So Amanda and Lee have entered Billy’s office to have a private conversation away from the ears of Congresswoman Faber. Amanda sighs very loudly- knowing she has to admit what she’s done..and assuming Lee is not going to be happy with it!
[There are some huge parallels with Service Above and Beyond here! which I can’t wait to discuss!!]
Lee: What is it?
Amanda: I made a total mess of everything but it really wasn’t my fault…
[It’s not her fault!!!! sooo many times before Lee has gotten mad and it wasn’t her fault! Love how she gets that in very early 
preparing herself for his displeased reaction.] …I didn’t see the skateboard and he did. If it had hit me, it would’ve killed me…
[whahahaaa!! The skateboard would have killed Amanda??!! whahahahaa!!!]
…and I broke the camera but I’ll pay-
Lee: Stop.
(Lee holds up his hands)
[rofl! classic!!! Lee now knows how to help Amanda communicate! 
he doesn’t get exasperated with her like he use to He may be a little concerned that something’s gone wrong- but he still seems good humoured here]
…What are you talking about? Chamberlain?
Amanda (nods): We made contact…
[We don’t see Lee’s reaction, but can hear a sigh off camera- do you think?]
…I’m sorry. He asked me if we could take a walk…
[thank goodness Alan didn’t say ‘just walk with me’!! I’d be soooo disappointed! 😉 ]
…I thought I could keep it to a cup of coffee.
[Amanda gets all this out fast! Anticipating Lee’s reaction]
Lee: Does he know who you work for?
[Lee is concerned, but not cranky – he would have been in the past IMHO! There’s no recriminations.. he’s dealing with the logistics of the situation.. not personal frustrations with Amanda.]
Amanda: Oh No, he thinks I clean teeth in Illinois…
[rofl! I love that!!!] 
…He asked me to dinner but I said no.
Lee doesn’t react to Amanda’s cover of cleaning teeth in Illinois- See my thoughts below- the contrast between this scene and Lee in SAAB is huge- and wonderfully illustrative!
Lee: Dinner?
[Lee is matter of fact here – I’m still not seeing any jealousy!]
Amanda: I’m sorry.
[I think Amanda assumed she would receive a lecture.. and she is very apologetic for making this mistake..]
Lee: Fabulous!
[Lee clicks his fingers here and is excited at this 
turn of events – he thinks this is a great thing that has happened!!!! Oh my.. I’ll come back to this at the end of the scene!]
Amanda is shocked at this reaction!
Amanda: I thought you told me to keep my distance.
Now enthused.. Lee starts pacing and thinking!
Lee: Yes, yes I did but this is perfect. We couldn’t have set it up any better.
[Still IMHO I don’t see any jealousy! What’s everyone else seeing? ]
Amanda shrugs: Well, I didn’t really do all that much…
…I mean, he did almost everything…
(we cut back to Lee who is actually grinning excitedly at this stroke of luck! he licks his lips.. hooo haaaa.. and stops pacing to look at Amanda)
…I just sort of tried to keep my foot out of my mouth and not make him nervous.
(Lee’s lovin it!!)
Lee: It’s textbook…
(Lee looks back over to Faber, waiting for him in the bullpen..
he’s got to get back to her – we also see Amanda smiling a huge smile! Basking in Lee’s approval and relieved at Lee’s reaction!)
…Look, I’ve gotta get back to the dragon-lady. Now you go to dinner with him…
…Don’t press him…
…Just keep it light,…
and let him talk.
[Don’t press Alan about what? As far as Lee’s concerned it’s just background check isn’t it??]
[Wow.. It’s weird seeing Lee give Amanda advice on how to spend time with a man tee hee..Again this reminds me of Service Above and beyond- when Lee starts giving Amanda instructions on how to get an invitation to Delano’s party- and Amanda already had one.. Lee’s instructions here- are exactly what Amanda has been doing- wouldn’t you say?
Lee is quite casual here with suggesting 
Amanda go out on a date with this guy!
Amanda shrugs, like- easy! I can do that!
[this screen cap is hilarious!!! Definitely deserves a meme.. anyone want a go?!]
Amanda: Okay! 
Amanda’s happy- Hmm happy that Lee is 
happy with the job she’s doing.. or that she gets to have dinner with Alan? Hmm.. maybe both? what do you think?
Lee stares at Amanda expectantly and asks: Is he as stuffy as he looks?…
…you know, head in the clouds,…
…artistic type…?
[Now this is just too cute!!! Lee tries to keep it light..he kind of playfully asks..
is animated in his facial expressions.. you know- like he is teasing Amanda for having to spend time with the stuffy artsy guy! lol.. but there’s this tiny part of him here that just has to ask- Finally!! I see jealousy!!! ]
I think Amanda notices Lee’s jealousy immediately!
Amanda’s immediate reaction is to smile.. but she tries to hide it looking down..
Then she looks up to respond.
Amanda: Dull as a stick.
[Amanda knows Lee so well… she chooses to keep her impressions of Alan a secret.. and interestingly – she actually lies to Lee here!! whoa!!! I guess Amanda chose to tell Lee what she knew he wanted to hear. Looking forward to hearing everyone’s thoughts about this who is reading- and up to sharing! I suspect Amanda knows Lee might not have been so enthusiastic about Amanda accepting the invite to the lovely little dinner if Amanda had admitted that she found Alan quite dreamy and charming!!! ]
Lee is so transparent here!! It’s so cute!!! He makes no attempt to hide his enjoyment at learning Alan is a bore!
Lee: Good.
[oh boy.. doesn’t that say it all!!! Lee is feeling insecure-and just needed a little reassurance from Amanda that the guy was no threat I am thinking with this response of Amanda’s any hint of jealousy in Lee has evaporated – but will it return? I’m not sure..but I’ll be keeping an eye out for it!]
The scene ends here when Lee leaves Billy’s office to return to Faber. Lee leaves with a smile on his face and Amanda shakes her head at Lee’s question- men!!! Their so competitive!!
Soooo I am guessing Amanda wrote a report about what she saw in the rose garden?? She did more than just submit her photos? surely? I mean what about the whole bit about Alan screaming ‘Sophia!!!! Answer me!!!! are you alright??!!!!!! Sophia??????!!!!’ into the public phone and then running after that van containing the priests??!! Lol.. it’s not worth mentioning?? She didn’t mention anything to Lee about it. LOL! Plot crater you think? I would have thought this is serious and shows Alan is in some kind of trouble? So if she saw it she should say- but seems she didn’t see! lol!!
Amanda is standing right there!!! –but seems to hear nothing and sees nothing? (she needs a hearing check, and an eye check ) Aie… Anyway.. I’ll let it go! [seems Amanda has!]
It took me a long time to see some jealousy from Lee- but finally.. I saw it here!
Isn’t this scene between Lee and Amanda wonderful!!!!! I find this scene huge in demonstrating progress between these two! [possibly just as interesting as a certain upcoming scene we are all looking forward to ] Firstly, there is personal progress here for Lee – I know Lee has shown jealousy in the past, but it seemed quite immature to me.. based on an immature possessiveness or protectiveness – I think the jealousy here is slightly different – now Lee and Amanda have grown closer Lee’s jealousy is more mature (if that’s possible!) – there is no accusing Alan of being a playboy or anything like there would have been in the past 
(and heaven knows Alan would have looked like he fit the description).
Lee is focused on what Amanda thinks of Alan – not on what Lee thinks of Alan – this is new- and this nuance to the jealous moment suggests how much Lee has matured. He 
doesn’t attack Amanda verbally with his jealousy (like he has in the past) he more or less asks her playfully for some reassurance.. it’s kinda sweet!
There is progress professionally too!
Previously when Amanda made contact with Delano – Lee was cranky (jealous too!!) but he was worried Amanda wasn’t up to the job, jumping on anything she did wrong. Here? Lee is supportive, and even embraces this turn of events- even if it means Amanda has to go on a date with Alan! Old Lee would have been too wrapped up in his jealousy to want that.. or too concerned about Amanda ruining things!
Like he was when Amanda had her dinner with James Delano (whooo another reminder of that episode.. could this all be deliberate?)
The implicit meaning behind Lee’s reaction here is that Lee trusts Amanda is up to this job! he knows she can do it well!! This is wonderful!! He doesn’t react to her strange sounding cover like he did in Service Above and Beyond
Lee: what name did you give him??!!
![SAAB.avi_000636271_thumb[1]](https://justwalkwithme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/saab-avi_000636271_thumb1.jpg "SAAB.avi_000636271_thumb[1]")
And later in SAAB, with Billy Lee laughs at her efforts..
Lee: Wait till you hear this. She’s some English noblewoman whose husband is locked in a tower-
Billy: Ha. I’m impressed.
![SAAB.avi_000649700_thumb[1]](https://justwalkwithme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/saab-avi_000649700_thumb1.jpg "SAAB.avi_000649700_thumb[1]")
Lee: You are?
Billy: Amanda’s thinking on her feet. The woman has instincts.
![SAAB.avi_000656694_thumb[1]](https://justwalkwithme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/saab-avi_000656694_thumb1.jpg "SAAB.avi_000656694_thumb[1]")
[Yes another excuse for a tux pic!!]
Lee doesn’t see Amanda as an asset in SAAB.. but now he does!!! hooray!!!!
This also reminds me of 3 faces of Emily. When Emily and Lee are targeting Whitset and find Amanda is accompanying him- without realising he is their target.
![2.11 THE THREE FACES OF EMILY.avi_000566299_thumb[1]](https://justwalkwithme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/2-11-the-three-faces-of-emily-avi_000566299_thumb1.jpg "2.11 THE THREE FACES OF EMILY.avi_000566299_thumb[1]")
Lee curses his luck- not trusting Amanda to help.
Lee: Oh hooo!!! I love it.. Amanda has 200 people here to talk with and she chooses Whitset.
![2.11 THE THREE FACES OF EMILY.avi_000573506_thumb[1]](https://justwalkwithme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/2-11-the-three-faces-of-emily-avi_000573506_thumb1.jpg "2.11 THE THREE FACES OF EMILY.avi_000573506_thumb[1]")
[yes.. any excuse to post another picture of Lee in a Tuxedo ]
Emily chides Lee (a little moment where we see Emily teaching Lee a thing or two)
![2.11 THE THREE FACES OF EMILY.avi_000577911_thumb[1]](https://justwalkwithme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/2-11-the-three-faces-of-emily-avi_000577911_thumb1.jpg "2.11 THE THREE FACES OF EMILY.avi_000577911_thumb[1]")
Emily: Lee, dear, you must learn to improvise. Amanda might just be very helpful.
![2.11 THE THREE FACES OF EMILY.avi_000580613_thumb[1]](https://justwalkwithme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/2-11-the-three-faces-of-emily-avi_000580613_thumb1.jpg "2.11 THE THREE FACES OF EMILY.avi_000580613_thumb[1]")
[Amanda and helpful was a new concept to Lee ]
I love that we now see in ALLA that Lee naturally sees Amanda’s involvement here due to serendipity as an asset!!! Amanda will be helpful!!!
He has learned from Emily, and he has learned to trust Amanda and see her as an asset- hooooo flippin ray!!!!!!
So wonderful.. to top it all off here we saw Lee refer to Amanda as an ‘Agent’ (in post 6)– even if it was to Faber
No sign of Lee struggling with feeling responsible for introducing Amanda to the spy biz here- this is a big part of what goes on in SAAB no? Now, Lee is happy to ask Amanda to go on a date with a guy (who could be viewed as a bit of a playboy given Francine suggests Amanda needs her ‘little running shoes’ to keep up with him) –and for a case!!.. Lee is much less protective of Amanda at this point than he would have been in the past IMHO [David Benson was just a date too no? but then.. Lee was unprepared for jealousy back then huh! He and Lee seemed to be competitive I guess!]
– so great to see Lee giving Amanda the space to grow professionally- way to go Lee!
Lee is way more attractive when behaving this way, than smooth Alan Chamberlain any day!!
I wonder if this is another reason why Amanda chose to lie to Lee and tell him Alan is as dull as a stick? Because Lee was being really supportive??
Soooo what do you all think?? Would love to hear from you! I have loved this scene- it’s really resonated with me in demonstrating how far Lee and Amanda have come, and where they now are!!!! How about you? Can’t wait to hear from you! byeeee!!!
"Just walk with me.." 
When Amanda says “he did almost everything” it looks like she’s thinking about what he actually did — take her hand, etc.
Lee is definitely in work mode, until he starts to question whether Alan is stuffy (maybe his glance back at the dragon lady — ROFL, love it — reminded him).
“Dull as a stick”, Amanda’s having some fun with Lee here. Also, she is no longer surprised (and not upset here, either) to find that he’s jealous. Didn’t she tell him earlier in the series that he has no right to act jealous? Maybe she’s remembering her own reaction to Leslie and cutting him a little slack. Or maybe she’s accepting that he does have a right to act jealous, they spend so much time together. I was seeing her comment not so much as a lie, but as an ironical statement, keeping things light in response to his light questions. It might be humorous to her in that situation to say the opposite of what she means, because Lee is so transparently jealous. If he gets the irony, it’s a very subtle way of pointing out that he’s jealous and she knows it. If he doesn’t get it, she can be laughing in her sleeve at him. I didn’t think she was seriously trying to hide from him her attraction to Alan or tell him what he wants to hear. He knows her well enough to detect the irony, but if he isn’t focused enough on her to get it and share the joke, she’ll just enjoy it herself and not try to enlighten him.
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I am sorry I haven’t read all your lovely comments. Lagging behind as usual!!!
Just wanted to say whilst I agree Lee is jealous I feel it comes from a place of insecurity. I think Lee is used to being the best looking man in the room and here he has a bloke who could be vying for that position. Amanda smooths his ego by lying that he’s dull as a stick. Just my interpretation at any rate 😉
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This is one of my favorite scenes!!! Lee has come a long way ( no blowing his top and yelling at her) and is now very supportive of Amanda and her work. I have not seen any jealousy in this ep. Until the moment he asks about Alan being stuffy…and I love how Amanda knows that Lee is jealous and she is able to smooth over things.
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Yep! hear hear! 🙂
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I was thinking about this as I got breakfast for everyone this morning. Lee’s jealous reaction here and even as I see it in that earlier scene in the rose garden is interesting. It is more mature, but it is also so subtle. And I was thinking about it and also about Amanda’s in OTL. Their jealousy takes them both by surprise a bit. I guess I was thinking that it shows how they have grown over the years in their relationship with one another. We have all seen it grow, but they haven’t. It is kind of as if the two of them do have a claim on each other, that their relationship is pre-existent and they belong to each other all ready and at some level they are becoming aware of it. It is almost as if they are trying to define these other relationships or potential relationships in terms of this existing relationship with each other, but they won’t be able to do that until they define what it is that they have with each other. Maybe it is almost as if they aren’t creating something together, but they are getting ready to explore what they have already created. (I hope that isn’t moving ahead… I guess it was a thought explaining this type of subtle jealous reaction)
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I like this, Morley. I like thinking that they already have something, but as yet are unaware of it, that they belong to each other. They are comfortable with what they have and where they are, but yet unable or unready to think of if there is anything more.
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Absolutely!!!! I’m on board with this!!! I think this has been the case since the first time 🙂 and when Lee said: Just walk with me 🙂
Its been growing the whole time – and both Lee and Amanda individually have been growing and maturing in a way to make the relationship possible.. I am so excited to finally be exploring this stuff!
I think we’ll all have something to say about whether they are now ready for the relationship or what at the end of this episode!!! 🙂
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What a great post. Thank you so much for all of the reflections on the earlier episodes. Yes! so much growth. I agree, his jealousy has matured (strange, but true). I also see that there is some sort of trust in the relationship that they have built. It isn’t that gut level jealousy that Lee used to have. Here , it almost isn’t there, because the reality of the trust and knowledge that they have about each other is very real and present. And yet… Lee needs that affirmation…” tell me he is boring, right? Tell me I have nothing to worry about. Tell me we can stay focused on a case here, this is professional right. I am still your trainer and you are learning the ropes of the spy business? This is business, not personal… right?”
But I don’t think Amanda is hearing that? I think she is just seeing Lee being jealous again, and she doesn’t really understand why he does that, except that she knows he does and she now knows how to handle it. Tell him what he wants to hear and go about your life.
Thanks, Learjet for the script excerpt. Once again, I am glad we got what we did, but that is an interesting insight into what is going on in Amanda’s head. I do think she is trying to be open to something coming out of the woodwork.
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I suspect the original script dates back to before they were planning to get Lee and Amanda together so quickly.
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To follow up on Amanda accepting the dinner invite from Alan: in the script Amanda goes in to the Agency to drop off the film and doesn’t seem to actively seek Lee.
Lee: Amanda, I was just going to call you. About dinner. Are we still on [!!!! from Learjet]
Amanda: Did we have a date? Gee I’ve made plans. Business plans. Maybe tomorrow. Got to run. See you…
Then there’s a scene where Francine and Amanda run into each other, Francine is rude and Amanda then asks her about her dinner with Alan
Amanda: …What do you do when you’re on a case and you’re not sure where the case ends and your own life begins
Francine: Go with the flow… You and David [his name changed to Alan later]? Amanda!
Amanda: It’s nothing…yet. It’s just confusing. I didn’t plan any of this…we just sort of met, totally by accident. Anyway he asked me to dinner
Francine: You don’t need my advice
Amanda: It’s part of my cover. It might look funny to refuse
Francine: It’s a judgement call. You probably did the right thing, but be careful. Don’t get in the water if you don’t know how to swim
Amanda: I know all about swimming
Francine: Not in this end of the pool
[Dated 26 July 1985, shooting draft – date of airing 23 September 1985
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Oh cool thanks Learjet!
That script is really different.. so different in tone to what we got that I can’t help but think this shooting script was very early and before major changes were made to the Lee/Leslie Amanda/Alan arc.. hip hip hooray they did make the changes!!!
Is the big shocker in the script still to come?
Soooo glad Amanda sought out Lee – I thought it was a wonderful scene.. one of my faves in the episode!
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There are a couple more surprises in the script – Amanda’s responses to situations, Alan and Lee are explored a lot more overtly in the script than the final version episode. Very different tone, yes
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I hadn’t read the script for this episode but wish in a way they had incorporated elements of both conversations into the final version.
It’s very interesting that Lee was clearly planning another “date” with Amanda. And Francine’s advice to Amanda could have slotted into the episode with minor adjustment.
Yes, I like it that they did change it so that Amanda went to Lee. Amanda’s comments above seem callous and uncaring of Lee’s friendship and overtures.
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Also, to re-open the can of worms, interesting that the term “date” was used in the script
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But if they were using the word “date” it is interesting that Amanda would be considering a dinner date with another man at the same time she would be “dating” Lee… I guess I would think that if she was “dating” Lee she wouldn’t think of “dating” another guy as well. I still think that once Amanda acknowledges a date with Lee, other than a friendly get together, she will be all present for him. Does that make any sense to anyone? I guess I don’ like what this script would be saying about Amanda’s character here. Although I do still like the insight into the characters. I will agree, though, that this must have been an early write before they changed the story arc. I am so glad they did make the changes, I probably would not have followed it so closely if they played those typical games.
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I agree Morley. The talk to Francine and the indifference to the prior arrangement w Lee just don’t ring true with the Amanda we know. Maybe KJ putting her oar in about characterization? I also dislike the on/off/on games that SMK avoided
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whoa.. you might be right! and if she did – good on KJ!
yeah I think if someone sees them as dating now they could see it as confirmation. but.. if you don’t see them as dating now – you could put it down to the story being changed – it got cut for a reason.. lol so either way it works 🙂
indeed.. so glad they avoided the tedious, immature games people play! 🙂
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Yes, I don’t think either of them would be actually using the word “date” to describe their evenings out or “out of work” time together. As it is written in the original script it does make Amanda seem callous.
One thing I think with original script does show is how Lee sees their relationship. I’ve always thought that at the end of OTL he had made a decision of sorts to concentrate on exploring his relationship with Amanda.
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Regardless of the meaning of “date”, the fact that Lee and Amanda had dinner plans would definitely put this after OTL. Or was that never in any doubt? This is the episode I really didn’t know what to do with in the order.
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happy camper, obviously to me this episode makes the best sense here at the end of the first five of season 3. But if you want to discuss it in more detail, I would be happy to at Ned’s. There is a whole thread fro the episode order topic.
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Makes perfect sense to me Morley – I’m with you! 🙂
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Thank you for posting the original script. What was aired fits their characters so much more. I don’t think that she would have forgotten the dinner “date” with Lee, no matter how taken she was with Allen. I would also think that Amanda would have a problem starting a relationship based on a lie. Now that I think about it, Allen would not have been looking for a relationship. He travels all of the time and supposedly Amanda lives in Illinois. So if that were true, they wouldn’t see each other after Allen’s business is done in DC. I like that we got to see Lee jealous, but not the over-the-top angry jealous. He’s also not questioning what Allen sees in Amanda–as he does with other guys in the past. To continue the scene iwsod posted above, Billy makes a comment that maybe James finds Amanda exotic and mysterious (something to that effect), but Lee can’t picture that. I can’t wait to find out what else was in the original script.
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Indeed LAAL – Alan thinks Amanda lives in Illinois.. is he really thinking he wants a serious relationship with Amanda?? me thinks not..
Alan doesn’t even know Amanda has kids.. I have a theory – that maybe Alan/Amanda should have been called ‘A Lovely little Fantasy’ ! but.. can’t say more on it yet!
Great call on Lee no longer struggling to see what Alan would find attractive in Amanda – double.. no triple Squeeeee!!!! 🙂
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The final shoot of Season 3 is usually different from the script…thank goodness…IMHO I like was filmed 100% times better!
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Really?? is that quite common for season 3 scripts? man!!! maybe I shouldn’t look at the scripts at all when recapping and I should leave it to you fine folks to share? 🙂
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Why don’t you leave it to the episode transcriber, Iwsod? You have so much to do, doing the episode analyses as it is, so let us do this
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Hi learjet! sweet of you to offer! I think those who have transcribed have already taken on a job which is a big help- I wouldn’t want to then ask someone to also take on reviewing the script and reporting back to JWWM kind of thing. (plus people kindly volunteered to transcribe dialogue only- and are not obliged to do anything more 🙂 but.. if they want to they are very very welcome! 🙂
Thanks so much for transcribing A Lovely Little Affair Learjet! And.. if you’d like to keep sharing with us the script’s additions/changes/insights/disasters.. feel free to 🙂
I like your idea that maybe together we can review the script Learjet! maybe I can make more of an effort to ask if anyone has read the script of a scene and if there was anything of interest they’d like to share..
BTW if you are new here-
firstly- do say hi!! we don’t bite- and it’s wonderful to hear from ya!
secondly, if you go to http://www.smk-land.com and sign up (it’s very easy) you can access smk scripts there in the steno pool section. Petra (a fellow smk fan) has kindly taken on hosting all the smk scripts that all fans have pooled together to share with each other!!!
So I’d encourage you all to go for it, sign up to smkland and check out the scripts!! and do let us know if you find anything! 🙂
byeee!
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I guess what I mean is that it’s quite easy to skim through the script and pick up differences if you’ve already transcribed as you know the dialogue and structure well. Anyway I’m happy volunteer to help checking through scripts as I have time.
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for sure learjet! 🙂
Thanks for the offer! I think season 3 scripts are going to be very interesting from the sounds of things!! 🙂
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Well I am going by my memory of reading them a couple of years ago, but that is the impression I got.
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hiya! oh I have no idea Melissa – I haven’t really read any scripts for season 3- so I was interested to hear you thought this was the case (that the final version differed a lot to the script)
I’ll be looking forward to exploring this with you all! Lots of good stuff I have no idea about coming up!! 🙂 tee hee!
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Love your post, Iwsod! So much going on in that quick little conversation. It turned out to have a deeper meaning for both of them than what they probably intended. I mentioned before that Lee had filed away his initial concerns regarding Amanda’s distractedness. I think he did glance at Alan as Amanda left to kind of check out what Amanda might have been engrossed with. I think once he handled the Agency aspect of Amanda’s report he pulled out that file to review some things and ask Amanda specifically what might have distracted her.
What’s funny is how Lee phrases his question. He has decided that Alan is stuffy with his head in the clouds, and that an ‘artistic type’ is boring. But he says it in a way as not to be offensive to or antagonize Amanda. He really wants to see where she is with all this. I think that once she responds in a way that makes him feel better, he closes that file and puts it aside again. We’ll see if he pulls it out again. He definitely is too cute here.
But I agree that he is handling this in a much more mature way and I agree that his concern now is not how he perceives this person, but how Amanda perceives him. And Amanda is one awesome woman in how she handles Lee. She anticipates every possible response she could get from Lee and is able to put him at ease as well as stick with the case.
Lee is great in how he handles Amanda’s foray into rambling. He has moved from accepting Amanda as his friend to accepting her as a partner, and now accepting her as an agent. Progress, progress, progress. Me like the calmer, gentler Lee.
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Agreed Valerie. I often use the tactic that Lee used with Amanda on my kids (but I make them look me in the eye as well LOL). I just love how they understand each other – in some ways Lee knows Amanda better than she knows herself, and vice versa. It’s like being married to the right person for a long time…
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Great job of conveying all those undercurrents Kiwish! Since I am still reveling in Harry Potter at the moment (a current obsession among several) these two quotes from The Half Blood Prince describe the squirly feeling you are talking about Kiwish I think: Harry feels a “swooping sensation in his stomach” and “the drowsing creature in Harry’s chest suddenly raised its head, sniffing the air hopefully”. Of course, it’s about teenagers, but hopefully you never lose that sensation!
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Oh, it was totally “your fault” Amanda King If you hadn’t been following so close to see if he had his ownhair, this never would have happened! (Now I’m sounding like Lee 😉 … like Lee used to, I mean.)
Is Amanda using the “I could have been killed” line to kick-start Lee’s protective, don’t get angry at Amanda mode. Although he has often got angry at her when he has been fearful about her safety, so that doesn’t really gel, but new improved Lee doesn’t get angry so easily. Whatever, she is in overdrive throwing out every pacifying and defence mechanism she can before Lee can even get a word in. Usually Amanda isn’t at fault – this time she is, and she knows it. We don’t usually see Amanda in guilty defence mode.
“I thought I could keep it to a cup of coffee.” Huh? You did keep it to a cup of coffee. Are you planning on seeing Chamberlain again Missy? (Good grief, now I’m channelling Dotty! 😯 )
Hmmm, I must have woken up grumpy and schizophrenic this morning.
Lee doesn’t appear jealous initially but maybe he isn’t to this point really taking Chamberlain seriously as an interest for Amanda. I should come back to this later but maybe Lee is assuming that Amanda is on-board with their growing friendship/relationship and that he does have her attention now, after a few unofficial dates. I think he gets carried away for a few moments as he focusses solely on how the situation could actually benefit the Agency’s investigation, then it dawns on him that he doesn’t really feel 100% comfortable with Amanda going to dinner with Chamberlain. Oops, to late buddy, you already made dinner with Chamberlain sound like the perfect cunning plan, you can’t back-track now!
Love how he is trying to be so nonchalant about it but that veneer is wafer thin now, and Amanda is so attuned to him now she instantly picks up on his not so subtle enquiry about Alan’s desirability. Amanda’s response that Alan is “Dull as a stick” is a smart one – not only does she allay Lee’s concerns but Lee’s response also gives her more certain insight into Lee’s interest in her.
Amanda’s in a bit of a quandary from this point, I think. She’s intrigued by Alan but she’s now reviewing her thoughts and feelings about Lee. (There was a hint of this when Alan took her hands in an earlier scene). Now Lee’s boyish jealousy has definitely given her some squirly feelings inside I think. (Squirly is a word I just made up because it sounded right. Or maybe I heard it somewhere before, I don’t know, but there doesn’t really seem to be an English word to suit what I am trying to convey).
Anyway, Amanda seems to be both amused and slightly flattered at the end of this scene. This interaction, in amongst everything that she is experiencing with Alan, will I think lead to her seriously question whether Lee is still seeing Leslie as she might have assumed to this point. If he hasn’t spoken about Leslie and hasn’t to her knowledge been on any dates lately, Lee’s reaction here must have her questioning her assumption that Lee would never be interested in a romantic relationship with her.
Like your analysis of Lee’s “mature jealousy” Iwsod. It describes his reactions here perfectly.
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Thanks for the kind words kiwismh Valerie and Morley!! you guys made my day!
This is a wonderful scene isn’t it?!!!! I’ve always overlooked it – but this time around, having done our slow walk- it seemed much more meaningful.. and I think I finally got a handle on Lee’s jealous and his progress!
Amanda is in a quandary kiwismh – great way to put it.. she’s exploring a bit here isn’t she.. unsure of what to do.. what’s ahead.. what she is doing.. and Lee goes and turns the tables on her- he’s really happy with her making contact with Alan? who would have thought it! haaaa.. no wonder she’s confused 😉 lol..
Squirly? haaa love it.. great word!!!
[Jule’s Harry Potter quotes add to the understanding of Squirly well!!]
Amanda is restless and unsure of where her life is going.. someone (apologies!!!) said this ep is a turning point for Amanda? I’m definitely beginning to get that vibe here!! 🙂
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I like these ideas about how Amanda is responding to this new information about Lee. I think a part of her brain is saying, “there he goes again with that jealousy stuff”. But another part of her may be storing his response away to mull over later. Putting this little bit of jealousy together with the “its important to me that you care” and the dinner with no shop talk, it may just give her something to begin to consider. I think there may be one significant ingredient needed (maybe it would only require a bit of heat 😉 ) and Amanda may just get off of her “he would never consider me, plus he isn’t my type” island and decide to try out the water. (I have been doing a lot of cooking and swimming lately, can you tell?)
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Like these comments Morley. It’s interesting that Lee, who was always less emotionally mature than Amanda, actually appears to have acknowledged and accepted (and be acting on) his interest in Amanda before Amanda is ready to accept her interest in Lee. I still think she might have first acknowledged her interest in him during burn out, but accepting and acting on that interest is something that Amanda has not been as ready to face as Lee. I think now she is at the point where she can’t ignore her feelings anymore, but right now she is at the crossroads.
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Definitely – hang in there.. we are nearly there!!! 🙂 eek!!
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Yes, “squirrelly” is a word, kiwismh. Officially, it means eccentric or flighty. Around here, we use it to mean fidgety or unsettled. I’d say it describes Amanda’s feelings pretty well at this point. She’s definitely feeling squirrelly about Lee and Alan, I think.
She’s obviously attracted to Lee, but has put those feelings away due to how he’s portrayed himself as freely unattached and comfortable with that. He’s not the kind to settle down and live in the suburbs. Yet, here he is, having no-shop-talk dates with her (by my count – two or three) and acting like maybe he’s interested. Then she meets Alan. A seemingly nice guy who might be in a bit of jam. (I think she knows something is going on, but doesn’t mention it to Lee because she’s afraid he’ll jerk her off this assignment. “Not this time, buster.” She wants to see if she can help first.) She’s a little attracted. He might be a bit of a playboy-type, but he genuinely seems to like her. She’s not quite sure where she’s at, but this might be worth exploring. She’s ready for something different – Lee has her confused. This might be just the thing – a “lovely little affair” of her own – to help her sort things out.
Okay, maybe too deep there. But I like where you’re going, kiwismh.
And yes – Lee’s first thoughts flew to the case and, having that out of the way, he can focus on that – is that eagerness a sign that she might like Alan? – other aspect of this case. He’s so transparent, it’s funny. But, he’s definitely feeling a little more confident here as he walks out the door.
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Good thoughts Debilyn but I was meaning “fidgety” or “unsettled”… no squirrels involved here.
I was meaning that delicious warm feeling you get deep inside when you begin to realise someone you like is taking a potential romantic interest in you.
I seem to remember a long, long. lonnnng time ago feeling like that once. Someone else who has more experience of these things might be able to describe it better. Anyone up for the challenge? 😉
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Oops, I meant, “I wasn’t meaning “fidgety” or “unsettled”. Although Amanda could be feeling unsettled with all that is happening.
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