We rejoin the episode with Lee and Amanda on her doorstep… they’ve brought in a drunk Whatsit through Amanda’s front door.. Uh ohhh poor Amanda! I do like when Amanda lets Lee have it about bringing a drunk man to her home where her neighbours can see- ( Lee still doesn’t seem to worry about her reputation!!)
Amanda isn’t helping though- yelling at Lee about that in front of the neighbours is very suspicious too! 😉 And the men following them could have heard her!
Not that she knows about them- because no one has told her..(and Lee doesn’t yet know about the two goons but we later learn that Lee knows there is a russian agent following them the whole time) – that explains why Whatsit had to enter through the front door- but Lee doesn’t tell Amanda that so it seems like he is unnecessarily risking her reputation – I didn’t make this connection at first: so I was cranky with Lee for risking Amanda’s reputation – but now I am much less cranky 🙂 – I just wish he’d explained it to to Amanda! .. this plot is complicated!
Amanda: Everybody in the neighbourhood’s gonna think I brought a drunk man home from the party.
Lee whispers: Just unlock the back door, hmm?
Amanda whispers back: All right.
Lee: Good.
Amanda: Good
Nice try Amanda – it looks like she changed her earrings for just this little scene on her front doorstep – alas.. Amanda we still know it’s you! 
We see the two killers are watching Amanda say goodbye to Lee.. believing Whatsit has gotten himself into her house for the night..
It’s too funny how the baddie just plays with his gun there for no reason looking all dangerous Uh oh.. they say if there is anything wrong with Amanda.. they’ll kill her! Oh boy!!
Amanda heads inside to unlock the back door for Lee and Emily like Lee asked-whoo hoo! She’s changed her earrings back to the original ones 😉 She stops Whatsit from falling off her couch to the ground [Amanda if you knew what he had had planned for you: you’d let him fall 😉 ]
Lee and Emily come into Amanda’s home through the back door- LOL Amanda didn’t unlock the door for them! This is an unsual perspective in the layout of Amanda’s home.. we don’t have many scenes in this front living area.. We saw it in Double Agent I remember that.. any other episodes?
Emily asks Lee how long he expects the drug to last – in an American accent! Lee says it will last till morning – whoa.. that was some drug!
Amanda: Emily? What is phase 2? Did I miss phase 1?
So begins the irritating let’s get on with our plan in Amanda’s home and not tell her what’s going on..
Though, I have changed my thinking on this-Paula’s interpretation of the first post on this episode (read the comments if you are interested where I found Lee’s behaviour confusing) got me thinking – thanks for sharing Paula! On previous viewings I was thinking Lee wordlessly taking over Amanda’s house was him taking Amanda for granted – I thought Lee only worried about Amanda going along with parts of the job which involved ‘being a couple’ kind of thing.. but I can see now that this could bleed over into other aspects of the job – or at least Lee could believe that Amanda might not go along so easily when it comes to her house also. [and there is plenty of evidence here that Lee is very uncertain of how Amanda will react: not over confident at all!]
I think Amanda would have been on board had it been explained to her – (along with the necessity of enduring the impropriety of dragging a drunk guy into her home for all her neighbours to see) She has particular boundaries when it comes to propriety (Lee kissing her hand.. touching her.. well you get the drift) -but she has been very flexible in other respects in the past! 🙂
Anyway, Lee goes full steam ahead with the plan.. I understand why he felt he needed to do it (It was a last minute thing – and they had no choice) but I still don’t enjoy how he treats Amanda here! At least Emily takes pity on her and fills her in a little..
Emily is an American? and sometimes she drops the accent? hope she is careful who she drops it with!
Phase 2 ? 
I think this is suppose to be funny: Amanda’s dismay and distress at what these people are doing to her home.. Does anyone find it funny? me No..
Actually even though Lee is moving full steam ahead.. I see now that it is evident he is very nervous here about how Amanda is going to react and not so self assured as he would like to seem! Ahhh I love watching a lovely clear dvd! So many facial expressions, mannerisms etc that I never noticed before!
[I am shocked.. I do believe I have actually mellowed a little about this whole scenario!!]
Oh and Lee in a tux? standing in Amanda’s kitchen? Loving that!! 😉
Amanda rushes into the dining room to see what’s going on..
Emily: do you think this is going to upset her terribly?
Lee: there’s nothing to worry about, she’ll go with the flow. [Hubris Lee! Pure Hubris!! though I think she has demonstrated in the past that she is capable of going with the flow- eventually! ]
Amanda in the other room, off camera: Oh! My! Gosh!
Emily: I’m afraid she is being swept away by the flow.
I could slap Lee!.. he doesn’t tell Amanda because he thinks she won’t agree to it.. he just gets in there and gives Amanda no choice!
Lee says let me explain about all this to Amanda – he should have done that earlier!!
BUT!!! Then, very irritatingly, right when Lee is going to do what he should have done in the first place? Amanda stops him and says never mind! ugh!!! No- double ugh!!! [As irritating as this is to me, I think it demonstrates that had he just told her what was going on she would have gone along with it- he underestimated her..]
Lee says ‘what?’ stunned he doesn’t have to explain.. Emily praises her for it “good girl!”
and we see Lee begin to smile at Amanda
I never noticed this reaction of Lee’s before! I think I was so mad on Amanda’s behalf I couldn’t see through all the steam coming out of my ears! but Lee seems amazed by Amanda here! Now that? I like!!! 🙂 Also, I think blurry versions I have watched before made it hard to see subtle fabulous reactions such as Lee’s amazed smile here..
I have mixed feelings about all this now! [whereas before I just hated it! 🙂 ] This is Amanda’s home!!! She has a right to know what’s going on in my view! By not wanting to share with Amanda what they needed to do with her house, I think that this crosses a boundary which is very important.. this is her family home! but.. I will move on. What do you think?
Love how Emily asks Amanda about where to put the Lenin portrait..
and Amanda responds: ohh I don’t know what to think.
Nice double meaning! 
I do like the nice looks Lee gives Amanda here though! hoooo haaaa!
Lee is really digging Amanda at this moment. (whoo hoo!) He seems to check her out a little..
Typical season 1 and early season 2 Lee- loves Amanda when she is being no trouble and helping him solve the case ] Ha!
Actually forget all my complaints! Lee looking like that at Amanda?? in a tux?? it’s all worth it!! who cares what Lee does to her house if he looks at her like that! It’s aaaalllll worth it!! Oh yeah and it’s err good for their country or something.. 😉 ahem!
Okay I’ll finish up for now.. and we’ll pick up with things the next morning. byeee for now!! Love to hear what you’re thinking!!!!!
"Just walk with me.." 
I love how this episode shows how Amanda & Lee’s comfort levels have changed with one another. We repeatedly see examples of earlier incidents, but the dynamic has totally changed.
In Weekend, Lee knows Dotty and the boys aren’t home but he still waits for Amanda on the patio. This time he feels comfortable enough to sneak into her kitchen. In turn, Amanda’s reaction isn’t the disgusted “Guatamala” on Remembrance Of Things Past, but teasing him “Do you want the paper?”
Then when it comes time to put the fake walls up, Amanda still isn’t thrilled but she takes it more in stride than having thr Agency bring Magda on Dead Ringer.
I think some of these scenes are meant to show that growth that’s happened between them.
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I think Lee is learning a lot in this episode. I don’t think he knows how to ask someone things, he just does things. Probably from how he was raised. I don’t see his military uncle telling him details, and why, etc.
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Happy 2014 everyone…I see most of these posts were from a year ago, but I will put my two cents in anyway. It has always bugged me that Lee never told Amanda ahead of time what was going on. Then I realized that part of the reason is because with her logical thinking process, she would barrage him with non-stop questions and her own theories. Maybe he just didn’t think he could stand the interrogation and it was easier to just dig in and explain later. he is kind of jerky in lots of episodes and I so wish that Amanda would get back at him and put him in his place….but….our Amanda is just too nice ….it isn’t her personality.
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I admit I am of the opinion of Paula, I find this funny. Yes I accept Amanda is being imposed upon but I guess that’s the downside of working with spies. Lee is incredibly nervous about her reaction, even when he says she will go with the flow I think that was said with more than an ounce of hope. Which led to the best line of the episode when Emily says she thinks she’s being swept away by the flow LMAO
I feel a bit sorry for Amanda though when she finds out Emily isn’t actually British. She considered Emily a friend and is them finding out what she thought was true actually isn’t. Amanda as with everything copes very well.
As for Emily and Lee being complicit in keeping the details from Amanda…….said it before but I’ll say it again…..easier to get forgiveness than ask permission 😉
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LOL, Iwsod! There you are in your GOAD club corner and here I am in my GOLD club corner, guarding the respective dignities of our favorite spies 🙂 I never really thought about Amanda feeling invaded, just confused. For reasons I probably can’t defend, I always felt that Emily was complicit in keeping Amanda in the dark as well, at least originally. Actually, I think it was the photo-in-the-limo scene which convinced me that Emily was willing to, well, sacrifice Amanda’s dignity for the sake of the chase. Funny that I would think of that as a greater invasion that borrowing the house, but I guess it’s because that photo compromises Amanda’s character, similar to the front door scene. I will say I get a giggle from the front door scene just because KJ delivers the line in such a funny way. There’s something about the slightly southern drawl that pops out when she says “Now everyone is going to think I brought a drunk man home from the party!” Plus it plays on the idea that there are no secrets in the suburbs and everyone is spying on everyone else, looking for the next morsel of gossip.
Watching Lee through this section, it seems to me he feels like he has something to prove to Emily. DC is his turf and Amanda is his something-or-other, and I think Lee wants to look in good form for Emily, his mentor. He wants Amanda to be a team player and to exhibit full trust in him no matter what. He assures Emily she’ll go with the flow … and then (in my mind) crosses his fingers that she really will. He knows all too well that Amanda is not afraid to let loose with her opinion or to argue against him! She knows how to put him in his place, and he really doesn’t want that to happen in front of Emily. So knowing he’s on dangerous ground, he shows definite signs of relief in the form of those adorable little looks when Amanda starts coming around. Not only does Amanda’s cooperation mean that she isn’t going to dress him down in front of Emily, but to him it also demonstrates her loyalty and trust in him. I think it means a lot to him that Emily sees these traits in his partner, partly for the sake of his own ego, but partly also for the same reason that you want other people to love your dog. (I know that sounds rude to compare Amanda to a dog, but anyone who is familiar with my household would understand that that’s quite the compliment!) When people fawn over your dog, you feel good. Why? Because you love your dog and you want others to love them too. It’s a bonding moment. You sense their approval and it validates your own feelings about your dog, making you feel all warm inside. Now we know that Emily already approves of Amanda, but I think her continuing approval means a lot to Lee.
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Wow, wonderful analysis and insights Raffie!
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Here is a sketch of what I think the layout of Amanda’s house is:
Although the layout changes as necessary depending on the script. I hope this helps to visualize the interior. Enjoy!
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Ok, so that didn’t work. Let’s try it this way
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Hi Jeanine, saw your comment with the link: so I approved it for you right away 🙂 It looks great! All those doors into different rooms is very confusing! But your drawing looks great to me! thank you!!!
Let’s see if I can get it to show up here ( though it is great to link to the webpage as then it is easy to enlarge! 🙂
ETA: Hooray! that worked! Hope you are happy with it and thanks again! 🙂
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Thank you so much for the layout!! It certainly clarified some things for me, althought it seems to have loads of doors this house… And sometimes views to other rooms unobstracted by walls?!
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IMHO I think that Lee is learning to respect Amanda more in relation to job items with her willingness to go with the flow and help her spy err. I mean country without knowing what is going on 🙂
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Good morning!
Hi Julia, I don’t remember seeing inside the dining room, though we have seen into it from the kitchen.. it is a very interesting episode for finding out the layout of Amanda’s home.. lots of doors all over the place! 😉 I agree it’s confusing!
Ahhh yes.. this invasion of Amanda’s home is a tricky moment in the show isn’t it.. [Lee in a tux doesn’t fix it.. but yes Cindy, it helps! 😉 ]
Cindy, your idea would have been good.. I agree.. but then I think this whole set up was suppose to be funny..with the big ‘oh my gosh’ exclaimation from the other room.. and the exchange about being swept away by the flow ( which is a great line. but I can’t laugh at Amanda’s situation I feel so bad for her! ) the joke doesn’t quite work does it! At least at one point Emily does directly say to Amanda that she very much appreciates Amanda opening up her home to them – I didn’t quote that part.. but it is when Amanda notices she has an american accent – so I cut Emily a little slack for acknowledging that 🙂
I think this is a moment where Lee crosses a boundary with Amanda he shouldn’t.. he underestimates her – instead of treating her like a respected equal he tries to sidestep her – but at the same time, as Melissa points out – he is also showing some progress and what I liked was the final moments where Lee is amazed at how great Amanda is ( again!)…it makes me feel like he would not underestimate her like that again – he would respect her and be upfront with her more in future.. ( this being before brunettes this all fits – would you agree?)
I wonder if this kind of situation would have been less umm offensive (in terms of invading Amanda’s home) if it had aired earlier in the season, when Lee did not know Amanda as well?? maybe?? In season 1 would have been even better! LOL! but.. the script is written like it is after das geisterschloss to me..
There is no way around it though, desperate situation or not.. you don’t enter someone’s family home and order men to start spray painting windows without explaining a little, asking permission, and reassuring.. and well maybe with lots of praise thrown in too for good measure 😉
There’s more on this situation in the next post.. but I do agree – Lee is not fair to Amanda and the sanctity of her family home here!! And Emily? She seems to be trusting in Lee’s judgement here on what Amanda can and can’t handle!
Not sure what to make of that.. but the moment she starts on with her russian accent – it is so funny this is all forgotten! 🙂
Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts!
I’m wondering what Paula and Raffie and Redgold make of this situation- if you are out there I’d love to hear your take! But.. no pressure of course 🙂
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Oh, dear, Iwsod, I’m afraid to give you my opinion based on what I’m reading here. Frankly, I found the whole thing just slapstick funny and I didn’t take it even slightly seriously. I think it was meant to be light, and kind of a tongue-in-cheek omen: You invite the Agency/Lee Stetson into your life, and your life may become exceedingly complicated. I never considered it in a boundaries or respect frame of mind, and to be honest, it would only spoil my fun if I did.
It does raise an interesting point, though. Second season SMK is definitely the most goofball of them all, with a tendency to emphasize Lee as a “type” of James Bond, but more fallible, and Amanda as an almost “I Love Lucy” dingbat. Not surprisingly, this season was particularly distasteful for my sister, who really has a peeve against smart women behaving like dingbats. Season 3 shows a much more dignified Amanda, and I think by Season 4, we see a turn in the whole feel of the show. It becomes heavier, both with the missions and with the relationships.
So, in sum, I enjoy this episode for the lovely comedic talent of Jean Stapleton, and the situation comedy feel that doesn’t cross into true peril or angst. Other episodes are good for that. And if you’ve read my fanfic, I obviously have a special place in my heart for seriousness and angst. 😉 (Shameless plug again)
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Hi Paula!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Thanks for trusting us with your views.. even though they are different! I love that you were able to share an opinion which was counter to what everyone else was saying- because it is what you really think: this is what we are here for no? Free expression! 🙂 We are all different people, who are going to find some things funny, and not other things – that’s what makes discussing with others so interesting!
Paula, I wondered if maybe you might have a different perspective on this scene! 🙂 I’m really glad you shared it! I could see that it was suppose to be funny – that was what they were aiming at- and that means that there are people that find it funny! [just not me! 😉 ] If I feel something takes away from Amanda’s dignity then I tend not to see something as funny – It may not even take away from Amanda’s dignity- lol- that would just be my opinion! 🙂
The first time I saw Delirious on Arrival: I hated it! I did not find it funny at all! but.. when I went through previous episodes and saw how close Lee and Amanda were by then, I felt Amanda’s dignity with Lee was still intact.. she was safe with him by then.. soooo I was then able to let go and just laugh and enjoy it – and now I love it! [Am I weird? I don’t know.. I just am who I am! 🙂 ] I say this to underline: we all bring different things to different episodes.. and so we will view them differently 🙂
Yes Paula I see what you mean about the Omen! Give the agency an inch? and they’ll take a mile! 🙂
I agree with your assessment of how the seasons tend to differ..Spot on!! and how we each have different preferences for different types of humour or portrayals of the characters..
Ohhhh I so agree! JS is amazing in this episode – Jean Stapleton: we salute you!!! 🙂
I find the Whitset/ mule scenario to be awful (the angst is brushed over in the ep) when I stop and think about it.. v creepy!!! but.. I’ll cover that in the next post.
So I’ll finish up..
Only, I’ll add I won’t be around the next few days ( but I’ll moderate as always though) – so feel free to chat amongst yourselves – well you are free to do that when I am around too! haa!
Feel free to say what you think- we don’t always have to see things the same way – and I love for people to be free to say what they really think in a safe and respectful environment!
byeee all!!
Feel free to plug away your fan fic Paula! 🙂 no shame in it! Good for you!!
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Funny, I loved DOA — maybe it was because she was drugged, so it was not her fault acting like a dingbat.
“Lee, you missed the cartwheel!” has me screaming with laughter every time. And in her drugged state she still gets the better of a trained agent (Francine).
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I love the insanity, so to speak, of DOA! LOL! I have watched it so many times over the years and it never fail to make me laugh! Same with the whole schtick here. I am with you Paula, I just go along for the ride and enjoy the humor and slapstick most of the time. And by putting this episode earlier in the season, at least in my little mind, Lee’s maneuvering, fueled by his uncertainty over Amanda’s reactions, don’t really bother me. And Amanda really can hold her own, and look smashing doing it I might add! Besides it’s Lee in a freaking tux!!!! *helmet time* -thud!
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I really like Season 2 for the funny moments too…I have looked at Amanda as ‘Lucy’ or a ‘Barney’ and Lee as the straight man of ‘Ricky’ or ‘Andy’. Looking at in the light makes it funny. I’m not sure that I cared much for season 4 besides their relationship progression because the plots seemed so much heavier (them on the run, Amanda kidnapped, and then her shot)!
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Hi Melissa! I think it is great that we all see different things in smk, and enjoy different jokes etc. I know my enjoyment of episodes I previously didn’t enjoy has been much improved by hearing from others who did enjoy them and why they enjoyed them 🙂
Though, there are just a couple of episodes where my view of them has not improved at all 😉
Cindy– that Cartwheel line is genius!! I agree with you! I scratch my head now and wonder how I could have ever not enjoyed DOA – but I didn’t! 🙂 Oh well.. I am sure glad I do now though!!
I don’t tend to hold back in expressing what I think of smk.. I hope it still sounds though like I love this show! Because inspite of my gripes, I do still love it! Sometimes I even love it because of them 😉
I think some people when they love a show only see the good things about it- and they don’t like to hear criticism of it.
When I love a tv show, I love it with both eyes open.. seeing the flaws in it, and loving it anyway: and I’d say this is especially true of smk.. the deeper I look at it, the more I love it and see how clever the makers were – and how much went over my head when I was a child watching this show! [yes, alot of the plotholes went over my head too! 😉 ]
Ahhh it is so much fun to be rediscovering all these episodes!!!! 🙂
Whoo Melissa spoiler alert! 😉 I guess with season 4 dvds coming out now, there is no need to spoiler any of the content of season four.. Now that I think about it.. Amanda does have a hugely traumatic season 4! lol! Though, when you look at season one.. there was rarely an episode where Amanda wasn’t kidnapped or Lee or Amanda wasn’t injured! LOL!! but.. the tone was very different: it is sooo true Melissa 🙂
I’ll take season 4 for what it is though- it is different in tone, but still has lots of other things to offer!
I really hope that I will still be blogging and make it to the end of season 4 – and that you’ll all still be with me for the walk when we finish season 4!!!!
byeee for now!
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Paula I read a lot of Fanfic is it under your name or something different?
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It’s under “waswoksa”
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Thanks 🙂
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I think I would have been less annoyed with Amanda (not standing up for her boundaries and her house) if they had shown Emily taking Amanda off camera to explain what was going on.
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No, I am sorry, I do not like this, and I do not like Emily because of it. This is just not right, and anyway, have we ever seen the room, that is now changed before. The layout of the house is very confusing.
And this episode is also so unconvincing when it comes to Dotty. No no, this must have been a nightmare of Amanda.
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At least this bad dream of Amanda’s has Lee IN A TUX! 😉
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