Tag time!
We find Lee in the Q bureau.. getting himself a cup of water. There’s a knock on the door..
Lee: Yeah, come in.
In walks Ronson his arm in a sling..
They exchange big smiles..
Lee: Ah. Captain Ronson. (he’s not ‘Ted’ anymore?) …How’s the arm?
Ronson: Fine. Few more days, I’ll be out of this thing.
We hear a knock at the door and can see someone dressed in red through the glass.
Lee: Good.
Lee and Ronson look towards the door.
Amanda opens the door, holding a file folder.
Amanda looks surprised to find Lee is not alone here..
[I am completely distracted by the ‘bottom’ left corner of these images btw!.. ahem..]
Interesting, Amanda knocks and then enters without Lee responding..
Amanda: Oh, I’m sorry. Excuse me.
Lee: No, no, Amanda, come on in.
Amanda: Oh, well, thank you. Hello, Captain. [Hmm seems they have been introduced!]
Ronson: Please, I… I just stopped by to say thank you… [I always wished Ronson had said that he had chosen to tell Mary about her true parentage.. and they were taking things slow getting to know each other!]
Ronson’s thank you seems aimed at both Lee and Amanda.. would you say?
… For me… for my daughter…
[Love how Lee and Amanda look at each other here and smile as they listen to Ronson’s thanks]
… Goodbye.
LOL well that’s a very straight to the point thank you! Thank you is done – goodbye!
The little reminder here about Ronson’s daughter just seems meh to me. Am I suppose to cheer that the secret of Mary’s out of wedlock conception is safe? Oh phew.. that would have been a disaster to find out.. purlease.. This is the ‘hooray look what we’ve done’ achievement?
Better to focus on all the secrets that were never squeezed out of that toothpaste tube!!! But.. they don’t even get a mention here from Ronson.. it’s all about him and Mary. Meh! Can’t say I mind saying goodbye to this little subplot! I guess this is a way the writers can again show that there were real people with real families involved.. but I’m not seeing this secret as necessarily destroying his family.. soooo it doesn’t really gel for me. Plus, while it is great to remember there are real people involved – the fact that powerful people with secrets to hide can’t be blackmailed into doing unscrupulous things and selling national secrets is, I think, something that is also of great value!
Security secrets can keep the country safe – I thought that was part of the point of it all – some secrets are best left as secrets.. but.. whatev! Back to the tag..
As Ronson heads for the door:
Amanda: Goodbye, Captain.
Lee: Good luck.
Amanda: Good luck!
Having been left alone with Lee, Amanda sighs and gives Lee a rather cheeky, sly look he doesn’t notice…. she begins to wave the folder in her hands around..
Lee: Well, how do you like that, huh?
Amanda: Mmm. [wave wave of the folder!]
Lee is basking in the glow of his good deeds.. feeling great.. he walks around to the other side of his desk and he sees Amanda is holding a file. waving it actually.. haaaaaa..
Lee finally notices. 
Lee: what you got there.
Amanda: Ohhh just a little something from the Francine Desmond file.
[Love how Lee is suddenly looking worried!]
Lee: Oh?
Amanda (super sweetly!): uh huh.
Lee (quietly): let me see it.
Amanda (suuuuper sweetly): you can look but don’t touch.
( oh my…. double meaning there Amanda?? ) We see a close up of a photo..
Lee: wha- (Lee tries to grab it)
Amanda (how gleeful!):uh uh uh uh uh uh uh!
Lee: ahhh.. ha….
…errr Amanda look, that was a Christmas party three years ago..
[that would have been a few months after he met Amanda no? I thought that Christmas they were stuck in the woods.. And what is a Christmas party photo of Lee being silly doing in the Francine Desmond file anyway? Was Francine keeping it for a time when she needed leverage?! And.. what was Amanda doing in the Francine Desmond file?! Looking for dirt on Francine- to use one day for leverage?! 
No way did Francine give Amanda that photo.. not after the little jibe about Francine and M street!] Okay – I digress!
Amanda: Oh?
[KJ’s expressions in this scene are fabulous!]
Lee is squirming furiously.. while Amanda is having lots of fun! Amanda knows where this is headed.. whereas Lee hasn’t seen it coming yet!
Lee : it was silly.
Amanda: mmm hmmm
Lee: you know it’s not a very terrific thing to be showing people…
…They might misunderstand.
Amanda: misunderstand this?…
…I don’t think so.
( I LOVE her delivery of this line!)
Lee: ahhh…
[ahhh Lee finally begins to catch on to the game that is being played here.. IMHO he thinks this is the blackmail game!! 
]
…what do you want for it?
Amanda: this?
…ohhh nothing! This is freeeeee..
Amanda hands the photo over to Lee.. and he snatches it quick smart – worried at what she is going to demand of him lol!!
Relived to have it back..
[LOVE how he snatches it out of her hand!! Too funny!!]
… it’s the negative that’s going to cost ya!
We cut to a wide shot, and the tingly music starts playing.. lol.. it seems Lee has fully caught on – this Blackmail game – is actually the Dating game! And Amanda wants to play!!!! (squeeeeeee!)
This is a game Lee knows how to play well and he enjoys!!
Lee starts to get in on the fun here leaning in : How much?
Amanda: Ohhhh wellll…
[Amanda pretends like she is making this up on the fly – you cunning woman you! ]
…I think…
…we’ll probably start with dinner at Spencer’s…
[I think Lee looks at Amanda’s mouth here – squeeeee]
Amanda leans in very close.. and Lee lets her come as close as she likes I think he thought she might be about to kiss him.. what do you think? But.. that would be too easy!! and this is all part of the game!!
…and then we’ll take it from there.
[Love how Lee’s dimples start to show as Amanda finishes explaining the evil plans she has made for Lee to earn back the negatives! she is simply terrible isn’t she Lee!! tee hee!!]
The scene ends here..
Soooo what’s going on with Amanda?! lol.. anyone not love this tag?
Inspired by Nick Cross, Amanda decides a little blackmail of her own could be very advantageous!!! Only.. Amanda blackmails for Good not for Evil 😉
Nah.. really I think the inspiration for her actions here go back to the tag of A Lovely Little Affair – this tag seems to me like it’s quid pro quo (latin iwsod! ). Amanda has it all planned.. and knows what’s coming. She leads Lee down the path.. he’s uncomfortable.. not sure what’s happening.. and then pow! she surprises him with a date! And it’s all under the guise of this ‘blackmail’ of hers.. So again, it’s dating without calling it dating. but there is no doubt they both know very well what is happening between them here . but significantly, this time it is at Amanda’s instigation!
Amanda’s more recent inspiration for this plan of hers IMHO was the earlier experience at Kelsey’s.. Amanda could see that Lee was having fun.. not that he had a roving eye, but that he liked playing the game.. Why not play the dating game with just one special someone??!!! It doesn’t need to be with 4 black books full of women.. Just one special woman will do
I think Amanda took away from Kelsey’s the idea that the dating game is suppose to be fun – it’s a game that is a joy to play… and that she needed to get in on that game as Lee was maybe suggesting (throughout their time in the bar he was suggesting to her to get in the mood and go with the flow) – he meant for the cover/job… but I think Amanda saw this was something she could also apply more widely.. Lee enjoys the fun of dating.. and I think Amanda is challenged by this, and challenges herself to branch out a bit here, to rediscover her own fun she can have with dating (which plays nicely into Amanda’s slightly stick in the mud attitude in Over the Limit) And Amanda is letting Lee know she is willing to play this game too..
Plus, by using a photo of Lee in his ‘silly’ days – Amanda is implicitly telling Lee that she knows of his past, and she can cope with it just fine.. She can even make it part of the game!
Yes, when you’re talking about love you’ve got to be patient.. but.. love is also fun.. So you can also have lots of fun while being patient!!! you know??!!
Maybe also, the experience of Agnes has prompted Amanda to step it up – Agnes gave love a go and took a chance.. maybe Amanda could too – especially given she knows Lee is a good man. [The most attractive quality ever IMHO!] Amanda can do the dating thing.. why not!!! And she can have a great time in the process! I think this also helps Lee and Amanda to not get too freaked out by the risks they are taking by heading into this new territory together.. but at the same time, the risk means they will take this slowly.. (while having fun 😉 )
I wonder if Lee was hoping Amanda would ‘get in the mood’ by taking her to M street.. maybe it was a way of him challenging her a bit to consider playing the game with him?? what do you all think?
I’m still thinking through Lee and all this – funny, I find Amanda easier to peg down here at this point! that’s unusual for me..
but I would say that once Lee realises what’s happening, he is relishing her cheekiness and he’s playing along happily. I think he looks at Amanda with a fleeting amazement.. that she’s really good at this dating game- she got him good!!
Lee was attracted to Amanda before he had seen this cheeky dating side of Amanda – now he’s seen it.. I think he’s even more hooked than ever!! Squeeeee! (swoon) Squeeeee! (swoon)!!
A few final thoughts.. I wanted to see dinner at Spencers!! and … what did come after that??????!!!!!!!!! I guess smk is expert at leaving the audience wanting more.. when it comes to love – we are going to have to be patient!!!! (especially when it comes to love on a tv series! )
When Amanda says it’s something from the Francine Desmond file- I think Lee was terrified there was something in her file about how they played backgammon! what do you think?
I think it was good to see Ronson, and have him convey his thanks.. but.. Agnes was the main protagonist wasn’t she? (well she was for me!) Why don’t we get to see Agnes again? why are we left with Agnes clutching the file in her car, with mascara running down her face? Not only do we not see her.. we don’t even hear how she is going! Ugh!! I wanted to see her having risen above it all and moved on.. stronger, and determined to heal and move forward. Very unsatisfying..
For those of you who find her annoying or whatever – I can understand you wouldn’t want to see her again lol.. but for me, I felt she had more significant ends to tie up than Ronson and his thank you.. meh!! I would have liked to see Agnes again in a later episode and find out how things went for her.. but.. oh well..
Soooooo did that wallpaper behind Lee in his silly photo look familiar?? here it is again!
It’s the same wallpaper that was at Kelsey’s!!!
Seems Lee had a Christmas party there 3 years ago. haaa..
Here it is again:
I wonder who the lady is who is also in the photo.. do you think maybe it is this lady? :
Lee almost runs into her when running after Nick..
haaaaa.. hey- anyone see a fruit basket while Lee and Amanda were at Kelsey’s? Lee really did get into happy hour ! 😉
Also I think Lee is wearing the plaid shirt in the photo.. which is what he had on during the final action sequence and at the dump!
Funny Lee went to the Christmas party 3 years ago at Kelsey’s in a shirt he was just wearing with a girl he just almost crashed into.. tee hee..
Well, we’ve come to the end of this episode.. overall this episode is not a favourite.. but it had a couple of favourite Lee/Amanda moments.. and Agnes’ journey has really grown on me.. Not an episode I would have chosen to spend a month on but such is life – busy times come along and I need to slow things down..
Next up is Flight to Freedom.. I can’t wait!
A huge final thank you to KC for all your efforts in transcribing this episode!!! (and learjet for being the beta reader )
Also, I won’t do a post on JWWM about the season 3 ep order just yet.. but I’ll post about it on the Nedlindger’s episode order thread..soon! I have a few ideas for the last 4 episodes which I’d love to discuss and explore if you are interested..
Sooo what do you make of Amanda’s actions here at the end of the episode?? and how Lee responds?? What’s your thoughts on this episode overall?
"Just walk with me.." 
Ok,wonderful tag aside, I think I may have wrestled through some thoughts as to why I don’t care for this episode as much. I dislike Nick, of course, and his horrible treatment of Agnes. And I dislike her walking into his trap a couple of times more after she’d learned about him. Not a fan of the whole J. Edgar storyline either, and definitely not a fan of M street.
But I think I may have put my finger on the biggest unsettling factor of the episode for me. Amanda has been building some great momentum professionally from late season 2 throughout all of season 3 up to this point, IMO. Even though she admitted in OTL about being out of her element, overall being out of her element has pushed her into some moments of stepping up and making some really important and significant moves, even moving into a new element, if you will – coming into her own at The Agency. But perhaps in this episode, I see maybe a shift of something in Amanda where she is like running downhill really, really fast, building a ton of momentum, and like she kinda gets off balance a little. I feel like maybe she has a couple of moments of either overdoing, trying too hard, or over-confidence, even losing a tiny bit of what makes Amanda Amanda, maybe? It’s like she’s got to find a balance with her growing professional confidence. Like by the time we hit Dead Men Leave No Trails, to me there’s just a difference in her professional confidence that isn’t as put-offish as it is to me here.
But I don’t want to sound overly critical of Amanda, because she’s so amazing, and I love her to pieces, and also because perhaps I’ve seen myself do this as well in life. I would expect most of us may be able to say the same. Sometimes we start something so new and out of our comfort zones, but then we start to gain confidence, gain that momentum, start to show some results, and then we get just a wee bit overconfident, and kinda need some balance back. So maybe this episode reminds me of those moments in my own life where I kinda cringe, like I cringe seeing Amanda as if I were seeing myself, and maybe remembering some of my own mistakes during a moment of over-confidence/off-balance-ness. Does that make sense?
Man, that is ONE BIG AMANDARAMBLE!!!!
Also, and totally unrelated, am beginning to notice more of Lee’s wardrobe shift from suits to jeans/khakis. I wonder if some of it stems from his shift into the Q Bureau – perhaps that role isn’t seen as much suit-y as working in the bull pen. (Which makes no sense to me, but thought I’d throw in the theory.)
If you’re still reading this, bless you. 😁❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your theory makes sense to me! Welcome back, Amandarambler.
LikeLike
Thanks, Nancy!! Soooooo good to be back!!! (Maybe not for your inboxes, though…😁)
Hope you are doing well!
LikeLike
Too much is never enough! 🙂
Keep them coming please Amandarambler!
LikeLike
What do I think about this tag? It’s Great!! Amanda flirts very well, here. After her “not exactly” comment, she’s probably been waiting for just the right moment to let Lee know she’s ready to move forward. I do think he is letting her take the lead at this point, because he’s beginning to understand how he feels, but is unsure of her. By the end of this tag, both of them are definitely onboard with this relationship and ready to move forward.
Amanda finding the file – I just assumed she’d been cleaning out some older files and found it. Wouldn’t the Agency have been super-concerned with what they have lying around now and want to be sure someone went through it for damaging info? I can see Francine quickly passing off that job to Amanda and handing her a bunch of files, not realizing that a few of her own were included in that stack…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was wondering.. was Amanda’s reference to the Francine desmond file not mean’t to be taken literally?
Rather it is just a bit of a dig at Francine.. because it is comparing her to J.Edgar Hoover??
Amanda found the pic -wherever.. and then to link it to J.Edgar’s files.. she links it instead to Francine’s files.. after all she does like to gossip?
just struck me as I was reading Debilyn’s comments here..
LikeLike
Great catches on the blackmail photo, iwsod! I must say that I absolutely hate that pic of Lee. Where’s Raffie to defend his dignity? He just looks so totally stupid – not the suave playboy I imagined Lee to be. He just looks like a drunk party fool there. I can picture Fred Fielder with a big ol’ basket of fruit on his head, but not Lee, a top US agent. Grrrr….
LikeLike
Are you admiring Lee’s office chair or one of his other assets??? ROFL!
LikeLike
I love this tag, too. Well at least the second part of it. It was nice of Ronson to stop in to say thank-you to Lee, but really, so what? I would have much rather had a follow-up on Agnes. Perhaps Amanda could tell Lee that she had just talked to Agnes and she’s doing OK and that this experience with Nicky opened her eyes to some changes she needs to make in her life. And since it’s obviously too dangerous to hang out on M Street she’s now joined a skydiving club to meet people. Or something. Yes, Agnes finally fought back with Nicky but just don’t leave her sitting in her car with mascara streaming down her face.
But as for Amanda’s blackmail of Lee…ooooyeah! I love flirty and fun L&A. It’s so nice to see these little moments when they can just enjoy each other. And nice to see Amanda taking the lead on this one. It certainly seems like, at this point, there’s a whole lot of mutual appreciation going on between these two. 😉
Happy New Year, everyone!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I realized today that Amanda is pretty specific about where she wants this blackmail dinner to take place. Spencer’s is not on M Street, I take it? Is it a “first date” kind of restaurant?
I was thinking today about what transpired between them after we left them. Do you suppose that Le would have said something like, “You have a deal” and then straightened back up saying, “Just bring those negatives.” And Amanda would have quickly headed for the door saying, “They are yours as long as I like what I see.” Afterwards she would quickly exit the Q and both would seek to gather composure on their opposite sides of the door. Can’t wait to play with their thoughts there. 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
We are talking about love, we are talking about patience, but Amanda has engaged Lee in the game and she is open to the fun. IN love i that she has found a black mail picture of Lee at the gin mills on M Street. She can get in the mood… with Lee. It can all be in the context of their friendship, their work relationship and their mutual growing attraction to each other. Yes, she can play the game, yes she can dish it out just like Lee did in the tag of ALLA.
I like the way Kiwismh mentioned that Amanda has learned from watching what happens to Agnes. Maybe the light bulb that goes off in that love and patience comment spurs her on to this. Lee is a good man, they are talking about love and they will be patient, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get in the mood and have some fun. It is almost as if they have answered a few questions and know how to handle this next phase.
It sure is fun to watch them finally enjoying each other. Those dimples are great and they are all, unashamedly for Amanda!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I absolutely LOVE this tag!!! Amanda is flirting to the hilt (but of course she told him in OTL that she still could) and Lee is enjoying it immensely 🙂
The part about love being patient and the tag are IMHO only good scenes in the whole episode.
I was always curios how she got that picture from Francine, but then Francine was never real loyal to Lee and if she could do something that would embarrass him she would.
LikeLike
Just thought I’d pop in since I have not left a comment in a while. Life been busy these past few months, moving, working and training for a ½ marathon. However, I have been reading the blog and the comments. I have to admit the last two episodes are not my favorite, (Reach for the Sky and J. Edgar’s Ghost) but it has been fun reading iwsod commentaries and all the comments. All of you have brought humor to these episodes, from Francine looking like Sandy from Grease to the well placed soft furniture. You actually made these episodes fun. I liked the tag here, but some of the tags in season 3 have me questioning the episodes order, so I am curious to read your thoughts on Nedlindger’s. IWSOD, I loved how you picked up on the wallpaper and the women picture of the Christmas party. I bet back in 1985, they thought nobody would notice.
LikeLike
Hi Jo- very exciting to hear from you!!! 🙂 thanks for the encouragement!
It has at times been less enjoyable than usual to blog these episodes.. less enjoyable – but still enjoyable!
Yeah I think watching together makes these meh episodes so much better!! Even I it is just knowing that you are not the only person to feel that way 🙂
byeee!
LikeLike
Ronson – I always imagine Ronson takes longer to say his thanks and goodbyes to L&A but I think they were time pressed in this episode and had to rush that part a bit.
Agnes – I think the episode is more powerful for Agnes’ story in that the last image we get to see of her is a broken-hearted but stronger individual than she was at the beginning of the story.
Agnes’ experience is I believe the nudge Amanda needed to be a bit pro-active in her approach to Lee. One of the things that might have concerned Amanda about getting into a relationship was the not knowing or should I say the unknown. I think Agnes’ situation – getting into a relationship with someone she thought she know but really didn’t know at all – has made Amanda realise that she is not really as vulnerable with Lee as she does know him, already perhaps better than she has ever known anyone. This gives her the confidence to be bolder in moving their relationship along and giving him a clear and unmistakable signal that she is “interested”.
One of the aspects of this scene that I really like is that we can see Amanda openly focussing on Lee and clearly admiring what she is seeing – both his external and internal attractiveness. We’ve seen in the past fleeting glimpses of her growing admiration for Lee – mainly when he has said or done something, or shown some character trait that she has admired. Here she isn’t attempting in any way to hide her physical attraction to him.
And Lee laps it up – he’s ready, willing and able whenever you are lady! 😉
LikeLiked by 4 people
Oh I love that idea!
LikeLike
I don’t have a problem with Francine giving Amanda the photo of Lee. I would be more intrigued with how that occurred. Did she offer it? Did Amanda ask Francine if she had any “dirt” on Lee with her own blackmail plan in mind?
I more imagine it coming up in the course of a conversation about “embarrassing photos”, which is topical given the just concluded case, and Francine saying to Amanda that she has an embarrassing photo of Lee. Francine I think would be more than happy to share – she owes Lee for times he has got her in the past, e.g. the feather duster in LOTP, or maybe Amanda offered her some chocs if she could have the photo. Or may be Francine just wanted to tarnish Lee’s image a bit by showing Amanda he isn’t always the smooth and suave guy and can look silly just like anyone else. Of course, Amanda already knows Lee better than Francine ever will so such cattiness wouldn’t tarnish Lee’s image for Amanda at all.
It’s all intriguing stuff for a fanfic – hinty, hinty, hint… 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
I could totally see Francine doing this and I hope someone catches your hinty hint about the fanfic!
LikeLike
I second Cindy’s comment!
LikeLike
I’d love to know how the blackmail transpired. At the beginning it sounds like Francine was wanting to get back at Amanda and now suddenly they’re teaming up to tease Lee! What did we miss?
LikeLike
Exactly! Why on earth didn’t they show this to us?? I feel jipped!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Like your comments on this scene, Iwsod. I hadn’t thought of Lee getting Amanda “in the mood” by taking her to M Street. There was a time he would have done anything to keep her from a place like that, especially with her habit of attracting men that roused those confusing feelings of jealousy in him. In that scene he seems confident that she can handle any unwanted approaches but more importantly maybe by then he also had an inkling that her interest lies with him and that she wouldn’t be tempted by another. Whilst he might have had an “inkling” earlier, now with this tag Amanda more than confirms to him where her “interest lies”. He’s the happiest blackmailed man in history! 😀
LikeLiked by 2 people
And yes, Iwsod, what a shame we never got to see the dinner or what came after. Maybe some dancing, a walk, a late night coffee somewhere, and a kiss on the cheek at the back door?
LikeLiked by 1 person
ah yes.. smk leaves us to fill in the blanks!!!
LikeLike
Thanks Kiwismh! Great to hear you liked it!!
‘the happiest blackmailed man in history’ – Genius!!! 🙂
LikeLike
Yes, Lee is wearing a rather fetching pair of trousers isn’t he Iwsod. Very nicely tailored. Expensive too I would think.
Of course the packaging can only look awesome if what’s hidden inside the packaging is awesome. 😉
LikeLike
I see you got very distracted by the quality tailoring there kiwismh.. ahem.. yeah right!!! whahhahaaa..
LikeLike
Of course the rest of the comment is brilliant too… 😉
LikeLike
Just a comment (well, two):
errr Amanda look, that was a Christmas party three years ago..
“that would have been a few months after he met Amanda no?”
Uh, actually I think it’s the Christmas before he met Amanda…
“anyone not love this tag?”
I don’t love it… or, rather, I don’t just love it. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE it! Amanda rocks! (And, despite the many times as I’ve seen it, every time I see this tag I keep wanting just a little bit more leaning in… … )
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m with you KC, I’ve always adored this tag! I wore out my vhs tapes back in the day rewinding this wonderful moment in Smk. Definitely a swoonworthy scene! Where’s that darn helmet?!
Hope y’all are having happy holidays!
LikeLike
Yes, the Christmas party would have been Christmas 1982. I’m not sure why Lee is so concerned about the picture – it’s not that sensational. More just embarrassing. Maybe he’s afraid it makes him look a little “fruity”, which I guess was more of a concern for a playboy bachelor in those days.
I love this tag too but there is just one thing that bugs me every time I watch it and that is Amanda’s red plaid shirt and red vest. Red is an extremely dominating colour – look at a photo of a room with one tiny red item in it, and your eye goes straight to the tiny red item every time. It’s a superficial gripe I know, but I just wish she was wearing something a bit more stylish and not red.
LikeLike
I think the red is on purpose; Amanda is no longer in the background, and not to be overlooked… not to mention that red is the color of love/passion… 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I never even attempt to try and get the long term chronology of things correct. lol.. I can do chronology over an episode.. and maybe trying to work out episode order.. but all that stuff about years , ages etc.. just leaves me confused!
I figured the photo was the year Lee met Amanda because in We’re off to see the Wizard – they had known each other for 3 years and something something 😉 and we know that in The First time- it was Halloween – so a few months before Christmas.. so I though it had to be that first Christmas.. but heck I don’t know. I never thought Lee suddenly changed his personal life when he met Amanda so him off being silly and partying could just as easily happen after he met her..
Yeah it is just a silly photo.. I guess Lee is a guy who doesn’t like to look silly.. haaa.. ruin his reputation by pretending to burn out?? No problem.. but looking silly? gah!!! 😉
I like the red on Amanda Kiwismh – but I agree it is quite a departure from her usual colours. I’d have preferred the look without the plaid but oh well I was just happy to not see her in white or beige anymore- live a little!! 🙂 and she looks great in red!
Red is the colour of passion!!!!! 🙂
LikeLike
Wow, I get to comment first. I do absolutely love this tag. Amanda is so awesome here and I think that Lee is enjoying her thoroughly. I think that Amanda probably learned some things in watching Agnes throughout this episode. Here was a woman who was lonely and in want of companionship and company. And while it could have been daunting she put herself out there. It didn’t turn out the way she wanted, but at least she tried. Again, it would have been nice to see how Agnes handled things and if it put her off from hanging out on M Street, but I guess not. I think that while Amanda may not have been as lonely she hasn’t really been putting herself out there. Even when after she had the brief date with Bryce Topping she told her mother that sometimes she cared and sometimes she didn’t. It’s almost as if she’s been in a holding pattern.
Amanda has had her mother pushing her in various ways to date and go out and enjoy life and what it has to offer, but she has been hesitant. I think that she is starting to see in Lee that her own patience has been warranted. I like it when we get to see the playful Lee and Amanda.
I’m thinking that this picture of Lee has to be the year before he met Amanda. Of course, SMK timing is always a bit off, but if we haven’t hit Christmas yet in SMK land then 3 years prior would fit. And I can’t see Francine giving up good blackmail info, especially to Amanda since she runs so hot and cole with her. I guess some stuff we’re not supposed to question. It’s like smoke and mirrors. We’re just supposed to focus in on the beauty of how the tag ended.
And isn’t Amanda going for broke here? Start with dinner and then take it from there..? Nice.
Iwsod, I have to tell you that I first read this in my email and just as I stopped scrolling, I was reading your comment about being distracted by the bottom left corner. My cursor is a handprint sometimes and it was exactly where your distraction occurred. Of course I just let myself be distracted for a while as well.
LikeLike
Congrats on being first to comment whahahaha..
whooo you have trained your cursor well to identify things that are very noteworthy there Valerie! 🙂
Yes indeed.. some stuff we are not suppose to question.. we’ve just gotta go with the flow! 🙂
I figured the Christmas party was before Lee and Amanda’s trip to the woods 😉 but.. then again, who cares right? there was no Christmas party! and the photo was obviously taken recently- he has no sideburns! 🙂 tee hee.. we are so funny how we try and wrestle with the SMK reality! 🙂 Ahhh I love it!
Yes Amanda is certainly growing in confidence and assertiveness.. and this is probably translating into her growing confidence that Lee has left his old playboy ways behind him and is now looking for a more serious, long term relationship – I resist thinking that at this point Lee or Amanda are thinking marriage though.. maybe unconsciously lol..
but for me, I figure they are both trying to enjoy this phase of their relationship and just leave the future where it is for now.. this is dating without calling it dating because they are not yet ready to think about anything beyond dating.. lol.. it’s all pretty high stakes and scary.. and new.. so maybe expectations about marriage and forever (even with your best friend) are best left on the backburner for a little while.. [though I can see that Amanda and Lee would be wondering if the other is open to it – I don’t think they are focusing on it.. does that make sense?? lol!!]
Just my 2 very confusing cents worth!
LikeLike
I agree that they are not thinking anything about marriage. It took a while to get to this point and it took a while for either of them to acknowledge it within and without. I think they are in the midst of enjoying this new and deepening phase of their relationship. The bonus of this is being able to see their connection deepen on a professional and personal level. It’s funny, I just remembered this guy I used to teach with who had a thing for a fellow teacher. It ended when he discovered that she wasn’t a very good teacher. His comment was that if he couldn’t respect her as a teacher how could he see her as a potential life partner. Amanda has always been able to have a somewhat deeper connection with Lee. Other than Francine there seem to be no other female friends and what’s there with Francine is not as deep or as personal. I think they are making sure that while moving forward they maintain that deep friendship and connection that they have already established.
LikeLike