We finished the last post with Lee and Billy going over their plan.. excited to be about to catch Brackin and leaving Lee to do the job alone, with no back up whatsoever! And what do you know.. the next thing we see- the baddies at work conniving to foil Lee’s plans! [though this hasn’t yet been revealed]
At Amanda’s home, Amanda enters the kitchen.
Dotty’s on the phone: Yes, I wrote down the address. All right. Uh huh, I’ll tell her. All right. And thank you for calling. (to Amanda) Amanda, could you get this?
Amanda: Sure.
Dotty: That was your work. They just called.
Amanda: Really? [No! 
]
Dotty: Mr Melrose. He wants you there right away this morning.
Amanda: You’re sure?
LOL..Dotty magically writes down a message from IFF on a piece of paper for Amanda- all while balancing the phone on her shoulder, holding a bowl and beating frantically. Argh!.. I’ve just worked it out.. Dottie has 3 hands!
Knowing who and what this message is- it’s interesting to note this comes straight after Lee’s excitement that he has things under control and is about to tie up this case – errr no he isn’t! The baddie isn’t going to just play along! 
Amanda reads the message..
Dotty: I’m sure. Mr Melrose. He said he’s leaving the office right now and he wants you to be there before 9:30. There’s the address. [Savior part II!]
Amanda: Oh, well, okay. Uh, thank you, Mother.
They say their farewells.. and the scene ends..
When you first saw this scene, did you think Billy had decided to bring Amanda into the case? Oh and how did Bracken even know where Amanda lives?? Please tell me Amanda King is not listed in the phone book! whahahaaaaaaa!
Back to Brackin’s Import/Export Mercenaries. LOL at the suspenseful music here.. kind of cues you in to the fact that something is about to go wrong kind of early no??? Lee has just arrived in the vette.. Wow.. check out how long his pants are.. for a tall guy that’s bizarre!
Lee knocks and enters seeing no one…
Lee: Brackin????!!!!
Brackin approaches Lee from behind the door holding a gun on Lee..
Brackin: Put your hands on your head.
(Lee follows his instructions.. pretending to be put out.. lucky Brackin gets to pat down Lee.. ahem..and they say crime doesn’t pay!! )
Brackin: So far so good. Relax. I’m just looking for unwanted equipment.
Lee: Well, you satisfied with the test?
Brackin: Well, that’s not the test. That comes later.
Lee: What are you talkin’ about? [what you talkin about Willis?!]
[Yup.. this is going so well! not! Already Lee is taken by surprise.. burn out or not!]
Brackin: Well, that’s why I asked you down here. You see, I want you to do a little job for me before we go into business together. You do it, then I’ll know you can be trusted.
Lee: Fine, what is it?
Brackin: I want you to kill someone.
Lee: Huh? Are you joking?
Brackin: Not at all. Look, it’s not as if you haven’t killed anybody before. That’s part of an agent’s job. Well, it’s part of this job too, only this time you net 500,000.
[Wow.. so interesting that they raise the fact that Lee is a killer – given the slap, the violence.. and the way Lee stepped over a line there and has realised it and apologised to Amanda. Really underlines how Lee is very selective in how he uses violence – usually.. and how out of character the slap was IMHO]
Lee: Who’s the target?
Right on cue there’s a knock on the door..
Brackin: Come in.
It’s Amanda!! Uh oh..
Amanda: Lee!
Brackin: There’s your victim, Lee. I want you to kill Amanda King.
Bet they used that line in the commercial for this episode!!
Jack (with a score to settle) pulls a gun on Amanda from behind, blocking her exit.. [I think Harris is cranky because he has to now use this pokey little gun.. he wants the big gun back! ]
Amanda takes it all in…
LOL.. her surprise at seeing Lee there makes zero sense.. where did Lee park his vette? around the back? Noooo.. right out front.. Amanda probably would have parked right behind it- and she’s surprised to see him? How many silver corvettes are there in smk land?!
Then gives Lee an unreadable look. How are we going to get out of this?? 
Whoooo cue intense Lee close up!!!
Here’s a still for ya..
Oh oh! and cue an intense close up for Amanda too!!!
A double intense close up! whooo this is serious
LOL I think they are usually solely for Lee.. is this a tip of the hat to the fact that Amanda is becoming more and more Lee’s equal?
After Amanda’s close up.. it cuts to black- commercial time! Next thing.. They’ve all piled into a car and headed out to the countryside.. for some nice healthy fresh air.. and a bit of murder..
I bet Harris is annoyed and wishes he could have shot Amanda himself!
The car pulls in a wooded area. Seems to me Lee looks at Amanda hoping to use their eye speak but.. Amanda isn’t looking at him…Hmm – do you think their eyes meet?
Brackin hands Lee a gun as they walk down the road a bit..
Brackin: Be my guest.
Lee takes the gun and walks over to Amanda. who has positioned herself by the river bank.. [I think she stood there so she could roll down the bank and make it look believable. Easier to fake dead down a hill then in the middle of the road..]
Harris and Brackin stand to one side and enjoy the show..
Lee’s face gives nothing away..
Amanda looks really scared. She’s not giving away anything either..
So scared, she put her diamond pendant necklace on again to make herself feel better! It must be magical! [No she didn’t have it on for her intense close up- I checked!] Not to mention how lovely and long her hair is looking.. ahem..
Lee points the gun at Amanda.. and in the wide shot he briefly turns to look at Brackin and Harris and then back to Amanda..
Okay.. time to shoot… Lee looks at Amanda and aims his gun..
whooo another intense close up!!
Anyone think they are sending eye messages here? I don’t see any myself.. I think it’s too risky.. they are being very closely watched and they are both just having to trust each other – whoooo I like that- the trust here has to be uncommunicated and mutual- or this isn’t going to work. Amanda trusts Lee not to really shoot her (but has to look scared for her life) and Lee trusts Amanda that she’ll make it look believable.. Very cool way of bring their trust in each other full circle in this episode! Maybe if they had done their eye talk- this would be less powerful- because their actions here would not have been based on trust alone.
Lee shoots- and we see Amanda fall down the river embankment, coming to a stop, she doesn’t move. Looks like Lee got her!
The stunt lady had fun that day!
Love the look Lee gives here..
Like- pha! That pesky woman is out of my life!! It’s soooo the opposite of what we really know to be true (and in the scene between Lee and Amanda just the day before- Lee realised he very much wants her in his life!!)
Sooooo did anyone think that Lee would really shoot Amanda after the look in Lee’s eyes at the Chez Nouvelle?? I was thinking about this- for me there is no suspense about whether Lee would shoot Amanda.. so what were they aiming at here?
I think the suspense is about what I mentioned just before – whether they would be ‘connected’ to each other enough, and trust each other enough that they will each of them know what to do – and trust the other completely to play their part – without any opportunity of talking about it. Not even with their eyes!!! I’m really liking this moment now that I see how much trust they showed in each other here 
So.. Lee has shot Amanda, she’s laying motionless.. I shall finish up here for the moment. haaaaa.. yep!! really!!! I’ll pick up right where we left off in the next post – as always love love love to hear from you guys out there in big cyberspace reading – don’t be shy say hi!! any and all views are welcome here!! byeee for now..
"Just walk with me.." 
Personally, I don’t think Amanda had to do any real acting to look scared for her life. I don’t think she doubted Lee’s abilities in the slightest, but she HAD to have been questioning her own ability to convincingly “get shot” and play dead! And what if the bad guys double checked??
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For me the suspense was “How the Sam Hill are they getting out of this one?” They have no time to set anything up. They can’t even talk and plan a signal, “I’ll look over to the left, count to three and prepare to fall.” Amanda’s never been involved in a fake shooting that was properly prepared like on 3 Faces Of Emily, let alone something with a real gun, and one slip up and they are both going to end up shot for real.
I was actually in the living room when my mom and stepfather were watching this ep (before I started watching) and I caught that line and said about Lee “Is he the villain?” Mom says “No, that’s Scarecrow. He’s the hero,” and I was just out of there, because I didn’t even want to know what kind of weird show this was. But that line stayed with me FOREVER until I finally spotted the blurb and sat down to watch this one because I wanted to know just how they got out of it.
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I agree with all the comments about the trust these two have for each other and how important it is in this scene. The apology and moment together at the cafe would certainly have made it easier for both; although I think Amanda would have trusted him anyway, she wouldn’t have been able to approach it in as settled a fashion. When Karen pulls the gun on Lee in OOADP he doesn’t think for a second that it’s really Amanda, and she wouldn’t believe he was really going to shoot her here. Yet, I think we are meant to wonder what she would be thinking if the last time she had seen Lee had been the time he hit her. And I second (or third) the complaint that these are very stupid baddies, to not check whether the body is actually dead!
I can’t decide what I think about what’s going on with Lee in the cafe scene. That big smile and little shake of the head when he realizes (again) what an amazing woman is in front of him, and what a priviledge it is to have her in his life and job — I’m certain it means something very important in their relationship, I just can’t settle on what. I think I’m going to call it admiration, which is also the word I came up with for the tag. As I’m trying to figure this out, I look back over Lee’s association with Amanda, and see that she had a special place in his life almost from the very beginning. At first, it was primarily his sense of responsibility for her, since her honesty and kindness made her vulnerable in his world. Already, by SBTB, Lee can’t answer the question whether he feels differently about Amanda than another colleague. He leans on her when he is in trouble, and, even more telling, goes to her when he is excited (like about his new car). Their relationship, and the love that develops, is not build on physical attraction or a series of romantic experiences; it is built on the trust and self-sacrifice, and the deep knowledge of each other developed by their working relationship. It is real, probably the most real relationship Lee has ever experienced.
I think we can easily say that by this time they love each other as friends — how can you not love someone who’s saved your life, usually by risking their own? During the second half of season 2 we see Lee getting hit hard, again and again, with eye-openers about Amanda, and each time his value for her increases (or, at least his understanding of how much he does value her). Sometimes his growing admiration is directed at her professional abilities and bravery in the line of work; here, it’s directed at her personal qualities — forgiveness and understanding. I don’t quite see this as the dawning of a realization that he’s in love, but it opens the door wide for that to happen in the future. I think admiration is a good word.
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Hiya, iwsod! So glad to be back after traveling and busy with putting away Christmas decorations and exchanging gifts at the mall.
When I first saw this scene I did think Billy had decided to bring Amanda in on the case or just wanted her to do something else. I figured something related to Lee would happen to her on the way to wherever Mr. Melrose wanted her to go! And yes, Amanda was most assuredly in the phone book. Everybody was in the phone book back then. It was kind of odd not to be in the phone book – at least where I was in the states.
Check out how long Lee’s pants are…he’s lookin’ pretty sloppy here. Oooooh, that pic of Brackin patting down Lee is ripe for a meme! Good orchestration by Brackin! What if Amanda got there before Lee? He told Dotty to tell Amanda to get there before 9:30. Not just a good lookin’smart baddie, but a lucky one too! At least for now!
Maybe Amanda parked out back? LOL – dun dun dunnnn…. Harris must have moved Lee’s car because of course he left his keys in it! Right, Cindy?
Ooooh, love the GIF close ups! “They’ve all piled into a car and headed out to the countryside.. for some nice healthy fresh air.. and a bit of murder..” ROFL!
Love the catch on the magic necklace, but am still not liking her hair – it still isn’t really that long.
I don’t see any ‘eye speak’ going on here between these two. I think Lee believes Amanda can trust him not to actually shoot her. And I think Amanda knows Lee will not shoot her – she knows she has to do her part and fake it. This is a job for a professional and yet Lee seems to be very cool about it and appears as if he thinks she can handle it just fine. Amanda is growing as a professional and Lee realizes it and is willing to trust her in that arena a little bit more. I think in LOTP he first truly realized that she could actually be an agent at some level and here she gets another chance to prove it.
I agree – there is no suspense here. You know Lee isn’t going to shoot Amanda. I think the suspense is in wondering if the baddies are going to fall for it or not. The baddies think this is a test for Lee but it’s really a test for Amanda and the baddies!
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Just a few random comments to the post: Amanda King sadly, is probably listed in the phonebook. Back in the day I remember you had to go out of your way and pay for it to be unlisted. It was a hassle.
Oh yes I want to pat Lee down too! Please please please! Sigh, swoony gorgeous Lee gif! Two of them! *swoon thud swoon thud*
And about the shooting, Iwsod LOL! I thought the same thing, I figured Jack was raging to shoot Amanda himself!
I do love magic hair and necklace! I always wanted hair like that Barbie doll, you tug on it and it “grew”. Yep, I live in the land of non-reality, magic hair and Leeeee!
Love what you said, ” I like that- the trust here has to be uncommunicated and mutual- or this isn’t going to work.” So true in good relationships of any kind. Good point Valerie, we’ve probably all had/have people who know us so well and that we trust implicitly that words aren’t necessary.
KC and Iwsod, you are so funny! Love your comments :” ‘… where did Lee park his vette, around the back? Noooo..’ Hmmm… maybe Jack knew that Lee always forgets to take the keys from the ignition, and moved the ‘Vette around the back before coming back to the office and holding Amanda at gunpoint… again? Just sayin’… ;)” “ ‘They’ve all piled into a car and headed out to the countryside.. for some nice healthy fresh air.. and a bit of murder..’ And to listen to the damn parrots(?)!” ROFL! Hmmmmm KC, my cornflakes tasted funny too this morning…..;)
Okay, petty of me but I hate those powder blue pants Lee is wearing. Maybe it’s just cause I don’t like powder blue pants on men LOL! Picky picky picky…… Of course, the “equipment” line ROFL! Dirty minds everywhere agree, not unwanted!…….. *slinks back to her time out corner, grinning*
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I’m not diggin’ the powder blue pants either…not unless they’re on a southern gentleman with white oxfords and a bow tie – at Easter. Maybe then I could get on board.
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Oh, they definitely are communicating here. Their reliance on each other is communicated by the simple fact that they are both so focused on what is happening. I see his eyes saying, “We have to make this look good.” and hers saying, “Do what you have to do. I’m ready.” I imagine that car ride and what both of them must have been thinking and processing. They’re not allowed to ride together, so they cannot communicate except through their trust in each other. It must have been a long and difficult ride.
I think “Odds” and the appearance of Karen has a lot to do with her complete trust in him here. She realizes that he knows her – he wasn’t completely fooled by Karen. He’s had to deal with her apparent death before (Sylvia), so he is emotionally prepared to do what has to be done here. They are both at a point here where they can deal with this and trust each other to get the case completed – together. We’re obviously supposed to imply they’ve had many cases together by now; and we know they’ve been through enough situations that they can anticipate actions and reactions.
So much, much goodness in this episode, and we’re not done yet!!
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I was looking at the screen caps again, I do think they communicated immediately in Brackin’s office. In those gifs you can see it. In the one Amanda’s you can watch her shoulders, they go up in a questioning way and then in that last frame of the gif, they relax as if she has her answer from Lee somehow. I like how you mention what they have learned through previous episodes, debilyn.
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“There’s your victim, Lee. I want you to kill Amanda King.” Oh, I remember very clearly that was used in commercials and ticklers for the next week’s episode.
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Another intense scene in an incredibly intense episode. This episode has always been so important to me because for me it is the emotional climax of Lee in so many ways. You just see so much(as Lee sees so much) just how important Amanda has really become to Lee and how much he is really trusting in her now.
For me the scenes before with the slap and then the apology are actually more meaningful for Lee here than Amanda. I actually thought Amanda probably would have actually acted the same even if she didn’t know for sure that what had gone down at Nedly’s was a cover and even if Lee hadn’t so sincerely apologized. Amanda’s faith in Lee has always been so steadfast, that even when tested with that slap it didn’t really waiver that much. Her faith was shaken a little, but ultimately stayed in place. To me you see that in the fact that the very next day Amanda is doing Lee’s reports and standing firm in her conviction in Lee in front of Billy.
Ironically despite the fact that Amanda is the one who got slapped I find the person’s whose faith ended up really being put to the test here was Lee’s. Lee was truly devastated by what he had done to Amanda and probably didn’t think himself that he deserved forgiveness, then when Amanda is so forgiving when Lee tells her the truth and apologizes, for the first time I think he sees just how amazing Amanda really is. Lee gets glimpses before now(many of them) but I think is the first time Lee really gets it. If that hadn’t happened I am not sure Lee could have put the kind of faith he did in Amanda here. Trust has always been such a more difficult thing for Lee than Amanda and he says more than once after this point that Amanda was the first person he ever trusted completely.
To me that all started when Lee looked across that table at Amanda and saw how amazing she truly was. In fact I think more than trust was at work from that point on. I know a lot of people have different takes on it but to me it was always that moment looking at Amanda across that table that something clicked inside of Lee’s mind and everything he felt for Amanda really, truly turned into love. So that also makes the above scene even more powerful for me because now when Lee has to trust Amanda so completely without any communication, even eye communication, Lee is able to find to the strength to trust that way(when has never been able to completely trust anyone) out of love.
I know it will still be a while before finds the strength to admit it is love but to me it always started in this episode so I find it very powerful.
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Excellent analysis Misty – I couldn’t write it any better so I’m glad that you did.
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I think I agree with Misty the most. Wonderful to hear from you again Misty! 🙂
I agree that the slap and apology were more meaningful to Lee – he learns the most.. I agree with how you view Amanda. I don’t think she learned to trust Lee – I think she already did. It is only that the true extent of her trust in Lee is finally revealed to Lee here (and maybe to Amanda I guess) but she always did trust him. This comes back to that question of whether or not you feel Amanda doubted Lee – I know not everyone sees it this way but my view is Amanda didn’t doubt Lee and her trust in him was unwaivering. There is a beauty in this. [there’s a beauty in either way we look at it 😉 ]
I think it was Morley in comments to an earlier post, who said that after forgiveness and an apology it takes time to heal. This is one of the reasons why I don’t see Amanda as doubting Lee. When this situation comes up where Amanda has to trust Lee will deal with this command to kill her – there is no time for Amanda to heal anything – she trusts him. Still trusts him. As much as she ever has. For me Amanda doesn’t need to heal her trust in Lee. Which to me indicates she never doubted.
But… I think most of us agree that the trust between Lee and Amanda here – regardless of the small variations we may each have – is on full display here!
I really like what you’ve suggested here Misty. That the look across the table is the start of Lee’s love for her..
It got me thinking.. when Lee looks at Amanda and realises he is fully accepted and trusted and valued – regardless of the mistake he made – that is Freedom. True Freedom. Someone having that kind of faith in you makes you stronger! It sets you free! Love sets you free..
Maybe – this is the moment where Lee became free to Love another. Set free by Amanda’s faith in him.
I see Lee as already starting to fall for Amanda – but fighting it.. so I don’t see it as happening in one instant- I think it sneaks up on him.
Maybe from now on, Lee will feel free and like he no longer needs to deny his feelings about love and marriage.. and so begins Lee’s quest to get himself ready for a real relationship. I don’t think he consciously would think a real relationship with Amanda though -he still seems to fight this… This comes up early Season 3- So for now I will leave it there.
There has been talk of whether Amanda could trust Lee before the apology or after the apology.. with this whole shoot Amanda situation. But.. what about Lee? Could Lee have trusted Amanda to deal with this situation? and let him shoot her before the talk at the cafe?
I am thinking that he would not have. and actually, this is the major shift that’s happening here in their relationship (personal and professional).
Thoughts? Anyone? Everyone? 🙂
Shona?? A Shona sighting!!! whooo hooooo!!! Fab to see you stop by Shona! How goes things in NZ? !!! Hope life’s lookin good for you! Ohhh my.. that sounds like some fan fic.. *iwsod fans herself furiously*
I’ll try to respond to further comments soon! byeeeeee
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Yes, Kia Ora Iwsod and everyone. I’ve been sitting on the side-lines for a few months just appreciating everyone else’s comments but thought I had better join in the fun again. We’re all fine here in New Zealand, everyone just on cruise mode for the last couple of weeks enjoying a warm, if not entirely dry, Summer Christmas and New Year. Perfect evening here, quiet, calm and clear evening with sundown approaching, sky icy blue tinged with pink and a seagull gliding past. My piece of paradise.
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Sounds gorgeous!!! Must summer has been very dry. and the last few days- super hot.. Ugh..
You want to post a pic over at Nedlindger’s? Have you stopped by there?
you’ve picked a great episode to jump back into commenting with – Burn Out is rich with goodness!
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We are in below zero temperatures and the aftermath of a blizzard. I would love to see that picture you describe, Shona.
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Morley, will post a pic or two of the ol’ home town at dusk when I can figure out how to post a pic on Nedlingers. I have put in a request to Jenbo to help me with this really basic newbie problem.
What’s a blizzard? 😉 Just kidding. We’ve never experienced such a thing in my part of NZ. Keep warm!
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I liked what you had always said IWSOD in the past along the lines of Lee never really knowing acceptance until Amanda, I think that is never as so obvious for him as it is in this episode. I think it makes all the difference in the world. And I agree I don’t think Lee fell in love in one instant. I think that he’d been falling for awhile and I think it definately snuck up on him. I guess I always saw love building up for Lee as he and Amanda became closer and that moment in the cafe as being what pushed him over the edge. It was always the turning point for me where I felt like Lee no longer just had feelings for Amanda, but now it was definately love.
And I really do think it took 2 years to really become love. I know some people thought Lee started falling in love with Amanda in the first season, but I just never saw that. I think Lee had feelings for Amanda all along and by season 2 I think he was falling for her, but I never saw him really capable of love. The man had just been through so much pain and probably had never really been loved himself since his parents died when he was 5. How do you know how to love without ever being loved? Like you said IWSOD that moment at the cafe when Lee sees he is fully accepted and trusted and valued set Lee free. I think this is the first time I see Lee really capable of loving someone, even if he isn’t capable of coming to terms with it just yet.
.
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Oh Wow Misty! I’m on the same page as you!! 🙂 That all sounds good to me! I can’t wait to discuss early season 3 with you! 😉 and.. to hear your thoughts on the tag of this episode.. hoooo haaaaa!
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I agree again! I’ve always thought that Lee couldn’t love because he didn’t know what love is. Amanda has given him little glimpses of love, but in this episode he sees it full force…unconditional love (she cared even after the slap), faithful love(she finished his report for him), and trusting love(she let him take a shot at her, knowing he wouldn’t kill her). WOW…that’s a lot for a man to ponder when he has never truly had someone show him love(I know his uncle cared, but it wasn’t a nurturing type love) no wonder it took him a half a year (to know he had a chance with Amanda) to a year (deciding he would take the chance with her) to make a move…sorry IWSOD if I got ahead!
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I need that ‘like” button!
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I like all of this Misty and Iwsod! Lee learning to trust and experiencing someone else’s trust and acceptance is huge isn’t it. “He who is forgiven of much loves much” That is another truth that is having its way with Lee as well here, I think.
I still think Amanda must have had a few shake moments during this episode though. But she chose to trust and belief. Maybe having her belief in Lee shaken a bit and still choosing to trust and then having that shored up by finding out that what she chose was the truth just strengthened her belief in him. And then Lee took it all one step further and took his apology deeper into the personal arena, and I bet that made her trust him even more.
But I love the focus that you two have on Lee here. He really had never experienced this before. And I do think it would be the very thing that would take the attraction that he has always felt towards Amanda added to the growing openness he has felt recently and catapult him into a deep love. I think it has been a slow and pretty much steady process for him, SOS was a bit of a push for him followed by all those wonderful revelations since that. But I think Lee’s defense would have held him back (maybe it would have taken him 2 more years or something like that). But here, I agree he is set free to love. But I think that may be some pretty scary territory for Lee (I really want to call him “poor Lee”) Looking forward to certain early season 3 episodes to discuss how he handles that scary territory… Control Morley…still so much great stuff between now and then.
One other thought about this scene. It is Lee who tries to have some eye communication with Amanda isn’t it? When they get out of the car he looks for her, but she is not trying to connect with him. She is focused on her role, being very professional. I bet she doesn’t need to connect with him, I don’t think she is avoiding his eyes because she is afraid of what he might do or that this is the end. I think if she is afraid of anything it would e revealing that she is trusting him. Really remarkable the trust she has in Lee as an agent as a person and as a friend. I like the way you both say Lee could not have done what he needed to do if they hadn’t had the discussion at the café… I think that is true.
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Where is that %^$#%^&! LOVE button!?! I love what you both have said here Misty and iwsod! And what you said about freedom and someone having complete faith in you, beautifully stated and oh so true. *Pushes LOVE button!*
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I have to agree with what you said, Misty.
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Wonderful analysis, Misty. Saved me a lot of trouble trying to communicate essentially the same thing. 😉
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Brillian comment, Misty! Loved it! Agree with it! I also agree that Lee is seeing Amanda for the first time with new eyes at that table after his apology. Lovely!
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Um … Am I the only perv who finds Lee’s trousers distracting for something other than their length?
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Well, I wasn’t going to say anything, but it’s made even more distracting (?) amusing (!) by Brackin making the comment about “unwanted equipment”… 😀
Bad KC! PG! Bad!
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Ohhh my gosh!!! it’s not just me?? I was sooo tempted to say something!!! gave myself a good whack and said: Iwsod! this is PG!!! PG!!! this blog is PG!!!!! argh!!! it was simply too much to ask of us.. crime certainly does pay.. Now why didn’t they have a scene of Lee and Amanda undercover where Amanda was a baddie and had to *ahem* err check Lee for a wire? hooo haaaa..
I’ve spent today enjoying all your comments. but really wanted to get ahead with a few posts. I’ve written up to the tag – and can’t wait to hear what you all have to say about this episode. I have been in hysterics with Travis!!! Won’t be long till we get to him! Yee haaaaa!
I’ll reply more specifically to other comments.. but just had to tell you KC – I’m as bad as you are! 🙂
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😀 😀 😀 *slaps self upside head (after giggling some more)* 😀 😀 😀
BTW–I love trucker Travis… he’s awesome… and his and Amanda’s entrance is top 10 awesome. Wheee… (OK. Stopping myself there…)
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Travis had my husband in hysterics the rest of the episode was too intense relationship wise for him. He kept saying, “I thought you said this was the best ep. In the Season” 🙂
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Hoo haa!!! Just too bad Lee didn’t have on Trucker Travis’ pants! ROFLMBO!!! Then we’d really have a show!
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okay.. we just gotta do a meme on the magic pants.. I’m heading over to Nedlindgers! 😉 of all the things I thought we would be discussin… I didn’t guess this haaaa!
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ok – i’m over at Ned’s for the first time in months…can’t wait to see your meme….
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Oh LOL! no pressure huh!
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Nope. None. Not at all. But would ya hurry up already? LOL 😉
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done! Look and.. weep!
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*Hiding my face in shame* Yes, I went back and checked. Gah, didn’t notice until you folks corrupted me. I’ll never see that scene the same way again. *giggle*
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Well… ummm…. yes… but this site is PG so I thought I’d better not say anything. I’m glad someone had the guts to say what we were all thinking ;-). I think there is a fan fiction somewhere in which Amanda, observing Lee in a well fitted pair of jeans thinks to herself that Lee is “very attractively packaged”. That probably sums it up best for a PG site.
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Trust me to bring the discourse down to its lowest possible level. But really!
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Make room for me on the perv bench! (And my husband wanted to know why I was snickering. I am not proud to say I lied my butt off.)
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Oh no, Kgmohror, I figured I was the lone perv coz I played that scene, ahem, a few times going, really?! Must check that out again! and again…. And When Brackin makes the equipment remark, LOL, KC, I’m with you, *hysterically laughing!!* Glad I’m in such good company!
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“Argh!.. I’ve just worked it out.. Dottie has 3 hands!”
But magically doesn’t have the vital third hand when hanging up the phone… and needs Amanda to do it! ROFL! Schmot hole!!! (Though I do like the added touch of Amanda having to blow/shake the fallen flour(?) off the note before reading it. I love the little touches like that… they make all the schmot holes virtually invisible!)
“Wow.. check out how long his pants are.. for a tall guy that’s bizarre!”
Huh. I guess when you burn out, your legs shrink! Or your pants lengthen… Maybe burned out Lee started the beltline-around-the butt low-riding pants craze? Tee hee hee… 😀
Oh–and wasn’t it nice of Lee to park over two parking meter spaces? Not to mention, he didn’t feed the meter (either of them!)… AND he happened to park at the only patch of red curb (indicating NO PARKING) visible in the shot… Whatever.
Hey, Iwsod! No mention of the guy-liner? “Just say no,” right? 😀
Oh, and BTW–Brackin must’ve snuck into Lee’s apartment and stolen the mask that’s hanging on the wall to the left of the door… ‘cos we see it in Lee’s apartment on top of the bookcase in a few episodes including SBTB and ROTP. Wah hah hah!!! 😀
“… where did Lee park his vette? around the back? Noooo..”
Hmmm… maybe Jack knew that Lee always forgets to take the keys from the ignition, and moved the ‘Vette around the back before coming back to the office and holding Amanda at gunpoint… again? Just sayin’… 😉
“They’ve all piled into a car and headed out to the countryside.. for some nice healthy fresh air.. and a bit of murder..”
And to listen to the damn parrots(?)! They’re squawking all through this scene… :p (And you know what else is funny, *all* the bird noises–including the parrots(?)–continue after the gunshot… which wouldn’t happen ‘cos all the wildlife would be freaking out…)
“The stunt lady had fun that day!”
The stunt lady just wished she had a Zorb!
I guess someone p**d in my cornflakes today. 🙂 Woo-hoo!
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No parking zones, parrots and Zorbs! ROFL, KC!! You’re too funny!
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I amuse me… But if I can bring a smile to someone else’s dial as well, all the better! 🙂
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Like your comments, Morley. While I also think that Brackin is kind of cute I think this scene puts him in line with those inept bad guys. No one bothers to check the body to see if she’s really dead or not. I know that Lee heads over to the car pretty quickly and maybe that’s to prevent them from checking. But prior to this at least three agents have gone missing. They’ve found one, but not the other two. The bad guys assume Amanda is an agent, but they just walk away and leave her body out in the open like that. I’m just saying.
I had a friend once that I could communicate with, without even talking. All we had to do was look at each other and know what the other was thinking or trying to say without actually talking. Occasionally a few hand motions would be thrown in. What was funny was how many other people noticed it. There was a great deal of trust between us and there was a great deal of closeness between us.
I can see that with Amanda and Lee. There is a trust there and since he has apologized and brought her up to speed on what’s happening, she is trusting that he has a plan to work the situation out. She looks to be ready for whatever he wants to try. Although, I think I’m with you there, Morley on whether or not I would be able to do the same if it happened to me.
I have a quibble with the beginning of this where Dotty is taking the message for Amanda. It is either a continuity issue or a blooper or a let’s just pretend it didn’t happen and maybe the audience will forget or not notice it. In fact I hadn’t noticed it until I got the DVDs. Dotty mentions that it was Mr. Melrose twice. Not trying to jump ahead, but his name comes up again in the very next episode. It would be obvious then that Amanda works for him and knows him. Somehow this gets ignored or glossed over in S4. We all know Dotty better than that and she would have noticed it or said something. Okay my little rant is over.
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Yes, I noticed Dotty’s reference to “Mr Melrose” and how this didn’t fit with a certain 4th season episode. Fortunately, the SMK community is very elastic in it’s appreciation of the show and we can bend our creative minds around this little faux pas.. Let’s face it, they had enough trouble keeping continuity straight within the confines of each episode, let alone across 4 seasons!
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I’ve thought the same thing about Dotty and Mr. Melrose…for me Dotty’s character wouldn’t have forgotten, but oh well 🙂
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Right, but all she has is a last name. It’s unlikely she’d recognize his voice again after hearing it so briefly. So while I’m fairly sure this was, indeed, a continuity issue, I do also think it’s entirely plausible that the conversation in OBDOBD could have started with introductions, immediately followed by “Oh! Do you have any relatives who work for a film company? My daughter works at this place called IFF and her boss is named Mr. Melrose! Small world!” (But probably with a bit more rambling, and maybe some hints toward having them both over for dinner sometime 😄) And then Billy could have either passed it off or said he thought maybe he had a 3rd cousin working there, or something. (The latter option being much more convincing.) Frankly, even if she ever caught his first name, that could still work, since William is exactly the sort of name that could be passed down through multiple branches of a family. One of my friends is part of a rather large extended family, and I think close to 25% of the granddaughters ended up with some form of their grandma’s name either as a first or middle name.
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Yay! Another vote for Brackin in the cute column! Good catch on the Mr. Melrose bit. There must be a lot of Melroses in Arlington for Dotty to forget it! 😉
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I’ll have to take your word on the future Mr Melrose flub..
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I’m liking the idea that they both trust each other here without any eye speak…Lee trusts Amanda to act like he shot her and Amanda trusts Lee not to shot her. I like the idea that he is feeling like Amanda is an equal 😉
I enjoy all the little extras you find like magical necklaces and too long pants…makes an intense scene light!
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I am sniggering at the idea that Silver Corvettes are so commonplace Amanda doesn’t see Lee’s car parked out front.
Enjoying those intense GIFs IWSOD, nice to see Amanda gets to do one, equal opportunities and all that.
I agree there is no “eye speak” when he’s levelling the gun at her, can’t imagine how much she must be praying he’s an accurate shot. She doesn’t even shut her eyes (that I could see). She’s got some gumption.
It’s late now so will comment more when I have chance.
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Oookay new year new try… I always belived that Lee won’t shoot Amanda. But still I don’t see the “eye talk” so there must be so much trust to do this. The looks on their faces are so intense, woo.
The Stuntlady wears a special Amandashorthairhelmet 🙂
Buuuu bad guys, I wonder why you don’t check on Amanda, dead ore not?! But hey, I don’t mind 😉
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“The Stuntlady wears a special Amandashorthairhelmet ”
Bwah hah hah hah hah! 😀 That’s brilliant!
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Amandashorthairhelmet. LOVE that, Claudia! How would you say that in German, if I may ask?
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Sure, tihi… the Amandakurzhaarhelm ore only Helm.
But only for fun, correctly it’s cald “Perücke” = wig.
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I like that, “kurzhaarhelm.” I think that is what we should call the short hair don’t, the “Kurzhaarhelm”
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Good suggestion, Morley, but I kinda like the Perucke better (don’t know how to get the umlaut over my u). That way we can say ‘What the Ferucke?!?” Oh dear, I’m just crackin’ myself up here over that one. Ok, I’ll go off in the bad BJo corner now…but sometimes you just gotta say it 😉
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Umm.. is that English your speaking there? I think I recognise ‘good suggestion’ and that’s about it 😉
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LOL!
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Naughty BJo but very funny. It’s not the Queen’s English iwsod but this Kiwi understood it just fine. Probably not a good reflection on where my mind’s at – in the gutter!
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Yep, just a little naughty. I’m going to blame all those pants comments for getting me down in the gutter in the first place!
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Vielen Dank! “Helm” is great! 🙂
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I wondered why her head looked enormous!
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Adding this quick note because I forget if I clicked the little box that will get the email notifications sent to me when others comment… oops
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Now see, there is Amanda in her good ol’ sweater that she has at least a dozen of in every color. And she has a nice skirt on. Its like she has completely abandoned her make under wardrobe. She even keeps pulling out the solitaire pendant at the especially trying outdoor moments in this episode. Somehow I have to find a way to explain that…hmmm?
Brackin says that if Lee kills Amanda then Brackin will know that Lee can be trusted. Interesting wording. It is trust that is getting tested or proved here, it is true, but not how Brackin thinks it is huh? And I think Lee knows it.
If even the fruit of forgiveness was being tested here. If Amanda had not thoroughly forgiven Lee she would never have been able to pull this off. I think she might have tried another way of dealing with this than letting Lee do what he needed to do. This is the ultimate test of their conversation at the café. What would have happened if they hadn’t had that chat? I really don’t know. Maybe Amanda would have tried to do what she is able to do now, but I don’t know if she could have done it so perfectly.
And we could even compare this with the slap scene. Here she doesn’t recoil, or feel hurt. Here she knows it is a cover, here she doesn’t question, here Lee, I believe, is confident that she can go along with it. What a difference it makes when Amanda knows what is going on, is this the last time Lee doesn’t include her on the need to know thing? I can’t remember.
Iwosod, you said that the trust is uncommunicated and mutual. It is amazing! You stated that perfectly. That is completely what it is. And that is remarkable really. I don’t know about anyone else but if I have had an “altercation” with anyone, even someone very close and intimate with me, especially if it was of the violence type and we had worked it out and had the same kind of conversation that they did and the next situation requiring me to trust was of the same kind… I am not sure I would be able to do it with poise. I think maybe her trust and knowledge of Lee has even been strengthened during this? Could it be that she has felt as though her faith in him was justified because she was right that he was on an assignment and it was a cover? And could she even feel as though her own professionalism has been affirmed by her belief in him and her correct response to the situation?
And what about Lee? Talk about taking this assignment to the limit of his abilities. Talk about overestimating and underestimating. Good grief. Here he has just discovered how Amanda’s special qualities are there for him and he is supposed to do away with her. I think he knows he has the ability to make it look like he kills her and can miss. It really depends on Amanda. I don’t think he is thinking “Amanda, poor thing” right now. I think he is thinking about that amazing woman sitting across from him at the table. I think he suspects strongly that she can pull this off. I don’t think he is overestimating his abilities and underestimating hers. Their unity is wonderful to see, even in such an awful circumstance.
Maybe I should end this now…
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Well said Morley 🙂 summed it up beautifully for me 🙂
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LIKE this, and like Iwsod’s description of the trust being uncommunicated and mutual.
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Like! Well said Morley!
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Yes, Amanda does seem to have a lot of those “bubblegum” sweaters. I’m glad those have not come back in style.
I like that question about them not having the chat. I think Amanda would have been a frightened here without it.
On the question of this being the last time about the need to know thing, I’m not sure. Without looking, I’m pretty sure that in VMothers this is a little bit of it, but it is in Billy’s office and not in the field, so maybe it doesn’t count. I’d like to think that there is no more ‘need to know’ excuses thrown around again after Amanda proves herself in this episode.
Oooh, I think I think the opposite! If I were in Amanda’s shoes, I think I would be more inclined to trust the person in the second violence situation after the apology scene. I think I would trust that person even more than I did before. So I guess I do think her trust and knowledge of Lee was strengthened through this.
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