Back at Marvin’s HQ we find Marvin counting out his US treasury notes.. $10,000? whoa.. Certainly a lighter way of 
handing over $$ than cash I guess.. though IMHO less spectacular.. Marvin puts the Treasury Notes into a briefcase.
Amanda: I’m sure this is gonna work out.
[Amanda doesn’t meet Marvin’s eyes here.. lol Umm I don’t think she sounds very convincing.. like she is trying to be supportive yes, but instilling confidence? Not so much.]
Marvin: Funny…
… how you appreciate something when it looks like you’re gonna lose it. [He talking about his business? or his son.. oh yes.. of course.. definitely his business.. he doesn’t seem to give a toss about his son!]
Amanda sighs and they share a silent look.
The phone rings
Marvin: Hello?
Distorted voice (over phone): Four o’clock.
… Delaware Hill Road… The entrance to Thompkins Camp Ground… Bring the casssshhhh. [Um yes the note already said 4 o’clock.. thanks for the reminder.. and lol.. we already knew the location.. but.. ohhhh whatev!
Are treasury bonds exactly the same as cash? someone help me out here]
I think that voice on the phone is super creepy!!!! Especially with the evil burger lurking behind them!
They remain silent listening, and then hear the dial tone. They both immediately jump into action – Amanda picks up the phone to call Lee. Marvin slams his briefcase shut with purpose.. and starts walking to the door.
Amanda: Let me just call Lee…. Ma-Marvin, where are you goin’?
Marvin: Amanda, I can’t just sit here and watch them steal my life.
Amanda: Just wait for Lee to answer the ph-
(Marvin opens the door ignoring Amanda.)
Amanda: Marvin! Let me just call Lee! Marv-
(Amanda slams the phone down and hides the briefcase full of five million dollars under the desk – lol not a bad idea that! good one Amanda!)
Amanda grumbles as she hurries after Marvin: Ohhh! Why does this always happen to me?
Amanda runs out the door after Marvin calling: Marvin?!
I love that little line of Amanda’s.. why always her?!
I think Amanda has the role of empathetic ear and supporter down pat, what she needs to work on is having some authority! Lol this could possibly be the opposite journey to Francine.. but then again, earlier Bendix seemed to buy Francine pretending to care! I guess where Francine pretends to care, Amanda needs to pretend to have authority – especially when she needs to step up and Lee is not around – whoooo this is interesting.. and I’ll be looking forward to seeing how this plays out in the rest of the show.. I don’t really remember details.. FUN!!! 
We cut to Carla’s office.. guessing it’s her office… Carla and Barry are in the middle of their evil planning (Muahahaha) when Marvin bursts in.
Funny to be talking about authority and lack of. Up till now, Marvin has been completely lacking in it himself.. but here he chooses to finally exert himself. Even if it is rather unwise!
Do you think this is suppose to give us food for thought?
Marvin: You’re not getting away with this, Carla.
[Interesting that he directs the accusation at Carla and ignores his son.. I really struggle with this father son thing! You would think the son would be more important.. but I’m blaming the writing for this big time! ]
Carla (super sweetly): Marvin, what’s wrong?
Carla is so super sweet.. she kinda reminds me of Francine from earlier- lol!
Barry: What are you talking about, Pop?
[Oh boy.. still calling him pop. What a weasley little creep.. Hope Lee eventually belts the daylights out of him.. ahem.. )
Marvin: I’m talking about threatening to kill thousands of innocent people….
[Okay.. kudos where it’s owed- great to hear Marvin is indignant over the risk to innocent people, rather than the loss of his business!]
…You’re gonna hang for this… both of you…
…It’s over!
Carla: You’re wrong, Marvin. It’s just beginning.
Just look at Barry.. he’s enjoying seeing Carla pull a gun on his ‘pop’. What a sick little kid!
[Okay, I’m starting to sympathise for what Marvin is going through.. he may not be the best dad in the world but he doesn’t deserve this]
Suddenly Amanda hurries to the doorway and stops abruptly.
Amanda seems to realise, she made a mistake following so carelessly, she could have avoided capture and gotten help.. but oh well.. this way we get a rescue scene.. right?! tee hee..
Carla (to Amanda): Come in. Close the door.
[See Amanda.. that’s how you do authority! lol!!]
(Being an old pro at being held at gunpoint, Amanda calmly does what she’s told and causes Carla no alarm)
Carla: Well, this isn’t exactly the way we planned it… but I’m willing to improvise… [LOL no need to consult with Barry on the change of plans.. she is running the show.. Barry’s so weak..will he at some point find his backbone and his heart?!] …Why don’t you get the money now, Marv-?
Amanda: -He doesn’t have it!!!…
…Well, I, I…
…You know, it’s a lot of money… five million dollars, and-
Carla: –Just exactly who are you?
Amanda: I’m a housewife from Maine.
[good for you Amanda..]
Carla: Right. And I’m Princess Di…
[why does this line crack me up?! Maybe it’s that Carla considers herself ruler of everything.. I do wonder if Diana ever saw any of these references to herself.. bizarre!]
…You know, I thought you were gonna be a bit of a problem, but now I think I see a way to make you part of the solution.
Carla points the gun at Marvin: And you…
… You get to be our messenger boy, Marvin.
Marvin nods resigned.
yep, you screwed up and underestimated how low Carla and your wimpy son could go. He should have listened to Amanda.. maybe he regrets that now. He tried to exert some authority, but it was waaaay too late for that and now he’s reaping the consequences of his previous inaction. Not that I think he deserves this though. It’s only natural Marvin wouldn’t play it smart when dealing with criminals who are so close to him.. (but then he was so quick to accept that they were the criminals here.. this I really struggle with!)
As a possible indication that I think waaay too much about such uninteresting baddie plots, I’m also baffled by their plan here. Carla sleeps with Marvin, he falls in love with her and she cheats on him with the regional manager.
Soooo why wasn’t the plan to just marry Marvin and then get half his money and divorce him?? lol..or marry Marvin and then kill him?
Ahh but wait.. there’s that pesky wimpy son to deal with, if Marvin died Barry may inherit.
Barry is such a disappointing wimp I could see her convincing Marvin to disinherit him before she killed Marvin! lol
But oh well.. I’ll just have to figure that instead, Carla moves on to sleep with Barry, recruit Bendix to make a chemical to poison the Colossus burger and extort $5million from Marvin, then kill Bendix and then share the $$ with wimpy Barry or kill him too. Sheesh.. Much easier to marry Marvin.. or much easier to marry Barry, then kill the dad together… inherit and then.. kill Barry.. my mind is currently scaring me! lol!!!
With Marvin having fallen in love with Carla, and with Barry being Marvin’s son – there were much simpler, easier ways to get $5 million from Marvin. This whole ‘let’s poison burgers and blackmail the old man’ plan is just complicated and ridiculous.
What was the plan before they nabbed Amanda? Just simple hand over?
Is it just me who struggles with this plot? quite possibly! lol..
What did you make of the possible little ‘authority’ theme going on here? I enjoyed that little moment with Amanda there..
okay.. enough Barry and Carla.. we needs some Lee Stemson Stetson goodness! Coming up next post! can’t wait to hear from ya byeee!
"Just walk with me.." 
Think you’re onto something here, iwsod. Amanda definitely needs to get some authority here. She doesn’t really have it from Lee, but she’s at least got to fake it. I think she only sees herself having authority and being comfortable with it at home as a mother and homeowner.
And yeah, I agree, Marvin is talking about his business here. I think he’s missed his some for a long time now. That ship has sailed. Guess I still find Marvin likeable, sympathetic, and good-hearted even though he’s far from a perfect father. I think he directs his accusation at Carla because he knows his son. He knows that Barry’s involvement is at Carla’s discretion and direction. He doesn’t believe Barry could mastermind this or direct it. He’s too lazy and wimpy.
Bwahahaha! The second best line of the episode, “Right, and I’m Princess Di.” I think Carla wishes she were Princess Di.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Those eyes of that burger….they follow me everywhere I go lmao! Who could work with that heinous model watching your every move.
LikeLike
I’m mortified to admit that I had a yellow flared skirt in exactly the shade of Carla’s, back in 1985 or 86 – but I was about 11 or 12 so I was a juvenile offender and should not be judged too harshly 🙂
As horrible (and silly and badly dressed dressed) Carla is, she at least has some spirit. Barry is just a wet fish. Except he has less personality and doesn’t smell as bad. And he’s filleted (no backbone!!!)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agree!!! Oh I think that bright yellow is back in fashion. I ‘ve seen it around.. I think it can look okay if it suits the woman.. fashion police is maybe 90% subjective.. sooo I wouldn’t issue a warrant for a bright yellow suit like Carla’s.. but for plastic blue jackets? Lee is definitely under arrest! 🙂
I’ve missed ya!!
LikeLike
A man who drives a silver Corvette can afford a leather jacket – a plastic jacket just doesn’t cut it. But Carla’s Canary look activates Learjet’s gag reflex.
LikeLike
I had a hideous yellow knitted sweater that was long in the body which I wore over leggings or a pencil skirt. I thought it looked fab but now I just think,”Arghhh! What was I thinking??!!” Oh, and I had big yellow plastic Francine-type earrings to match. It was the height of fashion at the time. Ick!
LikeLike
You’ve just reminded me of my big bright yellow plastic ear-rings from a similar era – at least they weren’t ear-buttons!!
LikeLike
Great fish analogy, learjet!
LikeLike
The first thing that came to mind when you mentioned Amanda’s need for more authority was that maybe she still doesn’t believe enough in her own abilities and right (not quite the word I want) to be an agent. If she believed more in her role and her ability to be in that role she would be able to exert more authority.
And then that made me think about Marvin and his role as a father which he is pretty lousy at. But maybe the only thing he believed about himself was that he was good in the burger business and so that was all he focused on. Now he is seeing the mess that he has made, the chickens are coming home to roost. I do think he becomes aware of that, too late, but I can see how sad he is.
If I spend more time thinking about Carla and Barry I bet I could make some (weak) connections there too. But it also makes me think of Lee and Francine. In this episode how many of the characters are getting a good glimpse of what they believe about themselves and about others and what they believe about their roles in life? Just some “food for thought” 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
good call.. yes Amanda doesn’t yet see herself as a fully fledged agent.. and well we talk about her here like she isn’t also huh! 🙂
Yes this food for thought idea is an interesting one. maybe in the final post we will have identified what the food for thought is.. or.. maybe it is multiple things.. hmm…
but one thing is certain fast food is dangerous!! Don’t eat it! haaaa..
Thanks for responding to this rather lame section Morley and Valerie and Kiwismh and Cindy! – you’ve kept me motivated to continue on and soldier on through the plot craters.. for the love of the show!
LikeLike
Huzzah! For the love of the show! Carry on!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Morley – I said something similar to you in my comment above about Amanda and authority but coming from the other direction. And given Marvin’s age and when this episode aired, I’m guessing Barry was a child in the fifties/first half of sixties? So am thinking the role of father then is quite different than it has become today? I’m thinking He got up went to work and left the parenting to the mother. He was the disciplinarian when he got home and ruled his roost on the weekends. Given that he and Barry seem to be opposite in every way (except for falling victim to Carla’s charms), I’m guessing these two have never had much in the way of a relationship – they’ve both probably been disappointed with one another their entire lives.
LikeLike
The father/son relationship of Marvin and Barry is way more than strained. It would have made more sense if Barry had been the mastermind and he had stolen Carla from Marvin for spite and then used her to help him in this plot. Barry could have then dumped Carla as he was only using her in the first place. It makes more sense for Barry to be trying to get back at Marvin for their broken relationship than any of this other stuff that’s going on.
The way Carla seems to be handling things I can’t see how she could have been emotional enough to get Marvin to fall in love with her. She seems to have no redeeming qualities and can’t see how she could have faked it for very long. She’s an opportunist and just to get what she can in any way she can.
The scene with Amanda and Marvin and him taking off reminds me of what James did in WTAMB when Amanda went to call Lee. Amanda at least did get to talk to Lee in that instance and told him where they were headed. I love how Amanda recognizes and acknowledges the things that always seem to happen to her. I like how Amanda sticks with that cover that she wasn’t in agreement with in the first place.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Those first few screen shots are screaming out for some memes. That giant burger standing behind Marvin and Amanda is just creepy.
LikeLike
I think Amanda’s line about “why does this always happen to me” is obviously a reference to all those times in the last 2 years she’s been in the wrong place at the right time, or the right place at the wrong time. But I also think it is Amanda acknowledging that she has a “nose” for this business and she has successfully coped with all those situations in the past (sometimes with Lee’s help of course). I think her decision to go it alone and follow Marvin is indicative of her increased confidence in her ability to handle the situation professionally, at least until an opportunity presents to bring Lee (or Francine) in for back-up.
LikeLike
Iwsod, top marks for trying to work out Carla’s motivations. The way I see it, a young(ish) woman really only wants to marry a much older (wealthy) man if he already has one foot in the grave and the other on a banana skin. Maybe she realised Marvin was just too healthy and she was going to have to either wait long-term to get a chunk of his wealth (and share it with him in the meantime, and I get the feeling Carl’a ain’t good at sharing), or hasten him to some untimely, unnatural, and untraceable departure.
Carla isn’t a patient woman, so whatever her plan is, I think it involves getting her hands on a large chunk of Marvin’s wealth. Oh, and only “her hands” as I don’t think Barry is in her long-term plan either (he’s too much of a wimp for her to put up with for too long). I am sure she would find someway of controlling or dispatching Barry once she’s dealt with Marvin.
This forced last minute change of plan probably now involves killing them both (and now Amanda too) when she’s got what she wants, and then high-tailing it out of the US, probably to somewhere remote but comfortable so she can live a life of luxury for a few years until she thinks the heat is off her.
That’s how I would do it….ummm, .. oh, did I say that out loud?….err…I mean, that’s how I would do it if I were of a bad and dangerous disposition, which of course I’m not…. really…. muahahahahaha 😈
LikeLiked by 3 people
That’s hysterical! I’ve never heard the latter part of that expression before, kiwismh!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aieeee! The plot holes! On a brighter note, this should free me when I am struggling the fan fiction I am trying to write. I can even claim I am keeping it very authentic to the show.
I guess it would be too much for Lee to have tapped the phone? Or let Amanda keep that direct line walkie talkie thingy she had in WWH? Oh well. Bring on the Lee Stetson goodness!
And just a thought — in Carla’s evil plan – where did Eddie fit in? Call me lookist, but he is not exactly the most handsome or fit of men — what exactly did Carla hope to achieve by sleeping with him? She risked a lot for no gain that I can see.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Good point about Eddie. Maybe Carla’s just a bit of a **** (insert your preferred term for a “loose woman”) as well as being mad and bad.
LikeLike
What I want to know if why all these men wanted to sleep with Carla??? What was the appeal?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hooray! Learjet!! Hiya!!! 🙂
Carla is expert at backgammon? nah actually not necessarily..
I think all these men were ripe for a pretty lady (who isn’t really a lady 😉 ) to pay them some attention.. flatter them.. you know the deal..
Marvin was lonely.. Eddie was a flake (billy’s words not mine!) and Barry? well.. he’s such a wet fish as you so eloquently described, that I don’t think the gals were falling over themselves to be near him.. you know what I mean? The sap has nothing going for him. Other than he is ripe to be manipulated and who his daddy is.. Meh.
I think I saw glimpses of Charming Carla through out.. she can sound and look sweet as can be.. all while reaching for the gun in her desk drawer!
Carla is an opportunistic manipulator.. who dresses like a canary!
LikeLike
One of those females which other women can’t stand but men inexplicably are drawn to??
LikeLike
Exactly! All us ‘nice’ girls deep down would like to know her secret 😉 all while cursing her!!!
This is probably one reason I love Lee and Amanda so much – the nice girl gets the guy! And the guy loves her for who she is.. can’t beat it..
LikeLike
Completely agree! But I think the nice girls would not be able to do what she does even once they know her secret.
LikeLike
Yes! And get the promotions too.
LikeLike
Ummm, she was female and easy. What other motivation do men need??
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh my gosh…between you and kiwismh I am cracking up over here!
LikeLike