So, Amanda’s done great work and uncovered Code Pyramid.. but.. what so far we wonder – What is a Code Pyramid? [Lee! Just ask T.P. He knows everything 
]
We find Lee in the bullpen with Francine again. They’re waiting for a print out of information.
Lee: Alright, code Pyramid was an inter-Agency project from 1962-1963. The files are all wiped clean. Except for a roster of all the team members.
Francine: According to Rupert’s file, he worked in the fabrication unit. Now, it had something to do with him being an engineer. Does any of that help?
[I’m confused.. an engineer in the fabrication unit? I thought fabrication was fake ID’s and stuff.. where did I hear about that, Tail of the Dancing Weasel? help?
Actually now I think about it, Francine’s hairdresser is probably an engineer too ]
Lee: It’s hard to say, but all I can tell from this is that all the team members are retired — Except for Ray Packer. [I keep hearing Ray Parker Jnr!] He’s still working for us in acquisitions.
So at this point, have they connected Durran to Code Pyramid? I’m thinking not.. but then I’m finding this plot convoluted.. so I need someone to hold my hand here 😉 lol..
Hmm I can’t find any interesting names in this list.. can you? Though looks like Glynis is Glynnis..
Next thing, we meet Ray Packer (rofl who actually kinda looks like Ray Parker Jnr!!!) in Billy’s office.
Packer: But sir, you know I’m not authorized to discuss classified information with anyone!
Billy: I appreciate your position, Packer. But this is a Delta-Green priority, and it’s getting hotter by the minute. [oh? it’s been raised from Alpha two priority?? no one told me! 😉 ]
Packer: But Code Pyramid was strictly conducted on a need-to-know basis.
Lee interrupts this clash of the moustaches..
Lee: Oh look, Ray, if we had time to push this through proper clearance channels we would, but we don’t…
…Now come on, man, this is a Delta-Green!
Packer: If I tell you anything about this project I’d be violating my national security oath, I’d be breaking the law —
Billy: Ray, this is a matter crucial to national security. It’s imperative that we know what Pyramid is all about!
They pause a moment.. silently pleading with Packer. Come on! break the law just this once for your country!
Packer: I can’t say anything. But during the period between 1962 and 1963, I often wrote these words on an order form.
Lee: Thanks, Ray. Thanks a lot.
Packer: If anyone in this office tried to connect me with the information on that paper, I’ll deny it. I normally write left-handed, sir.
[cool idea! Go Parker errr Packer!] Packer leaves.
Lee: (reads) From March of 1962 through July of 1963 I personally ordered 27,000 feet of florescent tubes. Signed with an X…
…Code Pyramid was a top-secret operation to order overhead lighting? No, obviously this project was compartmentalized. [rofl! If this was early smk that would have been a huge gag.. but here? it seems a little hidden no?? or is it just me? ]
(Lee leans over and starts dialling a number)
Billy: Which means that everybody worked independently of each other, so that no one knew what the overall project was about.
Lee: I can’t believe it. A top-secret, need-to-know clearance to order lighting.
Receptionist (V.O.): Birchwood.
Lee: Ah, Rupert Simpson, please.
Receptionist: Just a moment, please.
Lee: If anybody knows anything about this place, it’s-
Rupert (V.O.): Simpson here.
Lee: Hello, Rupert?
Rupert: Mm-hmm?
Lee: Yeah, it’s Lee Stetson.
[Interesting, he doesn’t say Lee he says Lee Stetson.. I’m not sure these guys are sooo close..]
Rupert: Hello, Lee.
Lee: Uh, Rupert, listen. Could you tell me if you know anything about a code Pyramid?
Rupert: Why are you asking me that?
Lee: Rupert, maybe it might have something to do with your, uh — night pirates.
Rupert: Well, I’m sorry Lee. Pyramid was a need-to-know project. [There you go Valerie – Rupert has a phone line in his room 
]
Lee: Come on, Rupert. We already know about the florescent lighting. [rofl.. is it just me or does that line sound really hilarious???!!!! I mean.. so what?!]
Rupert: Uh-oh, someone cracked. Not me, though. Uh-uh, nope, I’m sorry!
(Rupert hangs up on Lee)
[LOL! Lee did his look down the phone line!]
Lee: He hung up on me.
Billy is indignant!: Well, then get out there and deal with him face to face and tell him that our need-to-know is a hell of a lot bigger than his…
…And take Amanda with you, in case he doesn’t want to talk to you. [whoo hoo! I bet Billy didn’t even need to suggest Amanda come, at this stage I think Lee would have brought her anyway.. what do you think?]
LOL as Lee leaves Billy has a bit of trouble reading that note lol..
Moving on..
We see Rupert at home reading his magazine..
What’s with the music as the shot pans across his books there and onto Rupert? Meh.. I’m not feelin it.. I’ll move on..
Rupert hears a door slamming.. looks out the window and sees a white van has pulled up [cool shot here with Rupert’s reflection!!]
[If he could hear that, why couldn’t Howard the useless guard?!]
Rupert sees this and jumps into action.
He takes off his dressing gown, hides in his tissue box his night medications and gets into bed – I’m guessing he is pretending so if they come they will take him away and he’ll learn what’s going on?? I don’t know.. anyone?
The men in white open Rupert’s door, pulling a gurney..
Cue the high tech music! Stuff is umm.. happening!! Yep.. that’s probably a high tech gurney!
Ahem, next thing we see the high tech corvette driving down a road..
The high tech van pulls out of Birchwood.. probably down a high tech street.
We see the corvette pulling up to Birchwood.. as we hear Lee and Amanda:
Amanda: Lee, look, that’s the van Rupert and I saw last night.
Lee: Well, then let’s see where it’s going tonight, huh?
Lee does a high tech 3 point turn and follows the van.
ROFL! we see an exterior shot of Blue Star Insurance
In daylight?! whahaahahaa..I think they’ve dimmed it maybe.. but.. it still looks like daylight to me..
Then it quickly cuts back to the van at night. Which pulls off the road, I guess into Blue Star insurance.
Lee pulls over out front.
I’ll need to pause here for the moment..
Looking forward to hearing from you all- thanks for stopping by and reading!!
"Just walk with me.." 
Oh my goodness, where do days go? I can’t believe I am so far behind. And, tonight as I read through the comments for this post I see you mentioned me as a possible help for finding some meaning to parts of this. Ha! Don’t know if I can aid you right now. Somehow real life has taken off and I left SMK behind and I miss it so.
Why does Lee vacillate between being a rule breaker and following protocol? Maybe that is just part of the spy business and both aspects come out while training Amanda. I think way back in ITCK his attitude about tha was more due to his prejudice against that housewife that Billy kept sending him, maybe he was even rehearsing the attitude to keep his defenses up. But now, I guess there just has to be that balance between instincts and training. Maybe that is what is warring in him while he is trying to figure out why Amanda took on Rupert’s conspiracy here, are these her amazing instincts at work, or is it her lack of training and experience that is leading her down some primrose path?
And the only other thing I can add is that I think Rupert can’t let go of the life long priority he gave to the secrecy of Code pyramid. I think it plays into the theme of those big books on Lee’s desk and all of the training versus personal relationships. Somethings just can’t be touched in the spy world, especially Code Pyramid, doesn’t matter how much Rupert likes Lee. He is a loyal agent, that secret he will take to his grave out of duty.
That is all I got right now.
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I think fabrication is just making stuff – whether it’s ID’s or spy tools or the machine shop, it wouldn’t matter. Fabrication is where you go when you need something that you can’t buy, so someone has to make it or fabricate it.
Is it just me, or does it take way too long for Lee to realize there is only one interesting piece of information on this printout? The ACTIVE word sort of sticks out even if you’re not really concentrating on it. I’m having a hard time believing that Lee’s eye wouldn’t have zoomed in on that right away. And if not his eyes, then Francine’s. I bet Amanda would have spotted it right away.
“…clash of the moustaches..” ROFL!!! Brilliant!
And seriously, if the guy is writing with the hand he doesn’t normally write with, could he really have written ALL that in about 5 seconds? Guess the guy is ambidextrous.
Lol – maybe Lee’s next line is taped to the receiver!
I agree – Lee would have taken Amanda anyway – but it is hysterical that Billy tells him to take her in case Rupert doesn’t want to talk to Lee – bwahahahaha!
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I guess Rupert is trying to bait the agency into looking into this, but hoping he won’t have to disclose more than that…? Just a thought.
Funny that when we see the man in white entering Rupert’s room (i.e., the ‘night pirate’) there’s a ship sitting on his desk.
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As one who has publically declared how much I like this episode, I’m starting to wonder why I like it…
Some possible reasons (other than KJ directing): the dialogue is pretty hilarious (although I don’t think it’s supposed to be 😀 ). It’s so full of contradictions and OTT “spy” phrases that it cracks me up. (And it amazes me how Lee talks about improvising and adjusting the rules in one episode, and then in other episodes rants about following the correct methods and thinking things through before acting. Morley?? You’re the only one who may be able to come up with an explanation?!)
Also I think I like the lighting and atmosphere of the night scenes eg the ambulance’s arrival, Rupert sitting by his bed. The way KJ handles lighting is rather different and, I think, striking.
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I still like this episode even though it’s corny and has sieve-like plot holes. It’s partly because it’s all still funny and partly because I really like Rupert. 🙂 Did anyone mention earlier that the same actor who plays Rupert also played a misogynistic, incompetently murderous butler on Remington Steele?
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Awh learjet.. I hear ya! well we never hold anyone to a view here.. we are free to change our minds and do whatever we like 🙂
Sounds like there’s lots of things to love in this ep..
Sorry if the posts on here are not making it easy to see the things you love. I’m trying..
So far, I’m finding there are things to love – i’m just distracted by the overall flow of the story.. not really feelin it… but that’s when we can really use those that love it to share a different point of view – feel free to celebrate what you love freely 🙂
I find it really interesting as I watch this ep to think that this is how KJ wanted to portray Lee and Amanda.. it’s the camera angles or shots she wanted to use – I like to imagine it’s all the ideas she thought up the last 3 years or whatever, and now she’s trying them out! So I find that interesting too.. While this ep is probably not going to go down as a fave, I do think it is worth watching for the fact that KJ directed it alone!!!
True Learjet, I’m sure Morley can improve on it 🙂
I think that smk has many clever fans who love the characters who could do a valiant effort here 🙂 Anyone want to have a go? you are most welcome 🙂
Oh yeah I liked that shot with Rupert looking out the window at the ambulance. very cool – just makes it hard for iwsod to take images from the video.. lol why didn’t KJ consider that when directing this ep!! she should have known!! more saracasm lol! 🙂
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Saracasm? What? lol! I think I’ll have to refine my skills a bit more. 😉
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Yeah I added the sarcasm interpretation because sometimes the written word can make sarcasm harder to detect.. but if you picked it up excuse my obvious explanation haaaaa Hey Sara- hope you are well!
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Umm… Okay. I guess that one slipped passed me.
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LOL is that sarcasm? 😉
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Actually no. I was trying to remember when I had used sarcasm here, hence my comment “I think I’ll have to refine my skills a bit.” So I think I missed it entirely. I thought you were referring to me. No worries. 😉
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I was kidding about refining my skills though, but I think you caught that. 😉
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LOL I’m totally confused 😉 but hey we’re all good? that’s good! Yep I assumed you were joking 🙂
My jokes are lame so I need to make it obvious I am being sarcastic tee hee..
It’s very late here and I need to get to bed..
have a great day everyone! Next post is up 🙂 Looking forward to hearing from you guys byeeee!
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hiya all! I woke up this morning thinking this comment maybe wasn’t clear.
When I wrote ‘more sarcasm’ I should have written ‘more sarcasm from iwsod’ – I was referring to a previous comment I had just written..but I realise now this may not have been immediately obvious 🙂
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You are right, Iwsod, that some moments in this S3 episode have a S1 feel. There is a lot of irony and subtle humor, but the actors play so much straighter in S3 that I think much of it is lost. I think Rupert working in “fabrication” is an example. Fabricate means “to make” as an engineer would make or construct something, but of course it also means to “make up”. Given Rupert’s image in this script, this is a delightful play on words and I never noticed it before. I love little nuggets like this!
There certainly too is the more overt irony as Lee and Billy fall victim to their own agency’s rules of secrecy and “need to know”. SMK is poking at stick at US government bureaucracy there, an easy target. Again I can imagine this scene being played out quite differently and more humourously, albeit more ridiculously, in S1. Ray would have been more of a caricature, Lee would be more befuddled and would handle it with much less restraint and much more drama. Sigh. But each season has its own personality, so I’m not complaining — just reminiscing!
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Raffie, I too miss the magic of season 1.
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I hear ya.. season 1 is magic..
but it is really wonderful to watch Lee and Amanda grow closer…
I miss season 1 humour.. and while covering a part of an ep that is not feeling particularly magic to me right at this moment, I remind myself that season 3 is full of magic too.. just.. different kind of magic 🙂 hooo haaa and hey, I found Lee’s attitude in season 1 at times really hard to take, so I am loving this more mature Lee – swoony!!!
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I agree that the show got more serious in this season and next. I miss the light hearted SMK of season two, KJ is really good at the comic (KJ & BB reminded me of Ricky and Lucy). I always wondered if it wouldn’t have lasted longer if it hadn’t gotten too serious, but then Amanda, in reality, would have lost her naivety by now anyways.
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Oh dear, I hope I can communicate this. True, I believe humour is hard to write and while (IMHO) I can see feisty, confident Amanda in early season one as a good romantic match for Lee, I don’t think season 2 Amanda would be. I think the writers got a little lost with her character as the show went on I do miss the light heartedness of the earlier seasons and it was much easier to accept the plot holes when the show did not take itself too seriously but I really, really like how Amanda’s character is evolving.
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whooo this is interesting!
I think you’ve communicated it fine 🙂 I think season 2 is when Lee really fell completely for Amanda..
But A class Act bugs the daylights out of me.. Or maybe I should say Amanda in A class Act.
Which parts of season 2 were you thinking of Cindy when you thought Amanda would not be a good match for Lee?
Hmmm.. maybe we should start a thread on Nedlindger’s about this so we can find this conversation again lol.. we are discussing season 2 in a season 3 episode post lol..
Cindy you’ve totally hit the nail on the head for me with this comment!!!
You know, sometimes when I am writing up an episode now it feels harder to be narky – it was much easier when the show was making fun of itself..for me to laugh along with the show.. now? sometimes it feels like I’m laughing at it because as you say, it’s taking itself more seriously.. I want to laugh with it honest! I love this show 🙂 I also love watching Amanda’s character grow 🙂 It’s one of my favourite parts of smk 🙂
I think we could have had a funnier season 3 and still seen Amanda grow.. but anyway.. we got what we got and we all still love this show and these characters.. maybe together we’ll see the funny little gems in season 3 a bit more?! Or.. we can have fun trying.. Or we can just make up our own fun gags along the way 🙂
So glad we are all on this journey with our fave characters together 🙂
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I hadn’t really noticed it before Raffie, I’m only really noticing this for the first time now – that there were lines that maybe ‘should’ have been funny… but I didn’t find them funny in the context of season 3.. Oh yeah! good point about Rupert being in fabrication – haaaa that’s a great double meaning! I completely missed it!
LoL maybe SMK’s humour is transitioning into something so clever i’m missing it! 😉 tee hee.. that’s very possible! 🙂
So true about season 1 raffie.. yes true season 3 still has it’s brilliant qualities..
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Lee looks particularly good in that first picture of Ray packer. That’s all I got. This plot is pretty convoluted.
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Christine wonderful to hear from you! I loved this comment!! Yeah!!! give us what you’ve got 🙂 I went back and checked out Lee.. you are so right. such a pose!! I hadn’t noticed.. IMHO in that frame he looks more like a cop than an agent.. wearing black jeans, hip holster.. hoooo haaaa!
Yeah I’m finding the plot convoluted too.. it’s much improved by being distracted by Mr Hooo haaaa Stetson!
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Billy’s line that their need-to-know is a lot bigger than Rupert’s cracks me up. Somehow just sounds like a frustrated boss.
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haaaaa yeah the dialogue in this scene is actually funny! 🙂
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Oh Rupert, you are such a LAME-O! Lee thinks code pyramid has something to do with the kid-I-mean-eldernappings and you pull the you can’t make me, you can’t make me act. What are you – 5?
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Yes, I thought his response was a little strange considering he was the one who was trying to get attention for the kidnappings.
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I never took it that way interesting! I love to hear different ideas 🙂
I figured Rupert was trying to be a good soldier – who never talks. Even if it’s to his own detriment.. but gee if Billy had told him it was now Delta-Green well sarcasm Rupert may have relented 😉 tee hee..
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