Back to the agency.. and Francine seems to be wearing her clothes from ‘yesterday’ too! haaaaa… No wonder they put nice smelly flowers in Billy’s office today = piuuu!!
(ok ok. given JJ has also changed clothes I’d say there was a major rewrite during filming and they’ve stuffed up)
Francine: Records ID’d the owners of the Sea Chance as a David and Diane Cummings
Billy: Squeaky clean on paper so we sent Francine and Carl Thomas to check them out.
Francine: And we ran into a brick wall. Name, social security number and their lawyers number. That’s all they gave me.
[Ahhh a random agent has been named! Do we ever find out who Carl Thomas is?]
Lee: Sounds like obstruction of justice.
[since when is the 5th Amendment automatically obstruction of justice?!
Is Lee wearing guy liner here?]
Billy: When we suggested that they wouldn’t budge. Totally suspicious.
Lee: Well, if they’ve been down to Santarilla I can understand. Down there you learn to trust none.
haaaaa.. they sound normal to me actually! Err you don’t have to have been in Santarilla to not want to tell complete strangers all your business…. I guess Francine showed her badge and assumed that should be enough to force people to spill maybe..
Amanda: So you think they had something to do with Bart Stoler?
Francine: I think they’re in it up to their necks.
Billy: We got an update on Santarilla from the regional section chief there. The deeper they dig, the more truth it seems Colleen’s story has.
[noo kidding!]
Lee: If Bart is still alive and does have hard evidence on Harcourt, he’s gonna need more protection than good intentions.
Billy: That’s why I want you to check out the Cummings up close. Use the Mati Hari II as your cover…
…Amanda can crew for you.
[Love the big smile Billy gives here!!
Yes Lee, go check out the comings and goings of the Cummings! whahahaha!!
Mata Hari? What a name for the agency’s boat LOL!! genius!!
Hmm seems Billy is well aware of Amanda’s sailing history!]
Amanda: Oh, good.
Lee: Oh, now wait a second, the Mati Hari is a very big boat…
…Sailing your Sunfish…
…at summer camp hardly qualifies-
[Whoa! Drop Anchor Lee your drifting!! 
Lee immediately assumes the boat is too big for Amanda to help – well!! Maybe you should ask first! Amanda has a few surprises up her lightning sleeves still!!! Didn’t you learn anything in Utopia Now Mister????!!! or Lol.. didn’t you learn anything since you first met her??
(‘Is that how you’re mind works?!’ )
It’s like Billy knew that about Amanda already and totally set up Lee.. 
Lee doesn’t trust Billy to suggest Amanda for good reason.. hmm!]
Amanda breaks in: Oh no listen, I helped sail a 55 foot ketch across the Chesapeake once. It was great…
…How big is the Mati Hari II?
[Love how Amanda deals with Lee’s 
scepticism.. she’s so good natured and positive! and.. Amanda’s too excited to care! whoo go Amanda!]
Amanda turns to Lee for the answer..
Lee is looking a tad sheepish tee hee!
Lee looks at Billy.. [Hmm I think Lee knows he was set up by Billy here ]
Billy silently gives him a knowing smirk..
Go Billy!!! and now Lee, that’s why Billy is the boss.. yes he is the boss!!!!
Billy doesn’t answer Amanda’s question.. he raises his eyebrows to Lee as if to silently say- you tell her!!!
Also, Billy is telling Lee- I know what I’m doing! and so does Amanda!! Maybe it’s not just Amanda Lee was underestimating, but Billy too!]
Lee: Aw,… it’s…
a.. fifty foot ketch.
[Love how Lee kind of mumbles this!]
Amanda: Oh, It’s smaller.
[whoo hooo!! Just a statement of fact… genius!!! Take that Lee!!]
Amanda looks up at Francine, happy to be going sailing.. and we see Lee giving Amanda a bit of a wry smile..
then Lee turns to Billy and he quickly loses the smile! whahaaha.. It’s like Lee is not mad at Amanda.. he’s cranky with Billy for setting him up. Well Lee- you fell right into it! Because you underestimated Amanda (and Billy)- that will teach ya!
Billy gives the sweetest smile here.. as in ‘ain’t it sweet I got Lee good!!!.. I love my work!!’
Billy (unrepentant!): Stop by property and take care of the 
paperwork Scarecrow.
…I want you two in place by this afternoon.
Amanda: Oh terrific! Thank you very much sir.
Billy smiles and gives them both a wave..
Lee: Yeah, thank you.
Lee smiles extra big here.. he really doesn’t mean that thank you but I think once he’s gotten over falling into Billy’s trap here, he’ll realise-oh wait! I get some time alone with Amanda? well.. that’s something to thank Billy for!!
Francine seems to smile at Billy’s desk here most of the time, as Lee and Amanda head off for a sail.. I am guessing she isn’t happy about it – but maybe she doesn’t have the sailing skills so she couldn’t pipe up and complain?
I love that Billy is still smirking to himself as Lee and Amanda head to the door. well done Billy!
The Scene ends here.
Sooooo why do you all think Lee reacted the way he did?
Interesting to note in this scene: no reaction shots from Francine – hmmm interesting! she usually gets a look in..
Thanks Jule for transcribing the scenes we have walked through so far!!! 
I’ll need to finish up here for now..
From now on in the episode, the transcribing has been done by Happy Camper – thanks 
soo much Happy Camper!!! you are a huge help to keeping this walk going! Any thoughts you’d like to share everyone?? Or just want to say hi and let us know you are out there? go for it! Comments deep? reflective? or superficial? narky? – All are very welcome here bye now!
"Just walk with me.." 
Honestly, this office scene with all of them together is probably one of my faves. I have a little soft spot for Billy, he is adorable, so I’m happy he gets to be the boss for once and getting one over on Lee. Happens rarely enough and that it’s because of Amanda’s skills makes it so much better. BB’s acting here is, as usually, superb; the facial expressions say it all.
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Yes, I do enjoy the way Billy set Lee up on this one. Billy probably knew the boat would be needed and had some secretary (maybe Jill?) find out a couple of folks who’d sailed before. Lo and behold, who should have sailing experience but Amanda! Wonderful chance to throw these two together (rubs hands and calls all his “children” together for an update).
Lee, Lee, always has to flaunt his prowess and superior skills. I suppose since the two of them haven’t discussed water sports yet, he didn’t know this about Amanda. The summer camp thing was probably a little joke, similar to the Jr. Trailblazers. Sorry, jokes on you, Scarecrow.
This is so much fun. I’m so glad to discuss these little things with other SMKer’s. My family gets tired of me doing this at home. Nice to visit with others who get this “I-can-analyze-this-show-if-I-want” skill. 🙂
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Sounds great! I like it!
Ohhh I agree Debilyn, I feel the same way – great to have people to discuss the show with 🙂 who get it!!
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The things you learn from SMK…I had never heard of Mata Hari…fascinating that she was executed by firing squad in WWI for spying.
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It’s been interesting reading everyone’s take on Lee’s reaction to the idea of Amanda crewing on the boat. It always seemed to me that Lee was annoyed with Amanda and didn’t want her to come with him, and I could never understand that. Now you fellas (ha!) have given me other ways to see it. Thanks! 🙂
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Oh cool 2goldens! 🙂
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I have always been of two minds about Lee’s reaction to Amanda helping to crew the boat. The first is that I thought that it was just a part of his competitive nature and how he is always letting Amanda know that he is the senior agent and has more experience. I think in some ways he feels as threatened as Francine has because Amanda has done so well with so little training. I think that he is just better at hiding his dismay at Amanda’s abilities and capabilities. I think he is still learning to balance that competitiveness as he continues to work with her as a partner.
I also sometimes feel as if Lee may feel a bit threatened or a bit afraid about how quickly Amanda has adjusted at the Agency and how she continues to grow in leaps and bounds. The threat or fear would be if she ever got to the point where she has her own cases or they are no longer partners and then where would he be. Loss has been a big part of his life and colors a lot of what he does and who he is. I think he likes that he is the senior partner and feels as if he is helping her to learn and being of benefit. I think that he would be bereft if it got to a point where Amanda no longer needed him. Of course she could allay all those fears, but they haven’t gotten there yet.
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Very interesting theory Valerie!!! Yeah I can see that it is safe for Lee when Amanda doesn’t grow or change.. I’ve tended to see him as being reasonably supportive of her growth.
Maybe he just doesn’t like to be taken by surprise by it?
It does make sense that Lee would fear ‘loss’. Maybe this will be more evident to me as we move further into season 3.. I can’t remember what’s ahead! lol!! seriously!
hmm I’m gonna ponder this some more- please let me know how you see this playing out as we progress Valerie..
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I see these little fears of Lee having creeped up prior to this, especially before he possibly recognized any possible feelings. He has always had a reaction to any man paying attention to Amanda, with the old “I may not want you, but I don’t want anyone else to have you” jealous routine. And then he had that sort of gut wrenching reaction to Amanda taking the job with Byron in Murder Between Friends. During that he had to reassure her that he would be the one to get her out of the situation. He had another gut wrencher in Over The Limit when he couldn’t find Amanda after the bombing. While he couldn’t necessarily vocalize it I think these were signs of him feeling a bit of loss. Fortunately these were not prolonged in any way and he most likely put it out of his mind and didn’t really deal with it.
I agree that he has been very supportive, but as we’ve said before it is not something that just happened over night. Lee’s issues were not going to be easily overcome and I do love that Amanda continues to surprise him. I thinks its one of the reasons he is so attracted to her. He has come a long way from how difficult and annoying he was in the beginning. It has been a gradual change, but I mentioned one time about these firewalls Lee has and Amanda has just been breaking through them one by one. This is just one of those that still needs breaking through.
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I agree, Valerie, Fear of loss is a huge motivator for Lee. Motivator to put up walls. Slowly they come down, Amanda has been working on them for a while. I do believe that love can dismantle fears, but Lee has been building himself this stronghold for a while. It is going to take a lot of persistence for them to come down, or even for him to recognize them or when he employs them. Like here, this is just a silly response and yet I do think it is based in this fear.He catches himself here because he sees how it interrupts his relationship with Amanda. It is such a little thing, but now that he allowing himself to enjoy his connection with her he will become more aware when blockages get in the way.
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I can pretty much agree with all this Valerie.. sounds good to me!
The bit where I don’t see it, so far, is in Lee and Amanda’s working relationship – and all the examples you’ve given are more personal situations.. I can’t think of a time up to now where I’ve thought Lee is holding back Amanda professionally because he doesn’t want to lose her – except in the sense of her being in danger – but I don’t see Lee up to now being fearful that Amanda is too skilled because he will lose her.
I’m seeing Lee as being quite supportive of her most of the time professionally.. Aside from the little gag of Ah billy why do I have to use Amanda!!! which was always Lee being in denial, lol.. but again- for me no fear there that he will lose Amanda.
I’m basing this on what I’ve seen so far and completely disregarding anything that’s ahead – lol because I don’t really remember it!
But yes I also see that Lee is fearful of losing Amanda when there is danger.. or another man!
Hope I’m making sense.. I am thinking we see things slightly differently.. and Lee’s reaction to Amanda’s sailing skills for me don’t connect with a fear of losing her.
Hey do you think Lee had been sailing on the Mata Hari II before? I’m thinking yes.. but.. do you think it had a full crew then??
Could part of Lee’s discomfort here be that he isn’t confident himself that he can sail it with two people?? then.. on top of that.. he finds out Amanda is confident of this?
I wonder..
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Yes, Iwsod, you are making perfect sense. And like I said I do agree that Lee has been very supportive of Amanda and her professional growth. And no, I’m not looking ahead at anything. I’m just wondering if at some point if Lee wasn’t necessarily able to sometimes separate all of what he was feeling and it all got jumbled together for him somehow and his reactions sometimes came off as bit pigheaded or confused, especially since their personal and professional relationship tended to be intertwined anyway. I know he appreciates their partnership and would probably fight tooth and nail to keep her as his partner. As I said, I’ve been of two minds about his response. I was probably just extrapolating a bit off on a tangent and maybe wandered off too far. I could definitely see it another way as well.
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Reading ya loud and clear Valerie! you are exploring.. I like that!! 🙂
[just to be clear, I wasn’t thinking you were jumping ahead.. all good- I just have this sneaking suspicion I may sound silly because some big thing is right around the corner and I’ve forgotten it because I don’t even know what episode is next yet! lol!!!]
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The lines get hazy at this point in their journey for all of us and them too.
I love it that Iwsod doesn’t know what episode is next 😉 Builds my anticipation!!!
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I agree with how you see Lee being supportive of Amanda, iwsod. In my Amanda posts, I think we see Lee be surprised sometimes, but mostly being impressed and admiring her growth. This reaction to me says that it enables Lee to expose her to more training (i.e. the fake shooting exercise with Leatherneck).
Lee’s reaction to this actually makes more sense if I think BB didn’t hit the mark exactly – not that I want to be critical. But I wonder if at first Lee is unaware of Amanda’s sailing experience (and I would be with Lee on this, I think it is a bit preposterous that Amanda has sailed a 55 ft. boat on the Chesapeake. I also think it crazy that Lee doesn’t already know this about Amanda. He knows about Jamie’s chipped teeth for crying out loud!) so he’s not happy about having to crew a boat with her and biggest asset being enthusiasm. And then when he finds out she has the chops to sail the big boat, he’s just embarrassed by his faulty assumption? To me I don’t see any embarrassment in Lee, so that is why I say perhaps BB missed the mark? Because with all the handholding and their dinner at Spencer’s, I don’t know why he wouldn’t want to spend time with her?
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whoa! BJo you have gone smk crazy today!!! Lucky us 🙂 it’s been fun to read all your insights for the last few episode! have missed ya!
yeah Lee in Billy’s office here? I didn’t see embarrassment, more annoyance at Billy for setting him up.
Lee should know by now that Amanda is full of surprises 🙂 you know.. there’s a lot about Amanda he doesn’t know… ahem!
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You know, I am thinking that back in JEGhost, Lee may have been a bit incredulous that he might be falling for this housewife/apprentice, spy/partner, even though I don’t think he would have argued that he was falling for her. But I think here he might have finally figured out that he needed to take Amanda out of that box that he had her in and place in her a wide open space where he might rightly see her from all angles and appreciate all that she is. She is comfortable with large boats??? Wow!! Take a few steps back Lee and really gaze at this woman.
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you might be right Morley! I’m looking forward to seeing how Lee is the rest of this ep.. he could be cranky with Amanda for showing him up.. but.. that smile at her after she realises her boat was bigger leads me to figure he may not be 😉
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Maybe Lee has just realised there is an awful lot he still doesn’t know about Amanda. I think he is more than happy to continue the journey of discovering her hidden depths, and some time alone on a boat is the perfect scenario! 😉
The Agency has boat?! Well, okay, no one specifically says it belongs to the Agency. If it does, that would seems like a big ol’ expense they could get rid of when the Agency does its frequent budget cutting exercises. I’m sure they could rent a boat on the odd occasion when they need one… or do many cases rely on the use of a 50 foot boat?
And one question, what happened to the Mata Hari I? 😕
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I’ve been wondering about the Mata Hari I. So far, my theory is that it was something similar to what happened to the first car we see Lee driving . . . BOOM! Things always blow up in spy stories. 😉
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Yes, my assumption was that it met some sort of fiery, explosive doom – much, as you say Jestress, in the nature of the final end to the Porsche. 😀
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Actually I am surprised they are only on Mata Hari II
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For all we know, they have Mati Hari I through V or X or XX… 😀
And it always cracked me up that it was the Mati Hari II — not the Mata Hari II — did the Agency not want to be completely blatant?!?!?
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Now that I’ve looked up Mata Hari (thanks yet again, wikipedia), and checked the script (which says Mata Hari), it seems they did intend the whole showgirl spy connection. Rather racy for SMK…. 😀
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I shouldn’t say–‘cos we haven’t seen it yet (bad KC!)–but the boat itself has the alternate spelling…
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Bad KC! But even worse boat-painting-person. Would never have happened if you were painting that sign 😀
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haaa good one learjet.. KC is too details oriented for that 🙂 and we love that about ya KC!
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Oh hey! did you guys notice what’s the subject of the next post??!!
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Yes–I did notice! Did I win any awards this year?
Most Hand-Slaps? (Most Potential For Hand-Slaps?)
Most Impressive Gutter Dive?
I know, I know… wait for the post to be published… :p (A girl’s gotta have something to aspire to…)
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The “You Can’t Get it Past Her” award 😀
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whooooo this could be fun!!!! but- can we hold off till I’ve published the post?
I reckon together we could come up with an award for everybody!!
[We don’t follow the Magda ‘first place is winning, everything else is loosing’ philosophy right?!]
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Whahahahahaha!! let’s see what you make of the post.. coming up soon!!
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cheeky!
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Muah!
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Hmm didn’t Mata Hari name her daughter Trixie Berlinger? [kidding!!]
Yeah I figured Mata Hari was put to death for treason.. so a very interesting choice.. yes there is the man charmer angle also though 😉
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KC has a crystal ball.. and has already seen the spelling of the boat?!
doooo de doooo de dooo….
I haven’t even written that post yet!
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That’s true. The could have started with, say, half a dozen of them, and maybe two or three of them are still in working order — like numbers II, IV, and V. Maybe number I blew up, number III is in the shop for repairs, and number VI is on the bottom of the ocean thanks to an accident involving a rocket-launcher, an electric drill, and a rubber band car. Fred Fielder insists that it was not his fault and those rubber bands were unusually strong. 😉
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Hiya Jestress!!! Great to see you stop by!!! 🙂
whooo you’d love Fiona from Burn Notice – have you seen it? she loves things to go boom. See the threads on Nedlindgers if you are interested..
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whoooooo I like it Kiwismh! 😉 I’m sure once he got over it he’d be delighted! 🙂 maybe we’ll see some evidence of what he thinks of it coming up 🙂
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Lol, your comment to Lee, “drop anchor, Lee, you are drifting” cracked me up. Poor guy. Why does the male ego have such a difficult time laying down and dying? There is no other way to explain this little scene other than Lee has an ego that doesn’t know when to quit. I am glad that eventually he learns to let the respect and admiration that I truly believe he feels for Amanda be communicated in situations like this, but I guess old habits die hard, huh? At least Billy and Amanda have his number and I think he gets his own number now… Actually I really like the way the three of them handle this situation here. Lee has some egg on his face but they all love him anyway and he knows it. None of those annoyed exhalations from Amanda here.
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I made Morley laugh? Oh cool!! 🙂
Yes old habits die hard.. I wondered if it was partly because it was in front of Francine and Billy.. maybe Lee is less likely to mind when it’s just him and Amanda? I don’t know!
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Oh, I laugh often on this walk. I guess I just need to let you know more often. 😀
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I confess, it makes my day to hear of anyone laughing at one of my jokes.. I”m a sucker 🙂
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I just say hi 🙂
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Hi Back!! 🙂
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Let me just say. — I love Billy! Way to wonderfully show exactly who is boss and why.
And KJ’s line “Oh, it’s smaller” cracks me up (must get mind out of gutter)
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Ha ha! My reaction exactly oh fellow gutter dweller 🙂 and isn’t Billy a peach?! He loves setting Lee up and is one sneaky step ahead of him.
Gee, we haven’t had a meeting in the gutter of our rabbit hole, oh fellow dwellers. Hmmm, I got the chocolate and hot cocoa (with marshmallows coz its SMKland!)- see y’all there!
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Count me in! 🙂
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oh my.. that idea never entered my head when thinking of the big fella 😉
PG.. PG.. must.. remain.. PG!!!
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LOL!
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Maybe that’s why Lee reacts the way he does to being on the boat with Amanda…LOL.
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