Later that night in Washington.. We find Francine in the back of Gregory’s limo.
Gregory: Welcome home, Miss Desmond. 
Francine: Gregory. I should have figured this for your kind of game. 
[Hey, there is that game reference again!
Wow.. seems Francine has been able to fix her hair. so nice of the baddies to help her prep for her big exchange]
Gregory: Well for your sake let’s hope Mr Melrose remembers to play it by my rules.
Francine: Well, you sound— ah— almost agreeable.
Gregory: Believe me Miss Desmond, no one wants this trade any more than I do— except possibly you, of course.
Yep.. okay.. get on with it!
We join Lee and Amanda getting out of Amanda’s car (oh good I’m so glad the Russians returned it 
tee hee) 
Is there a significance to the black limo going past? seems quite a coincidence… err is that a coincidence that isn’t.. or one that is?! If I were one of these two, I’d be anxious to see another black limo drive past – this is the same spot where that other limo did the drive by!
Amanda holds those polaroids of Wally Tuttle they found earlier.
Amanda: You know, there were a lot of girls in these pictures we got from his apartment but Tuttle seems to favour this one. 
Lee: Oh what a long shot. 
Amanda: It’s the only shot we’ve got.
[right at the spot where the drive by was they are talking about long shots and only shots?! whahahahaaa..]
Back to Jango Hart playing his piano. 
He sees Lee and Amanda and immediately grabs his jar of tips and draws it closer. haaaaaaa.. I think Jango is funniest when he is doing non verbal gags!
Amanda: Well, hello again Mr Hart.
(He tries to pretend they’re not there and continues playing the piano..)
…I wonder if you could take a look at this picture and identify the lady for us. 
[I’m guessing this is Amanda good cop, Lee bad cop.. err IRS person.. btw- I love to see Amanda in red.. but.. wish she’d left the fluffy cardy at home!]
Jango: You folks have a lot of pictures, don’t ya?…
…Look I called my accountant. Bernie says, okay, I should play ball with you but first I gotta know what you guys want, kapish?
Lee: She just old you pal. 
[How great is it to see Lee this time, backing up Amanda 
Suddenly Lee is much better looking than he was earlier in the ep ]
Jango: Let me see that again. okay?
[Whooo Jango, love the frilly cuffs ]
Amanda: Take a good look at it. 
Jango: Yeah, yeah that’s Cindy Bell…
…She hasn’t been around in a long, long time.
Lee: Do you know what might have happened to her?
Jango: Usually only two reasons why girls like that disappear – ether they’re taking a nine month vacation or they’ve taken up with a John. 
[this dialogue makes me cringe.. why I’m not sure.. maybe it’s too gritty and judgmental for smk?]
At this moment, Lee picks up Jango’s money jar with great dramatic flair.. 
Amanda: Well do you think Cindy Bell could have taken up with Wally Tuttle?
[As Amanda questions Jango.. Lee looks intently at the contents of the money jar haaaaa.. too funny! There’s definitely a meme in this moment!]
Jango: Uh, it’s hard to say.
Lee looks up..
…It’s hard to say!
Lee: Well you want to make a guess?..
[Amanda reaches into her pocket and puts some $$ into the money jar. Hey do you think she knows the going rate for bribery now?]
…If she knows him,…
…where can we find them? 
Jango: Hot Tub Headquarters. 
Oh LOL Hot Tub Headquarters?!
There’s no time to waste. Lee and Amanda head straight to Hot Tub HQ.
As Lee and Amanda exit her car, Lee and Amanda are seen to be both putting their arm around each other..
But then, as they approach the door they are no longer..
They look around and don’t see anyone.. 
Amanda looks at Lee and Lee quietly says “yeah” seeming to give her the go ahead to knock on the door and take the lead on this
[How cool is that ]
Lee looks around a bit more as there’s no answer.
He pulls his gun out.. but keeps it discrete.
Finally, Cindy answers..
Oops maybe that should be with i, so it’s definitely not Cindy who is a part of the JWWM community
Amanda: Hello
Cindi: We’ve still got 15 minutes.
Amanda: Yes, I know…
…We don’t mean to bother you but I think I left my glasses inside. 
Cindi: We’ve been here since 11. 
[11? I thought the hand over was suppose to be noon??!! I wonder what time it is now.. ]
Amanda: Well yes I know that…
…but we left shortly before 11…
…and I really can’t see a thing without them.
TuttlePop: Who is it honey?
[I guess we now know Wally Tuttle /Popovich is not Will Towne.. so let’s call him TuttlePop!]
Cindi: She left her glasses. They want to look.
LOL Amanda doesn’t want for the okay. she just smiles and starts entering haaaa.. 
[I think Lee has a new found enjoyment for watching Amanda at work ]
Amanda: Thank you so much.
[You can just make out the smile Lee gives as he follows Amanda into Hot Tub HQ!
Me thinks hot tubs are code for funny business or gettin busy in smk.. up there with the backgammon and candles
The idea of a hot tub you can use privately and rent by the hour is extremely ick though. Definitely would come with a bonus free disease that would be delivered shortly there after! eww!]
TuttlePop calls out from the hot tub: Tell them that we’ve still got time. 
Lee, Amanda and Cindi enter..
Lee reveals his gun..
Lee: Your time just ran out Tuttle.
TuttlePop: No, you’re confusing me with someone else.
[I guess the bonus of surprising someone in a hot tub is they definitely don’t have a gun]
Amanda: Well that’s the whole idea isn’t it? 
[Whooooo best line of the episode!!! ]
Cindi: What’s going on Wally? Are you married? 
[Poor Cindi.. she actually cares that TuttlePop could be married.. seems they had some real feelings between them, whatever Jango may have thought of Cindi and her ‘Johns’.]
TuttlePop: I’m afraid it’s a lot more complicated than that honey. 
We end with Lee wordlessly looking at Amanda.
Ahhh I see more admiration
yep, it was complicated. but Amanda figured it out
I guess way back when TuttlePop told Gregory he’d take care of it with Cindi – that meant he would go into hiding with her and not go back to the condo!
We cut to the station wagon driving down the street..
Lee: The Russians will only trade Francine back for the real Towne. They’ll spot this guy. Besides you don’t want to go back do you Popovich?
[The whole about face -get it?!- on how TuttlePop looks just like Towne and then when it’s time to swap he doesn’t look enough like Towne? This bugs me! but.. okay.. I’ll go with it! errr anything to get back Francine! Oh my gosh.. can’t believe I wrote that! 😉
Soooo I guess TuttlePop told them his real name is Popovich? Lee uses his real name. Heck. TuttlePop would have been much more fun to use! Why would Popovich do that? Anything in the script about that? I prefer TuttlePop so I’m sticking with it!!
Three people in the front seat of the station wagon? hmm now it’s making sense why they have Amanda’s car.. they couldn’t do that in Lee’s…
Also, I’m not a fan of how Lee has his gun pointed at TuttlePop there – it’s also pointed at Amanda!!! Safety first Lee!
Popovich: Gregory will drop me down a Siberian uranium mine and forget me. Please, let’s talk. You have a protected witness programme, right? We hear about it all over Russia.
Lee: Propaganda. Look the swap goes down in one hour, will you floor this thing Amanda! 
[LOL Lee checks his watch and points his gun at Amanda even more!! Is that a floor it or else?!]
Amanda: According to the section of the Agency manual on offensive driving, short bursts of speed will do very little to increase one’s top end average. 
LOL at the looks on the guy’s faces!
Lee: What?
Popovich: You’re sensible. She’s sensible. We can work this out. What can I do?
Amanda: Try to get us something to listen to on the radio. 
I’m pretty confused by Lee’s approach here with TuttlePop. One moment he’s pointing out how TuttlePop doesn’t want to go home and how they’ll have to use the real Will Towne for the exchange.. and the next Lee is saying witness protection is propaganda – at this point, Lee really has me confused over what he has in mind!
Also, what’s going on with Amanda here? She seems a bit cranky.. but why all of a sudden cranky? Maybe she’s cranky because Lee keeps aiming that gun at her!
Me confused.. anyone? Okay that’s it from me for now! Hello hello!
"Just walk with me.." 
We are beginning driver’s ed with my daughter next month. I can guarantee you she will be hearing this line from Amanda from my mouth until she can say it in her sleep, “According to the section of the Agency manual on offensive driving, short bursts of speed will do very little to increase one’s top end average.” 🤣🤣🤷🏻♀️🤣🤣
LikeLike
LOL
LikeLike
A word to the wise for your daughter’s sanity: when you are in the front passenger seat, try your very best to restrain yourself from (1) bracing your hand for impact on the dash OR (2) stomping your foot on the non-existent brake pedal OR (3) lighting cigarette after cigarette, leaving them burning in the ashtray until there’s scant visibility through the dense smoke. Yep, that was my Dad … my driving instructor.
He didn’t realize that I learned so much more from just watching him drive and asking questions on our summer vacation trips throughout my school years. Have fun and start her off in a big empty (mall, school or church) parking lot.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much, Nancy! I loved hearing your experiences!
LikeLike
Oh, and I will go with the theory that Amanda is a bit stressed while driving and doesn’t like to be hurried. We had a bit of Lee’s crankiness earlier and now we can see a bit of Amanda’s. Love the way they are both human and aren’t put out by one another’s short comings. But I do love the quizzical look from Lee. He is learning more and more about Amanda.
LikeLike
Lee is finally able to allow himself to enjoy working with Amanda again. That must be a huge relief to him. By his facial expressions I think he is relishing her every move and word.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was trying to figure out Amanda’s crankiness here. Maybe she’s bothered by Tuttle’s attitude. He’s very focused on himself and what will happen to him. He’s trying to get around being switched or sent back to Gregory, while Amanda is focused on what they need to do to rescue Francine. I’m sure Amanda has issues with his selfishness.
Maybe Lee thinks the Russians will easily spot that it’s Popovich because they were the ones to set all this up. It all depends on how the exchange is supposed to take place and whether or not they would be able to see him up close or talk to him.
I wonder just how much time Gregory and crew have spent setting this all up. I’m assuming they’ve had their eye on Towne for quite some time since they wanted him for his math skills. I’m also assuming that they had Popovich surgically altered to look like Towne. They’ve obviously been watching the home. This was a lot of planning and patience on Gregory’s part. They also had to either be watching the condo or possibly trailing Amanda. How else would they know to show up with the joggers and the shooter in the limo? And just how did they know the Francine would be the replacement for Abernathy? Or were they the reason he got sick in the first place? Most likely they were hoping to grab anybody, but ended up with someone of a higher ranking. Oh well, just some ponderings for the day.
LikeLike
I think that, in Saviour, Amanda said she didnt like being rushed? I cant remember the exact quote. I thought her words in the car were of a similiar nature but i do like the different theories put forward. Like you, Iswod, i thought Cindy had genuine feelings for Pop. And, leaving aside the unsavory nature of the rented hot tubs, i actually thought he had genuine feelings for her. I think this human element stopped him being a ruthless spy. While the human element made Amanda a ssuccessful spy. Gregory didnt allow for the human element ☺ haven’t had much time to post lately but really enjoying the walk and comments –
LikeLiked by 2 people
I love this Michele!!!! It all comes down to Gregory underestimating the humanity of relationships.. or as you brilliantly said ‘the human element’ whoo hoo!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Whistling is rushing….lol!
LikeLiked by 2 people
No inspired thoughts from here other than I really (like Iwsod) like Amanda in that red blouse, esp with the black shirt. If only that had been a trim grey jacket (preferably charcoal grey!) instead of the ubiquitous fluffy cardigan 😦
And TuttlePop keeps make me think of Toodle Pip for some reason. He comes across more sleazy than Cindi-with-an-i. That hot tub scenecap with the sunnies is just horrible…
LikeLiked by 3 people
whether you think it’s inspired or not Learjet, I enjoyed reading your fashion opinions 🙂
Very well put! ugh!
LikeLike
Completely agree on the red blouse. I like that it’s just a hint of red (even though she wears red in any capacity very well). Also like the grey jacket idea. This jacket might look a little better without the shoulder pads.
Haha…TuttlePop sounds like an ice cream treat to me. Like a Turtle sundae on a stick. I’m already picturing the argument between the King boys. “Hey, Mom, Phillip took the last TuttlePop!” “But Mom…Grandma said I could have it!”
LikeLike
A Paddle Pop is an icecream on a stick here in the Southern Hemisphere 😀
LikeLike
It reminded me of Rice Bubbles..(Rice Crispies yes?) You know.. snap crackle pop?!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like to think part of the reason Lee continues to watch her with that same goofy look is also because he’s enjoying being the sidekick for once and it amuses him. He’s perfectly relaxed about letting her take the lead because he’s realized this is the spy work she’s good at and it’s not any less important than the street smarts and brawn he usually brings to the table – in fact, i this case, it’s far more important and he knows it. There must always be a certain amount of black humour in spy work and so that part of his brain is also enjoying watching the trap unfold.
As for Amanda’s crankiness, I think she’s just bottling in stress knowing they are on a deadline to rescue Francine and perhaps subconsciously thinking that if Lee had just listened to her earlier, they wouldn’t be in such a bind timewise now. And since she’s stressed, she falls back on reciting the mantra of the spy training to keep herself calm.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I like it! Lee the goofy sidekick. Goofy is a great word.. sums Lee up so well here!
I can go with this! 🙂 Thanks Janet!
LikeLike
I like that SMK occasionally strays into the realm of reality – seedy hot tub joints (aka STD incubators 😉 ), Jango’s comments about “9 month holidays” or “taking up with a John”. I don’t see it was cringe material or judgmental – it’s just the reality of some people’s lives in the real world.
The comic writing in this episode is considerably cleverer than the usual SMK dialogue – Jango, PopTut and the scene with Amanda driving are good examples.
And Iwsod your comments, “He pulls his gun out.. but keeps it discrete.” And “Lee reveals his gun” made me instantly dive-bomb into the gutter. 😉 I suspect I shall shortly have company at Gutter Central – round up the usual suspects…and bring chocolate and wine!
I think L&A had their arms around each other when they walked towards the door because they were supposed to be acting like “a couple”.
Why does PopTut wear dark glasses in the hot tub? So he can’t see the cooties?
LikeLike
Hey, the gutter is my permanent address, but am trying reallllly hard to behave. 🙂
LikeLike
Good Job! 🙂 tee hee.. smk isn’t making it easy with all these hot tubs!
LikeLike
I’ve been in there since the eucalyptus steam/sauna imagery in Season 1!
LikeLiked by 1 person
lol.. ST incubators? ewww that’s too much reality 😉
I know I probably am contradictory at times.. one minute I complain smk is too unrealistic and the next I’m complaining it’s too real!
I think what bugged me was the insinuation that Cindi was a prostitute… (If TuttlePop is her ‘John’ then that’s what Jango was hinting was likely.. that or she was preggers).. It all just seemed rather judgemental.. but I know this is the 80s so I gotta go with it..
I see Cindi as a party girl who had feelings for TuttlePop (Or why would she care if he was married?).. seems there are two types of women in smk.. those that are party girls and we don’t supposedly therefore care if they got their heart broken – they are quickly forgotten.. or there’s the good girl.. who is given space to suffer because of her love. Meh. I think it would have been nice to see Amanda offer Cindi some sympathy.. but IMHO she doesn’t get any.. on with the plot! the are you married line was for a gag.. I get that.. but to me – Cindi’s reaction tipped it over into something more genuine.. which killed the joke for me. sorry rant over..
Where was I?!
oh rofl have you dragged youself out of the gutter yet kiwismh? just what did you do with my comment that Lee was pointing his gun at Amanda in the car?!
Here’s one for you kiwismh..
Yeah okay that makes sense.. only.. then why did they not maintain that as Cindi answered the door? to me it was inconsistent.. thus me confused..
rofl! that’s ewww and hilarious 😉
I am guessing that TuttlePop had seen risky business one too many times before leaving Moscow to become an American.. 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ouch! That must have hurt poor Iwsod to type she wanted Francine back, bwa ha ha ha ha!
And I share your EWWWWW! about the hot tub emporium. Hot tubs can easily become a teeming mass of nasties even without the ‘by-the-hour’ scheme. Not a huge fan.
Beautiful screen capture of the guys’ faces when Amanda quotes the manual to them. Tee hee!
LikeLike
“Hot Tub Headquarters” sounds like the name of a store that sells hot tubs, pool supplies, patio furniture, etc.
In fact, it sounded so much like that that I googled it to find out if someone’s used the name, and it turns out to be the name of a hot tub repair service in Pennsylvania. XD
LikeLiked by 1 person
haaaa great catch Jestress!!!! and if anyone ever googles them to buy themselves a hot tub.. they could be directed to this site and our comments.. lol!
Errr private hot tubs are errr germ controlled!!! sharing hot tubs and booking by the hour? not germ controlled!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hey Jestress- this is not a direct reply to this comment.. BUT! I wanted to share with everyone an idea Jestress raised about this ep (over on the Neds ep rewrite thread) that I especially loved – Jestress you made a point about how back in Odds on a Dead Pigeon Lee also had personal/relational knowledge about Amanda that mean’t he was able to discern the truth when someone was trying to deceive him – whoooo hoooo!!! such a great tie in with this episode!!! Love it – Thanks for sharing that! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
haaaaa yep… forgot myself there for a moment! 🙂
Hot tub emporium? that’s a great name!! haaaaa.. eewwwwww..
thanks for the screen capture compliment 🙂
LikeLike
Maybe she’s cranky because even though they have proven that Will Towne is a good guy, Lee’s still thinking about using him for the trade.
LikeLike
maybe! Interesting theory! Thanks for sharing Melissa!
But to me it seems unlikely Amanda would believe Lee will give up an innocent man to the Russians.. he’d have some kind of plan in mind.. but they can’t really discuss it with TuttlePop in the car..
They may have just been looking to add a funny moment.. but to me it’s too random for that.. let’s see if anyone else has any ideas!
LikeLike