What do you want to see on Leverage? – Quibbling Siblings

by Bob Degon

Every week brother and sister team Bob and Debbie take on a new topic. This week we share our excitement over the new season of 'Leverage' and talk about what we hope to see.

Bob:

I may have been railing against summer fluff recently, but I am excited that one of the more enjoyable shows on television returned this week in Leverage. I’ve always been a sucker for a good heist and Leverage usually brings that weekly, along with some of the best characters on television. It’s a delightful little program.

So, I’m wondering if there is anything you are really hoping to see on the show this season. I know I would like to see some semblance of a season long story arc. Last year’s attempt with the mysterious Italian lady and the dude from ER just didn’t do it for me. Not at all. With enough recurring characters and previous plot points to pick up on, I’m hoping that the tease at the end of the premiere can be something special. I would really love to see the show find a little more balance as well. The Good Wife is able to so artfully juggle a case of the week and the on-going story of the show. Heck, I would even settle for a Burn Notice-like continuing arc that is usually only addressed in the final five minutes of the show.

What are you looking for in the new season?

Debbie:

Forgive me for saying so, but you sound so ridiculously snobby when you call Leverage “a delightful little program.” Coming from you, it sounds like a back-handed compliment, but it really is a delightful little program. There, coming from me it sounds much more sincere.

I completely agree with you about the story arc. Last season’s was weak and just not up to par with the first two seasons at all. I said in my review how excited I was about the way the premiere ended, with the bug and its many possibilities. I would sell my collection of vintage knitting patterns (see Julia’s column this week) to see Sterling again this season, along with Maggie. There was something about the trio of Nate, Sterling and Maggie that was so satisfying. And there’s still a lot of fun to be mined there.

Aside from the story arc, it would make life worth living to have the bizarro team meet up with the Leverage crew again. I know I want Chaos back, but how about Eliot’s female counterpart? They were awesome together.

Bob:

I don’t know if there’s anything specific that I don’t want to see. Maybe heavy drama? Like you I haven’t been crazy about when the show has gone to dark places for the character, specifically Nate’s drinking problem. It just seemed misplaced on the show.

I would love to see more clever heists, though. Perhaps it’s just fond memories of season one, but I feel like the cases were more intricate. Now don’t get me wrong, I can’t imagine anything harder than writing a unique heist every week. I usually get done watching a single heist movie and wonder how the writers came up with all the twists and turns. As you pointed out in your review of the premiere, having Parker slip a cell phone into the bad guy’s pocket is hardly a clever heist. My expectations are high.

Debbie:

It wasn’t just that the season one cases were more intricate, but I think they seemed somewhat more exotic as well. They were bigger, more elegant somehow. As sweet as it is that these world-class thieves are now helping the down-and-outs of Boston, the globe-trotting and art stealing satisfied the escapism that I love so much out of TV. But yeah, a good heist makes me giddy and the cell phone slip didn’t.