6/9 Season Two, Episode 2:The Times They are a Changin-Scarecrow and Mrs King

Soo…. we left this episode with Lee and Amanda heading off to meet Billy and Francine.. But! First we must see another picturesque location! We are not filming this on the Warner’s backlot!! go location crazy smk!! Ahhh I love these episodes for this very reason I’m amazed! Amanda is amazed!.. Lee is oblivious!
Amanda: The Nümfenburg castle. Now I’ll have to remember to bring Mother and the boys here, it’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.

You hardly even looked at it!
Lee: Huh? … Oh I errr.. I spent the summer here once.
Amanda: at the castle???
Lee: yeah
Amanda: doing what?

Lee just looks at her silently for a long time! At least he doesn’t give Amanda a scowl or anything..Funny, I think if Amanda wasn’t suppose to know – why tell her you’d even spent a summer there? I think Lee wanted Amanda to know at least a little bit haa..
Amanda: I know, I guess I don’t want to know! (she looks annoyed when she says that!!)

Lee and Amanda join Francine and Billy – whoa! check out Francine’s hair!! you think that is a hairpiece on the back there?

Billy: All right, listen up, people. There’s going to be an attempted assassination sometime tomorrow. Possibly before nightfall, that’s the only clue we have.[Oh the irony!!!]
Lee: And Haddy Kemp is still in a lot of danger. We don’t have much time left to get him out.

I’ll cut to the chase here and skip a bunch of dialogue.. Billy: All right, we’re going to have to cover all the bases we have here. Scarecrow, you and Amanda go to the Baron’s party. Keep an eye on Matthew Hearns (the symphony conductor who is an American goodwill ambassador- and if Lee and Amanda are assigned to him- well he’s our man! ) . I’ll cover Randolph Benton (aid to the president)  and Francine, you stay close to Jason Styron (a playwright). Any questions?
Amanda: Uh, sir, I have a problem. I can’t go to the party.
Billy: Why not?
(I love to watch Lee’ s reaction as it dawns on him what the problem is.. need to know? Need to flippin know!!!)
Amanda: Well, I assume it’s black-tie and I
Francine and Amanda: Didn’t bring a gown. [Love Billy’s clueless look here!! ]
Amanda: No, sir, I didn’t.
Francine: How can you come to Europe without bringing a gown?

Amanda: Well, I didn’t expect to meet a baron. You see, I didn’t know that I was here on Agency business.
[I love watching Lee squirm here!!! You just know he is thinking- dang! she has a point!! Lee this is a really simple conversation – Amanda talks and you listen Lee can’t look at Amanda teee heee.. ]

Amanda continues: If I had known that I was here on Agency business, I probably would have brought a gown, but I. . . .

Francine: Well, it’s okay because I’m here on business and I brought a gown. Good thing, huh? Because I’m ready for anything. [I think Francine wants to meet the Baron Francine von snob does have a lovely ring to it ]
Billy: It is a good thing, too, because you’re going to lend your gown to Amanda.
Ahhhh don’t you just Love Billy for suggesting this!! He seems to know he is being very cheeky here too!! Amanda reacts with Panic ( uh oh if anything happens to it she’ll kill me! ) and Lee reacts with glee yeah!! let’s take Francine’s dress away from her ha haaaa!! suffer Francine !!! ( they are such siblings these two ) Plus, maybe Lee is pleased he gets to  take Amanda to the party… At the same time – I’m bummed! I wanted Amanda to have a pretty woman trying on the gowns for Lee moment and watch Lee pick his jaw up off the floor Oh well.. I can dream.. at least she won’t be wearing one of those flippin black trousers with white shiny top ensembles she loved so much in season one!!
Francine: Uh, no, Billy, I don’t think that’s a good idea, I mean, we’re talking about an original gown here. I mean, this is three months’ salary and besides, it wouldn’t fit Amanda at all. Mooooo!!! You wish Francine!!! ( and I just love that this gets revisited in Fast food for thought with Amanda buying chocolates for Francine- once past the lips forever on the hips!!! )
Amanda: Yes, sir, I really —
Billy: Nonsense, a few nips and tucks here and it will fit fine. And Amanda will take good care of it, won’t you, Amanda?
Amanda: Yes, sir.

I love this whole dialogue with the four of them.. Amanda gets a few good ones in!
Love that Amanda knew a prominent American in town that the others didn’t!
Love that she gets in a dig about not knowing it was agency business she was there on- and if she had, she would have brought a gown to wear!
Love how Billy takes Francine’s designer gown worth 3 month’s salary from Francine ( even thought she is trying to use it as leverage that she should go to the party and not Amanda!!) ..
Best of all??!!! Billy says Amanda will fit into Francine’s gown- a few nips and tucks and it will be fine! Take that Francine!!!
Lee and Amanda watch Billy and Francine walk away, Lee lets out a huge breath, shakes his head .. one crisis averted! Amanda and Lee silently look at each other.. and then they walk off..

Great how Amanda makes the point about having a need to know – while  standing in front of the castle Lee didn’t tell her about staying at because there is no need to know – She has made her point beautifully! Go Amanda!!

At the hotel, we have some family time before Amanda heads out for the night. The script had a cute moment here where the boys were watching Dukes of Hazzard dubbed in german – and they are stunned that they can speak german! My definition of a gown is.. umm a dress! Pants??? 😦

Dotty: Who did you say the friend was that lent you that wild outfit? [Wild? It’s not that wild.. but I wouldn’t call it a ‘gown’ either! ugh.. I am so annoyed that we didn’t get to see Amanda all glammed up and knocking it out of the park.. oh well-mind you- she is of course still lovely! :)]

Amanda: Oh, uh, I didn’t, Mother.
Mother: Was this that friend from home that you met in Munich?
Amanda: Well, she’s not a close friend. (HAA!!)
Dotty: You see? First you meet a businessman friend, then you meet a friend that lends you a wild outfit, and then you meet a baron. You do have the touch, Amanda. Your grandmother, she met a lot of men.

Dotty again makes reference to Amanda being like her grandmother .. I swear she was a spy!!! hehehee
Amanda: Well . . .
Phillip: Mom, can we go see the glockenspiel tomorrow again?
Amanda: You want to see it again tomorrow?
Phillip and Jamie: Yeah! [way to go with the overacting there Phillip! and we can enjoy that little moment in the credits over and over and over.. ]
Amanda: We can see it again tomorrow. [Amanda kneels down and kisses the boys goodnight] Good night. Give me a kiss.  Look, I want to tell you something. I am very lucky to have you both. And I love you very, very much.
Phillip: Ma?
Amanda: Hmm?
Phillip: How come you’re getting so mushy?
Amanda: That isn’t mushy. This is mushy!

Amanda grabs the boys and squashes them with hugs and kisses.. the boys pretend to complain about it   Very cute!
Dotty: Amanda, can I ask you something? Do you think they have stamps this late at night?
Amanda: Mother! You’re writing Beatrice Norton? I thought you couldn’t stand Beatrice Norton.
Dotty: You’re right. I can’t. That is why I’m writing her, telling her that I won a contest, sending my whole family to Munich.  That’s why I’m doing it. She’ll be so terribly jealous. I mean, you don’t mind if I tell a little white lie and say that I won the contest?
Amanda: No, Mother.
Dotty: I’m also telling her that you’re engaged to a baron.
Amanda: Mother!!!!
Dotty: All right! All right. Just . . . dating a baron.
[I see Amanda did bring her fancy earrings to Europe! Aren’t they the ones she always wears?!]
Amanda: Of course. Goodnight.
Dotty: Goodnight.
Amanda: Goodnight, fellas!
Phillip and Jamie: Goodnight!
Dotty: Don’t lose Beatrice’s card!  (LOL!! )

And off Amanda goes.. I am so sad Amanda didn’t wear a gorgeous gown.. and I didn’t get to see Lee’s reaction to seeing her all glammed up- this is completely skimmed over here. Now that I think about it, Lee’s first sighting of Amanda is always off screen when Amanda’s dressed up.. ugh! . I can’t think of any moments like that!.. Hmm let me know if you can- at least in season two- I mean even when Amanda wears a wedding dress in ship of spies, we join them already together so again no reaction from Lee.. ugh!! I digress! sorry!!  .. I guess  they just didn’t want to go there, scenes open with them already together, and don’t waste time on them meeting up..

The next thing we see in this episode is Lee and Amanda at the Baron’s party.. So I shall leave it there for now.. Back with more soon ( and THE TUX!) Thanks for reading, and would love to hear any of your thoughts, byeeeee