“Why I Love” Wednesday is an occasional feature focusing on things that I love and why I love them. It gives me a chance to celebrate some of my favorite things out there, and it covers a broad spectrum. I try to be light on plot discussion, but I cannot guarantee that what follows is spoiler-free.
I know I’ve discussed Leverage before, but I recently bought seasons 1-3 on DVD and I’m watching my way through the show again.
As I mentioned last time, the relationships between the characters (relationships of all of types, not just the romantic ones) are my favorite part of the show.
In the first episodes of the first season, these five people could barely stand each other. They bickered throughout their first job (and through all the jobs since, but the type of bickering changes as they grow closer), and they’re less like a team and more like a group of lone wolves struggling to work in a pack.
This is no longer true by the end of the first season. There are still some rough edges (Nate’s an alcoholic, Parker fails at typical human interaction, etc.), but they’ve learned to fit together. They’ve survived a rough patch and come out stronger, growing in their relationship into the second season, which I’m almost at the end of now.
I just watched The Future Job, which (in addition to being one of my favorite episodes) presents several examples of the close connections between these characters.
The mark in this episode is a fake psychic. Early in the episode he cold reads Parker, revealing that her brother died when they were children. Parker runs away and Hardison, as a witness, can’t help but angrily remark, “He needs to be shot.”
Hardison isn’t the only one expressing concern for Parker. Back at Leverage HQ, everyone gathers to help her understand how the mark was able to use her reactions to figure out her past. There’s nothing demeaning in the way they do this, although they are gentle with her. However, they respect her boundaries and don’t press her with questions, or try to force her into anything. Then, when Parker asks if they can kill the mark, Eliot offers to do it.
This is the kind of thing I love to see. It makes me really happy to see the team members care for one another (despite their flaws) and support each other (even though they sometimes drive each other crazy). It’s Hardison telling Parker, “I like the way you turned out.” Sophie’s concern when Eliot has to throw a boxing match. Eliot clinking his beer against Tara’s as he says, “Now you’re part of the team.” Eliot saying he’s got Nate’s back “all the way down”. Little moments.
That’s why I love Leverage.
(image copyright TNT, used without permission)
