Leverage?!

[eumelia]

I just marathoned through the first two seasons of Leverage.

I love it.

It's a silly, but clever rendition of "The A-Team", only with less smoking and more drinking.

Watching it on the week of Torchwood's "Deathversary" is meaningful.

I watched CoE three times in a row the week after it came out. Yeah, like that. And I haven't watched it since. I thought I could, but I can't. It's going to have to wait when I have the energy for a proper Torchwood re-watch.

I realised that despite my focus being on Jack and Ianto, watching the program, I mostly enjoyed the group dynamic. The different and clashing personalities interact and not to mention, the underlying darkness (at times overt, most of the time subverted) is something I need in a show and most television shows simply don't deliver.

I began watching White Collar and kind of lost interest along the way, I like Neal and Peter and El as the OT3 of awesome. But the Kate side-plot really didn't grab me and I'm more interested in Moz than in Neal. Also, the whole procedural thing... not as interesting as it used to be.
Still, pretty clothes and pretty people.
I'll keep watching, as many smart people are enjoying it.

Enter Leverage.

I happened to catch an ep on television about a week ago, an early second season episode which I later realised was the "The Tap Out Job", yes violence on teevee captures my imagination.
The characters are fascinating, I like team work and dynamics, I really like the fact that they work outside the law and their ethics are sticky and tricky.

Hearing Christian Kane speak Hebrew to Noa Tishby in "The Two Live Crew Job" episode was pure gold. GOLD. Just, what the fuck man... give up some phlegm baby!
He has got the best hair EVAR.
Also, so many genre actors? Armin Shimerman, Jeri Ryan, Brent Spiner, Wil Wheaton?! Seriously.

By the way, if I could spend some quality time with Hardison my life would be complete! Doctor Who FTW!

Any way, I've just finished the first two seasons, I'm quite happy that I'll soon be caught up and be able to do what I usually do... lurk around fandom and maybe participate in Meta.
Although I'm kind of itching for a Torchwood/Leverage crossover.
Seriously, what is with all the SPN crossovers? Since when did that become a Fandom Bicycle.

As per usual there are problems, what with the clishes, stereotyping, Happy End mentality and just plain WTF plot lines (which I love), still there is underlying darkness that is at times overt.
Parker is fascinating and kinda gay (I get bi vibes from her), which is something I don't see a whole lot of fandom talking about, though I've seen the femmslash, though it seems that there is more het and slash (per usual)... but I like that the petite, perky, slightly bonkers and freakishly strong blonde is kinda gay.

I'm not sure if I like Nate. I know I love Eliot, then again, I always like the ones we know the least about - which makes me love Sophie just as much... she's such a Matta Hari...in the best way possible.

Is there more Sterling in season 3? Please say yes!

More Meta and why I like it and how it connects with Torchwood (yeah, I know) once I have gotten completely up to date.

Comments

[silveradept]

Not so much at the moment with Sterling. He may show up later, by S3 is moving in circles that Sterling is not likely to show up until the end, where he will steal credit yet again.

You're not supposed to like Nate. He's an effective leader, good at playing the strengths of his team, but he has very little remorse about using people in whatever way he can to get the job done (cf, "The Scheherazade Job", when you get to watching it).

Eliot is definitely worth watching. Even better if you think of him as the character of Lindsey from Angel, just now older, wiser, and much more able to hit people.

I think the Leverage crew and Torchwood would fit nicely together. The question is whether they're working for Jack/Gwen or against him/her.

Also, big yes on the use of recognizable actors (including, yes, much of the Star Trek casts. Evil Wil was just great.)

[eumelia]

I actually kept thinking about him being the boy from ET...

Yeah I know. But the kid's name was Eliot! And they're about the same age!

I actually don't like thinking about him as Lindsey, as Lindsey didn't have as much control or as good a sense a humour as Eliot. Also, the hair, jesus, that is a fine head of hair that man has.

[silveradept]

Yes, the hair is awesome. Christian Kane made a good decision on that one.

Probably a game to play with people at some point - start with an actor's chronologically youngest role, and then construct a narrative that plausibly allows for all of the other roles that they've done through their career, such that they could all be the same person throughout a very busy life.

[ironed_orchid]

I'm still watching season 1, one disc at a time through our netflix like service... and still kinda undecided. I enjoy it, but it hasn't really pinged for me yet.

[eumelia]

The first season is a bit slow, but towards the end they reach their stride and it gets very interesting. At least for me. Many eps in the 2nd season are really superb, imo.

[lilacsigil]

I love Hardison and the female characters of this show so much! Eliot is fun, Nate mostly annoys me, but I love Sophie and Parker and Tara and Maggie to death. Quite a few people read Parker as asexual, which is interesting. I'm not sure if I read her that way so much as someone who is just starting to develop a sexuality and is trying on various things (hugging Hardison and Sophie a lot, for example).

[eumelia]

I think her quirkiness hides her sensuality, because like Eliot, she's an organically sensual character - both of them have the most physical jobs, are adrenaline junkies and are the ones to be in the tightest spots during an ep.

I see her as a very experimental person too, but I think her sexuality is mature, but expresses itself in an unorthodox way.

[torachan]

I definitely read Parker as bi after those Tara eps. I really ship Hardison/Parker hard, though.

[eumelia]

I definitely OT3 Eliot/Parker/Hardison. Though judging from this ep, I see the narrative is going in the direction of two couples and an extra, which makes me feel bad for Eliot, yeah he's a flirt and seems to be getting some on the side, but the family being so shippy themselves has got to be grating for him.

[eumelia]

"This ep" being The Reunion Job.

[miss_haitch]

Eee, I am so fond of Leverage. I find it delightfully geek-friendly. I adore the genre references -- I find them much less intrusive than in things like Joss Whedon shows. And of course I love the characters and their ridiculous interactions!

[eumelia]

God yes, the Troika was creepy with their references, Hardison is freakin' adorable.

One more ep and then I'm up to date with the third season :D