WHOOOOO!!! This is a fabulous episode!! I am looking forward to visiting it again! Here goes..
It looks like the episode opens at some kind of university.. Lee, the cleaning guy with the magic walkie talkie mop, seems to have set up a sting to nab Rostov…
(Is it just me or does Lee look like he is pretending to be a rock singer with that mop and the way he holds it?- Where’s the Aerosmith scarf Lee?? )
So Rostov gets out something- what is that a camera? He puts in a floppy disk of info ( try to suppress those giggles.. it is a huge old fashioned floppy disk!) and starts taking photos.
Lee is one cute cleaner! I like the cap on him!! 
Wouldn’t the guard who let in Rostov notice he went in a man and came out a nun?! Do universities typically have the random Nun wandering around the corridors?
This fight with the nun is so strenuous, it calls for Stunt Lee! Infact I am sure that is the same stunt Lee they used in Always look a gift horse in the mouth!- you can see his blond streaks!
A Nun fighting Lee.. is nothing sacred??!!! hehehee.. It cracks me up.. ohhh the shame of it Rostov, finally being nabbed -while dressed as a nun! Climb every mountain Rostov! Communist Russia wasn’t religious either – so technically it could have been even worse than we imagined for a Russian to get nabbed in a habit no?
Whoa.. No Mercy! Lee really sends Rostov flying into the wall.. oh wait.. a flying nun? who would have thought it… ahem… 😉
What’s with the female agent looking so stunned? I’m sure Amanda could do a better job! 
?????
Wow.. Rostov was a major Collar! ( and major whimple from the looks of it! 😉 )
Loved Francine’s line: A lesser man would have balked at tackling a nun but not you!
Ohhh it pains me to say that.. I actually enjoyed 
something she said.. but enough Francine, you got your witty one liner in.. now back off and stop trying to take over Lee’s moment! (Fade into the background with that top that blends in with the stripy room!!)
Lee and Billy head into his office and Billy starts by saying there is a lot about this Rostov stuff he doesn’t understand.. but.. it gets forgotten as Lee mentions he needs time off.. Is this significant? I don’t remember.. I guess we will see!
Lee: Come on Billy! I need a little sand, and a little sun! I want to meet some women!
Billy: you want to meet s-
Lee interrupts: I am a lonely man.
I just love the look on Billy’s face in reaction to this last statement!!!!!
Too funny!!!!(You’d think he just asked asked Billy to get him a woman ) Then, Lee reacts to Billy’s stern reaction-by smiling away!! Rofl! Such respect for Billy’s authority!! haaaa
This is interesting!! Lee what are you doing? Last week you were in huff at Delano’s womanising ways.. This week you want to go to Bermuda to meet women? (notice, not a woman.. women!!) .. la la laaaa I really don’t want to hear about it Lee!!
I will comfort myself with the thought that last week and your reaction to Amanda freaked you out big time.. oops.. for a second there you were actually noticing that the so called frumpy housewife was a desirable woman.. yep this leads Lee to conclude he must be lonely, he must definitely need a holiday and to meet some woman and try and forget about that! 
We see a baddie come out of a shop..and head 
back to the blue van ( love that Blue van- they use it for everything on this show don’t they!) he tells his fellow baddie Nicholas is not happy about Rostov’s capture, he is too valuable and that they need to set up a trade – catch ‘an important agent’ of American’s so they will trade.. He says they paid a fortune for the address of someone ‘big’ – uh oh.. Scarecrow, it’s time you move house!
On to disturbia.. Amanda is baking a cake for Jamie’s birthday party and discussing who’s invited… See the blackboard behind Amanda? which says in capital letters:
AMANDA CALL DEAN… (things don’t look good when Amanda needs to be reminded to call him!) and ‘help’ written above it in little writing- rofl!!! that is too funny!!!
You know Amanda there is a way out of this misery – errr dump the guy! ( or send Dean on holiday to Bermuda – I hear there are women there )
Apparently Dean has said he will try and get Pretzel the clown for Jamie’s party..
Dotty says: Speaking of Dean.. I think I have pinpointed what it is about him that you find most resistable
Amanda: Mother there is nothing that I find about him that is most resistable.. ( cos it is just all resistable!)
Dotty: Amanda! I have known you since you were tinsy, I know when your fires are fanned!
Amanda:mmmmmm…
Dotty: Is it because you find him so errr predictable? I mean there is a playful side to dean that you may not know about…. (Dotty looks nervously around to make sure no one is listening in. )
Dotty continues: I swore I wouldn’t tell you this but.. do you know what the weather bureau is going to call the next major hurricane! Amanda!!!
At the suggestion of Dean.
We are crossing our fingers that it happens on Valentine’s day!!!
(Amanda groans in response and their contrasting facial expressions in this scene are very funny!!! ) Calling a hurricane after someone is a great idea- if you have broken up with them!!! Not if you want to marry them!!!!
The phone rings- oh.. I guess that is where the title comes from huh? saved by the bells of the telephone??!!! 😉
Love how when Amanda tells Lee on the phone she is baking a cake for Jamie’s birthday (although I think we don’t know it is Lee yet) she responds: No I don’t think a fifth of rum would spice it up haa. (haaaaa!)
A dog with a hangover Amanda? oh dear.. Love how Dotty says ohhhh.. like of course.. then realises what Amanda says.. very cute!
Oh Dotty.. you really do live in an alternative universe!
Love how the scene opens with a close up on Melvin and his buddies..
Ok fish experts.. which fish is the siamese fighting fish? and I thought you could only put one in a tank or they kill each other??? help??
Amanda: now when you told me had a sick friend you didn’t tell me it was a fish!
Lee: didn’t I?
Amanda.. mm mm (no)
Lee: oh gee I’m sorry… (yeah right!!)
Lee, she is the only one you know who’ll do it? poor you.. you don’t have good friends do ya.. and if you knew she would do it, why disrespect her like that and lie to her and tell her it was a sick friend…. Lee, don’t like you right now!
At least Amanda sees through Lee here.. even if she does give in and do it for him..
Is it just me or does Amanda not seem that upset that Lee lied to her about Melvin his sick friend??? She seems to be angrier at herself for 
being sucked in by him- ‘good old Amanda!’ she knows he is using her..
Lee: it shows loyalty to your partner
wha wha wha??? partner?? since when do you think of her as your partner? when you want her to feed your fish? or pick up your dry cleaning Lee? bad Lee!!! ( Glad to see Amanda isn’t buying his sudden need for a partner! )
Man.. Lee’s hair is really long.. it was much shorter last week in Service above and beyond-It’s starting to look more like princess Diana!… and yet.. this man still manages to look gorgeous!!! (eyeliner too.. argh!!!!)
Thank goodness Amanda manages to get her own back by the end of the scene.. yep you ask me to come over.. I am gonna clean your apartment! rearrange things.. put water and flowers in your tibetan ram’s horn and rearrange your album collection.. haaa!!! suffer Lee.. you must pay the price for taking Amanda for granted and manipulating her into being your dogsbody!!!!
Amanda: Well I tell you what as long as I’m here I think I’ll tidy up a little bit.
Lee: ah No no you don’t need to do that
Amanda: oh no that’s alright, I insist
Lee: No! no you don’t have to do that
Amanda: Oh no no no. I insist!
Checkmate Lee! 😉
Lee: Is there anything else I can tell ya?
Amanda: yes, is it legal in this state to grow penicillin?
Lee: ha! Amanda your a pal you know that!
Amanda: yeah..
Love how Lee pats her on the arm.. and Amanda looks down at where he patted her.. She is not impressed by his attitude.. Going with the airing order as correct – I guess this is Lee re-establishing some distance between the two of them.. (not that it is gonna last for long! )
Hmm so Lee didn’t get the two weeks off huh.. he gets one week.. (he tells Amanda he will see her in a week).. He leaves and she just shakes her head and takes a deep breath.. (or tries to before gagging at the smells!) I wish there were thought bubbles on this show… Seems when she takes a deep breath she gets a lung full of the stuff growing penicillin! This is cute:
Amanda: need some fresh air in here.. right fishy? Hmm?
I love how she says this.KJ is so great at making simple things funny!
So the two baddies outside looking to nab scarecrow see Amanda breathing by the open window.. they call to check she is scarecrow.. and hang up on her.. Love this line!!
Amanda: His friends are ruder than he is!
What to say about Lee and She????!!!!! I thought he was a lonely man??? pha! (Did you ever want to see a scene where Lee is in the wrong bathrobe?!!)
Amanda sees the second robe and grumbles to herself : give me a break.
You know nothing is better for Amanda than tidying Lee’s apartment.. not only did she get 
some payback, but she gets to see he has cheesy his/her bathrobes (ewwww) and socks that stink.. if she was having any thoughts about Lee even after he had taken her for granted and assumed she would care for his fish then I am sure they are now well and truly buried… waaaayyyy down….
Hey, at this moment Dean may be lookin pretty good… Yuck Lee! No wonder he looked terrified that she was going to tidy up!
whooo Lee’s apartment number is 805. Stinky 805… Uh oh.. the baddies burst in and kidnap Amanda..
Back at the agency.. (no lady with red purse?? oh gutted!) Francine is trying to comfort Billy that Lee is alright.. then Lee is manhandled into the office.. and is none to impressed!
Lee: Tell cagney and lacey to let go!
When Lee sees the fish food.. he takes it off Billy and is silent for a moment.. He realises the baddies have Amanda!
Lee: Oh My God.
Billy: What is this Lee? If they don’t have you then who have they got?
Lee spits out: Amanda!
Billy and Francine are stunned..
(I am sure Francine’s surprise was along the lines of – Amanda was at Lee’s apartment? Nooooo!! )
Billy: what did you say?
Lee: they’ve got Amanda!
The blue van carrying Amanda pulls up at the mansion.. Cue the very fake sounding Dog Bark!
Oh!! tea sipping baddies.. this just looks wrong! 
I love it they should be doing vodka shots or something..but this is SMK! So Rostov’s boss and this other baddie 
who wants spare parts for fighter jets are taking some twinings therapy.. (I suggest the ‘lady grey’ men- the name says it all.. or maybe ‘Russian Caravan’ is more appropriate!)
Ah so we don’t get to find out exactly which country the baddie is.. well why do we need to know really I guess.. Nicholas Zinoiev, (who knows how to spell his name- I may end up spelling it three different ways.. ) the head baddie, explains the plan yet again.. I got it!
Ahhh a baddie who is sooo pleasant and has such lovely manners.. and Lee, the good guy can be a right grouch and has no manners at all.. hmmm.. What does this mean????!!!!
Zinoiev treats Amanda ( the scarecrow) with such reverence and respect.. even though she has been captured – 
quite a contrast to the champagne and wise cracks at Rostov’s expense.. it’s very interesting that he treats his opponent here with such respect..
I think it looks funny when Zinoiev pulls back the tape on Amanda’s mouth and you see it has the outline from Amanda’s lipstick on it! I’m not sure why but it 
cracks me up!!! and how it is flapping away like that when she talks.. If she had a moustache happening at all.. it has been taken care of for her free of charge! (guess this is called ‘the Russian’ wax!)
Zinoiev looks soooo happy to see his captive.. and even happier when she spits out: how dare you!!!!! whooooo he loves a frisky opponent.. and we very rarely ever hear that kind of tone from Amanda..
I love this whole plot of Amanda being mistaken for the famous scarecrow!
Zinoiev: in the name of those who admire your work scarecrow, I salute you!
Amanda: what did you say? Amanda realises 
what’s happened- uh oh!!It’s very clever how in that moment the tape drags down half her face to make her look even more dejected! Funny, tragic all at once! and very well done!
Zinoiev: I had no idea you were so lovely, it is a pity I may have to kill you.
(well even the baddie can see Amanda is lovely… and the cunning scarecrow can’t???!!! )
The look on her face at the end of that scene is too funny. How does KJ do it? Poor Amanda is confused, terrified and just coming to grips with what has happened- and she still manages to make it funny! she is a legend!! The flapping tape is the piéce de résistance!
I think it is helped by the music.. it’s more kooky and playful than ominous or silent – like last week when she was in mortal danger.. and this time he just told her he may have to kill her! I love how smk does this – She’s in danger, but it is not too dark !
This IMO is typical for SMK rather than the high drama of last week – which made last week even more powerful .. at least for me! Thoughts anyone????
Back to the agency.. Lee and Billy are waiting in the office of Dirk, the messenger of bad tidings.. Lee seems really angry now.. It seems the situation has sunk in for him too.. and the full ramifications of what is at stake here are now terrifyingly clear..
Lee says angrily: ..Been through the (cassette) 
tape, there’s no leads, no nothing, the switchboard says they didn’t have time for a trace. I am telling you billy when they find out she is not scarecrow it is over like that!! (clicking his fingers)
Dirk comes in and delivers the bad news.. no 
trade between Amanda and Rostov.. Lee is barely keeping it together here.. Thank goodness Billy is there to calm him a little.. (although I think Billy is being disappointingly calm.. too calm..)
Dirk says : Mrs King is overeager, that is no reason she should die.
Lee: Except that she will
( How was she over eager?? she was feeding Lee’s fish!!!) Basically Dirk is handing down Amanda’s death sentence.. man the agency is really dog eat dog.. If not for Lee looking out for her, Amanda would have been eaten for dinner by the agency in no time! (I don’t think Billy would have been any help..)
This is all quite ironic given that last week Lee was carrying Amanda down the staircase (swoon!) and threatening a man with life in a wheelchair if he didn’t confess…. Lee fought to protect her and keep her alive.. and in the very next episode, she is looking at being executed basically for Lee being a prat and asking her to feed his fish! Oh Lee.. The Angst!! ( I think the moral of the story here Lee is BE NICE TO AMANDA or bad things happen! hehehhee)
Angst…
Oh yes, here comes Billy’s pep talk. (Bad Billy, how dare you give up on Amanda so easily… )
Billy: Lee we’re not suppose to take this personally it’s our objectivity that makes us effective
Lee: Amanda is dying in my place, that’s as personal as it gets
Billy: If it were another agent would you feel the same way?
Lee: I don’t know
Billy: Is there something between you and Amanda?
Lee: No
Billy: well why was she at your apartment? 
Lee: she was feeding my fish!
Billy: this one isn’t easy, give it some time.
Lee: I can’t live with this one Billy. (swoon!!)
Ok, Lee denies there is anything between them.. but he does admit that he doesn’t know if he would react this way if it were anyone other than Amanda.. hmm!! I love this scene!! Billy thinks he is on to something because Amanda was in Lee’s apartment.. Right conclusion billy… wrong evidence..
Whoooo I just love determined Lee.. He wouldn’t for a moment even consider acquiescing to the agency’s decision… hurray for Lee!!!You may be gruff and bad mannered but you step up when it counts! He is a good man!!!
Thank goodness Cagney and Lacey did pull Lee of the plane.. otherwise he would have been chasing women in Bermuda while the agency let the best thing that would ever happen to him die in his place. – I don’t think he would have been able to continue had that happened.. and we all know that they would have let Amanda die…(Francine may even have popped open another bottle of bubbly.. I do love to hate Francine! )
Ok, just as an aside.. since when was billy so tiny?????? He looks positively minute here! Did they forget the box to stand on that day? LOL!!!
Billy leaves Lee to his angst.. probably guessing at what Lee was about to do and getting the heck out of the way.. For that at least, I am grateful- he won’t actively help, but he isn’t going to hinder Lee either.. hmmm..
That’s it for this instalment! Will be back with more soon! Thanks so much for reading!!
"Just walk with me.." 
Oh so many fun parts to this opening. I have to say, that I am loving Dotty SO MUCH on this rewatch. She’s hysterical. She’s bound to be disappointed, though, because hurricane season is from June 1 – Dec 1, so very unlikely that one will be named Amanda on Valentine’s Day. But who wants to be named after a natural disaster??? Not cool, Dean. Amanda’s got her eye on someone else anyway….
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#2019rewatch
Woohoo! Finally had an evening to re-watch one of my favorite season one episodes! I even read the script on this one! Very interesting to read the differences. But first, my big discovery…. So I think I got a great view of custodian-Lee’s work uniform, and it said his name is “Marc”!! My husband’s name is Mark….huh!!! Whatya say!?!?! (Spelling doesn’t matter in this case.) 😂😂😂
Also, KJ brings so much brilliance to Amanda’s character. And she and Beverly Garland are gold together. The kitchen scene about Dean is one of my absolute favorite moments of the season. Amanda! Bless her heart! And that “help” written on the chalkboard behind her throughout that whole conversation is PRICELESS!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Also never noticed until this go-round…amidst all of Lee’s mess, I saw a necktie hanging off of his Indian-type statue as well as the ice bucket just as Amanda finds the Lee & She (gag) bathrobes…ah, the infamous ice bucket (ALSALS?).
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#2019 rewatch
Dotty is so insightful and yet _just_misses the mark. She knows when Amanda’s flames are fanned – she just attributes it to the wrong man…
To answer the question Iwsod originally posted way back when, none of those fish are Siamese Fighting fish. They are usually sold now as betta fish in tiny bowls because they have to live alone and are noted for their beautiful bright colours and flowing tails.
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#2019rewatch
Do you have any idea why Lee named his fish Melvin? According to imdb, Mel Stewart’s given name is Milton; however, early in his career, his acting credit was listed as Melvin Stewart.
Was it a tribute to his “All in the Family” role that credited him as Melvin Stewart? Or a less likely (S&MK S3 Disc 5) nod to soul group Melvin & The Blue Notes (“If You Don’t Know Me By Now”)?
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#2019rewatch
Priceless: Lee’s look of abject terror when Amanda says, “I think I’ll tidy up a little bit … I insist.”
The three sentences below were part of a review I made on Halloween and it’s still true:
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#2019rewatch Zinoviev is my favorite bad guy also – he is the reason I love this episode. Well, that and all the hilarious one-liners. I love the bit about adding rum to the birthday cake!
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That he is and Lee is welcome to mop my floor anytime, but we all know Amanda’s already got an Arlington Bombers cap with his name on it. Last time Amanda cleaned up Lee’s apartment, when the ACM Kid was in the bathtub, Lee gave her a gorgeous Giant Panda. Was Amanda so keen to clean his place again wondering what Lee would give her this time?
Zinoviev is not just my favorite S1 bad guy, he’s the high mark for the entire series. Kate Jackson and Lee Bergere had great chemistry. They were absolutely hilarious together!
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I totally agree on their chemistry. He wins the Baddie Congeniality award, in my book. 😁 Also, I’m seeing that (or an) Orioles cap several times throughout the series. Here, also maybe the same one notShamba wore in WWH, and one of Lee’s disguises on the run during Stemwinder (Pt 2), and I just noticed it in season 4 on an episode the walk hasn’t gotten to yet. Perhaps any other sightings I can’t think of? Wonder if Duffy ever wears it? 😂
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From Morley: Links to Morley’s Vignettes…
Saved By the Bells is the 9th episode in our revised order.
These are Lee’s thoughts
And theses are Amanda’s thoughts
**Please head to this post at Nedlindger’s to discuss or compliment Morley 😉 thanks!
thanks to Morley for writing and sharing these wonderful stories which enhance our enjoyment of Lee and Amanda’s journey so much!!! 🙂
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10-yr-old DS and I have started watching episodes together occassionally. We watched SBTB today. His comment: “I think I can see a chain wrapping around these two, pulling them together.” What a perceptive guy!
[Thanks for letting me brag. 🙂 ]
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I love the emphasis in Lee’s line: I can’t live with THIS one, Billy.” Maybe a flashback to his former partner here? Billy is so right to question whether there’s anything between Lee and Amanda – Lee’s behavior here reveals that she is more important to him than anyone in a long time. He doesn’t get quite this bent out of shape over other agents in danger. It seems like Lee can’t answer, even to himself at this point, whether or why Amanda is so important to him. Billy’s question forces him to honestly say, “I don’t know.” It’s a long time before he has to be this honest again, with himself or with someone else, isn’t it? Iwsod, I really like your revised episode order which puts “Sudden Death” before this one, because there might be some symptoms here that Lee is still in a state of confusion over his reaction to kissing Amanda. But he obviously does care about her, and about the only way he can show it is by being protective, when he can rationalize to himself that he only cares because he’s responsible for getting her into this mess.
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I love it Happy Camper!!! 🙂 Great to hear your thoughts!!! and be reminded of such a dreamy moment.. Lee’s answer of ‘I don’t know’ is simply fabulous!!! I think you are totally on to something with your theory that Lee channels all his feelings for Amanda into her protection – an acceptable way for him to show he cares.. awh!!
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Whever there’s a college campus setting on SMK, I assume it’s Georgetown U., right around the corner from IFF in DC. (Except when they visit the UVA security chief in Season 4). Georgetown is a Catholic school, so nuns in the hallways = not too surprising.
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Wah hah hah… I was busy Tie Patrolling this episode and started giggling like crazy at the little pale blue hatchback that goes driving past in the shot of Lee’s apartment building with it’s hatch wide open–it’s so random. 😀 (Between the shot of the baddies rolling up in the blue van–which, by the way, has the same license plate C-848F9 as the creepy music-blaring baddie truck from the previous ep–SAaB–and the shot of Lee’s fish.) 😀
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I like the look of handyman Lee, he should wear baseball caps more often 😉
Not sure I could cope with the Aerosmith look though IWSOD, can see Lee in Lycra LOL
Lee clearly is a maverick and unorthodox if he will tackle a nun!
Is that a magic bottle of champers they are celebrating with? Seems to have filled an awful lot of glasses in the office 😉 Naughty Lee taking all the credit, I know he tackled Rostov but there were other agents involved.
Oh dear two weeks holiday is unreasonable! Note to self: never work for Government agency 😉 Lee is a lonely man? Does he even know the meaning of the word. A man with four black books is hardly lonely LOL
I love Dotty, she’s hilarious but sometimes clueless. What’s most resistible about Dean? Nothing. It’s all EQUALLY resistible. And nothing says I love you like names a hurricane after your girlfriend LOL That scene reminded me of Armageddon where the amateur astronomer wants to name the end-of-the-world meteor after his wife. Because she’s a life sucking b*tch! Now that’s more my style 😉
Love the line about adding a 5th of rum to the cake. Only a 5th? I’d add more 😉 Amanda clearly licks her lips whilst on the phone to Lee woo hoo! I do love however how she says no at first, never to be too available Amanda.
So Lee doesn’t even try to lie any more, too funny with her expressions. But as usual Amanda has her own way of getting back. Yep. Cleaning.
I have to say though given that Lee is show pony, has many women back to his apartment the whole “Lee is a slob” never fit with me. It seems so at odds with his showy personality.
I love how Lee addresses his fish as men, it’s too cute and a throwback to life as an army brat maybe?!
Oh dear bad guys, don’t be sexist, women can be top agents as well 😉
Lee’s shirt makes me think of a pirate for some reason, but he doesn’t look quite as cute as the pirate in TFT.
Amanda is over eager?! She wasn’t even working. Boy these Government types are harsh. And even Billy seems to have resigned himself to Amanda being collateral damage 😦 Thank goodness Lee can’t live with this one *double swoon*
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Love ‘Saved by the Bells’ !!!!! Probably my most favorite of the season along with ‘Fearless Dotty’ 🙂 KJ is great when they open the box and pull the tape off her mouth and she starts firing questions right off!! ROFL
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Cindy, unfortunately, no 80s retro party. We were moving her into her apartment for her senior year at college. At least you all have been duly warned. I wasn’t as fortunate.
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Ouch!
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Hello!
And hooray, it’s “Saved by the bells!”
Why the heck did I have a dislike for this episode when I was younger? Oh yeah, I remember: I did not want to accept that anyone could not distinguish an obvious amateur from a highly trained professional. I took offense that the baddies in this episode are unable to tell the difference.
Why did I feel so strongly about this? Well, you have to consider that my fellow students and I practised many hours every day to become professional musicians in one of the big Philharmonic Orchestras in my country. We took pride in outmatching amateurs. We did not want to be mistaken.
I know this sounds a little silly. Maybe even snooty. But we were young and did not know any better. We were trying to find our way in life. In retrospect I think we should have been more relaxed. As a matter of fact there are many excellent amateur musicians who play their instruments with much joy. And in many orchestras you can find a handful of frustrated professionals who have stopped practising at all because they loathe touching their instruments as soon as the rehearsal is over.
Ooops, I went off on a tangent. Come on Karen, get started! I think “Saved by the bells” is a fun episode with lots of awesome scenes. Isn’t it ironic how Lee Stetson displays many of his super spy qualities right in front of the baddies’ eyes and they still would mistake Amanda for the Scarecrow? Hilarious!
The opening sequence is a bit weird to me. Lee speaks into the end of a broomstick (ROFL Iwsod, I loved your remark about the Aerosmith scarf!). And Rostov tries to sneak away in the disguise of a nun…. Errrr…. Excuse me? Is this supposed to be funny? Sorry guys, but I am yawning. Oh well. At least people at IFF have a reason to celebrate.
And they do! Cheers and sparkling wine, wohoooo! 😉 Iwsod I like Francine’s line about Lee “tackling a nun” as well. Especially because Lee is so totally smug about his latest success. I think he deserves a little sideswipe.
I am glad Billy tells him to knock it off. Lee follows him into his office and starts to sing Francine’s praises… Love Billie’s immediate reaction to this: “Okay Stetson, what’s up?” Hahaaa, you’re on the right track Billy! Good on you! “Francine… a fireball… a tremendous talent… And I wanna go to Bermuda for two weeks.” Ahaaaaaaa, there is the rub! Billy is not happy about this at all… And Lee tells him he wants to meet some women. Billy reacts just the way I probably would have: “You want… what???” Lee answers with feigned graveness: “I’m a lonely man”… and gives a huge and rather amused smile right after. He does not seem to be very serious here. Anyway I must admit I hated to hear that. It is really hard to believe he says such a thing after everything that happened in “Service above and Beyond”. Kudos for Iwsod who comes up with a credible explanation for that! Iwsod, I am perfectly willing to believe you. Especially because it gives me a reason to cut Lee some slack. Thank you!!!
Uh oh. One of the baddies leaves a seafood restaurant with a very grim expression on his face. Maybe the seafood was bad. Ah, no: His superior was not amused that he and his companion have lost Rostov. They need to make amends.
Meanwhile Dotty seems to think that Amanda needs to make amends too. She thinks she is reluctant as far as Dean is concerned… And boy, the reminder on the chalk board on the wall really isn’t a good sign for their relationship! I never realized the little “help” above the underlined reminder “Amanda call Dean”. That is soooooo funny! Wait a minute… Does it say “ill” under Dean’s name? Does that mean Dean needs Amanda’s help because he’s ill? ROFL LOL
Oh no, Dottie wants to find out why Amanda is not exactly what you’d call crazy for Dean. A “playfull side of Dean”? Oh my god, what would that be? Calling a hurricane after Amanda? Oh my. Great idea. Bwahaaa, look at Amandas’ facial expressions! Dottie is all wound up while she looks like she discovered a huge tarantula in the cake mixture. Tee heeeee, too funny! I absolutely agree with Iwsod: Naming the next major hurricane after a real person is not exactly what I’d consider a sign of affection 😉 Amanda makes a face as if she had a bad tooth ache!
Thank God! The telephone rings. Amanda’s “Hello” sounds so tortured! But it’s Lee! Thank goodness! Her expression totally changes. Lee talks her into coming to his house right away because of “Melvin”… Who later turns out to be one of the fish in his aquarium. (I had a fish tank too when I was a teenager, but I never thought of giving them names. That’s really weird, don’t you think?) By the way Iwsod: I can’t spot a single Siamese fighting fish in Lee’s tank. It wouldn’t be a problem though to have several of them: You only have to take care not to have more than one male among them.
What I really like about the scene in Lee’s apartment is that Amanda speaks the truth out loud: Lee misuses her because it is so convenient for him. She does not let him get away with that stunt. “He does not even bother to lie any more! Why should he! Everybody knows the can count on good old reliable Amada!” She does not even fall for his line about the loyalty of a partner. She says he wouldn’t even notice if she went to Nairobi until his plants needed to be watered…You go, Amanda! I think Lee really needs a good look into the mirror here. She also takes a little revenge by offering to clean his apartment a little bit. Teheeeee, look at Lee’s reaction! “You don’t have to do that…” “Oh no no, I insist.” Bwahaaaaa! I love her ironic remark about growing penicillin as well.
Amanda speaks to the fish about getting some fresh air… KJ really as a talent to make even simple things funny. Ewwww, a messy bachelor’s apartment with stinky socks and atrocious Lee/She bathrobes! Yuck. Sorry Lee, but this is almost vulgar.
Amanda opens the window and is spotted by the baddies who mistake her for the Scarecrow. Ohhhhhh nooooooooooooo!
Haaaaaaaa, Billy is all upset until Lee gets manhandled into his office. But he is all upset too! I love the anger and the confusion in this scene. Finally it dawns on Lee that the kidnappers mistook Amanda for the Scarecrow… And his appetite for irony or for a witty reply is instantly gone. You can tell from his face that this is serious all of a sudden. And that he is really worried.
It is true that Zinoiev treats Amanda/Scarecrow with much respect. I guess it is because they believe she was a top-agent of the US. I am grateful that he does, otherwise maybe Amanda would not have survived long enough for Lee to rescue her. (Iwsod, I was fascinated by the outline of Amanda’s lipstick on the tape as well. It kind of hypnotized me, or at least I could not take my eyes off that detail. Tee heee.) The look on Amanda’s face at the end of this scene really is a riot. Almost like in one of those silent pictures in former times. KJ is very funny, although poor Amanda is obviously all confused, anxious and helpless.
Back to the agency, where Lee is condemned to inaction. Which drives him mad of course. He is restless and angry. He does not expect any good news from Dirk. Unfortunately he is right about that. But could he really have expected the agency would give up a top-spy from the Soviet Union in exchange for a housewife? Even I didn’t expect that. It is cruel, but this is what war is like. Even if it is a cold war. To avoid any misunderstandings, of course I feel dreadfully sorry for Amanda! Lee’s and Billie’s superiors are not willing to give the poor thing even the slightest chance, even though she has a mother and two little boys who will never know what happened to her. It makes my blood freeze.
Lee’s face is all grave and depressed when Dirk leaves with the words “I am sorry, Stetson.” He silently exchanges a look with Billy, then turns away and tries to control his emotions. His Angst really shows. He does not know what to do. Iwsod I think you are a little unjust to Billy here. Do you think he could actually have taken up a fight and tell his superiors to trade Rostov for Amanda? I think that would have been unrealistic. As much as I hate to say it I guess in Lee’s and Billie’s job a person’s life does not count much. National interests are the highest priority. I think Lee knows this perfectly well. It is remarkable that he is totally unwilling to accept the truth in this case. I think it shows that he started to have feelings for Amanda.
Billy seems to feel this too. That’s why he asks him a direct question: “Is there anything between you and Amanda?” Lee does not answer directly to that. He only gives away a little annoyed groan. Then he tries to laugh it all away by telling Billy Amanda was merely feeding his fish… Lee, I think you are not fooling anybody. Not even yourself, if you are honest.
“I can’t live with this one, Billy.” Oh my god, how swoonworthy. Billy gives a silent nod before he leaves the room. Isn’t it amazing how you can tell that Lee is up to something just by the way he moves his head and glances into another direction after Billy has left? He will not accept Amanda’s death sentence. He is thinking of a solution, however daring it may be… What a man.
That’s if for now, hope we can share ideas and thoughts.
Bye, Karen.
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Random disjointed thoughts 🙂
“I will comfort myself with the thought that last week and your reaction to Amanda freaked you out big time.. oops.. for a second there you were actually noticing that the so called frumpy housewife was a desirable woman.. yep this leads Lee to conclude he must be lonely, he must definitely need a holiday and to meet some woman and try and forget about that! ”
Assuming the airing order is correct (even with magic growing hair), I think this is exactly what is going on. Oh poor delusional Lee. Tee Hee!
I always thought “Saved by the Bells” referred to the icecream truck she heard in the background. (I’m getting ahead of myself here).
This is one of my favourite episodes. I am even able to look past the unfortunate red/pink sweatshirt combo topped off with the oh-so-fashionable red paisley headband. YIKES!
Good catch on the “help” written above call Dean. I had never noticed it before.
Cheers!
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Hi Cindy! Ohhh I agree! this whole episode order thing does change the meaning of things.. so while I gripe about it.. and suspect a few are out of order, I try and go with the airing order and make some sense of it – if that makes sense! Yes magic growing hair LOL!
Yeah I think you are right about the bells I was being cheeky because Dotty was being hopelessly ridiculous!
Ah I dislike the headbands – a lot!! yes.. with the pink sweatshirt? eek.. Fashion Police!!! We need an arrest here!! 🙂
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Cindy!
Regarding your comments on part two of this ep – ohhh good point! yes i agree KJ had real self control.. although I tend to think she touched him just a tiny bit.. haaaa but you’re remark had me LOL’ing!! Loved it! Golf cart chicken? tee heeee.. quicky chicky golf cart! 🙂 thanks for letting me know you are reading! It is really encouraging!!
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I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the headband thing might be coming back in style. This past weekend, my 21 year old daughter was wearing a ribbon across her forehead just like Amanda and her paisley headband. She is oh-so-much-more in the know with fashions than me. So, watch out! 🙂
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Nooooo!!! I guess it is inevitable.. as Lee says – if you hang on to something long enough it will come back in fashion!! 😉
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Melissa, that is unfortunate news, indeed. Is it possible she was on her way to an 80s retro party?
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