Back to the night of big drama!! Lee has stormed off leaving Amanda at home alone..
Amanda hears something in the backyard – you see her expression??
For a moment she thinks it is Lee returned to resolve things and she gives a little smile – only to find it isn’t Lee- it’s the storm, and a pot plant that has fallen and broken.. [It’s kind of sweet that Amanda thought that’s what it was- she knew he wouldn’t be happy with how things were left.. she knows he is a good guy!] she looks so disappointed when she sees it’s only a broken pot!
uh oh… we see a baddie at the window! Muahahaaaa!!
Lee is off hooning in his vette.. We see Lee is again calm, he seems –regretful
– a bit mad with himself, he slams his steering 
wheel with both hands in frustration.. [Look! No hands!!! 
]
Lee realises it is not ok how he left things.. he gives a wry grin 
(thinking maybe- I can fix this!?) and does a u-turn in style, heading back to Amanda’s.. [Naughty Lee!! why does he not wear his seatbelt?! Road rules don’t apply to superspies? He doesn’t indicate either.. just decides to do a u turn.. surprise! 
but hey, the vette corners like a track racer! ]
Seems Lee, and Danger are approaching Amanda’s home!!! Uh oh. the lights go out.. the 
doorknob jiggles. [Storms don’t jiggle doorknobs! argh!!] Yep, that torch shining on the doornob was pretty subtle ( Haaa I remember those torches!).. The baddies are there to collect their merchandise.
Two creeps break in through the back door.. 
Amanda tries to run for it immediately – making for the front door but Kurtz is there 
and stops her leaving- Nooo!! The three baddies close in on Amanda.. [You can see this really is KJ struggling here – it is very visceral violence here for smk – so traumatic for Amanda! It is unusual to see this type of violence on smk] 
Rollo heads to the front door to close it but quickly leaves the door open and hides behind it.. Lee appears at the front door- gun drawn and is surprised by Rollo behind the front door. The other two baddies see them struggling over the gun and so they both ( weird!) let go of Amanda to fight Lee- Amanda scrambles over behind the sofa..
Rollo yells: You guys take care of the merchandise. I’ll take him!
What did Lee and Amanda make of that??!!
The two baddies head back towards Amanda, Lee pushes Rollo away [the gun seems to have just vanished into thin air- that’s a groovy safety feature for the modern spy! ] and then takes one of his birdman leaps tackling both the baddies at once (how appropriate we can see the football on the stand there- could that be the Sandy Newcombe football?!
Amanda seems to have really found her courage tonight, and she is fighting for her life! yeah!! go Amanda!! you rock!!! Amanda picks up a lamp and swings wildly at one of the baddies while Lee fights the other.. The whereabouts of the third creep at the door in the middle of this fight seems to change.. he suddenly disappears and makes a re-entrance somehow.. oh well.. whoo nice kicks there stunt Lee! He kicks Rollo’s knife out if his hand! Lee knocks out Rollo who falls nicely onto Amanda’s sofa ( so much better on Lee’s back having to pick him up )
Lee! why stop Amanda from whacking the guy with the lamp! Let her get some of that anger out on the creep! hehehee.. 😉
Lee: No! Amanda!! It’s over! It’s over..
[The pause quietly for a moment.. catching their breath..] Everything’s fine. They’re gone.
Love love love how the both hold on to the lamp throughout this scene..
Amanda: I’ve never been so scared in all my life!
Lee quietly: I know. [awh!!]
Amanda: I’m glad mother and the boys weren’t here, why did they come to my house?
Lee promises to find out who they are and what they wanted..
Amanda: why did you come back?
Lee: I err. I didn’t like the way our little disagreement ended, I drove by, I saw the van in the driveway and the doorway was open..
Amanda: it wasn’t just a little disagreement you said that I should resign
Lee: No! no no you said that you were going to resign.
Amanda: you agreed with me!
Lee: here we go again! ( I love that Lee points at 
Amanda, but then puts his hand back on the lamp again, covering Amanda’s hand again.. It’s like they are holding hands-without holding hands.. but inspite of the tension between them- Lee still sought out Amanda’s hand unconsciously! Again Lee? Yes Lee, because it hasn’t been dealt with! I can understand Lee’s frustration though- maybe it’s best they are interrupted here- they need some time to think.. before they say something they will both regret!)
Amanda: well, see! then you mean it don’t you.
Lee: No I didn’t totally mean it
Amanda: means you meant it a little
Lee: maybe a little
[I love how after Lee says this, as Amanda says her next line, she goes to move the lamp away, and Lee seems terrified for a second she is going to whack him with it!!! hahahaa. ]
Amanda: see you said it again!
Lee: said what?…. I don’t even know what I said anymore!
Love the ‘huh?’ expression from Lee here! He looks exhausted.. they both are probably.. I bet many men can related to how Lee is feeling at this moment- he can’t seem to say anything right!! And Amanda isn’t giving him any clues!! Yep.. definitely good they have some time to think! Lee 
has to hurry off with the unconscious creep as Dotty and the kids come 
home…. everything between Lee and Amanda is left hanging..
There’s an interesting difference in the script from this final version.. In the script, it has Amanda fainting into Lee’s arms once the baddies have all escaped (except unconscious Rollo). The script says: “Lee turns to Amanda, just as her legs give out from under her and she starts to collapse. Lee catches her in his arms before she hits the floor. Amanda holds onto him tightly. At first Lee doesn’t know how to react or what exactly to do with his own arms…but feeling her trembling body against his, he slowly puts his arms around her.” – my ohhh my!! what do you think??? It all sounds very swoonworthy.. and I can’t believe I am about to say this- but I am glad they left it out!! It would have taken away from how brave Amanda had been –which in this episode is a very important aspect- especially given the conversation Lee has with Francine that’s coming up – which highlights how his eyes are beginning to see more clearly how fabulous Amanda really is!
It would have also added the sexual tension between these two into the mix – and for this episode ( I can’t believe I am typing this!!) I think it is best left out of the picture – For now!! The script continues with the house’s electricity being turned back on. Lee and Amanda suddenly being in the light- holding each other! The script says: “Amanda suddenly realises how close she is to Lee. He feels her body tense – they separate- both feeling somewhat awkward.”
Fascinating!! but Yep! I much prefer the version we got.. anyone have an opinion about this??
Dotty and the boys arrive home from the movies in a flurry of activity.. Amanda gives the boys a huge hug..
Love how Amanda asks how was the movie, Dotty quickly says it was very boring- but that doesn’t stop Phillip from be ooohhh so impressed with the movie.. ( aie! nothing is lukewarm with Phillip! ) Phillip: Ohhh!! That movie was Great!!!! Excellent!!!
Jamie: can I’ve a bullwhip? [ just love Dotty’s reaction to this question ] Yes just what they need! Jamie with a bullwhip! Do you think they are alluding to Indiana Jones here? I think so.. the second movie was released may 1984..
Dotty: noooo not in this life dear!
Love Amanda and Dotty’s faces when the lights come back on and – eek! there is glass and broken things all over the place! Thank goodness Dotty buys Amanda’s story about the wind.. Amanda needs a break and.. from the looks of it.. that Hug! Awh!!
The scene ends with Amanda worrying about the baddies.. and what the heck is going to happen.. poor Amanda!!
You know what.. we never see Lee go back into the hallway once the two baddies take off- he is holding the lamp with Amanda the whole time.. and then takes Rollo out the back door- Lee left without his gun!! He lost it somewhere in the hallway!!! oopsie!! Good thing Jamie didn’t say: Mum can I have a bullwhip? Oh nevermind.. this gun will do!! Indiana Jones has a gun too! Excellent!!’ It must be one of those automatic guns- you know the ones that automatically return to their rightful owner and avoid small children?
Ok well that will do for now! back with more when I can.. I hope you are enjoying this episode as much as I am! It doesn’t have many funny moments.. but it is IMO so worthwhile I don’t mind one bit!! And there’s enough Dotty and the boys for a bit of levity! Byeeee for now!
"Just walk with me.." 
That fainting scene wouldn’t have fit with their emotional dynamic on this one but I wish we could have gotten it on another ep because what a lovely image.
LikeLike
Not sure on exact dates for every state but I know we didn’t have mandatory seatbelts in Canada till 1985 or 1986 and this ep was filmed in 1984. Before then it was optional. I remember riding in cars as a kid without them
LikeLike
I was trying to convince my kids to watch Raiders of the Lost Ark with me yesterday (they refused) and then today we watched this episode and when Phillip is going on about how great the movie was and Jamie asks for a bull whip, I said to my 10yo…they are talking about Indiana Jones! See? You need to see those movies! And now he totally wants to. LOL. SMK always comes through for me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is awesome!
LikeLike
Yes, Lee doesn’t wear seatbelts much, but this was before the seatbelt law anyway. And I’m sure putting a seatbelt on and taking it off would slow you down when you were chasing suspects around…
Setting aside our modern sensibilities about sex trafficking, it’s an interesting juxtaposition. Iswod already pointed out that the good guy (Lee) is mean to Amanda and the bad guy is nice to her. How about Lee can see but is blind to Amanda’s value while the blind guy can see her virtues quite clearly? The bad guy is ready to go to great lengths to acquire her; meanwhile, Lee is ready to toss her aside as a partner. And last, Sinclair thinks Amanda has what it takes to “train the others” (ick hate to think what that means) while Lee isn’t prepared to respect her skill and potential at all.
So the whole white slavery plot kinda stinks but maybe it was a heavy handed way of showing an alternative to Lee’s current attitude towards Amanda.
LikeLiked by 1 person
whooooooo me like Karen!!! Great contrasts there!!! Love your ideas on what the blind guy can see and the seeing guy can’t!
eek! I need to get back to my work… I’m gonna come back to this blog later so I can focus on what I’m suppose to be doing. haaa smk is much more interesting!!
Byeee for now!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m way behind everyone and am trying to catch up to where you are in season 3. Just wanted to pause and see if anyone else noticed that in the middle of the fight scene that the island in the kitchen disappeared…kinda funny. Makes me wonder just how many times scenes have to be done over and over….lucky kj.
LikeLike
Really? Oh My Heck that is funny — I’ll have to go back and check for that! And please keep commenting — it is always great to ‘revisit’ past episodes. 😉
LikeLike
I am with y’all and glad they did not put Amanda fainting in the scene. Doesn’t fit the moment and would have taken this episode in a different direction. It feels essential to continue the fight in the manner that it was carried out. And that U-turn was so important to Lee’s growth. I think he would have been rendered desolate to lose Amanda; and knows deep down inside she is part of the change in his life that he needs, even if he can’t outwardly acknowledge it to himself.
LikeLike
So glad they did a different version of this scene. After all if we’re going to take Amanda seriously as an agent we can’t have collapsing into the arms of every hunk who comes storming in (although I am 100% available at a moments notice to fulfil that role ;))
I can understand Lees confusion. He’s just battled with three men intent on kidnapping his friend, with whom he’s just had the most humongous fight and they’re about to start rehashing what was and wasn’t said. It’s definitely time to walk away, regroup and think about what was said.
Love Amanda’s smile when she thinks Lee came back (patience he is back just need to wait a bit longer) and Lees smile when he’s clearly made the decision to go back and sort out their differences *sigh*
LikeLike
Ugh, if he hadn’t made that U-turn…
The Lee/Amanda relationship stuff in this ep is great, but the rest of it is difficult to watch IMO. The plot is the creepiest in the series, but even so, what we see on screen glosses over the realities of sex trafficking and what that would actually entail for Amanda. I know that it’s a family show but I think they made light of it a bit too much. 😦
LikeLiked by 1 person
I totally agree, Anne. Yes, it was important for their relationship to have this argument to force Lee to start to recognize how important Amanda is to him, but I wish they had come up with a better back story. It’s quite contrived and the scene coming up between Francine and Rollo makes me taste bile in my mouth. ICK. I understand the need for the mucked up drop not be due to Agency business, but I would much rather them try to grab Amanda because they were into black market organ procurement and she was a match to a drug lord.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hello! I hope you are all well!
Hi Julia great to hear from you!! yes that u-turn is very popular! 🙂 I especially like that it was a uturn to get back to Amanda and try to resolve things 😉 Yeah Lee losing his gun right where the kids are standing was a little freaky!
Whooo Charley – when I get back from my travels I’ll email you regarding your studies if you don’t mind – we have lots to talk about!- but I’d rather discuss it offline 🙂
Cindy!!! Wonderful as always to hear from you!!! thanks for stopping by when real life permits 🙂 I love to hear from you! Ahhh so no one thinks the swoon should have been left in? I thought one or two might prefer it… Hmm maybe the moment would have been ok – in a different episode.. in a different context..
Yeah Cindy it is great that we see that both Lee and Amanda are in the wrong in their argument.. I think the first time I saw this I thought Lee was at fault for everything! LOL.. I was so cranky with him I blamed him for everything 😉 ha!! but.. I have since calmed down, watched it a few more times.. and started to see things a little differently 😉
Yes Anne and Cindy!!! I agree with you!! the slavery thing is very difficult to watch.. hopefully we can get through those very ewww moments together!
Maybe we could come up with our own subplot 😉 Great thinking Cindy… Amanda has an organ a drug lord needs? 😆 I love it!! This is a real departure from the normal smk tone.. and I am glad it is not the usual – but the Lee and Amanda progress is so important I have to love this episode! how about this.. we could replace the selling women thing with.. something a bit lighter.. umm kidnapping Amanda to force her to give away her secret recipe for poppyseed cake! 😉
I have managed to get through writing up this episode by trying to look for what the writers were going for.. the underlying stories, or points they were trying to make.. yes even with the Francine/ Rollo vomit fest.. I have offered a few ideas on why they went there.. I have no idea if it makes sense.. but I gave it a go! I have scheduled the post with that scene to be swiftly followed up by a post the very next day – LOL! While revolted, I am actually kind of curious to see what you all make of it..!
I’ll put up a little notice on my home page later today- just to say I’ll be unable to participate in discussion for a week or so – but the posts will keep coming.. and I’ll still moderate.. sooo I will be away but I look forward to getting back and responding to your thoughts as soon as I can! byeeeeee!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Iwsod – You mentioned a FB account in your profile here, so I already send you a friend request some days ago 🙂 Feel free to ask me there or via email, I’m already curious 😀 Further, I also left you a long response to part 4 of this episode, I think 🙂
Anne, Cindy, Iwsod – That’s also what I think. They glossed over what that would have really meant for Amanda (and the others) and so this part of the plot gets a bit weak in my eyes. There are other solutions loosing the micro dot and kidnapping her! Maybe not her recipe for poppyseed cake, but for pilgrims peach puff instead? 😛 No, serious, how about this: Let’s skip the beginning at the charity event (we would have to change this a little bit lateron) and start right with Billy and Lee arguing about giving Amanda a Mid-Level courier addignment. Now we fast-forward this to the scene where Amanda comes out of the laundry. Here we begin to make the plot change: She walks down the street. Some guy (on the run) bumps into her and looses uhm… maybe a key in her laundry basket. The guy doesn’t even apologize but runs away… yeah… and get’s killed buy the bad guys who chase him. They miss the key when searching him and know, that just Amanda can have it. One runs after her and tries to kidnap her but here again Lee comes in between and the guy is just able to grab her purse (with the sock and the micro dot). Amanda and Lee think (lateron) it’s a normal robbery and has nothing to do with agents (so all along the plot so far). Of course the gangster boss (we could even keep this fake blind bad guy) wants this key. Amanda’s adress is in her purse and so he sends his man to get the key. Unfortunately Amanda’s at home and fights them. Lee comes back after the argue just to get right in between the fight. (also sticks to the plot so far). From this point on the only possibility for the bad guy is to kidnap Amanda… and he knows where to find her (at the charity event where he already met her). The plot could continue from this point on (with the little necessary changes now) as we originally saw it… I mean, it’s just an off-the-rack idea with a typical contingency but that could have been an alternative version though because the original one is also a bit far from reality 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m liking it, Charley!
I know when I am itching to rewrite an episode there is something not quite right about it (don’t get me started about the season 5 finale of Murdoch Mysteries LOL!). Not only do the writers gloss over what white slavery is, but Amanda and the others don’t exactly fit the profile of the vulnerable, at-risk young women who would not be missed if they were taken. BAH! I would much rather she be stalked (yes, that’s been done to death on almost every one hour show I can think of) then this.
LikeLike
Actually, a friend of mine whose done some research on the subject says that young, pretty ones are not the only ones kidnapped and sold into slavery. She was surprised to find quite a mix of ages and races.
I admit, though, the subject is a bit heavy for SMK, and not pretty, either.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Charley, I’ll send you an email soon! Yeah I am not active on facebook at all.. I only have an account so I can access what I need to in order to moderate this blog..
Indeed! there were many other alternatives to such a gritty subplot.. I am glad they didn’t go in that direction often! I do wonder if they chose such a gritty subplot in order to increase the tension and drama for Lee and Amanda’s relationship in this episode – with just how much was at stake if they didn’t sort things out.. What would have happened to Amanda had Lee not made that U-turn? what if he had simply kept driving? and never contacted her again but had always regretted it? He never would have known anything had happened to her!
Hiya Cindy! Murdoch Mysteries? I don’t know them… sounds like that is a good thing? 😉
Debilyn, thanks for sharing that information.. that would have been very difficult/sad for your friend to study!
LikeLike
I 100% agree! I hate this episode. It is by far my least favorite of the series even though I can recognize it has important pieces of Lee and Amanda’s story arc. We worked with victims of human trafficking in Malaysia for 5 years and I absolutely cannot handle how they treat it so lightly in this episode! And I hate how he yells at her so much! I can actually stand Artful Dodger marginally better than this one because of the crime being more palatable and being able to chalk at least a little of Lee’s nastiness in that one up to jealousy. And then the Francine/Rollo scene that’s coming which makes me puke in my mouth just to think about – SMK’s absolute worst scene IMHO. Blech!
LikeLike
Yeah, agree with you on all points. It is not one I would willingly watch again. And I may have mentioned once or twice (cough cough) how much I loathe Artful Dodger but I think I would rather watch that one again if forced to chose between the two.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yep, I am glad the powers that be left out the Amanda swoon. And poor Lee, I really felt for him (in all fairness, he never said she should resign). I did think Amanda was being unfair here, but she just went through a very emotionally charged hour or so.
LikeLike
Lee’s u-turn after the wry grim is a big favourite of mine.
I would have never noticed, Lee lost his gun, great catch!
LikeLike
Nevermind, I should be working on my thesis for university anyhow *cough cough* 🙂 Good night, Iwsod! 🙂
LikeLike
1.) I never noticed Lee forgets to wear his seatbelt that often! Naughty boy! 😀
2.) Yes, I think the bullwhip could refer to Indiana Jones but aren’t the two of them to young to watch “Temple of Doom”??? 😀
3.) It’s interesting to read the left out script part. It sounds great but I agree with you that it wouldn’t suit to this scene. Maybe I could imagine a sudden intense embrace showing a feeling of relief like a “thank you that you came back and saved me” and an abrupt breaking off then when realizes what she just did… 🙂 But Amanda suddenly so weak that her knees bend in would seems a bit out of character to me. She’s a tough woman! 🙂
LikeLike
Hi! It’s nearly bedtime in my neck of the woods.. just wanted to say – yeah! I put the wrong date in.. so LOL! you get this post a bit early! 😉 not that I mind.. it is the second par t of the fight afterall 🙂
Yeah I remember seeing temple of doom- I was I don’t know about 10 and the whole taking the heart out of people freaked! me! out!!! it was very dark!
Must head off now – but fabulous to read your thoughts as always Charley! I’ve finished wiriting this episode – 11 posts all up!! that’s a record for me!! Glad to hear you are loving it – it is dense with smk goodness huh!! byeeee for now! Iwsod
LikeLike
I always thought that Dotty said “gory” when asked how the movie was, not boring. If they are talking about Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, that would be one I’d consider gory and not boring. In fact, the movie ratings people created the rating PG-13 because of Temple of Doom’s violence. Phillip and Jamie would have been old enough to see it with an adult.
This scene terrified and haunted me as a teen. Seeing Rollo’s profile in the glow of the lightning was so scary! Then the jiggling of the door handle, then breaking in through the glass and running inside. Then when she runs and opens the front door and there is another baddie there! I was screaming as a teen. This episode was just creepy and sad but this scene was SCARY.
LikeLike
oh yeah I agree Temple of Doom dipped into horror a little more than my liking!
LikeLike
Oh no kidding. It’s so disappointing because I love the kid in it but that movie is just too disgusting to rewatch. The cult is just UGH!
LikeLike