The next scene opens with a frat party going on! 
And a guy on a bicycle – honestly I think this is the same kid we saw on a bicycle earlier
– only.. now his bike is blue!! weird!! He must be the SMK stunt bicycle rider!! [took years of training!]
We find Lee, Amanda and Joe in the distance walking toward the frat party. Only “Wait till the midnight hour’ is really loud and I can’t make out what they are saying.. glad kiwismh could hear!
Very telling how Joe at this point is walking between Lee and Amanda – just like Shamba did earlier..
Lee: The fact that somebody has started shooting at you raises a number of new possibilities. Care to speculate on who it is? 
Joe: The same people who killed the Prime Minister of Estoccia – employees of US EAO.
Amanda: Why?
Joe: I caught them with their hands in the till,. 
…stealing millions in US Relief…
…If they’re doing it in Estoccia, why not everywhere?
Lee: If I believe you—
Amanda (cutting Lee off): -Of course we believe you. [what do you make of the ‘we believe you’? Amanda trying to speak for Lee?! Or willing him to agree with her?!]
Lee interjects: If I…
[We see Amanda react to Lee’s repeated ‘If I’
she looks scared? sad? worried? How would you describe it? ]
… believe you,… (Lee looks at Amanda as he says this.. and then he looks at Joe)
…this all starts to make a little more sense…
[Given everything that’s going on right now, Lee is doing well to stay focused on the case. He copes well with Amanda’s interruption]
… Our shooter will probably fall back and think about it. He’s not going to crash a rooming house full of people….
…Now you two stay inside…
(We see Amanda nod- she seems a little more upbeat now that she knows Lee is working on things and not assuming Joe is crooked)
[Are they at Mrs McDragon’s? but the entrance looks different to before?! Hmm.. maybe it’s a back entrance!]
… There’s an Inspector Shamba that I have to dispose of for the night.
Joe: Shamba!
Lee: Yeah, airmail special just for you.
[And Shamba is special! Shamboga!]
Joe: You be very careful of him. I think he’s in on it.
[ummm just what or who does Joe think Lee is?! How did Amanda explain him away?? or are they trying to pretend they don’t know each other here with Joe? Oh man.. I don’t want Joe to worry about Lee’s safety – I want to dislike the guy! this makes it a tiny bit more difficult! LOL!! 
]
Lee: Don’t worry, I’ll take care of him…
[Love the little sideways look Lee gives Amanda here – a little secret knowledge between the two of them maybe – that Lee is more than capable of handling Shamba! It’s Shamba who should look out for Scarecrow! ]
…See you two later.
Lee smiles and walks off leaving them.. he seems to be okay with leaving Amanda and Joe alone..
Interesting how Amanda and Joe watch Lee walk away for a second..
then.. they start to walk off.. Each reaching for the other’s hand? I like to think this is so they have a ‘cover’ for Mrs McDragon – because she knew they had been a couple, so makes sense to approach the rooming house as a couple..
Lee turns to look at them one more time. He seems to take a step or two looking in their direction..
Maybe he’s not okay with leaving them..
If bicycle boy had been in front of Lee he would have walked right into him!
What a poignant moment.. it’s all there in that second huh!! I wish I could get a clearer image of Lee’s reaction – it’s a bit fuzzy.. what do you of it? For me, I see him as being a little wistful watching Joe and Amanda walk off – wishing that it was him.. but knowing at this point, Amanda and Joe may work things out – maybe Amanda will get what she wanted all those years ago? Maybe Amanda still has feelings for Joe? I think it makes sense all these questions would be on Lee’s mind – only.. he has to try and move beyond that so he can focus on the case and what’s best for Amanda.. okay and maybe Joe.. ahem.. thoughts?!
The scene ends with Joe and Amanda struggling through the toilet paper, past the party and into the rooming house.
Night time falls… and we find Terminator Prescott on the phone.
Prescott: Will you listen to what I’m telling you – Mrs King’s friend is not a film maker.
No he came out with guns blazing… [Hey! ummm he could make action films!] …Face it, we’re gonna have to take those kids…
…and we’re gonna have to take them now.
Foster: No! Not until they come after us.
Prescott: I’m telling you, that’s the only way we’re gonna get a hold on King.
Foster: If we take his kids that’s it. We’re connected. All we can do is buy time but let’s be ready. If they do come after us, then we’ve got nothing to lose.
Their phone conversation ends there.. [I miss the baddie phone! The black one is boring!]
Okay! thanks for the reminder smk writers that these weasely greedy baddies exist.. and that the threat of taking the kids is alive and well and the clock is ticking!!!!!! The clock is ticking.. and Lee has to go deal with Shamba.. (Is the clock ticking on Lee and Amanda’s potential relationship now Joe is back in town?)
Well.. I’ll leave it here for now guys.. love to hear your thoughts!!! bye for now!
"Just walk with me.." 
BJo wrote: “How many times did Lee take her hand or lead her around earlier on when they were in trouble? It’s as if she is channeling Lee here in terms of taking care of Joe rather than it being about a love/relationship thing.”
I agree with this view. I think, anyway. As another comment suggested, this episode has me very unsettled about everyone’s feelings, and it always has!! I think that’s why I am concentrating so much time going through these posts and comments- so I can feel like I have some solid footing on this episode!
I think one thing that may not have been mentioned yet is how maybe Lee can kinda relate to Amanda here. He has had two different cases in the last couple of years that have involved special women in his life that each stirred up their own complicated emotions for him. And Amanda was the source of support and objectivity for him in those cases…so now there’s a bit of role reversal. I am not saying any of those situations are exactly the same – he was never married before or parented a child with someone – but perhaps it gives him a chance to objectively and gracefully extend some space for Amanda to sort through her emotions with Joe like she gave him with Eva, or to process seeing Dorothy, etc. So this time it’s him walking away from her to deal with her relationship with Joe as his heart waits to see the outcome, and she’s the one in Lee’s previous situation , using Lee-like tendencies no less (i.e. hand holding)…in some ways passing the baton to her, in some ways trading places with her. Don’t know that I’m articulating these thoughts well… But in a nutshell, I think as much as his heart longs for her, he also can somewhat relate to her situation. Perhaps it also lets him ask himself what it felt like for Amanda to watch him in those previous cases. And all that could be even more deeply intensifying his love and appreciation for her.
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Yeeees, Lee sees Amanda and Joe holding hands. I’d say he doesn’t like that onnnne bit!
Sorry, I really should’nt be so gleeful…
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Yep, definitely a “Oh Damn!” moment (keeping it PG). I think Lee knew he wanted a romantic relationship with Amanda, was moving glacially slowly to one and figured he had all the time in the world to go at the pace he was comfortable with. Joe reentering Amanda’s life was a real wake-up call.
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I know I’m a little behind the game here, but I think the “I/We” conversation is a veiled reminder from Lee that “We” aren’t supposed to know each other! I think Joe’s been too preoccupied so far to notice the familiarity between Lee & Amanda, but it’s only a matter of time now that he’s had a chance to breathe that he might notice a slip-up or two. To me, Lee is just reminding Amanda that “I’m the agent, and as far as Joe is concerned, you’re just a thread I pulled on to track him down.”
I love everyone’s insights here! I’m a little torn about Amanda’s behaviour. Honestly, I think she had put the whole situation with Joe and their marriage into her past, and now she’s suddenly having to confront it again with no warning and a highly stressful situation, and she’s having feelings arise that she wasn’t expecting and hasn’t had time to process yet with all the getting-shot-at. I agree that I’m uncomfortable with how physically affectionate she is with him, even later in the series, but I love the observation that she’s now the one leading the hand-holding like Lee used to do with her when she was the civilian!
I just see Amanda as being incredibly loyal, which is sometimes to her detriment and occasionally compromises her objectivity. Lee, being as suspicious as he usually is, complements her perfectly, though! 🙂
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If you’re right, that was a pretty sucky thing for Lee to say (or convey saying), it really puts into context at why Amanda looked so hurt by it 😦
Lee I love ya, you know I do, but you are such a jerk sometimes! 😦 😦
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Ha ha! I see you were thinking the same thing, BJo. I just commented abut the position of Amanda’s hand under your response to Raffie. 🙂
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Okay, so by now Joe knows that Lee is a government agent and that he is trying to figure this out, all the while offering some protection to Joe. Joe also must know that Lee and Amanda have some sort of working relationship. Is she is secretary like she told Leslie? Or that she runs errands for Lee like in OTL?
And why would Lee leave Joe back at Mrs. McDragon’s house now that Joe has told him he thinks Shamba may be in on it?
I think Amanda is trying to speak for Lee here…but she should know better. She is not objective here. Neither is Lee for that matter – hahaha! I think Amanda looks a little worried that Lee may not be willing to trust her instincts here about Joe. I get why he doesn’t – she was married to the man and so is probably biased. This is Lee’s experience showing through here, I think.
As far as Lee’s reaction to J and A’s handholding, I think he is taking it in and feeling a bit jealous. I’m sure he doesn’t like her holding Joe’s hand, but what can he do about it? He’s just got to be wondering how Joe’s reappearance in Amanda’s life may change things for her, and therefore, for him as her work partner, friend, and possible romantic interest. Lee’s got to be wondering what her feelings are for him, since it apparently wasn’t a bitter divorce.
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I thought Amanda almost looks angry here. I mean, come on, shes been trying to tell Lee that Joe is innocent, and he keeps sliding back into this “if he’s innocent” business. Amanda knows what it’ slide to be falsely accused, like in MBF. But I do think Amanda recognizes the need to follow proper procedure, here.
I agree that this is a very wistful moment for Lee, and a very strong moment. To let “his girl” walk away hand in hand with another man takes a very special kind of strength. When we think of the jealous moments he’s had elsewhere in the series, where he was not content to remain on the sidelines, we can see that he’s grown here. He allows Amanda to make her own choices. I also think it shows that he’s not feeling really threatened by Joe’s presence. He’s confident about how well Amanda knows him; she has seen all kinds of things he’s never shown to anyone else, and she has still accepted and stood by him. He’s got a “may the best man win” kind of attitude; the “best man” being the one that Amanda thinks is most likely to make her happy. Lee has no doubt that Joe is not that man, but accepts that if Amanda thinks so, that goes a long way towards making it so. He’s matured past letting a little jealousy interrupt a case. Later, if Amanda seemed serious about getting back together with Joe, I see it that Lee would probably talk to her as a friend about whether it’s a good idea to patch something up that didn’t work in the first place, but without intruding his own claims.
I really don’t get the amiable divorce situation that still has the exes holding hands, enjoying each other’s company, and being all “one big happy family”. I just haven’t seen it in my limited experience with divorced couples; it seems that, even if they don’t come out of it as enemies, they really want to put that part of their lives behind them and move on.
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I’m not exactly sure why I haven’t said anything until now, but my parents had a pretty amiable divorce. By the time they divorced, my siblings and I were all adults. However, their divorce was not due to a prolonged separation, they just sort of grew apart. They had been together for at least 25 years. They then lived in the same co-op, just one block from each other with almost the exact same address except one was North and the other South. They could see each other’s front doors.
They would actually get their grandson (my nephew) and spend the weekend together doing things with him. For a while it was a little weird because they didn’t act like they were divorced. But they did sort of became friends. My father actually started dating after a while and then my mother got sick. He would tell these women that if his “wife” needed him that he was going to be there for her and he was. My father eventually remarried and my mother and stepmother got along great. When my mother passed away my father was devastated. I think that the reason their divorce was so friendly was because at the core of their marriage, especially early on, was that they were good friends and there was just a comfort zone. I remember them talking nonstop about so many things all the time. So I get bering friendly exes, not that I like it in this instance, but I get it.
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Thanks for sharing about your folks, Valerie. My best friends parents had always been amiable to each other, it was the ex in-laws that had a huge problem with each of the former spouses.
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Certainly I’m saddened for wistful but strong Lee and proud of his behavior, but I wonder how much Lee can endure. Are we going to see an explosion down the line. I know I would ponder the handholding for a day or two before my frustration boiled over. I can picture him alone with his bottle of scotch in the evening: “What game are you playing, Amanda King. We have an almost kiss, some nice evenings together, hold hands, have intimate conversations over bottles of wine on a yacht … then the minute the husband who left you floats back into town you are calling him sweetheart and holding hands all lovey-dovey?!? What is this — a “Torn Between Two Lovers” story? Were you just playing me along until someone better came along? Have you totally lost your mind and forgotten the way he treated you years ago? Well, I’m not going to play monkey in the middle here. If he’s what you want, then just say it and I’ll be out of your hair. I’ve always preferred working without a partner anyway….” Yep, I can picture it really ramping up. If Lee has better control than he has had in the past, he will somehow squelch all these negative and unproductive thoughts before they leave his mouth, but surely they are bouncing around his head.
On the flipside, maybe he is so smitten and puppy-dog lost without her that he will tolerate being used like a doormat if there’s any hope she will come back to him.
I do like that Lee is showing infinite patience with Amanda. It is very sensitive and selfless of him. I just wonder how much more he can take! (Hmm, I wonder if their conversation over pizza and beer at Dooley’s was healing for Lee in this aspect. In that case, this handholding might leave him more confused than annoyed. Still, I can’t picture the Dooley’s conversation getting into Lee’s feelings about Amanda and Joe together again.) I personally would be at my limit, and I don’t consider myself particularly hot-headed and impatient.
Reading back through this post, I guess I’m unhappier with Amanda’s behavior than I realized. I thought I was always sort of in the camp of “yes, it’s nice when ex’s can still be friendly” (great and heart-warming story by the way, valerie) and I think I still am, but when folks mess with Lee’s heart, my mama bear comes out!
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Thank you, Mama Bear…er I mean Raffie! My sentiments exactly.
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Wow, raffie! Too funny – love how you share Lee’s thoughts here.
Reading what you wrote made me think about the handholding some more. I wonder if Amanda is continuing on with her taking charge/leading Joe like she did in the library. How many times did Lee take her hand or lead her around earlier on when they were in trouble? It’s as if she is channeling Lee here in terms of taking care of Joe rather than it being about a love/relationship thing.
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Right. That is why her hand is on top.
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BJo and Morley your comments about the handholding reminded me of the last episode we walked through Flight to Freedom. As Lee and Amanda are leaving Colleen they are holding hands coming down the steps and most of the way to the car. And I know there was lots of discussion about that handholding. Lee’s hand is on top of Amanda’s and there was that delay in letting go. In There Goes The Neighborhood Lee grabs Amanda’s hand as they leave Bouchard’s office. Lee very much takes the lead and is in control when there is trouble and he needs to take care of Amanda. And it’s been so from pretty much the beginning.
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Hey mama bear! lol.. that should be your handle! 😉 teee hee..
I loved your comment here Raffie – not because I completely agree with you but.. I just loved hearing your interesting thoughts on this.. a different point of view that’s just plain interesting to explore!
[I agree with your previous comment from a day or two ago- sorry I didn’t get a chance to reply – I agree that one of the best things about the fans who stop by JWWM is that we are all so respectful of each other!!! We listen.. we agree. we disagree.. and it’s all good! 🙂 It just makes exploring the show that much more interesting IMHO..]
Your comment about Lee’s heart here is interesting. I had felt sad for Lee.. but I hadn’t reacted the same way you did.. I wonder why.. your comment has gotten me thinking..
I’m proud of Lee’s behaviour and feel sad for him too!
How much can Lee endure? gosh.. I hadn’t asked myself that question. I guess because up to this point, I don’t see Amanda as being unreasonable toward Lee, given the circumstances.. I’m not seeing Amanda as having mistreated Lee at this point. Do you?
I don’t see Lee thinking that either..
At this point does Lee have a case for Amanda having misled him?
Even if this episode comes after flight to freedom? [I’m not 100% convinced of this myself..but don’t worry I know this is a bit ‘controversial’ 😉 ]
At this point in the show, can Lee stake any kind of claim on Amanda’s heart? Does he have a case to make that she has been unfair to Lee? Is Amanda at this point asking Lee to play ‘monkey in the middle’? Have they even started anything at this point?
Maybe how you answer these questions will depend on how far you think Lee has gone in showing his feelings.. or even recognising them.. lol..
and for Amanda.. how much of a change she has seen in Lee and his intentions.. ? toward relationships and… toward her especially?
I have never liked, and still don’t like how Amanda is so warm and welcoming with Joe.. sweetheart, hugs rah rah.. don’t get it! but.. just because I personally don’t really relate, doesn’t mean Amanda is being unfair to Lee here.
So far, all of this has taken place over the space of one day.
My instinct is that if Amanda started up again with Joe, Lee would not have stood in her way – he would have given her the freedom to try and have that family together again..if he was what she really wanted.
At this point, I haven’t reached the point where I see Amanda as having insight into where she stands when it comes to Joe.. I know some of you have felt she has after the library moment… but not yet for me..
Anyway.. enough rambling from me! Would love to hear what you all think of Raffie (mama bear)’s comments.. and how you see Amanda and Lee and well.. any of the questions I’ve posed you’d like to answer? feel free to explore and ramble..
Always love to hear all your thoughts!
I’ve gotta say, this is an episode where I really don’t have a clear picture of what’s happening, and I’m needing to process and think this one through! and.. I may not get my thoughts together till the end.. Heck… I may not get my thoughts together at all. haaaa! anyone feeling like that?
byee!
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I don’t really feel that Lee has any right to be angry with Amanda – he may feel confused and hurt, but I don’t think he’s really acknowledged his feelings towards her to himself yet. I see him as feeling unsettled and jealous but not totally aware of why those feelings are so strong. (I do think he’s in love with Amanda at this point but I still don’t think he’s fully realised his own feelings himself).
Plus I don’t think he’s got any real claim on Amanda at this point – yes they’ve spent time together after work, yes they’ve nearly kissed twice (I discount the handholding, cute as it is, to some extent because it happened a fair bit in the earlier seasons) but anything between them is not verbalised or acknowledged; there’s no commitment. I still see Lee being further down the “in love” line than Amanda at this stage (and I think this episode is pivotal in making Lee realise what he truly feels for her but it happens gradually over the episode) and Amanda as having ‘held back’ in the last few episodes. IMO, this moment, where Lee see Amanda and Joe hand in hand, is another piece of the puzzle falling into place for Lee, rather than a cause for frustration.
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At this point I see it the same way learjet, I don’t see Amanda as having broken any promises, misled Lee etc.
but.. others may – what do you all think?
If this episode came after season 3 It would be a different story.. but here I is the perfect place for it.. Lee and Amanda are on the cusp of starting something wonderful – but they haven’t really started it yet or acknowledged what’s growing between them.. so I’m okay with Amanda questioning what are her feelings for Joe, and about her first marriage. I’m thinking it does make sense that she could ask herself whether she wants back with Joe at this point.. so I don’t see it as a betrayal of Lee.
Here I was for years thinking Amanda was in love with Lee and just waiting for Lee to come around to things.. and this ep was Amanda helping her ex and Lee sensing wrongly that Amanda was wondering if she should go back to Joe (she would never! he left her!!) but now? I’ve changed my view of the ep…
I guess I am less idealising of Amanda – she has lots to deal with here, and I do think she asks herself the question about Joe after all..
And.. I am now more idealising of Lee – he is selfless here in his care for Amanda, her needs and what she wants out of life. He is not wrapped up in himself right now – it’s all about helping Amanda (this is how I see it only yeah?!) – he can collapse in a broken hearted heap later if he wants 😉 but for now, it’s no good for Amanda..
How interesting that my view of the two characters has basically flipped!
anyone else had their views of this episode (so far!) change?
byee!
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I think you are right, Iwsod. I think Amanda is taking a really good look at her life. I don’t think she has been able to do that objectively up until now. She has coped with the effects of Joe’s choice and done the best that she could with what she has been given. And I think she has been doing something similar with Lee, just kind of going with the flow. But here is one of those rare moments when she can really look at each man and herself and gauge how each fits in her life. I think she may be able to see each more clearly after this.
And Lee… well I think this is a good exercise in love for him. He hasn’t really had to consider others very much in his life. I don’t think he was a completely selfish person, he just hadn’t been exposed to living with many others who were emotionally connected to him. I think he may be impressed with what is coming out of himself during this case. Sometimes I think he has doubted his ability to love Amanda the way she deserves, yet I think he is responding to her situation here very much with a mature love.
And I do think we can contrast Lee’s selfless loving responses here, with Joe’s and even Amanda’s. This is a great illustration of what is and what love does. Nobody is bad, bu one of these isn’t equal to the others.
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I agree with you Iwsod. One of the things that made this episode so unique is that in this romantic triangle (in my opinion) there are no bad guys. Just three good people (flawed but still good) put in an impossible situation. And because Lee and Amanda have the cover they do not know each other, it’s near impossible to figure out where the other person is emotionally and give reassurance. This episode actually gave me a life ‘aha!’ moment when I saw it as an impressionable teenager, but more on that later. On another show, it would feel contrived but BB and KJ (and even SM) give such wonderful, subtle performances.
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Exactly!!! there is no baddie.. well – I have issues with Joe’s leaving, but I guess I’ll get to that later.. but yes they are three people who are acting mature and not playing selfish games.
I love that smk treats love like it is a maturing, constructive, selfless emotion/ decision – not just a feeling that turns you into a teenager with mood swings with nasty games to hurt the person you ‘love’.
Other shows treat love like it’s a weakness, SMK treats love like it is your strength.
Can’t beat that!!
Looking forward to hearing what your thoughts were as an impressionable teenager Cindy!
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I agree with what you’re saying, Iwsod. Amanda’s actions are excusable in the context of the relationship between her and Lee as it exists today, provided you look at them through a logical point of view. And even from that perspective, Lee has a reason to feel confused. Speaking personally, when it’s late at night after a long and emotional day, confusion is just a couple hours away from frustration and frustration is just a couple hours from anger, justified or not! Add a dollop of jealousy and a few swigs of scotch (not speaking for myself there 🙂 ), and suddenly some unrealized and unbeckoned feelings pop to the surface!
I do feel Amanda is sending mixed signals to Lee, albeit unintentionally. Lee is great with dealing with them so far. That’s my cub!
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I think this is one of the many things I love about this episode and why it was so different than other shows at the time when the ‘ex’ suddenly showed up. It’s really played organically and with subtlety- no evil music when Joe is talking, no long camera shots of Lee being all angsty when seeing Amanda and Joe together which makes it more powerful IMHO. And i appreciate that Joe has shown up so early in Amanda and Lee’s relationship (even though it’s been two years!). One of my current favourite shows which sadly has been devolving into a cheesy soap opera just had the ‘presumed dead husband show up the moment one of the male protagonists was about to propose. I haven’t been able to watch.
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I always liked the fact that the writers brought Joe into the picture. Everyone has history and we hadn’t yet seen a very important part of Amanda’s. Now we get to see another side of her and it helps round out her character. That look back, I must have watched it a hundred times along with the restaurant scene when I first saw it in the 80s. sigh wore out my vhs tapes fast. The hand hold always felt ok because Amanda is such a warm person and it says to me that she and Joe have history that trumps any negative feelings. Amanda sticks by those she cares for.
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me too.. and it’s about time we learned more about Amanda’s history!
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I agree, jule! I wish we had learned more about Amanda’s backstory, especially what happened to her father.
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I kind of take Amanda’s “we believe you” and her look at Lee when he starts to speak as kind of a warning to Lee. I think that it’s partly about her wanting Lee to keep an open mind because she’s convinced that Joe is telling the truth in spite of the evidence against him and partly a warning to Lee to keep whatever doubts he might still have to himself because they want Joe to trust them and tell them everything he knows. If Joe thinks that they don’t believe him, him might hold back on them. One of Amanda’s strengths is her ability to read people and get them to open up to her, like she did with Conrad in To Catch a Mongoose. I think she wants Lee to leave it to her to talk to Joe and get him to confide everything to her.
I love the guy with the magical color-changing bicycle! I never noticed before. It’s a bicycle of a different color! Either that, or he’s actually stealing bikes from the rooming house and no one’s noticed yet. He could be the guy from the old joke about smuggling bicycles across the border (although in the joke, sometimes it’s wheelbarrows). Maybe it’s a topic for a fanfic. Mrs. McDragon and the Amazing Bike Thief?
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I think you are right about the “we” coming from Amanda. I know I said something different earlier, but as I read your comment I recognized that I have always viewed Amanda that way as well. But Lee’s response has always made me wonder. He is being very business like, and maybe trying to be objective about Joe. I don’t sense him being jealous, or wanting to believe the worst, just objective and professional.
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Well, it could be both. I mean, maybe what you said earlier could be what’s going through Lee’s mind while Amanda’s thinking that she’s really more suited to handle Joe right now. All through that little exchange, Lee and Amanda seem to be silently communicating with those looks they give each other. I guess Lee must have agreed that it’s best to leave Joe with Amanda right now while he handles Shamba.
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yep,I think there’s more than one thing going on here too.. happy that Lee doesn’t look upset with Amanda and her attempt to declare Joe is innocent beyond a doubt! 🙂
Yes I get the impression that everything Lee does at the moment is for Amanda.. he leaves Amanda and Joe to deal with pesky Shamba – for Amanda.. he would really rather not.. but.. Stay tuned on that one! tee hee
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whahahaaaa..love it Jestress!!! the bicycles are being smuggled out of china – by the EAO on the sly!!!!
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This is a poignant moment. I do think it shakes Lee a bit to watch Amanda and Joe walk into that boarding house together hand in hand. I bet Lee’s hand feels empty. The hand holding between Lee and Amanda had become so comfortable just an episode ago. But the way Amanda hold’s Joe’s hand is different. I know this may be splitting hairs, but Amanda’s hand is over Joe’s not in Joe’s hand. For me a hand hold like that with my husband feels different, its more functional. When my arm is under his it feels more intimate. Is that odd? or does anyone else know what I am referring to?
Lee’s “I” as opposed to Amanda’s “we” seems to be because this really is Lee’s case. It isn’t a “we” case, it is “me” case and Amanda is the case. But there is something more to it, I think. There is some reference to people needing to do their jobs. I don’t know how to explain this with out jumping ahead. Its like one of those coin sorters in which you dump every coin you have into and then when you shake it they sort themselves out biggest coins in the top layer next biggest in the next and the smallest in the bottom layer. I think there is some of this shaking going on. Amanda is so used to being Lee’s partner that she is aligning herself with him as they work out this case, except that she really isn’t his partner here, she is the case and that is because of her connection with Joe… which is a marriage and children. As the shaking continues, who will fall into which tray? will any of the three of them find themselves in the same tray. Ugh, another weird Morley analogy. Does anyone get that one???
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Love your analogy, Morley! It makes perfect sense to me (though in hindsight, Amanda’s ‘we’ should provide relief to Lee and tell him where her loyalties and heart lie. 😉 )
Lee looking behind as Amanda and Joe walk away holding hands is such a poignant moment — I actually think the choice to not have Lee in focus adds to the scene even though I didn’t notice Lee’s reaction first time I watched this — I was too dumbfounded with the hand holding (Amanda! He’s your ex! WHY are you holding hands with HIM?). I do remember tinking that Amanda and Joe seemed very comfortable with each other. I didn’t know at the time about the “Rookies” connection.
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Oh Morley, I love what you say about Lee’s hand feeling empty, especially with the earlier scene when Amanda left him sitting at Dooley’s. All of this has got to be so huge for Lee and he still has to maintain his calm demeanor to deal with this case. That glance backwards kills me as you can just imagine or wonder if he is having those feelings of loss again. Every time I get to this scene I rewind it over and over to just watch Lee and get more of his expression. It just happens so quickly. And yes, I get the coin analogy.
Is it possible that all of our confusion as to what Amanda is doing, feeling and saying is so that we can get a taste of what Lee is feeling and seeing? It’s all a bit confusing and sometimes troubling as we see her reacting to Joe and not really liking it one bit. Her somewhat unwaivering support and defense of him is leading to question after question. Maybe the writers wanted us to feel some of the angst that Lee is feeling and get a feel for what he is going through in all of this.
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Yes Valerie.. this is how I see it too.. all the questions flying around at the moment.. and the audience experiences it right along with the characters (err if you don’t look ahead that is!)
Awh.. poor Lee!!! but.. I love that inspite of how things may look – there is no jealousy and no stupid immature games being played here – Lee’s putting Amanda’s needs first.
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Those moments as Lee walks away and then turns back to look at Amanda are really poignant and one of my favourite SMK moments of all time. At this moment I think Lee is really feeling some emotional pain and probably a sense of loss. Has he known love only to have it ripped away from him again?
My feeling is the “I” instead of “we” is Lee signalling to Amanda that she is too close to this case for her to be objective. At least I think that’s a big part of what that part of the conversation is about.
Brief comments for now as I have to get to work and I had a late night… with the cricket… yay!!! Commiserations Learjet. But YAY!! 😀
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Love this kiwismh.. argh.. my heart breaks for Lee here!!
congrats on the cricket! (condolences learjet)
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Thanks for the condolences kiwismh and iwsod. Watching Lee here makes me feel quite tearful (but maybe it’s the cricket result that’s making me tearful…) I like your explanation for Joe and Amanda holding hands, Iwsod (the cover for Mrs McDragon). Not convinced but I’m sticking with it because the alternative is just creepy IMO. Holding hands with your ex???
The “we”/”I” feels a bit like a power struggle between Amanda and Lee – which may be a bit flippant of me. I like how Lee puts Amanda in her place. She does need to try to be more objective and not incorrectly anticipate Lee’s words. Maybe I’m a bit heartless, but she does make me want to slap her here – Give Lee a chance, Amanda! He’s being the adult here.
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lol your metaphors are classic!
I think your point that it is Lee’s case is a part of the overall picture here Morley..
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Hey Morley – I so get what you mean about the position of your hand when holding hands. For me, when my hand is on top, it is because I am doing the leading. This is how I hold my kids’ hands. With my husband, my hand is almost always on the bottom, with him doing the leading. When I’m leading him it’s on the top of his hand. I commented above that I think this hand hold of theirs is about Amanda channeling Lee here and leading Joe to the safety of the rooming house – just like she took the lead in the library. Like Lee does with her – is her hand ever on top of Lee’s when they hold hands? I doubt it. I didn’t notice their hand position when I made that comment, but I think it is a piece of evidence that backs up my theory 😉
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I’m reading through this one and planning to go back with more comments but thought I’d take a shot at the ‘I’ vs. ‘We’ comment. I wondered if Lee was trying to separate himself (i.e., the agency) from Amanda so it wouldn’t jeopardize her relationship with her ex. That way, if anything goes wrong, let Lee be the bad guy in Joe’s eyes, not Amanda. Joe is ‘in’ her life, period. Even if just for the kids.
Yes, I do agree that Amanda’s ‘we’ comment was also trying to reassure Lee. Lee knows she’s feeling conflicted. He may want to take some of that away just to give her a reprieve. She’s not letting go and maybe she’s trying to subtly tell Lee she can handle it.
I also wondered if Amanda’s hand-holding is just to reassure Joe? Does she think he’ll decide to take off out of fear?
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