Whooo hooo! we are in the home stretch for this episode…
The fake mail truck gets stopped at road work, in just the right spot for Alan to pick up the truck with his garbage truck… how convenient. (oh dear… this is where I nod off I think! )
So the dodger picks up (literally) the mail truck- which conveniently stops right in line with his garbage truck! LOL! Can you believe these guards??’where the hell does that garbage truck think it’s goin?’ as it slams into them.. derrr!!! Alan tips it over, gases the dopes who are suppose to be guarding it and dodgy dude gets the canister he needs.
Whoo there you go! we hear Billy’s code name again!
Billy: Home Plate, this is Lancer. Do you have any traffic for me on that mail delivery?
Homeplate: Negative, Lancer, this is Home Plate, no additional —
(cool name for the base Homeplate- I like it!!)
Then suddenly Amanda interrupts- she happens to see Alan walking down a street and points him out.. (hurray!! there you go.. Amanda has redeemed herself…not much of a redemption huh?!!) and… the chase is on.. (business as usual for Scarecrow and Mrs Robinson eerrrr King)
Lee tells Amanda to stay in the car (!) she says “I will!” ( haaa Alan had parked his Rolls in front of the no parking sign!) – and she doesn’t.. LOL…
It’s kind of funny to see Billy try and back up Lee.. stomping away and not half as agile as Lee.. Otherwise.. this whole catching Alan the dodger ending is pretty boring and lame..and considering how he had been shmoozing Amanda, not very satisfying somehow.. something’s missing.. la la laaa…
Oh hurrah… Amanda lets out the air in Alan’s 
tyres..(did she pierce them with something??!!) take that Alan! that’s for tricking me into wearing the ugliest ring I ever saw!! Sweeeet!! (I’ll take what I can get..)
Alan comes out and see’s her doing it and goes for 
his gun, but Lee stops 
him..
Alan gives a last look at Amanda.. what do you 
think he is thinking here?? could he be regretting how things ended up? I doubt it.. he probably regrets getting caught..
Then, Alan turns quickly and socks Lee with a big one fair and square that must have hurt.. Sweet Justice!!! (slowed down you can see it doesn’t actually make contact but this is a pretty believable punch for smk! )
Amanda grimaces on seeing the punch Alan lands.. but.. Lee manages to finish him off pretty quickly and Billy takes him away… Sweet Justice!!
Wow! we get actual blood this week.. Amanda approaches Lee with a tissue to help him with his cut Lip..
Lee: Do I have any teeth left?
Tag Time!!! What’s this?? back at Le Trianon??? twice in the same episode?? that’s kind of weird.. did Lee know this is where Alan took Amanda? did
Amanda tell him? it’s strange, and
unexplained.. and wait.. she is wearing practically the same outfit isn’t she??
same earrings same colour top
(not quite the same but close enough).. accept this time, the guy is much better looking .. he heeee.. even with the bizarre lips heheheee..
Amanda: Your poor jaw. I feel really terrible. We didn’t have to go out tonight. And especially, we didn’t have to come here. This is very expensive.
Lee: Expense. That’s the least of my problems.
(How appropriate! Yes, Lee’s mouth was a huge problem this whole episode 
)
Amanda: Would you like a straw?
Lee: Uh, no. No, a straw wouldn’t look right with soup.
Amanda: You know, I — I mean, I can’t sit here and eat a steak and watch you while you’re in such pain.
(Fair enough, Amanda is a good person, who can’t enjoy her meal while watching Lee struggle in pain – I am not as kind as Amanda )
Lee: I feel fine, Amanda. Really. I do. No pain. Amanda: Lee? (he is too funny here when he finally takes a sip of his soup smiles at Amanda as if to say- Aha! see! I can do it!!! aren’t I clever!!!)
Lee: Mm?
Amanda: Is, um, is this sort of, you know . . . an apology?
Lee: An apology?
Amanda: Well, for, you know, anything that you 
might have said, sort of, in the heat of the moment, and so you invited me to dinner to —
Lee: Wait, wait, wait. 
What are you talking about? I eat here all the time.
(Smooth Lee.. real smooth..)
Amanda: The maître d’ called you Mr. Schusen.
Lee: Well . . . okay, …
so he’s new.
(rofl!! he is so funny how he says that!! Especially with his bottom lip 
sticking out like that he looks like he is 3 years old!! awhhh..)
Amanda: I’m only trying to say that if it is an apology, it isn’t necessary. [I Beg to Differ!!] I mean, I know that I almost got you and the — and 
the — and the whole army in a lot of trouble and you have . . . a right to be angry.[IMO this doesn’t give Lee the right to treat you with disrespect!!]
Lee: No, I wasn’t angry. [Agent Patience and Control…. whahahahahaa!!]
Amanda: Well, if you had been and if you had said a few things that you 
didn’t mean and then if you thought that maybe you’d like to, sort of, you 
know, apologize, and so you invited me to dinner, I 
just want you to know that I understand and I would think that would be . . .
(she licks her lips here!! ) really nice.
( Lee seems to respond quite shyly here and when he looks away don’t you think? Do you think Lee looks shy?)
Lee: Good.
Amanda: Does that mean it is?
Lee: Is what?
Amanda: An apology.
Lee: Okay, if you want to 
put it like that, yes. It was an apology.
Amanda: Thank you.
Amanda: would you like your Jell-o now?
Lee just silently looks at her.. like he can’t believe he is doing this!!
-Hmm it seems it’s now Amanda’s turn to talk to Lee like he is a child Hey! the end!… Hurray!!
Do you think Lee knew he was taking Amanda to dinner to apologise? or.. did he just want to make it up to her… if you see the difference.. the way he responds to her I’m not sure he realised that was what it was..??
So.. here are my thoughts on this episode as a whole.. Please feel free to disagree- it’s only my opinion.. not a fact 
Lee’s attitude towards Amanda in this episode seems to fit before Dead Ringer.. where at the end of that episode he takes Amanda out to say sorry for Magda and everything that happened, and he actually realises that is why he has taken her out again, he actually uses words to explain why he thought she needed him to do something nice for her!
Also, the attitude of Lee in this episode in regards to Amanda and men fits better before the Mole – in the Mole Lee is jealous… he doesn’t really appear to be jealous in this episode! ( at least not in my book but YMMV!) – Lee is much more condescending about Amanda’s dealings with men in this episode, and as he chews her out in the car about it Amanda is not angry in response to what he is saying.. In the Mole, she gets angry! I think the anger coming after this episode fits better, like Amanda had had enough of Lee and his judging her for ‘going for it’ – did you notice he said basically the same thing as he says in the Mole towards the end of this episode:
(Artful dodger) Lee: Ah, a slick guy in a Rolls convertible gives you a ring and a great line and you go for it!…. Just terrific! 
(The Mole)Lee: I thought you bought that line of his all the way….Ahh, that stuff that women go for……Terrific! 
In the Mole Amanda responds angrily ‘ Go For????!!!’ – that fits better if this episode is the first time he has said it, it really doesn’t fit that she would not be angry about it the second time she hears it, when she was angry the first time and nothing had changed!
Plus, in this episode, Amanda is taken in by Alan – she’s certainly not gushing about the guy but she is flattered by the attention. In the Mole, my impression is that right from the start Amanda was not taken in by David’s attention at all.. and he was trying his best with all his talk of being ‘ zapped’ – Amanda seems to not quite believe his line ( as Lee would put it!) – this fits better if it is after her experience with Alan – She learned to be more careful, less open and more questioning..
After Lee’s accepting their friendship in Savior, this episode seems bizarre.. it fits before the mole and savior and dead ringer better. Lee is also not happy about working with Amanda at the beginning of the episode because he wants an agent.. I think after the mole and savior he is not as dismissive, not gushing either.. but not against it.
I will go over this whole episode order idea at the end of season one and compile a post for it so you can judge for yourselves if my ideas work, and share some of your own if you would like..
It is strange to see two episodes in a row of Amanda being fooled by someone isn’t it.. when her character typically is a shrewd judge of character – I can’t think of another episode where this happens other than savior and artful dodger.. Ok, maybe service above and beyond..but that one is more complicated!
But my final thoughts on this episode before I put it to bed.. it was a very strange episode in vibe.. we didn’t see the boys, Amanda is a dill, and wears a concubine ring?? sooo out of character for Amanda!! I spent most of the episode grinding my teeth because it consisted of: Amanda being tricked by a sneaky dodger, wearing that awful ring, being really dumb, or gushing embarrassingly to Lee about how great he is – while ignoring how rude he just was to her! Or Lee being very unlikeable, treating Amanda like a little child (not like a woman who can throw a drink in his face and declare loudly: 
Frankly Ricky Joe, sex with you was always a major disappointment! ), like he resented having to put up with her, furious with Amanda for her being tricked by this man to wear that ugly excuse for a ring ( when he himself not too long ago would have gotten killed by the KGB agent he had fallen in love with – if not for heroic Amanda not losing the plot!), he didn’t want to work with her, and then bullied her at the end 
going on and on about how men operate, her being picked up and what she went for.. – he came across as condescending and judgemental.
Where were all of Lee’s redeeming qualities?? he is not perfect and occasionally he will show a glimpse of these traits, but usually in very small doses- and he usually redeems himself by the end of the episode! For me.. not this time, the tag was cute, but fell disappointingly short. Lee was so awful to Amanda an expensive dinner doesn’t cut it – and… Amanda lets Lee off the hook! I like that he does something to say sorry, but if she has to drag it out of him that this is what this is-it’s not much of an apology, maybe YMMV!! 
Neither character was able to redeem themselves by the end of the episode.. neither character was portrayed as really growing or changing in this episode.. I can only guess Amanda has grown if I try and fit it into other episodes.. we could leave out this episode and it would make no different to the overall story. 
The episode Lost and Found, while difficult to watch is worthwhile, we learn a lot of Lee’s backstory, see him deal with his feelings for Eva, and in his turmoil- he confides in Amanda and we see Amanda be an absolute trooper
and come through for Lee and Angelo.. in this episode?? Neither Lee nor Amanda were particularly heroic or at their best.. sooo on that note, I will put this episode behind me.. a glitch in characterisation, an experiment which showed the writers where the strengths of scarecrow and Mrs king are.. and what not to do again!!!
I wonder if the show as a whole in mid season one decided to pull things back between Lee and Amanda. It seems the show had a mini kind of overhaul – with lots of new sets (new elevator, the introduction of the IFF concept), new characters (Mrs Marsden, blue leader), Lee’s new look, all happen around mid season… It’s like they got a renewal for the second season about then decided to spend more money- uh oh! we can’t let Lee and Amanda get too friendly! we need to hold off on that till mid to late season 2! Hmmm let’s have Amanda suddenly check herself in for a lobotomy- she can wear a concubine ring some random guy she isn’t even really into gave her, she can ask really dumb questions and she can gush over Lee and his super spy skills like she has a major crush on him!Cringe!! Lee? hmm well let’s see.. we can give him a snooty new wardrobe, and a snooty attitude to go with it! That way, Lee and Amanda are not as connected and friendly as they were- increase Lee’s frustration at Amanda’s beginner spy antics and they have a built in buzz killer right there.. ahem.. Hey I have noooo evidence this is the case.. this is just a theory!
What do you think? Did you notice around episodes 13-17 they changed or added lots of things to the show? Is there a way to find out when season 2 was announced? I don’t know how these things were announced in the 80’s!
Thanks for reading and putting up with my grumpiness..
Hopefully onward and upward from here!!
Wait! I’ve got it!! You know how Francine had dead ringer and Amanda has odds on a dead pigeon?? well this episode must be the Lee doppelganger 
episode teee heeee..
I’d love to hear your thoughts – do you ever re-watch this episode? or do you avoid it? or do you just not think about it?? are you surprised at what I have grumbled about in this episode?? do tell!!! byeee for now!
Ciao!!
"Just walk with me.." 
For what it’s worth, this ep was written by a writer who had never worked for the series before and from what I can tell, never wrote for them again. (I wonder why? LOL) So I’m guessing some of the OOC-ness was that the writer simply did not get the characters at all. She probably watched the first 3 eps at best, put two and two together, and got 22. Why they didn’t have a script supervisor say “What the Sam Hill did you just do?” is beyond me, but then we also lost Ep 22 so maybe things were being rushed near the end of the season? Was the upcoming Olympics throwing a wrench into things?
The one scene I do enjoy is them breaking in and testing the security. That felt very classic SMK. And I do like Lee’s line “Does he buy your birdseed for you?” because the guy constantly repeating his boss’ comments was getting VERY old.
And I have to smile a little at the last scene, because it reminds me SOOOO much of trying to drink when I got my first fillings and they froze my mouth. I went to take a glass of water and nearly wore the whole thing. Good memories…sort of.
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If it weren’t for the Dean question, I’d put this one in as the second episode after the pilot. Then If Thoughts Could Kill (although at least we can write off his behavior on a combo of sleep deprivation and being brainwashed there). Otherwise this doesn’t fit after ANY episode. There was more of a bond on There Goes The Neighborhood than this for goodness’ sake!
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Before I get into my comments on the ep as a whole, I just have to say that I really dig the neverending stairs–like Escher stairs–in the warehouse. You’d think they’d use a set of stairs where there’s not a big chunk missing out of the banister that can be spotted every time they move on up to a supposedly new floor. Yes, they move the props like the pallet, but the chunk is still missing, there’s still the big cracks, and there’s still the dark smudge. ROFL!!!
I think Lee was trying to make it up to her, not apologizing. 😀
I like your arguments regarding the ep order with The Mole–it makes sense.
Hmmmmm… well, they could back off on the growing closeness between Lee and Amanda without effectively giving Amanda a lobotomy… and putting Lee on his man period (thanks, Anne (?)) is an effective way to put more distance between them! But–Lee is better than that. 😦
This ep ranks right up there with A Class Act for me in UGH factor–I’m going to have to pop over to Nedlindgers and update my least favourite eps comment…
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Oh–and here’s another idea for the way Lee is acting: he’s involved in an Agency drug trial (testing a new truth serum or knockout gas or similar) and one of the side-effects is proving to be intense moodiness! 😀
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Thank you for this perspective — though I cannot imagine watching this episode again, your comments ring true and make it a little (just a little, mind you 😉 ) easier to take. I am still glad Alan decked Lee.
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I guess I hate this episode less than the rest of you, in part because I think it DOES offer some insight into Lee’s character – specifically, that he is not necessarily the self-assured superman he would like the world to believe he is.
We’ve had hints already that Lee’s childhood was a painful and neglected one – an environment not likely to nurture a healthy self-esteem. As an adult, Lee has built his self-image around the two things he is very successful at: being one of the country’s top agents (we’ve seen how he preens at that designation), and being very attractive to the opposite sex. Sadly, those with self-esteem issues require constant external affirmation to maintain their confidence … and that’s where things go off the rails for Lee in this episode.
First, we see him accused of incompetence in designing the security system. He reacts with uncharacteristic anger and snarkiness. He is desperate to prove that HE was not at fault here, that one of the country’s top agents didn’t somehow put the country’s security at risk. Most critically, because his sense of self is so bound up in his job, he perceives questions about the strength of his security system as a personal attack on him – and he lashes out against the army guys and everybody else around him.
His harsh treatment of Amanda in this episode is indeed hard to watch – but it stems, I think, from the same source. Despite his protestations that theirs is mostly a professional relationship, it pleases Lee that Amanda admires him. Here, just at the time when his confidence in his professional skills is being undermined, he discovers that Amanda is seeing someone else (and I believe Lee is already deep into denial about his attraction to Amanda) – and it hurts. In his mind, I think Lee connects his loss of face professionally with Amanda thinking less of him. Again, his knee-jerk response is anger – it is far more comfortable to place “blame” elsewhere than to face himself and his own insecurities. So he belittles and criticizes Amanda, far out of proportion to the situation.
As for Amanda’s over-effusive praise of Lee, despite his treatment of her, I think it’s because she understands exactly what is going on with him. She knows how important it is to him to feel he’s serving his country honorably and admirably. She sees that he has been wounded by the accusations against him – and she overcompensates to try to reassure him. That she is willing to do so at the expense of her own pride and in the face of his continued bad treatment of her shows what a generous heart Amanda really has.
Guess I’ve rambled enough. I just thought I’d throw my slightly different perspective into the mix!
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Thanks for sharing this perspective, kgmohror. You’ve obviously given this a bit of thought. You’ve stated it very well, and I can see your point of view.
It’s great to hear so many differing opinions on the show, isn’t it? Glad you’re taking time to share yours with everyone.
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This is why I love this blog! Someone makes a point I haven’t thought of and it makes me take a new look at my own thoughts. Thanks kgmohror! Still, I do think it would be only fair if Amanda had decked Lee instead of Alan, you know, just by accident or something….. 😉
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I like your perspective. I agree and I add to the mix the insecurity and hurt that Lee has just experienced with Eva as well and how that may have effected his view of himself as a professional and as a man. (I watch this episode right after Lost and Found.) I mentioned this on an earlier post for this episode.
Lee isn’t perfect, and some of his behavior is juvenile and just plain awful, but it makes this story even more beautiful.
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I think you got it completely right, kgmohror. My husband walked past while I was watching this episode, & said “Why is that guy such a jerk?”. And my genius response was, “Well, he’s not always like that!” Your response is SO much better, & exactly spot on. But, to be fair, my sweetie is NOT a SMK fan so his eyes would probably have glazed over had I been able to quote your amazing piece of analysis!
I’m really enjoying going through the episodes that have all ready been reviewed, since I think its a lot of fun to see what other people got out of them. Thanks for keeping up with this site & leaving the comments open since I am obviously VERY late to the party.
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I’m enjoying hearing your thoughts of earlier eps Xiola and the lovely reminders of their contents! Even if I did struggle with this ep!
Kgmohr’s thoughts are beautifully put!
I confess- I still find Lee’s behaviour unacceptable. Even if I were to 100% understand why he was behaving that way.
I’m pretty sure I said it somewhere in the walk through this ep, maybe even on this page : the episode could have been much better if the episode had resolved or addressed some of these deeper issues which were possibly at play. I don’t see any character development in this ep.. This didn’t even need to be done directly.. I think the tag was an attempt to do this but for me it falls completely flat because it doesn’t make up for half of Lee’s childish behaviour in this ep…but that’s just me.
You are very welcome – I’m glad the earlier eps can stay open!!
Iwsod’s Disclaimer: When reading earlier posts walking through eps, my views expressed are based on the story as it happens in that context. All the thoughts that occur to me as the ep unfolds are here for posterity, even though quite possibly I rethink things or my understanding changes as new info in the episode (or later eps) is revealed 🙂
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Welcome to the party, Xiola! This was a difficult episode for me, definitely not one of my favourites. You know it must be bad when I was cheering when Lee got decked by the Art Garfunkel wannabe.
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Hear Hear Cindy!!
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Actually, yes. I think you may have hit the nail on the head for this one and I find that very interesting.
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Hi Anchoret and WELCOME! (and if you’ve been around for awhile, please forgive me, my memory is great but short).
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No, I only discovered iswod’s run through of the episodes a week ago so I’m a newbie at this. But this episode and A Class Act I loathe with a passion.
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You are in very good company. 🙂
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IWSOD your summing up of Lee’s mouth was the problem…..for the whole episode is spot on LOL
I dislike the tag, I know it’s an Amandaramble but she’s normally much more direct and they make her look stupid. Lee totally deserved that punch in the jaw, I am rather glad that Alan got to do it. Sure he’s a criminal mastermind who manipulates people but his manners are impeccable 😉
I’d like to say there was some reason for Lee blowing hot and cold but suspect there isn’t. Just inconsistent writing IMO and I guess they didn’t want to pull out the whole romance thing in season one because it would be harder to sustain for longer if it wasn’t gradual. Whatever. I am so not likely to watch this episode again. Ever.
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Yeah, Jenbo, it is awful isn’t it? I am glad this wasn’t my first introduction to SMK — I honestly don’t think I would have watched any other episodes — it was that bad!
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I just can’t see Amanda as stupid in this episode. In fact, I think she shows remarkable understanding of who Lee is, why he reacts the way he does and how she should approach him. She knows he is ashamed of his behavior, but she also understands that his pride will make it hard for him to apologize directly. However, she has enough self-respect to not simply let him get away with it. So she gives him a face-saving out by acknowledging what they both know – that the dinner is his way of apologizing.
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Hiya Kgmohror! I enjoyed hearing your point of view! 🙂 I can’t remember what I wrote now.. but for me, in the tag – I agree Amanda was giving Lee a face saving out.. I just didn’t want her to do it! 🙂 haaaa..
I like your view on the episode as a whole Kgmohror.. I really wish I could get on board with that.. and I do hope that my posts on this ep have not be too negative so as to drown out your won enjoyment of it! [I don’t think I tend to be that negative often]
What you suggest could work.. but for me, I find Lee is suddenly too over the top with his awful attitude, and Amanda is suddenly too over the top with her fawning… for me the characterisation feels off.. [the other time I thought this was in A class act].. I can’t brush off Lee’s treatment of Amanda.. I am glad this is the only episode where he is portrayed like this – If they were going for hurt/bruised pride/threatened Lee.. they overdid it in my book.. but I know not everyone sees it the way I do – and it’s good to hear a positive view on this ep.. heaven knows I haven’t given much of one.. and I think I can usually find things to like in an ep! 🙂
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Phew. Finally read through all 5 posts of this episode…just so I could make comments on episode order on that thread. This episode is the pits, I agree. Hard to watch in so many ways as everyone has captured already. The only way I can get through this one is think that Lee’s awful petulant behavior is because it’s essentially his fault that these films are being stolen, right? It was his security system wasn’t it? So he is in the hot seat here, hence his awful behavior. I’d be pretty cranky myself if I was a hotshot agent being accused of installing a sucky security system and the PWAC thing was stolen.
I agree with what Debilyn said about how Amanda treats Lee in the car. She is treating him like the little boy he is acting like. His little tantrums do not make too much of an impression on her. After all, she know how to deal with little boys!
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Wow, maybe I can reinterpret Amanda’s behaviour in the car as treating him like a little boy throwing a tantrum, but I just cannot bear to watch that scene again. It always reminded me of a hanger-on to the nasty popular crowd that would allow him/herself to be a target of abuse just to feel liked and accepted. I saw her behaviour in the car as submissive, supplicant and cloying. It really, really bothered me. If that scene had been in a movie of the week, she would have been the broken spirited, often abused wife who was treading on eggshells trying to avoid another beating. I am glad you can look at it differently. 🙂
Maybe I should take a stab at writing a guest post about Amanda’s character development 😉
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Just re-read my last post. Wow, I’m really in a bad mood. That may have been a bit harsh. 🙂
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Haha, Cindy! Maybe a tad harsh, but maybe not? I’ll admit I had to look up supplicant and cloying. : ) I know what you mean about the hangers on to the nasty popular crowd, but that thought didn’t cross my mind when watching this scene.
I do wish she had stood up for herself more in the car though. She can’t be blamed for the first film theft – that’s on Lee. I was thinking more along the lines of her just ignoring him sort of and trying to diffuse his temper. When my little boy pitches a fit that’s how I handle him. That or I send him to his room till he’s finished. Actually, I tend to do the latter most of the time because I have no patience!
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Yes, please do take a stab at Amanda’s character development! I don’t want to be the only guest blogger!
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I never really got into the order of the shows but after really thinking about it I think you are right that it goes before ‘Dead Ringer’ and ‘Mole’.
Suffer, Lee, suffer…glad that he had to suffer through Amanda’s logic of if he was doing this for an apology. And I love how she gets him back with asking him if he is ready for his jello, LOL!!!!
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Maybe the SMK folks just want to remind us again that Amanda isn’t an agent yet. (yeah, yeah, I know, I’m always trying to find some optimistic viewpoint) Amanda does seem to take a step backwards every now and then. I guess I’ve always seen some of her “backward-stepping” as nervousness, or wanting so badly to make a good impression that she flubs a bit. This doesn’t always work, of course, but I remember thinking that back when the show was first aired. ‘Cause I did appreciate the fact that Amanda so often proved herself to the “seasoned agents” and deserved more praise than she got.
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OOPS! Never mind my comments about this episode and Blue Leader — obviously these last few episodes have traumatized me so much I am blurring the lines where one ends and the other begins. 😛
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ISWOD — I think your theory is dead on that they wanted to overhaul the series and damp down the chemistry between Lee and Amanda. But why make him such an A–hole (not just towards Amanda, but to everyone about him)? I mean is his dumping of coffee just because Billy put sugar in it supposed to be endearing? Instead of doppleganger Lee, I had thought maybe there were some residual effects with Lester the Duck. LOL.
And Amanda being so dumb — SIGH!. It interesting to note that the most offensive episodes seem to be the ones that had Pamela Chais as executive script consultant or whatever her title was. I wonder if she came up with the idea of Blue Leader which was just lame in my opinion. Mrs. Marsten seems to be a plot device to highlight how stupid, ditzy Amanda couldn’t remember a simple code word.
As to your suggestion that puts this episode before the Mole, I am just wondering if there is anything in Amanda’s knowledge of Blue Leader that would suggest that the Mole was the first time she had heard of him. I don’t know and you can’t make me go back to check it out. You can’t make me, you can’t make me you can’t make me! I won’t do it!
But there is a plus side. I just finished watching Welcome to America Mr. Brand. I know many people don’t like this episode, but it was so refreshing to watch after this one. Lee actually smiling at Amanda when he saw her, (even though explaining how he was very busy) taking her concerns seriously, and not using that horrible condescending tone towards her. It was a real treat, I tell ya. And I didn’t even mind it being a Lee-lite episode, because honestly, after this one, I needed a bit of a break from him.
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Hi Cindy.. thanks for sharing your thoughts! Lester the Duck? ROFLMAO!! Good one!! haaaa.. yep that explains it 😉
Don’t worry about your comment about Blue leader – when I first read it I thought – oh yeah! that’s true!!! tee heee.. then I realised I had the wrong episode! I did the same thing as you! 🙂 I like to think I just wanted the dodgy episode gone out of my memory!
If they did overhaul the show, this episode may not be out of order.. but I may be able to play with the order a little and make Lee less errr hmmm.. well.. you know!
I don’t think we see Blue Leader again.. for one episode it was interesting, but.. they don’t need him! and it was a good decision to retire him!
I am pretty sure The Mole and Savior go together.. in The Mole Amanda experiences Blue Leader for the first time – she was shocked at the sudden noise in the car – and in Savior, she knows who blue Leader is..
So I can’t get too creative with the order..
Mrs Marsden? true.. the forgetting the password thing is not my favourite.. but it is not as ridiculous as wearing the ugliest concubine ring ever for a guy you don’t even like.. LOL! 🙂 and I do love the season 3 moment where Mrs Marsden gets out her machine gun and goes for it! haaaaa 🙂 that alone makes her ok with me!
Awhh!! Yes that Lee is someone I can cheer for!! 🙂 I can’t wait to get to season 3!
It’s going to be interesting to see how snooty Lee is in Filming Raul.. I have the impression he is much better 🙂 some attitude is there (our Lee is not perfect – and who wants that 🙂 )but it is only fleeting, and there is plenty of moments where he is good to Amanda to balance things – whooo and the car scene!! whoo hoo!! I can’t wait!! I will hopefully get started on that episode tomorrow.. I’ve run out of time today 😦 byeee for now!
Oh and congrats on your mother’s day present!! How wonderful!!!!!!
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I so think Amanda “over compliments” Lee while in the car going to P-WAC, but it’s more to calm him down than anything else. Why argue with an irrational Lee? Cheering him on is obviously the best way to calm him down, cause it works here. (I’ve done it myself.) She knows how to handle upset little boys, after all, and that’s exactly how Lee is acting here.
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Hi Debilyn, great to hear your thoughts! Yep!I see what you mean!! Arguing with him isn’t going to work when he is in that mood.. and it is very true that it works a treat.. We see this tactic work in many other episodes of smk ( I am pretty sure Amanda works her magic in Filming Raul too.. )
For me though, this episode was not normal, and I probably interpreted it as ‘over complimenting’ rather than her typical complimenting – because it was so over the top gushing, in response to his attitude towards her.. we see upset Lee acting like a little boy many times, but this episode for me was over the top in that respect also.. YMMV 🙂 but I agree often we see Amanda dealing with Lee behaving like a little boy – and it is a strategy that works…
Is it just my imagination, or did Amanda’s characterisation (in the earlier season 1 episodes) manage to have her be fiesty and complimentary ?? that is my impression.. they got the balance just right.. and for me.. in this ep – the balance was just off for everything 🙂 haaaaa..
Thanks again Debilyn!
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Lee’s mouth certainly was the problem in this episode. I like how Amanda didn’t let him off the hook. She made him say that the dinner was an apology. I don’t think Lee is self-aware enough to know that he was acting out of jealousy.
I like your thoughts on the episode order. It certainly belongs before Savior.
Onto Filming Raul!
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Well, I have only just started to watch the show on DVD, and I much enjoy the power of the remote to rewatch scenes (of course only if my husband is not in sight, he dislikes this as much as my habit of checking the ending of books I am reading as soon as I finishes the first 40+ pages). And I do not think I will watch this again any time soon, to be quite honest, I marked the episodes on my DVD leaflet with stickers to mark how much I liked them and this one got none. But this one is not the only one without any.
But I am certainly glad, you made it through this episode with your love of the show still intact and hope you will get more enjoyement out of the next ones.
But I perfectly agree with you that the writers occasionally put on full breaks on the developing of the relationship and I too think it is annoying at times.
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You made it with this ep!!! Congratulations!!!
Be patient with me! SMK was my first tv-love (in germany) back in the 80′. Now in 2012 I’ve watch clips (thanks to youtu) in “real” and fall in love again with the real voices. I must say I can never see this in german again, because then my nails are curling up…so much funny lines are gone.
So where were I… I’ve never watch this ep again after all these years, and I think it’s better after I’ve readen your comment (toooo funny). Eventually they were thinking, ups lets get things a little bit slower with these two because many people are watching. But that’s no apology for Lee’s side parting Haairstyle, Lee’s shouting on Amanda, Billy dosn’t stop him, this ugly ring, and Mr Alan Garfu..dodger who let stand Amanda stupid after everyone knows he only uses her.
Do Lee realise in his shouting-thing that he much more care’s about Amanda, and that’s why he’s so helpless and angry with himself that he can’t stop shouting.. poor Lee… oh maby I’m a little Amanda-thinking.. let him shout.. I always see him in this tux going down the stairs, this can make you forgett everything, especially this episode….
I love your lines, so pleeeeaaase go on with the show!!!
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