In the sixth episode of the third season of Leverage, I adore so many things here. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Leverage.
I can’t imagine a better episode to come back to after three weeks away from home. GOD, HOW IS THIS SHOW SO CONSISTENTLY GOOD? Not only that, but I came back from tour to Parker as Bree/Björk, Eliot as Kenneth Crane, Hardison as K-Gent, “pitchy,” and ALONA TAL. All of this. In one episode. What have I done to be treated so well?
The Mark
As usual, there’s an uncomfortable truth in the basis of this Leverage episode: the theft of music, often music written by ghostwriters. Ghostwriting is common in pop and R&B, but Kate’s problem is uncredited ghostwriting, particularly since Mitchell Kirkwood has been stealing hit songs for himself and for those on his label. He’s been doing it for so long that he doesn’t hesitate to threaten violence when those he steals from don’t go along quietly. It’s bullying, plain and simple, but it’s the kind hidden not just in the threat of violence, but in money and legal protection. Why else does he trap his victims in fine print? Because he knows that is the easiest way to take advantage of people desperate for success and eager to win big. And yet, Kate and her brother nearly find a way to beat Mitchell at his own game, at least until he smashes her brother’s fingers and steals the master recordings.
And like many episodes prior to this, Mitchell and his lovely brand of classism and misogyny are on full display here. God, he’s just so gross, and I was quite ready for this team to FINISH HIM about two minutes into this episode.
The Client
HELLO, ALONA TAL, YOU ARE GREAT IN EVERYTHING. Lord, she had SO MUCH chemistry with Christian Kane, it was truly unfair. While I admit that I’m selfish and I wanted Alona Tal to guest on the remainder of this show, I understood that an Eliot/Kate relationship never could truly last beyond this episode. The idea was great, though. Lord, that scene where Kate was teaching Eliot the chords of “Thinking of You” was… whew. Just wow. But I actually got worried that this might be a con that the team couldn’t pull off, especially since this got down to the wire at the end. Plus, this echoed Eliot’s own backstory. Had he made a promise to Kate that he would be unable to fulfill?
And that’s part of the reason this is such an emotional con for Eliot. His own interest in country music aside, he knows that he cannot let another person down. You can see that work ethic throughout Leverage, but here, it’s far more obvious. Obviously, Eliot’s attraction to Kate plays a part in that, but I don’t think there’s a singular motivation at work, you know?
The Con
This show is clearly at a point where they can go as far as they do here without a care in the world. Bringing in Christian Kane’s singing/guitar-playing abilities was wonderful, adding a touch of realism to a story that is utterly ridiculous in other respects. (Which is not a complaint.) So we go from Eliot’s emotional performance of “Thinking of You,” which traps Mitchell pretty much immediately, to… oh gods. I WASN’T READY, Y’ALL. I wasn’t ready.
How? How is this show ever gonna beat this? I’m convinced that I may have just witnessed Parker’s best work as a grafter ever. The team clearly needed enough of a distraction so that Sophie and Nate could work their con on Mitchell, and while Hardison usually is the one to handle this kind of job, Parker upstages him. That word does not sound powerful enough. Parker takes the stage and SETS IT ON FIRE. While she’s not actually Björk, it’s clear that her alternate pop persona is meant to refer to her (with a little bit of Lady Gaga, who I’ve always thought borrowed heavily from Björk). Parker is a blessing. This was a holy experience, y’all. There was a point in the midst of “The Studio Job” where I was so overwhelmed by everything going on that I didn’t even know what to react to anymore. And honestly, Parker was responsible for 90% of that.
I don’t know that the resolution of this episode is as strong as what comes before it, but that’s only something I felt in hindsight once I spent some time thinking about “The Studio Job.” This was such a fun episode otherwise, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed by it. Plus, it was nice to see Eliot follow through on his promise while also being able to admit that he couldn’t make another promise to Kate. He knew that his life had taken him down a new path, and it was one that could not include Kate in it. Y’ALL, HE CHOSE HIS FRIENDS/PARTNERS OVER ROMANCE. OT5, it’s real, IT’S PRACTICALLY CANON.
I expect a lot of Parker gifs in the comments. What a spectacle.
The video for “The Studio Job” can be downloaded here for $0.99.
Mark Links Stuff
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