Picking up right where we left off with Lee and Tucker in Byron’s office..
Lee: Yeah, but I’d say we 
have bigger problems.
Lee looks down at the blueprint.
Tucker: I agree.
Lee looks down at the blueprint again..
Ohhh my.. those magic pockets of Lee’s are just too darn distracting here..
Lee does his wiggling his fingers as he thinks thing- only his hands are in his pockets! Lee! Stop that!! [Is it just me or is the pink shirt/red tie combo a bit meh?! Not that it diminishes Lee’s swooniness in any way!]
Lee: Someone wanted Jordan out of the game. My guess is he was hit professionally. Then they blew the safe. They set up Amanda when they saw her having dinner with him. [Actually, Lee is spot on here! Problem is, he’s telling the professional who did the killing his theory 
nice bit of suspense this!]
Tucker: So they were after the security information. [That is sooo obvious that is seems strange Tucker would be questioning what they wanted..he’s playing too dumb.. shame Lee doesn’t notice!]
Lee: Yeah. If it was the mercenaries they could know how to bypass the access code and get into the mansion.
Tucker: We could stop them. We could install a whole new security system.
Lee: Are you equipped to handle that?
Tucker: Sure! It’ll take an 
entire day though. But.. I know everything that Jordan did. He wanted it that way so I could back 
him up. I just never thought it would come to this.
[ohhh gag!!! Tucker is coping remarkably well given his best buddy and business partner has been murdered.. too well.. ahem.. ]
Lee: Alright, then let’s get the installation in gear before we have ourselves another murder.
Tucker: Consider it done.
Lee: Let’s see.
I think Lee has a bit of a fail here! He knew Amanda had started work with Byron. Why didn’t he talk to her first before deciding anything? [maybe this is why they changed the order of the scenes. I wish they had left it the way it was!] He would trust Amanda over this Tucker guy any day.. okay okay.. if he had done that- there would be no episode! tee hee…
Lee leans over the blueprints to look again, Lee’s working hard to solve this one! …and the scene ends there..
Byron was unlucky in his choice of friend with Tucker. On the other hand.. Lee is very lucky to have his friend Amanda.. soooo I guess this murder affects a few friendships no?
So.. it seems Lee has fallen for Tucker’s trap.. I’m not seeing any indication that Lee suspects Tucker here. I look forward to Lee eventually eating Tucker for breakfast!! 
Now Byron is dead- I am guessing Amanda is still employed by Jordan securities no? she would technically be working for dirt bag Tucker?
On to the police station.. Hooray! Time to catch up on a little girl talk between Amanda and Wilma!
She’s so funny!!!
Inside in a police holding cell.
Wilma: I kissed him hard, then strangled him. I didn’t like his attitude.
…How was it for you honey? Get him in bed?
I love Wilma! [She was in an episode of Columbo! ] 
She has a great voice! This actress is I think very well known. Nita Talbot is credited as a ‘special appearance’. What a special appearance Wilma is
The camera pans to show Wilma is talking to Amanda.. swapping murder stories with Amanda too funny!!
Amanda: Oh no. Dining room table.
Wilma whispers: Ohhh… That’s kiiiiinnnnky!
[The way she says this is too funny!! Like kissing a guy then strangling him isn’t kinky? ]
Amanda: I didn’t do it!
Wilma laughs: haa steak knife, right?
(Amanda nods)
…Not bad. I can teach you a few things…
…We got time…
…Ha haaa Haaaaa!!
Amanda looks worried! Her face in reaction to Wilma’s laughter is sooo funny!!!!
Off camera we hear a guard: You’ve got a visitor!
Amanda looks up with a ‘help me!!!!’ look on her face!
Lee arrives. [Help has arrived! 🙂 ]
Amanda jumps up to greet him: Ohhh Lee!!! Thank you, Thank you sooo much.
[Is it just me or would it have been fabulous to one day see Lee need to get bailed out of jail by Amanda?!]
Lee: yeah.
[Lee doesn’t say much.. I think he’s waiting for their audience to leave..]
Wilma: Is this the one you keep on the side?
[This dialogue is brilliant! Kudos to the writers!]
I love the look on Lee’s face here as he takes in Wilma and Amanda’s situation..
and then turns to watch Amanda be polite to Wilma and introduce her to him.
haaaa.. I think he looks happy to see her! what do you think?
LOL…Happy to be bailing Amanda out of jail!
Amanda: Oh Wilma, this is Lee. Lee, this is Wilma.
Lee to Wilma: how are ya?
Wilma: Pretty damn good!
Guard: Wilma, let’s take a walk.
Wilma: How far you wanna go?
Guard: come on!
Wilma to Amanda: Haa see ya.
As Wilma gets up to leave, Amanda looks at the ground letting out a huge breath. Watch Lee here – he turns back to watch Amanda with a smile on his face.. The warmth he feels for her oozes here.. look! he even looks her up and down!!!..and Amanda has no idea.
To me- Lee looks like he has missed Amanda!!! [and they
’ve hardly been apart!] This is the first time Lee has seen Amanda since their goodbye in the bullpen-and he can’t stop grinning!!! for me, this gives me the answer to the question: would Lee have contacted Amanda had Byron not been murdered? It’s just my opinion, but he is sooo happy here I think he would definitely wanted to see Amanda again- though always under the guise of ‘work’ (smerk!) ]
As Wilma exists she walks past Lee, reaches out to squeeze Lee’s arm saying: A hunk!
Amanda laughs nervously and Wilma and the guard leave. 
[oh I really don’t like this huge cardy Amanda is wearing!!! ] I don’t know how Lee keeps a straight face here!!! Now 
they’ve gone Lee casually enters the cell clearing his throat and looking around..
Amanda shakes her head: Ohhhhh!
Lee: weeeeeelllll!
He turns to Amanda trying to hide a smile.. 
Amanda is in such a tizz I don’t think she notices how happy Lee is! [This is the first time I’ve ever noticed the way Lee watches Amanda here – awh!!]
All things considered… Lee seems quite calm and relaxed here. Compare this to the last time he bailed Amanda out of jail in Our Man in Tegernsee!
He was 
mad as, snippy and insensitive to Amanda. [but eventually melts when Amanda gets upset ] 
Here in MBF? He is so different. This murder of Byron has had an affect between these two friends also – fate has intervened and given Lee the opportunity to spend time with Amanda again! I am guessing Amanda called for his help [maybe left a message at the agency for Lee to help her]. Lee has jumped at the chance to help her here.. Mr Fixit is able to do something here to help Amanda!!! I guess it is one way Lee is able to show how much he cares for Amanda.. maybe even loves her [as a friend of course! ] Anyone like to share some thoughts on Lee here and how different it is to OMIT? Last time, Amanda was in jail on agency business.. here? she’s quit the agency- but Lee still wants to help her.. and is happy to- awh!!! Almost makes his bad attitude in Tegernsee worthwhile to appreciate wonderful Lee here!
I don’t know if it’s deliberate but this episode harks back to many different smk episodes! Which again makes it feel like a great season finale to me..
Okay.. back to this episode!
Immediately Amanda starts in with:
Amanda: look you know I didn’t do it!
[Given how Lee was in Tegernsee I can understand why Amanda immediately jumps in with she didn’t do it. Plus starting with this line gives me the impression that they hadn’t actually spoken yet. ]
Lee: I know that…
[It was never in question love it ] …But your fingerprints were all over the weapon.
Amanda: yeah, I know.
Lee: wwwwhat were you doing there?
[A little of the green eyed monster here?? Hmm..not sure.. what do you think? I’ll finish the scene before coming back to this]
Amanda: having dinner.
Lee: Just dinner? [we don’t see Lee here.. still on Amanda.. their delivery of this scene is again fabulous!]
Amanda: Just dinner. Just dinner and we discussed a little business.
[a ‘little’ ?? haaaa!! I think Amanda is pretending to herself here.. business ha!]
Lee: business?
Amanda: Business.
[we stay with Lee not seeing Amanda respond]
Lee: at his house?
[hmm interesting… Lee doesn’t do any business at his home?]
Amanda: right.
Lee: with candles?
[Lee knows all about the use of candles tee hee]
Amanda: yeah with ca- …
…well look. He told me that he liked me.
Lee: and you told the police that.
Amanda: yes. It’s the truth.
Lee: Amanda,…
you just handed them the motive.
Yes Lee.. Amanda really does need you!! I think in the past Lee would have been cranky with her for this.. now he just worries for her and tries to get her out of it- it’s like he half expected she would just tell the truth- because he knows her so well and knows that is what she does!
Amanda: Ohhhh!!!
[drat.. one of these days she’ll get the hang of this being accused of murder thing! ]
Lee: It’s a crime of passion! He pressured you, you resisted it.
[our view here stays on Amanda as she reacts]
Amanda: I didn’t resist it. 
He didn’t pressure me. I didn’t have to resist it. Look he’s a very nice man. 
[‘Was’ a nice man Amanda.. ugh that is so sad!]
Lee: Amanda the police do not know from nice.
I love how the only thing Lee asks her about is being at Byron’s house, with Candles!! Yep.. Lee’s mixing the business and the personal too these days..
Don’t you love Lee’s little ‘interrogation’ of Amanda here?? he’s being factual because he is trying to help her- and Amanda understands this.. Compare this to his 
attempted interrogation of Amanda in Spiderweb– where he knew she was innocent but wanted to get to the facts??
so he did his Perry Mason gig?! tee heee… or maybe he went all ‘Scarecrow’!
Here Lee doesn’t attempt to put some distance between himself and Amanda – and he doesn’t try and revert back to ‘Scarecrow’ he’s okay with being attached to her.. and he is himself with her- this interrogation goes much better!
Amanda reaches out to grab Lee’s arm: What am I gonna do?
Lee: You’ll be released in my custody…
[whooo lucky Amanda! she gets a reward for being accused of murder ]
…We have to get you a good lawyer.
[whooo love the ‘we’ that Lee says here! My goodness how things have changed!! The script has a bit in here about Amanda’s only knowing her divorce lawyer-but Lee explains she needs a criminal lawyer- he’s taking this very seriously!! Sooo great because Amanda no longer works for the agency!!! And Lee is still doing all this for her!! 🙂 ]
Amanda: can I leave with you now?
Lee: yeah sure…
…Unless you wanna stay here and say goodbye to Wilma?
[sooo cheeky!!! ]
Lee holds out his arm for Amanda to take it.
[A gentlemanly action no?]
Love the smile he gives her here!!
She takes it and responds: I don’t think so.
Lee: mmm hmmm! haaaa..
They walk out together and the scene ends.. They try to walk out together – they have to squeeze through the door as it’s not wide enough for the two of them haaa!
Well isn’t this a wonderful scene.. Love the humour with Wilma, and watching Amanda deal with Wilma!
What do you make of Lee and Amanda in this scene?
Amanda seems to be, understandably, totally preoccupied with her situation and being charged with murder. So preoccupied she doesn’t notice how happy Lee is to see her!
Do you think Lee is jealous of Amanda and her dinner with Byron? I’m not sure. I haven’t decided on this one.. What do you all think? I think Lee knew about the dinner and the candles before he spoke to Amanda (the police would have given Lee that information possibly) – so he would have been able to prepare himself.. or is that ‘check’ himself.. I would love to have seen Lee’s face when he found out!
I am not sensing any jealousy here from Lee.
– I think he is too happy to see her, and be actually able to help her, and too concerned at her situation and what she has told the police to get jealous. When Amanda tells Lee that Byron said he liked her? Lee’s immediate reaction is Uh oh she told the police that?? she’s in a lot of trouble!! He doesn’t react to Byron. There seems to be no surprise at a man finding Amanda attractive from Lee here
Has Lee accepted Amanda is going to move on with another man?? He just wants to be sure he’s a good one?? and he knew Byron was a good one?? And.. he knows he’s no good for Amanda himself right now (probably thinks he never will be. but we know better 😉 ) Thoughts?
Then again, maybe it’s that Byron is dead – so he isn’t a threat now.. tee heee.. he would have been.. but now he isn’t!? Poor Byron! Whatever is going on- I do love that Amanda is out dating other men and at this stage isn’t waiting for Lee- and Lee can see this
Interesting also that in Our Man in Tegernsee, Lee is simultaneously coping with Amanda’s false charges and jealousy with Volkenauer at times.. no?? Here, the same possible combo- but it plays out differently.. maybe in Tegernsee Lee was unprepared for jealousy.. by now Lee may have come to terms with it?? [How??]
I have no idea.. just throwing it out there for us to explore if you like! Well byeee for now!!! Hope you are enjoying this episode as much as I am!!! All the pain of transcribing this has been forgotten! A huge thank you to KC and DMW for being my beta readers!! byeeeee!
"Just walk with me.." 
I never really thought it was fair to compare the jail scene in OMIT to the one here. In OMIT Lee had to fly all the way to Germany to get Amanda out of jail, and he was taking time off. He was not working anyway He had a long weekend planned with a girlfriend, and though I don’t like Lee with other women, I can certainly see how that would be annoying. In MBF Lee didn’t have to go all the way to Germany and he was in work mode anyway as he was on a case not the same. But one area of growth I do see is In OMIT Lee was use to being the one to rescue Amanda. It was par for the course. It was probably part of why he was so annoyed. He had to put aside what was important to him again to go rescue Amanda. Though, I do notice he still does it in OMIT rather telling Billy to send another agent. Lee may not have always appreciated the role of being Amanda’s rescuer, but he did see it as his role. IMO Lee did not like Byron being the one able to come to Amanda’s rescue. So now when Lee goes to get her out of jail Lee is really happy to be back in the role and isn’t taking it for granted anymore, one way I do think he has changed. I don’t care how PC you are every man wants to feel like he is the knight and shining armor to the woman he cares about, and thought they are not officially romantically involved Amanda has been the only woman Lee has really cared about the last couple years. He doesn’t care about those bimbos he has casual reletionships with.
That was for the positive note. As for the negative note anyone else bothered by the fact that Lee said Byron pressuring Amanda could be seen as her motive? Well, that just depends on how hard he was pressuring her. If it was hard enough I would then call it self defense not motive. However 30 years ago I bet it would be hard to make a predominantly male police force and jury see it that way. For the most part I am pretty old fashioned. Things like Byron using a position of authority to get a date or Lee needing to be a knight shining armor don’t bother me, but that ticked me off.
LikeLike
I wondered about the self-defense bit, too. Goof on the part of the writers, or reflection of the values of the day? Unless, they could get her for using deadly force as a first resort — nothing else is disturbed, so they conclude that she just didn’t like his attitude and stuck a knife into him?
LikeLike
“Why didn’t Lee talk to Amanda first before deciding anything?” I don’t think Lee thought he needed to or that she’d be able to tell him anything he didn’t already know or couldn’t figure out for himself. This is Amanda’s first day on the job, he knows she was having a late night dinner with Jordan so it probably wasn’t a heavy business discussion and he’s pressed for time. Lee knows Amanda has been helpful and lucky, but despite what she did in LOTP and BO, it hasn’t fully clicked with Lee that she is really more than a helper sidekick who makes a pretty cover for him. He does not view her as a ‘real’ professional yet.
Wilma! What a stitch – like her lines and her accent. LOL – yes! Would love to have seen Amanda bail Lee out of jail. I bet that would have come in S5 had we had one.
How lovely to see Lee so happy to see Amanda! He does look happy to see her and to be able to rescue her. I don’t think I commented on this before so I’ll say it here since you brought it up, iwsod. I think Lee would have liked to have seen Amanda again, but like you, I think it would have been in a work context only. The basis for their relationship has always been work and even though they’ve become friends and Lee’s grown significantly as a result of this friendship, I still don’t think that Amanda is on his radar as a love interest. She is a friend, albeit someone he cares for deeply and would do anything for. If this had happened a year after Amanda had left the Agency, I think it would have been someone else to come to Amanda’s rescue – unless she had continued to work with Lee on most of her projects with Jordan Securities. I just think that after a while, Lee and Amanda’s bond would have lessened in intensity because they would no longer be in such highly emotional situations, i.e. facing death together. I think she would have wanted their friendship to continue somehow, but I think Lee’s dimmer switch that was turned up brighter in OOADP would have slowly dimmed over time. I think it would have been a natural consequence of them no longer working together in the same way they did before. One final note on this – I’m assuming this would not happen because we haven’t seen much of it in the show up to this point – but if Amanda did start working with the Agency and more specifically Lee on a regular basis on security projects and they were both at events all dolled up, I do wonder if Amanda could have continued to be a cover option for Lee. I think that is really the only way I see these two continuing to grow their relationship – but even then I’m not sure that it would have been enough.
I’m not sure about Lee being jealous here. Byron is dead after all – don’t think Lee would be jealous of a dead man. I wish we could have seen Lee’s face though as Amanda was explaining. I think Lee here is marveling a little bit at Amanda’s naiveté and showing a little bit of frustration at it – nothing like OMIT though. (Then again, he didn’t get rousted out of bed with a girlfriend on a romantic weekend getaway for a 10 hour transatlantic flight.) A business dinner at his house at 8pm with candles? C’mon, Amanda! Jordan is a nice man with great manners so Amanda doesn’t think anything of it – heck she even tells the police. But Lee, he knows all about 8pm candlelit ‘business’ dinners so he thinks that Jordan’s mind wasn’t completely on business. (I do think Jordan was not trying to seduce Amanda, I do think he is a nice guy, but he was just really laying it on a bit too thick.)
It’s very nice of Lee to offer Amanda his elbow, but I’ve always noticed how far away from his body it is. It is another sign to me that he is just really playing the role of gallant white knight here to rescue her. I think if there truly were more on Lee’s mind at this point their exit from the jail cell would have been a little different.
LikeLike
BJo I have loved loved loved hearing your thoughts!I hope some smk time is helping you with the stress of all that nasty weather!
Thanks so much for laying out your thoughts I’ve really enjoyed it!
The idea that Lee would have still used Amanda as a cover is a good one – me like! Smile
What a fascinating thing to explore BJo – at what point in the show would Lee have no longer been okay with Amanda leaving? what a great way to look back on the characters and explore what they’ve gone through and how they’ve gotten to this point.
Hmmm what do you all think? It seems now Amanda is so invaluable to him, he would have found a way.. love what you have to say here BJo – at what point did this change? everyone??
LikeLike
I don’t know if this was intended to be significant, but I see visual significance in comparing this scene with OMIT. In that episode, Lee stood outside the (locked) cell while he talked to Amanda. In this, he gets right into the cell with her. In that one he was lecturing, in this one he’s empathizing, and I think the imagry of in/out of the cell illustrates that so beautifully. It’s like saying, “A good friend will bail you out of jail, but a best friend will share your cell with you.”
LikeLike
I like that you used the word empathizing here, because I believe that is a new skill for Lee.
LikeLike
Like, Like, Like 🙂
LikeLike
Absolutely Happy Camper I agree! I found the contrast between the two scenes very touching! Again- it almost made me feel Lee being so awful in OMIT was worth it! 🙂
‘A best friend will share your cell with you’? awh!!! I love it!! 🙂
LikeLike
Oh, you all have such delicious thoughts to enjoy. I’m delighting in chewing on the possibilities. I agree with some of what’s been said, but I am listening to the other side, as well. Soooo much here.
I’m on the side that Vigliante definitely comes after, but I’ll address that at the appropriate time.
Lee definitely is enjoying his WKS here, as usual. Lee loves rescuing Amanda, and he finds Wilma a bit humorous, too. Amanda doesn’t really know what to think about Wilma. I think she finds her a bit overwhelming. Wilma is another over-the-top, but fun character – rather like Travis.
LikeLike
When it comes to this episode, I started to think of the saying “If you love someone, set them free. If they come back they’re yours; if they don’t they never were.” Prior to this Lee was very possessive of Amanda. He was very jealous of any man who showed interest in Amanda (or any man she showed interest in). We also get the impression that all of the male agents thought that Amanda was “hands-off.” I don’t think Lee ever said anything, but I’m sure he gave off a vibe that Amanda was not available. In some ways, he needed Amanda in his life in very selfish ways (taking care of his fish and apartment when he was away, being a date-sometimes even last minute-for agency events, posing as his girlfriend for dinner with his uncle). He always knew he could trust Amanda and that she would be there for him. He even fought to keep her at the agency when she had amnesia (he tried to convince Billy that they could retrain her if she didn’t get her memory back).
At this point, for the first time, he is willing to let her go (both from the agency and to another man) because I think he realizes that this will be good for her and her family both professionally and personally. He is finally ready to put Amanda’s needs before his own.
I also think that he is losing interest in his relationships with the “Randi-babies.” I don’t think he quite knows why yet, but these relationships are not as fulfilling as they used to be.
Is Lee in love with Amanda at this point? I think he may be; however, he would not know it at this point if it hit him upside the head!
LikeLike
I like what you wrote here LAAL, especially that last paragraph. And welcome, if we haven’t heard from you before!
LikeLike
Welcome LAAL! Is this your first comment on JWWM? You are very welcome!! Everything you say sounds great to me! 🙂
LikeLike
Good analysis LAAL! And welcome to the rabbit hole! We indulge in lots of chocolate and use helmets to avoid brain damage when swooning over Lee while here 😉
LikeLike
Really like your comment here LAAL! And welcome to the blog – sorry I’m a bit late!
LikeLike
One more reply – sorry there has just been soooo much goodness here to explore! 😎
Hiya Morley.. I enjoyed reading your thoughts on where Lee is at and what’s happening with him at this point in the story.
It was indeed a ‘perfect opportunity’ 🙂
I’m seeing it the same as you.. any contact would have been under the guise of work for now.
Morley wrote
Love love love this Morley!!! I see this as being what is started by the events of this episode – this gets raised.. but not dealt with- as it is only the beginning of Lee dealing with this.
Amanda resigning hit him with the knowledge that she is more than just a work partner. But as you say- he now has to grapple with what that means for them both.. and whether he wants to actually embrace this or not. I agree – he hasn’t figured it out yet.
The events of this episode open that can of worms (not tupperware haaa) – so from now Lee needs to begin actually dealing with Amanda.
I think the events of Vigilante Mothers play into this.. as I see Vigilante Mothers as being before this episode..Lee is sooo ‘comfortable’ in VM! and.. I’ll cryptically leave it at that for now 🙂
Do you think Amanda needs to grapple with their relationship changing? What does everyone think about this??
I’m thinking Amanda already sees Lee in ‘friend category’ so it’s not a drama…
Very true Morley– Byron and jealousy is now a moot point. Though it raises lots of questions and interesting things to ponder 🙂
Valerie I’m loving your comment here in response to Morley 🙂
Valerie wrote:
Sooo true! Hmm in post 10 we’ve been discussing how Amanda copes by getting done what next needs to be done – maybe Lee and Amanda are not so dissimilar in this? They both focus on what needs to be done, and what can be done.. Hmm interesting!
Morley wrote:
Morley– so brilliant this!!! I was so caught up with how happy Lee was to see Amanda that I plain forgot to consider this a ‘goodbye’ – I think you’ve come up with a brilliant explanation of what the writers were aiming for.. all those previous drawn out goodbyes culminated in this one moment where Lee and Amanda departed arm in arm-absolutely together 🙂 It makes the scene even better! thanks for this!!
Hi Jestress! haaa I loved the award that you gave Wilma over at Ned’s – I’m kinda curious about what she would have taught Amanda exactly.. but most of all I love Wilma’s crack about Lee being the one Amanda keeps on the side.. ahem.. because in a way – it’s true!!!
Lee is Amanda’s secret – not as a lover, but as a secret friend/ work partner that no one knows about.. he is very much ‘on the side’ – and I think this is part of the theme of the episode isn’t it?? That Lee realises Amanda is very much central to his life now? rather than ‘on the side’ ?
just a thought.. byee for now!
LikeLike
OO, I like that last thought about on the side versus central.
I do think that Amanda is going to try to make some adjustments, although not for the same reason as Lee. She is just not as clued into what those adjustments are about because she isn’t really aware of what is going on inside of Lee although after they have dealt with this murder charge she will be able to notice that something is different. That is actually why I like VM last. But we can talk about that later 😉
LikeLike
I agree with you Morley about VM being last. Maybe we both feel the same as to why, just waiting for it to arrive.
LikeLike
Valerie I look forward to hearing your thoughts on that too! 🙂
It’s better to stay with the airing order if it works fine I say… just not sure it does…Thanks for waiting! 🙂
LikeLike
whooo cool! I’ll look forward to exploring that more. I’m open to VM being last – I can be convinced to change my mind 🙂 Though there is an additional reason I think it goes before- so I’ll be interested to hear what everyone makes of it 🙂
Yeah- It just struck me that Wilma’s funny line had wider significance maybe..
LikeLike
Hi Everyone! I’ll reply to a few different comments here:
Sounds like the fact that Byron is no longer a threat seems to be a popular theory for why Lee doesn’t seem overly jealous. And that he is focused on getting the problem solved. I agree with all this – though will add, that getting the problem solved didn’t stop Lee from getting jealous over Bryce Topping! 🙂 But.. maybe it was because Bryce was still alive 😉
Anyone not like Wilma? 🙂 .. I do think seeing her for just a moment made her funnier. If it goes on too long it’s not as funny.. IMHO.
I’ll give this quoting malarkey another go here..
Valerie wrote:
Loved this Valerie – soooo true! given the last time they saw each other was so sad- it’s wonderful the connection is still there, alive and very well 🙂
Kiwismh I agree with you about Lee’s agency golden pass! yeah the vibe I get is they hadn’t spoken yet – but I think the episode leaves it open to us to decide..
Kiwsmh wrote:
‘gone burgers’? too funny! I enjoyed your insights here kiwismh– there is now no urgency for Lee to deal with his relationship with Amanda.. a good thing too – because IMHO he wasn’t ready to deal with it..
I also see him as no longer dating Randi’s.. I see Lee as taking a break from the dating scene while he tries to figure out what his head and heart are doing.. only- he doesn’t figure it out straight away.. man- over the limit seems to be the big episode we seem to all be looking towards! I must resist!!! Can’t wait to discuss the events of that episode with you all when we get there!
Hi Jenbo! Yes! I found Lee raising the candles etc curious too!! 🙂
Cindy wrote:
Hi Cindy! Fair enough! I think that is very possible.. because we just don’t know.
It is a personal opinion here- I think the writers don’t answer this question – on purpose? I don’t know.. but I think they leave it open to us to speculate- without finding out the answer to this hypothetical 🙂
Jule wrote:
Ahhh the good old Tupperware! 🙂 I like that you say it’s what you want to see – I agree with you that sometimes I think I see what I want to see. and if it fits – that’s okay! 🙂 no one else has to agree! 😆
I’m going with the Byron is no longer a threat theory – and Lee doesn’t get any indication from Amanda that she was really into the guy- if he had.. things may have been different..
Yeah Lee’s Tupperware is breaking down all over the place nowadays! I think Lee’s Tupperware slowly leaks the contents of his unconscious.. Whereas for now- for me Amanda is still firmly shut tight- though it’s contents are rapidly expanding!. More on that when big events take place 🙂
LASinLA, Wilma has skinny wrists? LOL! yes strong enough for strangling haaaa.. oh dear! 🙂
Ah Morley it’s so hard to watch all this and not take into consideration season 3.. can’t wait till we’ve gotten past over the limit and can explore it properly.
I think without knowing what’s ahead for the characters, this episode would have left lots of questions floating in the air no?? Like the things we have debated with each other – maybe that is not a bad thing for a season finale?? Maybe the writer’s were aiming to do that??
This episode raises heaps of questions, but because Byron dies- they are not addressed in a way.. Well not until season 3.. interesting!
Morley Helping is Lee’s love language? I like it!!! So true!!! 🙂 He is a doer!!
LikeLike
A day late with the time zones, but happy Australia Day, iwsod!
LikeLike
Oops, no time zone excuses for me. I just plain forgot. But you’ll be getting a holiday today (Monday) since the 26th was on a weekend, so hope you have a great day today.
LikeLike
hiya! yes I am here!!! Thanks KC! A day late it doesn’t matter! and yeah today is a public holiday 🙂
lol kiwismh I have no idea when national NZ day is!?? when is it?
I’ll come back later and respond to comments (for posts 9 and 10) then- but it’s been wonderful to hear from you guys!
hope you are all well- bye for now!
LikeLike
Waitangi Day on 6th February is our NZ Day. Having a 7 day a week on-call job kind’ve kills the thrill of public holidays as I quite often end up working at least part of the day. People usually respect Christmas Day and Anzac Day so at least there’s a couple of days in the year I can switch the phone off and not feel guilty about it. 🙂
LikeLike
6th feb?! Not long now!!
Ohh yeah I hear ya.. working 7 days a weeks gives flexibility but sometimes it is a curse – I just hope that sometimes it is also a blessing for you! 🙂
LikeLike
Lee’s magic wiggly pocket fingers…
Take your hands out of your pockets so that we can swoon over them, not over [censored]. 
“Alright, then let’s get the installation in gear before we have ourselves another murder.”
Since Tucker is the partner of poor murdered Byron, shouldn’t someone (who doesn’t know that he’s yhe murderer) be thinking about protection for Tucker, since he’s now head of Byron’s company, in theory? Oh, wait! That would be a fly in the plot ointment. My bad!
Oh, I love Wilma. She’s awesome! She really should have made a reappearance at some point! (BTW, according to IMDB she was also in an episode of Remington Steele, and an episode of Charlie’s Angels as “Willamena” [but it’s one of the eps after KJ left]. LOL!)
Oh, yes. Lee definitely looks happy to see Amanda. 🙂 And he’s so sweet and gentle with her–defintely a matured and improved Lee! 🙂
“Do you think Lee is jealous of Amanda and her dinner with Byron?”
Yes, I think Lee is jealous of Byron… or was jealous of Byron… or is jealous of what Byron was possibly starting with Amanda that he hasn’t yet. Meh.
I think he also brings up the candlelit dinner to make the point to Amanda that she would have made herself look guilty of a crime of passion by being honest–‘cos he knows she would have been nothing but honest.
“A huge thank you to KC and DMW for being my beta readers!!”
You’re very welcome! 🙂 It’s so much easier to beta a transcript than to actually transcribe an episode!!!
LikeLike
Ahhh KC! too funny!!! thanks for censoring 😉
Willamena- that’s interesting!!! Yeah a lot of actors in 80s tv seemed to regularly rotate between smk, rs, hart to hart, mcgyver, and others.. there was plenty of work for them back then!
I noticed the other day Hart to Hart had an episode called ‘Murder Between Friends’ – ha!
Hang in there with your transcription!! 🙂
LikeLike
Iwsod, it occurred to me that at the end of this scene we have another departure. You have been chronicling the “goodbyes” in this episode so far. Here we have Lee and Amanda leaving, together, arm in arm. I like that.
LikeLike
Good point! It is nice to see them leaving together. I guess we also have the good-bye to Wilma; two positive good-byes in one scene!
LikeLike
Ah, Wilma! Love your complete lack of filter between your brain and your mouth. At least she’s a friendly murderess, offering to teach Amanda some tricks of the trade? lol!
I think that Lee probably was jealous of Byron when Amanda left the Agency to work with him, but of course, now that the poor man’s dead, it doesn’t matter as much as it did before. Yet, I think he has to satisfy himself as to Amanda’s feelings and find out whether or not she had been falling for Byron. It also occurred to me that Lee might have been concerned just how far their little dinner might have gone. Even though he seemed to like Byron in the beginning, he may have been worried about whether Byron actually had treated Amanda right. When Lee asks Amanda about her dinner with Byron, he has a concerned expression on his face that reminds me a little of the expression he had in Ship of Spies when he tells Amanda that she was lucky that she wasn’t killed when she went to investigate the life boats. Maybe he’s worried that Byron did try to force himself on Amanda. Of course, he could also be thinking that Amanda is lucky that whoever killed Byron didn’t kill her as well.
LikeLike
Ok, lets see.
I think that Lee is exceedingly happy to see Amanda. Because I think that Amanda leaving the Agency would have probably caused Lee to respond with a knee jerk reaction and hide behind a few of his old self protective walls, I think Lee would really be glad and maybe even relieved to be able to help Amanda. It would give him the perfect opportunity to reengage himself in her life and their friendship with out having to figure out how to have a friendship with Amanda that wasn’t based on the context of their mutual work. I think that he would have wanted to see Amanda, I just don’t think he would have been able to figure out the nature of their relationship with out the work part and so he would resort to the compartmentalization that keeps business and personal separate. Moving Amanda from one category to the other is fraught with other complications for Lee and he hasn’t figured that part out yet.
So Lee is relieved and happy to be able to help Amanda and be with her, she needs him and he is so glad she does. I agree he does need her in his life. I do think that under different circumstance Lee would have been jealous of Byron. But here I think it is a moot point, Byron is dead and Lee is the one that Amanda is relying on now. I do think that he is more mature about his relationship with Amanda now and he wouldn’t respond the way he used to. I think his knowledge of Amanda’s need of his help right now trumps any jealousy that he might feel about a candle lit dinner. I do wonder if it planted a seed in his mind, that Amanda would be open to candle lit dinners with co-workers. That may be a long shot, but why not?
I love it that they don’t skip a beat in their friendship and there is no left over discomfort from her choice to leave the Agency. Those two scenes in the Bullpen are a distant memory. Amanda is back where she belongs, by Lee’s side. Even if she isn’t back at the Agency. I think that is why he holds out his arm for her to link hers with. That is how it should be with those two and I think Lee is relishing that. It was just a good thing for Lee that Byron was murdered, otherwise Lee would have had a very long twisty dark road to walk to get back to this place with Amanda. At least that is what I think about it.
Amanda is so relieved to see Lee. But she is embarrassed, poor girl. She has been in some situations but this one has got to have her bewildered, it wasn’t Agency related? I don’t think she has a clue as to how happy Lee is to see her, I just see her being relieved that he is there to help her, that she isn’t alone in dealing with this. I think she may also be relieved that Lee did come, that he hadn’t shut down on their friendship completely. She may have been concerned about that because of his behavior earlier when he was getting ready for the raid in the bullpen. I wonder how much of the rest of this episode is information for Amanda about how much Lee really does care for her as a personal friend? And I do think she was a little concerned that the old belligerent green eyed monster may come out of Lee as they are discussing the candle lit dinner, I think she is relieved that it didn’t though.
Ok, I just wrote a novel…
LikeLike
Morley, I like so much of what you say, especially about Lee’s compartmentalization of he and Amanda’s relationship and how difficult it would be for him to move her from one category to another. There is just so much for him to process in all this and being in work mode helps him to just move on from the things that are at this point too confusing for him to ponder.
LikeLike
Like this Morley. Lee would have had a very long twisty dark road to walk to get back to this place with Amanda. Yes, it would not have been so straightforward for either of them, but may be Lee would’ve had to face his feelings sooner or lose her.
I like the part about him storing away the fact that Amanda might like candlelit dinner.
And like your final comments about Amanda recognising just how much Lee does care for her as a friend. It is from this realisation that she perhaps starts to think that he may eventually be able to return the love she feels for him. She hasn’t allowed herself to think that up to this point. From now on she opens herself to the possibility of a relationship with Lee. This all leads I believe to her reaction to a certain situation at the beginning of S3 – we shall get there soon enough so no more about that 😉
LikeLike
Love this, Morley! I especially agree with Lee not being able to figure out the friendship part without the work connection – I wrote something along this same idea in my comment. At least in my mind they’re similar! LOL. I also really like what you say at the end about Amanda’s eyes possibly being opened as to just how much Lee cares about her as a friend. In my mind I think that I always revert back to thinking that things are back to normal after Lee gets Amanda from jail, but they really aren’t until the tag. This is a very interesting thought to ponder! And I’ll read your novels anytime.
LikeLike
Oh Wilma! How could I have forgotten about Wilma? She’s a crack up!
Lee rushing to help Amanda doesn’t completely answer for me whether he would have kept up their friendship if Byron had lived. I would hope so, but I could see him building walls up and them drifting apart.
LikeLike
Agree. He needs the work excuse to contact her. Or the emergency excuse. Fortunately for him, he’s the one Amanda is likely to call in an emergency like this. He looks pleased as punch to be saving the day and to be near Amanda again.
Wilma is great! We laugh every time at her snappy repartee. (And she also has really skinny wrists! But strong enough for strangling, apparently.)
LikeLike
Wilma is an absolute scream here 😀 pity she didn’t have more air time.
Lee just can’t hide how happy he is, loving his looks at Amanda and his happy happy smiles. Which considering her predicament it’s nice to see his pleasure written all over his face 😀
Anyone else expect them to dance out the prison cell singing “we’re off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz” – it’s just the way they are linking arms LOL
Regarding his gentle interrogating……not sensing jealousy BUT I find it curious as to why he brings up the candles and the “just dinner” comments. Why? Is it a case that Lee wants to hear it from the horses mouth as to what was actually taking place? To clarify it wasn’t exactly what it looked like……a romantic dinner. Hmmmmm it seems an odd conversation to me but YMMV (that’s the correct abbreviation I hope LOL).
LikeLike
I’m thinking Lee didn’t talk to Amanda about the security set up for the Nabuti thing for the very reason that she had only been working for Byron for one day. How much would she know after only one day? Well, quite a bit as it turns out but until now Lee wouldn’t have guessed just how much time Byron and Amanda had spent together that day and how much info Byron had shared with her.
Lee’s Agency ID seems to be the golden pass that will get him anywhere he wants to go so I suspect he dropped by the crime scene at some point. His professional eyes would have taken in a great deal – he is trained and experienced at being extremely observant. Part of what he saw would have affected him on a personal level too – the intimate setting and definitely the evidence of a candlelit dinner. It would have taken him by surprise. He wouldn’t have expected Byron and Amanda to have struck up this level of familiarity so soon. Maybe this is a little wake-up call that gets stored away in his subconscious, but it’s also definitely something that he’s not ready to acknowledge yet. The message that he’s not ready to hear yet is Hey, don’t leave this lady hanging on for too long ’cause she won’t stick around for you to get your act together Big Fella.
But Byron’s gone-burgers now. Lee wouldn’t have wanted to see the guy dead, he obviously thought highly of him, but Byron’s demise does mean there is no urgency for Lee to face that little nagging sub-conscious voice. I always had the feeling that Lee was no longer dating at this point (since Randi-baby) but I also see that he won’t even be consciously acknowledging that there might be a reason for that.
When they are reunited, Amanda starting with the line, Look you know I didn’t do it.” doesn’t necessarily suggest to me she hadn’t phoned him earlier (sorry Iwsod). I think the phone conversation they had earlier would have been necessarily brief, and Amanda knows that by the time Lee come to collect her that he will have done his own research into what happened, and of course he knows she didn’t do it.
Definitely *jealousLee questioning her about the candlelit dinner, but agree with you Iwsod, a lot more controlled and compassionate jealousLee than we have seen in the past. This not only illustrates the strength of the friendship bond they now share, it is also a great example of the personal growth that Lee has achieved in the last couple of years thanks to Amanda’s influence on him. I see him at this point now being more considerate and empathetic in his dealings not just with Amanda but with everyone else (except baddies, of course 😉 he still needs to “kick ass” but he is a lot smarter about that now too). He doesn’t realise it yet but she is drawing out the real Lee Stetson, and that is the man who can be Amanda’s partner, lover, husband and father to her children. But he’s not quite there yet.
Amanda doesn’t change Lee, she just has the ability that no one else has had to draw out the real man who has been hiding behind the Scarecrow persona.
Will leave it there for now as I am sure I have rambled on long enough. Keen to read everyone else’s comments.
LikeLike
Like button! Maybe I want to see Lee as jealous here but hiding it because he has had time to process and store away that little nagging voice in the back of his mind in his Tupperware. Yep, Kiwish, I agree, a bit of a wake up call. Still think Lee is adorable at the jail, just happy to see Amanda. Love Amanda’s hilarious reactions to Wilma. Love Wilma!
LikeLike
hiya everyone! What is the voice saying Jule? do tell! 🙂
I was wondering if maybe Amanda was downplaying the personal here with Lee.. she asserted it was business ‘just business’ – and clearly – it wasn’t !!! It was Lee that made her admit that it wasn’t just business 🙂 that is interesting!
I think Lee asked about all that because the police were saying she killed Byron because he couldn’t take no for an answer. but I’m only guessing.
Yes YMMV! haaaa.. you got it Jenbo! 🙂
This reaction of Lee’s is different to previous male attention being paid to Amanda isn’t it.. It’s not like with the playboys.. or with Bryce Topping.. Hmm!
I agree – Liked your comments kiwismh!!! and Valerie! Love your ideas on the wake up call kiwismh! I think I’ve summed up my thoughts in the final post.. so I’ll stop to avoid repeating myself.
good one Valerie! Yeah that must have been a lousy kiss! haaaaa!
Hiya Jenbo! Yes maybe the police corridors are a yellow brick? 😉
Agreed Wilma is a hoot!!! 🙂
Yes you are right Cindy – we can’t be sure what Lee would have done. The episode doesn’t play out this scenario fully.. we are left to guess.. I am sure they did it so we would have lots of discussions online about it in the fandom.. ahem! 🙂
LikeLike
Like this, kiwismh!
LikeLike
I like, like, like this. I want to say more, but it is late. I hope in the morning I can have a few quiet SMK moments to play with this.
LikeLike
Loved Wilma! Her first line is so awesome..she didn’t like his attitude and that kiss must have been pretty awful for her to strangle him. And of course, she would notice that Lee is a hunk.
Lee is so wonderfully cute here. I agree that he is just so happy to see Amanda and so happy to be able to help her. This is a situation he can deal with and handle. He couldn’t do anything to rescue her regarding her financial situation, but he can ride in on his steed and be her knight in shining armor again. It’s been mentioned that Amanda has been Lee’s north star and I think that she has been an anchor for him as well. I think that even for the short time that they’ve been apart Lee was probably reeling and a bit lost. He wouldn’t have expected that she would need him again so soon, however, it is Amanda, so it would have probably happened sooner or later.
I think that he is relieved somewhat that they will be able to be around each other again. Not that he’s happy about the situation, but he is happy to see Amanda. And he is certainly basking (sp?) in her presence. His behavior has definitely progressed in how he is dealing with the situation and he makes sure that he lets her know that he knows she didn’t kill anyone. I think he is just trying to get Amanda’s side of the story. I think he wants to know what went on, but his mask as to what it might mean is firmly in place. I do think that at this point he realizes that if Byron had been a threat that he no longer is and that may be part of the reason he is calmly responding to Amanda’s answers.
I like how Amanda reaches out to take his arm and I think Lee takes her hand as well. I just wish we could see it. They are just so wonderful together in this. Some of the awkwardness from the last two times they were in the bullpen together is gone and their friendship is again taking the forefront. Such a good scene!
LikeLike
This is the first time Lee has seen Amanda since their goodbye in the bullpen-and he can’t stop grinning!!! for me, this gives me the answer to the question: would Lee have contacted Amanda had Byron not been murdered? It’s just my opinion, but he is sooo happy here I think he would definitely wanted to see Amanda again- though always under the guise of ‘work’ (smerk!)
Agree, agree, agree Iwsod. There’s no way at this point that Lee would not have continued to seek out Amanda’s company, probably under the pretence of work. He doesn’t consciously realise it yet, but he needs her in his life.
LikeLike
But I still don’t think he would have pursued a relationship with Amanda outside of work before this point. How often would they see each other without a work context if she had continued to work for Jordan’s company? I agree that he needs her in his life and he has a bit of knowledge of this, but he may still be needing to delude himself about this, there is evidence of this type of behavior coming up in early season 3. But I won’t go into that.
I do think that after this, if she hadn’t been able to go back to working with the agency, he would have been able to pursue a relationship with her, but I think he needed this “being needed” moment to get over the hump.
I do agree that he is super happy to see her, thrilled even. And to be able to help her… well, that is Lee’s love language, at least one of them.
LikeLike
And I like this too!
LikeLike