Cue the ‘something’s happening!’ music!!! whoooooo… Having just completed working the night at Senator Wrightwood’s party, the Private Party van returns all the staff back to the PP Offices..
So to recap here.. we are to assume Amanda has taken the dummied up papers to give to the Burlings.. and Lee is following them. Hey.. 555-4121.. that’s the number to call for Francine to clean your toilet! 
haaaa!
Whooo it’s action Lee time.. he pulls up in a car with a couple of other random, nameless Male agents.
Lee: Amanda and Francine just entered the building.
[eh? who’s he telling that to.. LOL!]
Billy’s voice: Wait a few minutes and then move in. [Aie!! They need Billy’s okay to go in?? what’s he basing that on? lame!! I mean they really should get confirmation that both brothers are there and Amanda has handed over the papers.. but.. no!!]
Oh this is too funny.. as Billy gives his children the go ahead we see a car slowly pass by and park- I swear the car parks out the front of the place where the first party was held..
…you know..the armed forces club?! that street with those topiary trees is getting quite a workout….. go look! [I don’t tend to nit-pick at locations.. you could spend hours on an episode just doing that.. but if I happen to see I’ll mention it – if you find any others let us know! I’m definitely not going to find everything!] It’s hard to capture in one pic.. you kind of need to see it yourself.. but.. you can just make out that it is Vic Burling and his beard..
Inside the offices, we see Amanda alone, entering the Burling’s inner office.. Hmm so where is that protection Lee assured her of? 
Amanda knocks on the door: Mr Burling? [Knock knock].. Mr Burling, I’ve got the papers. [Getting no answer, Amanda opens the door and enters-Amanda, is there a dead man hanging from the rafters?? Loved that line.. anyone guess the episode???!!!] …Mr Burling?
We cut to Lee and his two fellow agents looking very serious.. anyone else chuffed by this super serious music throughout this sequence?!
Lee and the agents get out of the car, not seeing Vic parked across the road in his car! ugh..
Not one of this trained agents looks around??!! 
Oh LOL.. they look around once they get right at the door.. I don’t know why they didn’t blow a horn and yell we are coming to arrest you! I must say- compare the walk on all three agents: Lee owns this!!!! He is walking like he is da boss!!! whoo hooo! such a swagger!
We get confirmation, yep it’s Vic and his beard watching the agents from his parked car.. he looks nervous..
We see Lee and the others making plans for who goes where at the front door there.. yep.. you wouldn’t want to do that before you get out of the car, or it might look suspicious nah well we had to give Vic a chance to spot Lee.. so he can recognise him later! Guns out and everything? Oh too funny!!!
Back in the office.. Amanda is still in the Burling’s office.. Uh oh.. she sees a light under another door.. don’t do it Amanda! He! Didn’t! Answer! You! When! You! Called! Argh!!!! That’s never good!
Noooooo!!!
Still.. Amanda’s just gotta go and open the door.. [maybe there’s a freaky clown in there?!] Amanda: Mr Burling?
Rofl! I’m so distracted!!! Amanda made sure she wore her matchy matchy black earrings to the Senator’s party that night! Too funny!!!
Okay.. focus iwsod.. door.. opening.. look out!!!!!
Amanda opens the door and standing in front of her is…
ARG
HHH!!!!!!
Malcolm falls to the ground Bang!!!!
Poor Amanda!!! hmm yes well it could have been worse.. the revised final draft of the script has ewww Malcolm landing on top of Amanda!!!! Ugh.. these lecherous bosses.. they never know when to ‘quit’! 
There goes KJ with her fabulous facial expressions again!!! Now her earrings matchy matchy her mood too!
Ouchy! I think Malcolm the creep got off lightly!
Well, Back at the agency and the gang regroup.. I guess this is the next day? Another day, another outfit.. another pair of matchy matchy earrings.. okay.. I’m officially matchy matchy fixated!
Amanda: I’m still shaking. [Hold me Lee! ] a terrible way for Malcolm Burling to die.
Lee: yeah, his hands tied behind his back and a piano wire around his neck.
Francine: obvious suicide! 
Haaa there goes Francine and that black humour.. 
I can’t say I mind when it’s directed at likes of Malcolm the creep!!! I love it!! teee hee.. also love how everyone silently gives her a look in response to this joke! 
I think scrubbing those crystals with that brush brush brush has done something to Francine’s brain!!! rofl!!
Billy: Any chance it could be a family thing? I mean, the two brothers get together and… Vic decides he wants it all.
Francine: No. I seriously doubt that.
Whoooo another interesting difference to the script here.. the script has Billy ask Francine why she doubts that.. and Francine responds: ‘From what I saw of them together, Vic was the passive one. Malcolm had the brains, the ideas. right Amanda?
Amanda responds: ‘yes, that was pretty clear. Malcolm was the boss, and I never noticed any anger between them.’
Wow!!!! I think this is fascinating! Seems to me like the writers were trying to up Amanda’s professional involvement here.. and Francine actually asks Amanda to support her.. Francine? interested in Amanda agreeing with her? that would be a shift indeed! sooo it’s interesting that they ultimately cut this out.. This leads me to guess that they are wanting to increase Amanda’s professional input, but not go quite that far.. What do you think? I don’t mind it.. I still can’t see Francine asking Amanda at this point what she thinks! But it would have been fine for Billy to ask Amanda what she thinks.. just my opinion.. thought I’d share that interesting difference- fascinating! I think they do a fabulous job at developing this relationship btw..
Well back to the actual scene..
Lee: Oh, let’s stop wasting our time here, okay? Malcolm Burling was assassinated. And 
you two know the M.O. as well as I do. There’s only one person that kills that way.
Amanda watches on.. thinking.. I don’t know who kills that way!
Sorry.. my eyes are hurting.. get those earrings away from me..
You know what I don’t get.. why are they not happy that Columbus killed Malcolm? The episode started with them wanting to put Columbus away.. and being thwarted..by the Burlings.. so they go after the Burlings.. and here is Columbus committing another crime.. well they’ve got a chance of arresting him now don’t they? Why are they acting like it’s bad news? I’m missing something here! help?
The scene ends here.. and cuts to Malcolm’s funeral.. I notice that only Vic shows up well.. that is until Columbus arrives! 
He arrives with a huge arrangement of flowers- No Columbus that doesn’t make up for actually killing Malcolm! – I love how 
he announces his arrival- interrupting Vic’s grief by dumping the huge arrangement on Malcolm’s grave!
Vic is clearly upset.. well.. you can still turn your life around here Vic.. I like the way his 
character is written.. will he change his tune now?? will he just acquiesce to Columbus?? Or does he want out of crime?? Is he deep down a good guy? I 
think his genuine grief here gives the audience hope for this character..
I do love this mafia dialogue in this scene.. all veiled threats.. on the surface friendly.. but really – it’s menacing! Vic being threatened? suffer Vic!
Columbus: I’m a sad man today, Vic. I hardly got to know your brother, and now…
Vic: Mr Columbus.
Columbus: Paulie, fix the wreath. Make it look real nice. I wanna talk to this 
young man here.
Paulie does what he’s told.. while Columbus leads Vic away from the grave..
Vic: Thank you for remembering Malcolm, Mr Columbus. It was nice of you to come.
Columbus: Oh, Vic, believe me, I wish I could do more. I can pay my respects, I can err… leave flowers as a token, but I can’t do what I’d like to do.
Vic: What’s that, Mr Columbus?
Columbus: I can’t turn back the clock, make things right with Malcolm again. Look, Vic. I know this ain’t the right time for me to say this to you… but I told you this might happen. This is what I feared the most. That day in my office, I warned you. I warned you someone was gonna try to muscle in. Didn’t I?
Vic: Yes. Yes, you did.
Columbus: Now, here you are. Here you are without a brother. You’re alone and still you got no protection.
Vic: Is that what you came to talk to me about?
Poor Vic is a bit of a dill and still hasn’t caught on to what is happening here.. I love how Columbus acknowledges the Mary statue.. when he’s trying to present himself to Vic as his guardian angel in waiting (when he’s really a devil).. Nice touch!
They take a seat..
Columbus: If you wanna discuss your security, you bet. I’m ready to listen. It’s the smart thing to think about, Vic.
Slowly Vic is realising just what he has been left alone to deal with here.. Vic, you should never have gone along with your brother! Vic decides he has no choice but to go along with Columbus’ demands.. errr I mean protection!
Vic: Well, we could, uh… We could talk about… an arrangement, if you like.
Columbus: That would make me very happy. 
This whole situation is similar to how Malcolm and Vic manipulated Amanda – threatening her to get what they want, and then trying to pretend like they are doing her a favour.. Vic gets his own medicine here! [check out the comments of post 8 – Valerie mentioned this and put it beautifully!! Nice one Valerie!! ] Maybe Vic is going to sing to Lee as soon as possible to get away from this scary bad man? – Though his veal chops were apparently fantastic
Well I shall finish up there for now.. the stage is set.. Vic’s deep in a hole he’s not going to get out of on his own.. I’d love to hear your thinking.. Okay bye for now!
"Just walk with me.." 
#2019rewatch
We were eyewitnesses to the despicable method Malcolm and Vic used to terminate Sally! As the Good Book says, you reap what you sow. Thus, there’s no need for even the teensiest speck of sympathy for Vic’s demise, the lack of mourners and Frankie the mobster muscling into the business.
PS: Somehow this post landed on a BJo post from 2013 so I just copy & pasted it to the proper spot.
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#2019rewatch
I almost wrote the exact same comments I wrote in November of last year…bright light/swoony swagger/Duffy sighting….guess I think the same things a lot…😂
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Ooh ooh! A Duffy sighting!!! (This is my new mission. Warning: I can get a little “enthused”.)
Oh, Raffie, I just saw your comment where you spotted him and that this is your mission. Sorry!
I always thought this was after the funeral, and everyone else has left.
Oh, and the light out in the hallway as Amanda enters the Burling office is soooooooo bright! That would have to shake Amanda up to see Malcolm dead and like that. But, then again, what exactly did she expect to find in that closet?????
And lastly, Lee’s swagger here sits in my memory bank when I think of this episode. He makes swagger so swoony. 😍
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enthused huh. Just like Amanda!!! 🙂
I love your enthusiasm – go for it!!!
Is this the first Duffy sighting of the show?
Yeah I agree – don’t open the closet up when it’s dark and there is a scary vibe. it never ends well!
whoooo yeah Lee swagger is unbeatable!
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Oooohhh!!! Do you know where *else* that building front is used?!?!? It’s the front of Harry V. Thornton’s building in Tail of the Dancing Weasel (although we haven’t.made it that far yet… my bad). Woot!
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This gangster scene is as much a hoot as the other … over-the-top hilarious indeed! SMK really enjoyed playing this stereotype to the hilt, I think.
Great screencaps of Amanda’s expression as the body fell out of the closet, Iwsod. I’ve never noticed that before. KJ is great at that!!
I too agree it was way to early for Francine to be asking Amanda’s professional opinion. I wonder if the actors themselves nixed the lines.
Iwsod, I don’t know if you noticed, but you have a “Duffy sighting” in your screencaps. The driver of the agency car is none other than Agent Frank Duffy, who we see again and again throughout the series. (I think a while back we said I’d point him out if I saw him.)
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The flower arrangement and Frank’s comments always seemed over-the-top hilarious to me.
Valerie, I’ve always thought this meeting was after the funeral. It’s really a sad story if there is no one but Vic for the funeral.
It is waaayy too early in the “Francine-Amanda relationship” for the dialogue they cut out. The comments from Francine near the end of the episode wouldn’t work the same if they had left that in. But, we’ll get to that when we get there. lol
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Is it just me or does anyone else think that Lee’s lips do not match up with what he says to Billy over the radio? I can’t figure out what I think he says, but the timing is off. And just how does Lee miss the fact that Vic drives right past him nice and slowly to park? I know Lee hasn’t seen Vic before, but wouldn’t you think they’d have done some research on these guys and have some idea of what they look like?
Dead man hanging from the rafters – ROTPast!! Probably my S1 fave!
I had to look up chuffed, but yes, I am also chuffed by this super serious music! Makes Lee’s walk look even more like a swagger than I think it was supposed to be. Freaky clown…you are one funny girl, iwsod!! Ugh, with those tine black matchy matchy earrings and that oh so serious face on Amanda as she approaches the closet door I am reminded once again just how fugly her hair don’t is! I can’t wait for it to grow out! The line on the neck is probably the most realistic injury we see in all of SMK. It’s pretty real looking to me.
I’m glad they left the Francine asking for Amanda’s opinion in Billy’s office part out. Although, she is only asking Amanda’s opinion on the brothers’ relationship – you know people stuff, stuff they don’t teach at the agency – so maybe it was okay for Francine to ask that. There’s no way she’d ask an operational or technical question – unless is was how to clean a toilet or a kitchen. Doh!
“I’m a sad man today, Vic.” Hahaha! My favorite Frankie Columbus line! Yeah, he’s reeeal sad. So sad you can see the tears runnin’ down his face! Ha! What no veal chops today?
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We were eyewitnesses to the despicable method Malcolm and Vic used to terminate Sally! As the Good Book says, you reap what you sow. Thus, there’s no need for even the teensiest speck of sympathy for Vic’s demise, the lack of mourners and Frankie the mobster muscling into the business.
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What no gratuitous gun cocking scene for Lee?! Best make do with a mean stare and a swagger LOL
I think the image of Malcolm is pretty gritty for SMK, showing his garrotted neck etc. am glad they don’t have him falling on Amanda, that scene was ominous enough knowing something bad was behind the door!
Amanda’s earrings are HUGE, theyre like platters from serving at the party tonight!
Notice how yet again Amanda is seated lower than Billy, Lee and Francine and she’s like a child looking round amongst them. It’s nice to see that happens less often in S3 (if memory serves). It’s a wonder she doesn’t have a bad neck from craning and swivelling round to look at them all.
Wreath?! I always assumed wreaths were round…..to me it just looks like an ugly flower arrangement Paulie throws down.
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Yeah, I thought wreaths were round too. Or square. I thought this type of arrangement was called a “spray”. Well, I guess these gangsters aren’t the sharpest knives in the drawer….
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I also think it’s A and F’s stunt doubles–the walks don’t look right, and “Francine”‘s waist looks lower than normal (irrespective of the coat)…
Iwsod–I think you’re right about the location… it has the same topiaries and the wrought iron scrollwork banisters/handrails. I think it was probably easier for them to just set up the one night location since they’d be reusing the Burling’s car and the PP van… 😀
Morley–I like your take on Lee’s swagger (the pride in his walk) and yes, Iwsod, he owns it! 🙂
I’m glad that they decided against Malcolm’s body falling on Amanda–that would’ve been too creepy 😦 (and we wouldn’t have seen KJ’s classic shocked look).
I’m also glad that they decided against Francine asking for Amanda’s input–it really is too early still for Francine to respect Amanda enough to honestly ask for her take on anything.
My take on nobody else being at the funeral: I think this scene is either before or after the funeral–everybody else either hasn’t arrived yet or has left already. (Columbus wouldn’t roll up during the funeral–I don’t think he’d want to be see associating with Burling… he’s got to keep his shady business on the DL.)
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Love it, KC, “wouldn’t roll up” and “on the DL”!
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I’m glad they didn’t have Malcolm falling on Amanda either. Although, the thought of Lee having to rush in to get move the dead body and then comfort her does have its appeal. And of course he might have had to check on her later that night, you know, just to make sure she was okay – it’s pretty rough when your first dead body falls on you. 😉
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Yes, terribly clichéd cemetery scene, but the phrase “Paulie, fix the wreath. Make it look real nice” cracks me up every time.
I agree with the choice to cut the dialogue with Francine asking Amanda’s opinion, but I think they could have left it in and had Billy asking Amanda for confirmation of what Amanda — but on second thought, that would have been a huge loss of face for Francine, wouldn’t it? OK, scrap that. Cut dialogue remains cut 🙂
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Cindy, I love that line too about the wreath. It’s like so out there considering what he’s done and about to do.
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Love the whole Lee and his swagger!! You know, it’s funny every time I have seen this scene something bothers me about when Amanda and Francine walk into the offices after getting out of the van. You never really see their faces and their walks, especially Francine’s, seem odd to me. Maybe it’s the coats and how bulky they are, but sometimes I wonder if it’s the stunts walking in. I keep going back and checking it out, but I’m not sure. Francine’s walk is awfully peppy for having just worked a party and we know how much she probably enjoyed that.
The whole scene at the cemetery is such a mob cliche’. It is also an interesting little parallel to what happened with Amanda previously with the earrings. There’s always that issue with territory, making money, and offering protection. It’s like the mob version of feudalism.
How come no one else was at the funeral? Unless it was over and everyone had left. Shouldn’t someone from the Agency have been checking it out as well? You would think that at least Mrs. Flanagan would have come.
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I have noticed that too, Valerie, I think they may be the stunt doubles too, Why? Maybe Francine isn’t peppy, maybe she is mincing her way along because she has blisters?
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Whenever I watch Lee and that swagger that he walks with in that particular scene I think there is some pride in his walk because that is his partner, his woman that he is leading a team to protect and she is the key to unlocking the case. Iwsod, you said he owns this one, I think he really does feel like he “owns” it.
Why is there a light on in he closet. I guess Columbus wants Malcolm to be found? I wish we could have seen what happens when Lee finds Amanda with dead Malcolm, how would he have reacted to and comforted her, especially in front of those other two agents?
Amanda’s earrings and Francine’s are very similar, just different colors.
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Oh – I just commented on this in reply to KC’s comment!
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