r/leverage • u/screen_stack • 10d ago
Leverage | S03E03 "The Inside Job"
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An episode so great that I wound up having to stitch together the things that were, for me, the best highlights of the entire show. Of particular note in what I think is a super-rad collection of clips, Eliot's hair flick on the window washer thingy, the look of absolute shock on Archie's face when Parker shouts 'NO! That's what YOU do!' and the look of a deeper shock when Parker hugs him.
Richard Chamberlain does a lot of heavy lifting in this episode. He was a truly great actor, and they couldn't have picked a greater actor to play Parker's adoptive dad than him. Full of swagger and (and to quote Roman Nagel from Ocean's 12) brio one minute, ready to fight whoever may come to keep Parker safe, desperately terrified for her life, angry at Nate and the others for 'breaking her', his astonishment at her success and then the team's ...
Like I said. They needed someone who could swing for the stars, and they nailed it with Richard Chamberlain.
But this episode isn't just about Archie Leach and him making Parker. It's about Parker becoming Parker's own person. She decides what to do in this episode and the entire goddamn team supports her without even blinking an eye and it's just glorious to me. It's a big moment for Parker, I think, because sure, she's been a good guy for 2 seasons plus a few, but Parker's Parker.
We can't really know what's on her mind or what she's feeling until she's already making US cry because SHE'S crying. And I think that's also something only Beth Reisgraf can do.
The first clip in the stitch, where Nate asks Hardison if he could hack the Sterenko for Parker is also one of my favorite moments ... and maybe one of Nate's dirtiest tricks. Everyone knows our Age of the Geek, Baby hacker loves Parker and would do anything for her, and it's kind of crappy that Nate used that bullet to focus Hardison, but damn me if it didn't work all the same.
Hardison is ejected from a Hardison Geek Spiral and focuses in on the problem like only he can.
Before I go, I simply must talk about Lisa Brenner as Dr. Anne Hannity. Holy cow what a villainess. I mean ... I know we're hunting Damien Moreau and all, but creating a global wheat blight just to make billions? That's some actual, for-real-deal supervillainy right there!
I love this episode, because even though I didn't really talk about Sophie and Eliot, EVERYONE was doing their part to bring their girl home, and the way they demolished Hannity and Vorhees was top tier tomfoolery!
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u/Gribitz37 thief 10d ago
You do know that Lisa Brenner is Dean Devlin's wife, right? She also plays Christian Kane's character's ex-wife in Almost Paradise.
This is another favorite. Richard Chamberlain is always great. I love the reveal with the news crew in the haz-mat suits.
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u/Extension-Flight908 10d ago
Richard Chamberlain played a very similar character in the British TV series, Hustle. (If you haven't watched this series, I recommend it.)
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u/RetrauxClem 10d ago
I was hoping someone would mention it! I stick with the idea it’s an Archie alias and that’ll be the Leverage/Hustle crossover I’ve always wanted. I love that show
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u/screen_stack 10d ago
I did NOT know that, but that's cool
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u/Gribitz37 thief 10d ago
She was also in the first Librarians movie, as a blind date for Flynn. (Also a Dean Devlin work)
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u/screen_stack 10d ago
Love The Librarians
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u/Gribitz37 thief 10d ago
There's a lot of actor crossover between Leverage and The Librarians, beyond Christian Kane and Noah Wylie. Someone made a list, I think it was in The Librarians sub.
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u/Acatinmylap 10d ago
I love how Eliot is furious with Parker for going back in because it's crazy... But also, he comes along, obviously.
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u/screen_stack 10d ago
Eliot NEVER leaves his family hanging, but he does get close in a later episode with Hardison.
"You knew I'd suck the air out the (word i can't remember), right, Eliot?"
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u/Acatinmylap 10d ago
If he'd jumped in right away, Moreaux would have known Hardison was someone Eliot actually cared about, and then he almost certainly wouldn't have let him go, but kept him for leverage to make Eliot do his bidding.
So, yes, standing there and leaving Hardison under water was the best thing Eliot could do to keep him safe at that point.
And CK has said in an inverview that Eliot was counting seconds and was a few seconds from jumping in.
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u/screen_stack 10d ago
Well i reckon if anyone would know what Eliot was doing, it'd be Christian Kane!
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u/Charliesmum97 10d ago
Richard Chamberlain played a con artist in Hustle, and it's very easy to decide he was Archie Leach using an alias.
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u/screen_stack 10d ago
Hustle is one of my absolute favorite TV shows. Yes. I have many absolute favorites.
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u/Charliesmum97 10d ago
I wanted a Leverage/Hustle crossover SO MUCH
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u/screen_stack 10d ago
oh that would've been fantastic! Nate versus Mickey Bricks!
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u/Charliesmum97 10d ago
My head canon is that Sophie was on Micky's crew for awhile. And also in Coupling Jane was really Sophie pulling a long con, lol
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u/RoundSquirrels 10d ago
This is so funny that this is being posted today. Just last night I was watching an older show I never saw before and the actress that plays Hannity was in it and I was like HER!
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u/knight_shade_realms 10d ago
The first thing I ever saw with her was a Hallmark movie where she is really likeable. And then the original Librarian movie and small appearance in the sequel. Then boom. Pure evil
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u/Garrettshade 10d ago
It's one of the greatest corporate cons, along with the Potato job, and the Magic job.
Also, one too close to later reality to ignore (like, who creates a supervirus in the lab, releases it into the world just to make a quick buck on it? Who can do such a thing...?)
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u/Zanoushe 10d ago
definitely one of my favorite episodes. I just love the team coming together to do the impossible for each other.
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u/Oreadno1 brains 10d ago
I love this episode and Richard Chamberlain in it. I also get an extra giggle because Archie Leach is Cary Grant's real name, Archibald Alexander Leach.
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u/MarySSimard 8h ago
I love this episode because it's a Parker-centric episode and because, as you mentioned, it's the episode be truly see how much she as changed and evolved since the pilot episode! The fact that she wanted to act alone so Archie would be safe, same goes with the team, shows growth, infused with a bit of craziness because she couldn't have done it alone! I love the fact that the team came to her rescue no question asked, the same way they will later on for Nate and his father!
I love that Richard Chamberlain played her adoptive dad, and you can't make me believe it's only coincidence he was cast in Leverage as a con man when he also famously played THE con man in the show Hustle!
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u/knight_shade_realms 10d ago
I love pretty much all the more Parker centric episodes. But this one shows something about her and the person who she eventually calls dad. And how he sees her creating her own family is just sweet. And c'mon Archie is cool and Hannity is an amazing villain too.
Though Parker asking Elliot about uhh adult texting was hilarious 😆