Lee continues his interview with Ronson in the Q bureau..
Lee: What about these other midshipmen?
![JEG.avi_000557390_thumb[1]](https://justwalkwithme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/jeg-avi_000557390_thumb1.jpg "JEG.avi_000557390_thumb[1]")
Ohhh I see why I thought he looked like Lee.. He has Lee’s hair! I swear it looks exactly the same.. except for the colour that is..
Ronson: One of them commands a nuclear aircraft carrier, and another’s in Naval Intelligence.
[rofl so Lee gets to find out about the other sailors huh.. sooooo what’s Francine going to Annapolis for then?! Oh I know!! Lee lets her go anyway, so Francine can cool off and not try and get back at Amanda! 
]
Lee: Where do you think an old story like this came from?
Ronson: The FBI report on the case was dropped—destroyed. The Navy intervened to have the records expunged in 1966.
Lee: You know they hang on to stuff they aren’t supposed to?
Ronson: But they don’t leak it! I’d say it was private, a fluke, but the other stories I’ve seen—all this old dirt—I was hoping you’d know.
[My first instinct is to wait and see if someone contacts Ronson.. the person who leaked it withheld the identities for a reason..blackmail!]
Lee: Listen, have you ever heard any rumours about J. Edgar Hoover’s private files?…
…You know, all the dirty underwear that the old man collected?
[rofl.. Lee doesn’t hold back in giving his view of JEH! This does seem a little random to me, that Lee would think of J.Edgar Hoover’s secret files.. are they widely known of or suspected? Why didn’t any suggest them in the meeting then?
Love how Lee has this hunch.. and the hunch about the source of the stories..so far this ep is a great big Lee hunch! I thought last week Lee was saying Amanda was all guesses and luck?! this week Lee is lucky!!!! No no.. he has great instincts! err hunches!! yes that’s it!!]
Ronson: Sure… but weren’t they buried, or something?
[LOL umm they are secret because no one knows what happened to them.. so why would Lee or anyone know if they were buried..
Wherever it has come from – it’s evident that this expunged information has been kept by someone somewhere…]
Lee: Or something. See, nobody knows if they even exist. After he died, they turned this whole town over looking for those files… [who is ‘they’??]
…It was like King Solomon’s mines… no luck at all.
Ronson: God… those files. They could have everything about Mary in them… You think they’ve turned up?
[Something about Mary has turned up already! I guess it’s possible whoever is leaking could know about the naked sail, but not about Mary.. I guess!]
Lee: I think we’d better find out…
…Naked boat trips is one thing, but if somebody’s got their hands on those files, they could squeeze America’s secrets like toothpaste from a tube.
Oh my… now that is Shakespeare right there peoples!!!! haaaaaaa.. have you ever heard a cheesier line than that?? haaaaaa… but still BB delivers them in a way that makes it sound almost reasonable to say such a thing.. toothpaste from a tube.. haaaaaaaa..
I don’t begin to imagine I am any great expert in investigation or spy stuff.. but even the most basic novice could see here that putting Ronson under surveillance at this point would be wise. Knowing the story of Mary is at risk of being known by someone.. and either exposed or utilised means Ronson is the most likely person the leaker is going to contact.. want to find the leaker? bug Ronson’s phones.. follow him! Hmm I don’t remember exactly how this transpires.. maybe they do this and I just don’t remember.. eek!
Anyway.. moving on to an aerial view of a downtown street.. ahhhh this must be M street!
We hear the strains of a saxophone – hooo haa.. that’s smk code for sexy times!
We cut to inside a bar, and two women chatting as they walk..
Woman 1: I’m simply not interested in dating any more married men.
Woman 2: I know, I know, I don’t blame you.
LOL.. well good for you! Actually.. now I think about it, this is interesting. More of women talking about how men don’t treat them write.. and how they are not going to settle for married men anymore.. Hmm kinda relates to Agnes and her story no?
The camera follows the women, and eventually we see Lee and Amanda among the crowd.
Lee (smiles at the women) Well, hi.
Woman 1: Hi, how are you?
(Good thing she doesn’t stop and chat.. she keeps on walking!)
Amanda smiles at the room..well sort of.. because check out the moment above – she does not look to be enjoying Lee’s talking to women in the bar.. Hmm! but it’s clear she’s over this whole bar thing!
It’s so funny how Lee and Amanda are playing the game, standing back to back and trying not to look together- but they are still regularly touching each other- brushing shoulder, arms etc. I think it’s obvious they are together 
Hmm they need to figure this one out, in their line of work this could be a career fizzer!
Woman 2: Hello.
Lee: Nice to see you again ha…
Woman 1: See you later.
Nice to see you ‘again’?! Is this implying that Lee has met those women before?? Is this a hint that Lee has hung out on M street a bit himself?? This idea is not front and centre IMHO but… I think it could be implied..
I think Amanda is not enjoying hearing Lee play this game! And.. I don’t think Amanda is enjoying the whole gin mills on M street scene at all.. Can’t wait to hear what you all make of this! But.. it would remind her of Lee’s womanising past.. especially if Lee looks like he enjoys it too much..
Amanda looks away closing her eyes…
I don’t know for sure what’s going on with Amanda here, but I think it would be only natural that Amanda might wonder if Lee really has permanently changed.. you know?! 
You know, if he has changed, Lee could feel awkward doing this in front of Amanda – but then again..he did assign her to this job. Maybe he wants to teach her this is a necessary part of the job.. even if she doesn’t like it.. Hmm..he doesn’t seem to feel it’s awkward.. what do you all think?
I’m starting to see that this episode is full of things to say about love and the dating game…! This is fascinating!!
Amanda: You are really having a great time, aren’t you?
(Lee glances at Amanda and then away again, scanning around the room. They continue conversing, looking away from each other…)
Lee: Well, that’s why they call it Happy Hour, Amanda.
Amanda: Hah, yeah…
Lee: Come on, get in the mood.
Amanda: I’m trying to get in the mood, but my feet are killing me—we’ve been standing up for two hours, you know…
[Ah see now that’s why it’s happy hour. Not happy two hours in heels!]
…You know this smile that I got on my face?
Lee: Uh huh.
Amanda: I don’t even know what it looks like any more…
…I’m afraid it might be scary…
– you know what I’m saying?
KJ’s delivery here is genius!!
whahahaha.. I love this line of Amanda’s.. she’s not happy Lee! She’s trying.. but she’s had enough!
Okay everyone.. I better stop here with Amanda’s scary smile! whahahahaa..
I’ll continue with Lee’s response in the next post- sooooo what do you make of Lee and Amanda so far in the bar? sorry to split it but I want to keep posts reasonably compact! byeee
"Just walk with me.." 
I think I hear Lee, when he says to Amanda, “Come on, get in the mood” as more of him just kinda picking at her in a good-natured flirty fun way, not in a way like he’s enjoying that scene and is in disbelief that she wouldn’t feel that way as well. Does that make sense? I think they’re both probably feeling out of their comfort zones there at this point. I’d suspect that Lee hasn’t frequented a large-scale social gathering scene of any kind for quite some time, as he’s been spending more one-on-one time with Amanda for awhile. It’s a jolt, kinda even culture shock to be thrown back into that scene after not being in it for awhile – and two hours probably felt pretty long. He probably felt like toothpaste being squeezed out of a tube at that point. (What does that EVEN MEAN!?!?!?) 🧐🤣
This is just my opinion, and so I am scouring comments for some thoughts to help me – but this is one of my least favorite episodes. If it’s one of your faves, I look forward to finding your comments as to why.
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Yeah, definitely not one of my favorites, either.
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I do like how Amanda & Lee are standing next to each other in this JEG bar scene, but I’m thinking they’ve made the circuit of the room separately and are now standing “together but not together” because they are just about to move on to the next one. If Amanda had overheard comments like the ones the audience does, she’s probably ready to leave so she doesn’t have to hear anymore. LOL. Social situations like this are awkward for me, too, so I feel Amanda’s strain here.
Ronson’s comment, “I was hoping you’d know” leads me to believe that he contacted Lee rather than Lee contacting him. So, Lee hasn’t poached Francine’s job (yet 🙂 ) I got the feeling they knew each other prior to this conversation, for some reason.
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Yep, same hair. Must be the same hair stylist that day for filming.
Shakespeare!?!? LOL! And I do know a thing or two about toothpaste…trust me!
iwsod, you logic is dead on accurate for the real world, but this is SMK we’re talking about! Logic isn’t always the most important thing!
I think the seeing you again line means that Lee has already talked with her that night. Not that he’s seen her there another time. As much as Lee is a playboy, I don’t see the gin mills as his scene. I mean, c’mon, a gorgeous superspy playboy like Lee would not hang in the same bars as the dowdy librarian!
I do think Lee is enjoying himself. I think that is his personality and part of why I think he is extroverted (see the thread over at Ned’s if you’re interested). I think he gets energized by doing this sort of thing. Amanda clearly does not enjoy it and is ready to go home. I don’t blame her. Maybe Lee didn’t just bring Amanda along to make the job go faster, maybe he brought her along to control his natural urges and remain focused on the job.
I do think Amanda is wondering just how Lee can like this whole scene. He doesn’t say he’s faking it or not having a good time so I take that to mean he is having a good time just waiting to see if Nick Cross shows up. She’s got to be wondering about Lee and his past a little bit, but not really. I do think she has seen some changes in Lee and one trip to the gin mills won’t destroy that.
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What I have noticed about the bar scene is that although Amanda doesn’t like being there, is out of her comfort zone, and has definitely had enough; she is not expressing her exuberant nervousness, where she talks a lot and has that out of breath sound when she did talk, that she had in seasons 1 & 2. She’s grown professionally and took on the attitude that she can do what is required of her.
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I so agree and am so glad season 3 is revealing a more balanced and professional Amanda.
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Love it!!! Good call Melissa!
It is noteworthy that Amanda isn’t comfortable here on M street.. but.. it is also very noteworthy how she manages this discomfort! 🙂
I am sorry I’ve had to cut this scene in two I think it’s a bit tricky to discuss it further without being able to refer to the second part of this scene.. oh well.. I better get working on the next post! 🙂
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I agree, Melissa! Amanda has grown tremendously and is willing to do what the job requires.
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“Nice to see you ‘again’?! Is this implying that Lee has met those women before??”
If Lee and Amanda have been hanging out in that bar for two hours, isn’t it entirely possible that the two women have trolled past him (them) before–that same day, in that same bar…???…
I love Amanda’s comment about not knowing what her smile looks like any more and maybe it’s scary… and I can so relate to it! Forced awkward socialisation–maybe a necessary skill in the spy arsenal, but not fun…
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Me too. The dreaded ‘networking’. The muscles around my mouth ache in sympathy with Amanda
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LOL! Networking is another word for torture in my book.
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Yes, I took it that the “nice to seen you again” was about seeing the same person more than once in the space of two hours. I don’t think Lee Stetson needed to frequent such places in the past to find a woman. I imagine he usually dated society women, senator’s daughters, and such like. Women he could verify easily with background checks – a necessary prerequisite in the spy game, I think.
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Hiya! Yeah I agree with you guys.. I think the woman walked by Lee again ( as any woman would) 😉 but thought I’d throw it out there and see what people thought.. because the ‘again’ was an interesting little addition to the dialogue 🙂
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Liked for ‘as any woman would’ 😉
I had a quick look at the script and see this the exchanges between Lee and the women weren’t scripted. It just says “As Lee’s talking, a bevy of pretty girls pass by. They smile, wave at Lee. He waves back. Amanda frowns…”
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“…they could squeeze America’s secrets like toothpaste from a tube.”
😀 Wahahahahhahahaha! ROFLMBO
That line transports me straight back to I think 1985 when my younger brother and I were watching this episode for the first time. Lee said that line, bro and I looked at each other, than we both fell out of our chairs onto the floor laughing so hard we had tears running down our cheeks!
BB deserved an Emmy that year for delivering that corny line so dead serious.
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It’s BB’s delivery of ‘tube’ that really makes me crack up 😀 – something about the timing
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I was giggling away on the bus when I read this kiwismh.. I could just picture you and your brother!!
You must have been remembering these moments when you transcribed that bit from the script about ‘squeezing the streets’ and know it was coming! 🙂 Such self discipline you have to not jump ahead with this very funny and vivid memory of yours!
I think nooo I know I would have enjoyed watching smk with you and your brother 🙂
I think it’s partly the way BB spits it out.. part seriousness.. part get the line out.. yes it’s lame but I gotta! 😉 or at least.. that’s the way I hear it! 🙂
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Yep, Ronson and Lee definitely are rocking the same ‘do but I also see similarities around the eyes and jawline.
I love KJ’s delivery here — absolutely hysterical! But maybe I have super powers of superobservation (NOT!) but Lee and Amanda, standing back to back, in body contact and speaking but not looking at each other screams “We are together and we are doing something sneaky so DON’T PAY ATTENTION TO US!!!!” Not exactly subtle. 😉
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Wow! I am making the first comment? That hasn’t happened in a while.
Just a few quick observations about Lee and Amanda on M Street. I love the way they are touching the whole time. I think it must be comforting to them to have the contact in this place at this stage (actually, I bet they would have been touching at earlier stages too, but have a different level of awareness). Amanda does seem like a fish out of water here, I get the impression she isn’t a regular troller in the bars. But she is doing it for the job. I do think she is probably wondering if Lee is a bit too comfortable, not enjoying thinking about why it comes so naturally for him- although she has always been aware of his ways, but I can see that at this stage of their relationship it must hit her in a closer spot. But feeling him at her shoulder would help her to have a bit more confidence in her ability to play this role and in Lee’s connection with her.
Lee seems to want to feel connected with Amanda here. For all of his familiarity with the bar scene I bet he isn’t as comfortable as he used to be. Maybe he is seeing this with fresh eyes, maybe he can plaster the cover on but just really wants to feel Amanda near. In those pictures you put with the post Lee’s smile looks more like a politician’s smile or a man greeting other parents at a PTA meeting than a man trying to pick up single ladies.
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I agree, Morley – Lee’s behaviour looks like his old behaviour, but it feels like an act.
I love the equality between A and L here – and the fact that she can express her frustration humourously, rather than by whinging. This feels like camaraderie between colleagues, not the boss and the apprentice.
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Great insights Morley, and Learjet…
Learjet I especially enjoyed this line of yours:
Sums it up beautifully 🙂 and I agree..
At the same time, I think Lee is really enjoying himself – the enjoyment is real, but.. maybe why is not what Amanda first thinks.. but I can’t say yet! eek!
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Sounds contradictory! but.. there is a method to my madness! 😉
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I think for a woman the singles bar scene is probably a lot more risky and unnatural than it would be for a man (Don’t know, I’ve never gone to such a place – in fact, I don’t even think we have then in NZ. I’ve was never aware of such places even back in the 80’s. Maybe there were some in the larger metropolitan areas.) Anyway, this is not the sort of place Amanda would ever have gone. I mean, she’s never had any trouble attracting men by just being herself judging by the number of eligible men who have dated her (albeit briefly) since her divorce from Joe. Amanda communicates naturally and openly with people as a rule, so the whole smile and pretend to be someone you’re not routine must be wearying for her.
I also think this scene bothers her on another level too – particularly seeing Lee attracting other women, noticing how easily this sort of socialising is for him.
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I think why it bothers Amanda and why it is not part of her scene is that these types of bars in the 80’s were known for pick-up/one-night stand type places. I think it wasn’t until AIDS awareness really picked up in the mid-80s did these types of things change.
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