they spoke softly so as not to scare her, and they explained everything.
The best part, of course, was Eliot's stuttering offer to go kill Rand for her. What a great big brother moment that was. Nobody messes with my baby sister but me, damn it.
Unfortunately, Nate nixes killing the guy, but there's no question that the team is going to see this one through. The bottom line is that Rand made Parker cry...and he was going to pay.
I wasn't expecting the team's next move, which is why it made it so effective when Rand encountered Tara as Bethany the New Agey psychic. Tara was perfect with her "How may the spirits serve you today?" line of bull. (Scar, huh? I wonder if we'll ever find out what that was about?)
But really, was there anything better than Hardison disbelieving that Nate electrocuted Rand? And Nate's little smirking "Yes, it helped sell the bit"? (Bonus points for Eliot pointing out that "No, Parker approving is not a good thing.")
I loved the way the team made Tara's gibberish come true and even Rand couldn't figure out how he'd been conned and was starting to believe her. And when I realized he'd just put her in charge of the behind-the-scenes stuff, I think I actually squealed with glee.
Let me start by saying that Luke Perry did a fabulous job as villain Dalton Rand. Even though I knew he was a con man and knew he wasn't sincere, when he was pretending to comfort the widow, my mind kept making excuses for him. And that snap when he switched off the charm and sincerity was almost physical. Seriously, kudos to Perry for making us understand why victims would believe him.
The team goes to check out what kinds of tricks Rand has up his sleeve...and the bastard gets Parker. I suspect most viewers probably sided with Alec on this one: "He should be shot."
Of course, to anyone who knows how cold reading works, it was pretty much the most obvious cold reading in the entire universe...but Parker doesn't know how it works, does she? She's bad at reading people at the best of times and she's not a con artist anyway. She's a stone cold thief and she's never needed to learn the tricks the others know about as a matter of course. What an interesting side to Parker.
I was almost in tears myself when I realized that Parker had gone back to Nate's place rather than wherever she lives.
The best part, of course, was Eliot's stuttering offer to go kill Rand for her. What a great big brother moment that was. Nobody messes with my baby sister but me, damn it.
Unfortunately, Nate nixes killing the guy, but there's no question that the team is going to see this one through. The bottom line is that Rand made Parker cry...and he was going to pay.
I wasn't expecting the team's next move, which is why it made it so effective when Rand encountered Tara as Bethany the New Agey psychic. Tara was perfect with her "How may the spirits serve you today?" line of bull. (Scar, huh? I wonder if we'll ever find out what that was about?)
But really, was there anything better than Hardison disbelieving that Nate electrocuted Rand? And Nate's little smirking "Yes, it helped sell the bit"? (Bonus points for Eliot pointing out that "No, Parker approving is not a good thing.")
I loved the way the team made Tara's gibberish come true and even Rand couldn't figure out how he'd been conned and was starting to believe her. And when I realized he'd just put her in charge of the behind-the-scenes stuff, I think I actually squealed with glee.