11/21 Season Three, Episode 22: All the World’s a Stage–Scarecrow and Mrs King

Tony arrives on the third floor, and joins Dr. Maria Von Clausen’s security men in the hallway.
Walter: Hello Mr. Martinet. Nice to see you again.3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001534334
[the blonde security guy looks familiar.. Ah I think he was in that photo the Russians were looking at. Have we seen him anywhere else in smk? ]
Tony: Thank you.
Walter: Ah, you know the drill, Sir, I hate to do it but…3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001537337
Tony: Frisk away, Walter.
Walter pats Tony down while the other guard looks at the flower box. 3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001540940

Walter feels something in Tony’s pocket, and Tony removes a small tape player/recorder. Tony presses play and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is playing.
Walter: Ah Dr Von Clausen’s favourite.
[Really? that’s music to accompany good lovin?! Maybe a romantic dinner.. but really? LOL what do you all think? Me thinks Walter is naïve  about what Maria gets up to with this Walter dude.  😉 tee hee.. ]3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001546646
[Lots of grey going on here.. was this the fashionable colour of that year or something?!]3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001554754
Walter removes Tony’s pen, clicks it and returns it to Tony’s jacket. [A playwright with a pen.. a pen Krutiov supplied.. uh oh… what does it do??!! Is this a play on the old ‘the pen is mightier than the sword’?! I’m in suspense about just what Tony has agreed to!!! Catch him Walter!!!]
Walter: I’ll bring her right up. Enjoy your evening Mr. Martinet. [Fail for Walter! 😉 ]3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001563463
Lee and Amanda exit the elevator, round the corner and come across the two man security team letting Tony into a room. 3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001563763
Lee whispers: Martinet and some muscle thrown in…
3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001568868
[Blind muscle, so don’t worry too much 😉 They don’t see bright red Amanda watching from down the hall?! ]
…Very interesting. 3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001573973
Lee looks behind him at the rooms and the hallway.. and quietly motions to Amanda to come with him.
3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001578478
They head down the opposite hall and around the corner.
[you know, I think Amanda may have shoulders that are broader than Lee’s with those shoulder pads and that vest! gah!]
Lee stops in front of a room.. 3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001585685
Lee: Here this should do it. If we can get inside maybe we can see inside Martinet’s room.
Amanda: Right.
3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001589289
Lee knocks on the door… they wait.. Amanda seems to agree it’s all clear. [I love that Lee looks to her for her opinion here!]3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001592292
Then Lee picks the lock.
3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001594694
[I think Lee should have let Amanda have a go! lol.. but then I guess they don’t have time to delay..]3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001597697
[here’s a hand close up for all you Lee hands fans! Hey did anyone see where he got the lock pick from? Did he have his manicure kit?!]
Lee: Yeah (success.. the door opens)
3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001600400
Wow this is one fugly room. 3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001609409
They go to the balcony window.. 3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001626826
We see Tony across the way with his rose near the balcony.
3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001622922
Lee gets out a camera? 3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001628328
Lee: This is perfect.

Back to the love nest, and Maria enters her room. Tony turns to look at her. 3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001634934

Maria: Hey sailor, new in town?
Tony: No, I’ve docked here before.  3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001636736[Ewwwwww… docked here before? Is it just me or is that pretty clunky!! Especially for a playwright 😉
I keep thinking about Castille and Jean in Vigilante Mothers.. and here he is up to his old tricks! Me confused!!
Just what has Valentine told Tony he has to do??!!! GAH!!! Maybe Tony won’t carry it out… don’t do it Tony!! (Whatever ‘it’ is! 😉 ]
Maria: I remember, you have that tattoo that’s so much fun to find.3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001641241
Maria puts her stuff down and runs over to Tony.
3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001644244
They kiss. 3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001645745
Poor Maria, she really likes this guy! Mon Dieu Mon Dieu!
We cut back to Lee and Amanda. 3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001646046
Lee’s using his teeny tiny camera.. and adjusting the focus to get a better look Winking smile 3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001647547
We cut back to a view of the two love birds kissing
3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001648148
– only they seem to have managed to kiss each other and move backwards toward the balcony door. Just so Lee and Amanda could get  better view haaaa.
Click! we cut to a view from Lee’s camera..
3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001650550
Amanda: This is embarrassing.
[I agree Amanda!! and great to see this side to Amanda hasn’t completely disappeared.. you know the side that felt awkward about invading the privacy of others?]3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001651751
Lee: It’s the seamy side of secret agent work…
3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001654154
[Interesting, have we heard Lee call this ‘secret agent’ work before? Usually they refer to spies don’t they? or agents? anyone?]
Lee turns slightly toward Amanda as he adds: … Just be glad we’re…
3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001655789
…not hiding under the bed..
3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001656289
Amanda gives Lee a look – eek!!!
3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001656489
Lee pauses for a second as if he’s thinking to himself it’s a crazy business they are in.
From the look on Amanda’s face I’d say she agrees! 3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001656990
he turns to look at Amanda..
3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001657791
and back again before he finishes his sentence here.3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001658992
……it happens.

Yep, it’s one of those parts of the job Lee probably doesn’t like very much but accepts.
[I’m torn! this is pretty awful! but, there’s a part of me that would have loved to see how Lee and Amanda coped with this scenario! Winking smile Remember Lee hiding in the wardrobe of that cabin in ship of spies?! ]

Back inside the love nest. They stop kissing..
3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001661895
They enjoy looking at each other for a moment. Then, Maria goes to pick up her bag again adding:
Maria: I think you’re going to like my latest little number….emphasis on the “little”.3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001669903
(She heads off to another room)
Hmm this love nest is a much nicer hotel room than the one Lee and Amanda are in!

Tony watches her leave the room. He heads over to the rose – and removes the little water reservoir attached to it. 3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001676810
He drips some of it into one of the champagne glasses.
3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001681614
Uh oh. I’m guessing that’s not water Winking smile oh no just what has he done? He isn’t going to kill her is he??!!! Looks like he is going to carry out this ‘treason’ after all… Noooooo!!! The ‘treason’ could be to kill Maria?!!

We cut back to Lee and Amanda. 3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001682315
Amanda: He put something in that glass.3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001684117
Lee: Yes he did.3.22 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.avi_001685618
[I love how Amanda can see it without the aid of a camera lense to zoom Winking smile though, I guess this camera doesn’t seem to have a zoom lense anyway?!]

Okay guys I’m going to pause here..
At this point I’m really not sure what to make of Tony  and this relationship with Maria [i.e. I’m STILL not sure what to make of it all!!].
It’s unclear to me if he really genuinely cares for her! And.. what he seems to have agreed to do for the sake of his career comeback! I mean when Valentine told him what to do we hear Tony complain it was treason- we didn’t hear him complain that Maria was someone he cared about Winking smile And when he put this stuff in the champagne glass there didn’t seem to be any interior struggle going on- where he fought with himself about carrying out this ‘treason’ – maybe he’s a cold blooded killer!!! Now that would be absurd!!!!

Maybe I’m influenced by this actor’s previous smk incarnation – Castille [ rofl – not really influenced by Niles the Butler! ]
What do you all think? anyone else worried at this point that Lee and Amanda are about to watch Tony kill this lady?!

30 thoughts on “11/21 Season Three, Episode 22: All the World’s a Stage–Scarecrow and Mrs King”

  1. Two things struck me with that surveillance moment.

    I think Lee’s comment about “Just be glad we aren’t under the bed,” was a gentle way of teasing Amanda out of her discomfort. He can tell she’s still not very happy with doing this and he wants to take her mind off it.

    The angle of the balcony door where they are paused next to is IDENTICAL down to the corner of a hotel I stayed in when I was in Banff in spring 2019. It feels so surreal to see them standing somewhere so similar to where I was. I remember even looking out on the balcony (which was much smaller and only overlooked a roof on the main street) one evening and wanting to go out but there were too many bugs.

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  2. After reading all the comments, I have to agree with Cindy. Tony and Maria must talk all the time, yet only see each other once a month. I think it’s very normal that they would postpone any further talking when they finally get together. The romance and anticipation has already been established over the course of the month! However, after the evening’s activities are ended, I do picture them having a nice meal, talking some more, and maybe that’s when they listen to a little Vivaldi.

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    1. Hiya Raffie, I’m excited as always to see you stop by, and to hear you are still walking with us 🙂

      Okay I can get on board with this view of Tony and Maria.. though I think the episode didn’t really convey this tone – I think it’s that first scene between them that stuffed up the vibe and then made me confused..
      If they had been more sweet and not plain old lusty maybe I would have had a better sense of what the relationship is.
      Maybe a line from one of them saying something like – their daily phone call makes the month long separations manageable! I don’t know..

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  3. I am not sure what to think about Tony and Maria and their little get togethers. The whole thing seems a bit off and not quite right. There was no real time to set up anything about their characters and their relationship. All we have are snippets of conversations and the fact that Tony is being forced to do something to someone he supposedly cares deeply for. There hasn’t been a lot of character development as these are new characters. I would feel more invested if Maria had been someone that say Leatherneck was seeing. And somehow, considering everything else, Tony with a tattoo seems off as well. I once again wonder if the relationship wasn’t a set up to begin with. I mean, really how did these two meet?

    As far as Tony and what he is doing I’m wondering about his true priorities. Is his play really more important to him than Maria? Is Krutiov pulling his strings so well that Tony’s feelings for Maria are being sublimated under Krutiov’s mastery? Tony seems to show no remorse or hesitation for what he’s about to do.

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  4. 2 comments, before I read what everyone else has to say. I think Tony and maria really enjoy each other and cherish these times together. Not sure what else to think about it.

    And I keep pausing over Lee comment and the way he stops and looks at Amanda sort of out of the corner of his eye when he says that bit about the seamy side of secret agent work and being under a bed. Why does he do that? Why does he pause after he says that? It is almost like he regrets something. What? Saying that? or the fact that there is a seamy side that he has partaken in, that he has dragged her into? Or maybe even that such intimate moments between two people may at times be intruded upon, by the likes of people like him, or now even Amanda. Do Tony and Maria have something together that should be left alone and Lee is realizing that he and Valentine and the whole spy world intrude on real and important intimate relationships? I don’t know what he is reacting to here exactly, but I am quite convinced that he is reacting to something. In the past he has made off hand comment like this that Amanda has reacted to or to Amanda’s reactions to the ugly, intrusive side of the business. But this time there is some personal, deeper reaction that Lee is having.

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    1. I think Lee is trying to figure out how Amanda feels. This ‘seamy side of the spy biz’ hasn’t come up in discussions before, but there have been conversations about risks, sacrifices (i.e., Triumvirate conversation) and other job hazards, so I’m sure Amanda isn’t surprised by this. I also agree with your thought that he may be feeling as though they’re intruding on Maria and Tony’s coveted private time (obviously, that’s before they see him put something in her drink). He might also be thinking about how to make the most of things with his and Amanda’s relationship. They’ve been interrupted a few times already and finding that alone time is tricky.

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    2. Or…. maybe he is aware that there might be (or he wishes, hopes there might be) an intimate side of his relationship with Amanda someday and perhaps it might be exposed and exploited???

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      2. I put up with them until the 1990s. After that, I took them out and stashed them away. I kept thinking I’d find a use for shoulder pads. I guess if you’re crafty you can make something out of them.

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  6. Vivaldi’s Four Seasons? Yeah, I’m not sure on that one either. Maybe he should have brought the chocolates too? 😉

    That red vest on Amanda. I like the top, but she definitely stands out in that hallway. I can see the benefits of Lee in beige (at least in this particular case).

    Lee’s comment begs the question… Exactly how many beds has he been under? (lol). And Amanda’s cool with all of it. I think he likes her more and more.

    I’m in agreement with BJo. Tony seems to genuinely like her. And I don’t think Maria’s the type to be misled by someone. At least not for very long. She’s no Millicent (DMLNT).

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    1. Lee’s comment begs the question… Exactly how many beds has he been under? (lol).

      Uh, do we really want to know? 😉

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      1. no I don’t 🙂 but it would have been fun to see how Lee and Amanda handle this, heck – maybe there’s a moment like this in future episodes! I guess we still have one more season to go 🙂

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      2. I was being a little bit silly when I posted that. I like Iwsod’s comment about how Lee and Amanda might handle this going forward too. 😉 Or there could be an interesting fanfic written on such a topic.

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    2. I find the Four Seasons on the tiny cassette player to be played as an accompaniment to the afternoon’s, ahem, activities a bit bizarre. And the musician in me thinks that 1) what a cliche…couldn’t she have had a more interesting favourite piece of music and 2) the sound quality would be horrible on that cassette player

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      1. I find the Four Seasons on the tiny cassette player to be played as an accompaniment to the afternoon’s, ahem, activities a bit bizarre.

        rofl! I love it!! And even more weird to think that Walter the trusty body guard knows what she likes to listen to 😉 during those ahem activities! 🙂

        rofl yep when it comes to music Maria is not a risk taker!

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  7. Thought the blond guy might have been one of the waiters in OBDOBD, but I checked and he wasn’t. He does look very familiar though.

    I think it’s kind of funny that Lee calls these two guys “muscle”. They don’t look like muscle to me. I think they are supposed to be muscle, it’s just that they don’t really have any bulging in their clothes….

    Thank you for the hands shot, iwsod. Lee has the best hands, hands down!

    I think Tony really does care for Maria. Just hearing how he says the, “No, I’ve docked here before line” and how he looks at her says to me that he really does genuinely have feelings for her. His voice and face come across as very soft and kind to me here. Maybe I’m misreading it, but that is what I see. I do wish he’d hesitated a bit before putting that drop of whatever in the champagne flute, but oh well. I guess it won’t take long for Maria to put on her “little” number.

    Is it just me or is Maria all about “business”. I guess it jives with what I said about her in a comment in an earlier post, but she really doesn’t waste any time before changing out of her clothes. Tony is one lucky guy – hahaha. I guess they must have their allotted time together down to a science – or equation.

    I don’t remember what I thought Tony was going to do to Maria the first time I watched this episode. I probably did worry that he was going to kill her with whatever he put into her drink.

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    1. There is something incongrous about the Maria/Tony dynamic. On the one hand they’re not the usual “sleazy” SMK couple, but on the other hand, their meet-up seems to have one purpose and one purpose only. Doesn’t seem like a very well-rounded relationship…And Maria does seems to have one thing on her mind, and it’s not a chat.

      Tony does seem to genuinely like Maria. He looks sincere. Is he feeling guilty and conflicted?

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      1. Well, they do get to talk on the phone all month and only see each other for one weekend. I guess it would be like other long distance relationships. For the first two years of dating my husband, we lived in different cities. I really do believe we talked way more than most couples living in the same area. But oy – those phone bills!

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      2. Yeah he does look sincere.. but then there is no hesitation when he puts whatever it is in Maria’s drink! gah! Me confused..

        I agree ‘incongruous’ is a good way of describing it – I guess they are a unique couple who don’t fit stereotypes!

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  8. I do enjoy the fact that Lee seems to be trying to get a rise out of Amanda with that “under the bed” crack and then is right back to business when she doesn’t fall for it. Also, the fact that she doesn’t react really, as if she’s become immune to his jokes after all this time and is really intent on the spy biz for now.

    But my mind is definitely with you in the gutter at the way he said “we could be under the bed”… I’ll happily volunteer for that job if Amanda doesn’t want it!

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    1. But my mind is definitely with you in the gutter at the way he said “we could be under the bed”

      Guess, Lee’d prefer being IN the bed with her instead of under it… … ‘rehearsing’?

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So what do you think??? :)

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