So getting back to that newspaper…
The classified Ad Section.. In his office, Billy picks it up.
Billy: I don’t care about the paper’s policy. I wanna know when the ad was bought,…
…how it was paid for, ..
(Behind him Francine rushes into Billy’s office), …whether it was done on the phone or in person, …
(Dr Smyth follows closely behind Francine. LOL he moves pretty fast!)
…and I want that information yesterday!
Francine rushes: Billy…Billy, the Old Man is head-
Billy: What?
[LOL the old man moves faster than Francine counted on!]
(Dr Smyth picks up the newspaper and reads the highlighted ad.) 
Dr. Smyth: “Import-export agent seeks permanent employment opportunities abroad. Must relocate immediately…
…Ten years international experience with major U.S. company.” [okay I’m terrible with keeping track of the times.. is this ten years of Lee working at IFF accurate?]
Billy: There could be any number of explanations. 
Dr. Smyth: One…
…Scarecrow’s put himself on the auction block… [whoooo I’ll bid!!! 
] …Every spy in town has read this by now. We’re coffee and croissant gossip, Melrose, and I don’t like that… [I love coffee.. and I love croissants! you?]
[How did Dr Smyth get to this position when jumping to conclusions like this?! Ugh, don’t get me started on people being promoted who shouldn’t be!
Maybe Lee didn’t even place the ad! I mean okay, he probably did 😉 – but they don’t know that! How can he at this point be so certain it was Lee who placed the ad?!
I think at this point, if it rained today, this would be proof Dr Smyth would use to support Lee and Amanda’s guilt!]
Billy: Scarecrow did mention Alexi Makarov… 
…They let him out five weeks ago. Sonja Chenko—Lee’s peacock dance partner—is Makarov’s granddaughter. [Well done Billy calling it the peacock dance, and not calling her ‘Lee’s lover’! yes, I’m looking at you Ms Francine Desmond -with daggers! 😉 ]
Dr. Smyth: Conclusion? 
[lol well for Dr Smyth the conclusion is always ‘one’: Lee’s guilty!!]
Francine: None, yet, but we do have con-
(Dr Smyth glares at her and she stops mid sentence.. not the conclusions he wants to hear! And I think he’d rather hear from the boss than have an underling interject.)
Dr. Smyth: Then let me butter your bread and cut your meat, children… 
…Scarecrow’s hung us out to dry. And that’s the last mistake he’s ever going to make. Kick out the jams, Melrose… 
…I want Scarecrow—dead or alive.
(Dr Smyth throws down the newspaper and leaves.)
[Well, at least he doesn’t mind scarecrow being alive 😉 he is leaving that option open! 🙂 ]
The scene ends there.
[Dr Smyth is ominous, but it’s not based on his physicality at all.. Physically, I think he’s pretty non threatening.. lol
I had to look up ‘Kick out the jams’ I was not familiar with this one!
LOL Dr Smyth’s turn of phrase is always engaging and colourful – conclusion? Dr Smyth is a character I love to hate.
Francine’s outfit is actually almost acceptable here! Though the shoulder pads have expanded yet again. What do you all think: when Francine ran into the office like that to warn that Dr Smyth was coming, was she protecting Lee and/or Amanda? or Billy? or all of them?
I’m thinking she’s motivated by helping Billy – I’ve not seen enough to think she’s starting to actually believe Lee and Amanda are innocent! not so far- when she responds to Dr Smyth here, it’s more that she’s backing up Billy than defending Lee.. Just IMHO of course!]
Back to the Van Der Hoosen’s place..
I think this might be the next day, they are wearing different clothes and.. 
Ooh my – I never noticed this before- do you see it?? do you see it?? Look at the photo above: notice anything curious??!!!
-blankets and sheets on the sofa next to Amanda? Me thinks that’s a subtle clue that Lee and Amanda are not sharing a bed in chez Van Der Hoosen! SMK went there!
Lee: Billy finally got in touch with me through one of our old message drops.
Lee: Sweet Rita. It’s Rita Avenue in Arlington.
[Lee looks nostalgic..]
Amanda: Yeah.
Lee: Billy and I set up that drop ten years ago when he was still working in the field.
Amanda: What is a final appeal?
Lee: It’s the last white flag before the real shooting begins.
[Hmm good to see Amanda was given an emergency supply of make up.. I guess it was only fair as Lee was given his emergency hair supplies..]
Lee: Never thought I’d be reading a final appeal from Billy.
(Amanda watches silently as Lee grapples with this tough one..)
Lee: Damn it! I’ve been out on those streets for ten years trying to make a difference because I thought I could and I believed I should…
[Lee’s anger is kicking in! This isn’t right!]
…You just can’t drop that, you know. I’m gonna meet him.
[Lee has that cheek muscle doing flexes!]
Amanda (gently): Are you sure you can trust him?
Lee: No!!
[Is it just me or is the way Lee says no exactly the same way he said No! when he was dressed as a pirate and Amanda asked if he was going to let go of her car as she backed out of Moby’s dock? It’s stuck in my head because the tone of it cracked me up!]
… But I wanna trust him one more time. I owe him that.
(Amanda gets to her feet.)
Amanda: I’m going with you.
Lee: No, you are not.
Amanda: Oh, yeah.
Lee: Aman-
Amanda: I said I’d watch your tail, and that’s what I’m gonna do.
[Amanda is very dedicated to watching Lee’s tail. Atta girl! 😉 ]
Hearing this Lee seems to immediately know there is no point arguing. Amanda keeps her promises!
Lee just silently kinda nods!
The scene ends here.
I quite enjoy that they are not too gushy and mushy here at this point.. they are professionals working together to save their tails! You guys got any questions or ideas you want to throw out there for us all to think about? Please feel free to! I can’t wait to hear what you guys think!!
"Just walk with me.." 
I’m not too worried about the inaccuracy of Lee working at the agency for ten years.
1. People love round numbers.
2. I’ve often found that adults can’t properly keep track of time. One day just kind of blurs into the next. If someone asks me how long I’ve been at my current job, I have to stop and do a whole series of mental lookups and calculations: Let’s see…what month/year is it now? And I started in…ummm…oh yes: ____. Ok, so that means I’ve been here for….run the math….almost 3 years.
Sad, maybe, but that’s literally how it goes every time. And I’ve seen the same sort of thing with other people and time-related questions.
As for Phillip & Jaime, I don’t think their actual ages have been mentioned in quite a while, and the couple of times I can think of them recently being referred to as “two small boys”, I’m pretty sure it was in ploys for sympathy. (Poor little things, having to sell their tiny goldfish 😥) 😄
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Iwsod said: Dr Smyth’s turn of phrase is always engaging and colourful – conclusion? Dr Smyth is a character I love to hate.
😂😂😂😂😂Iwsod, this is awesome!! I need an interpreter to understand what he says.
As has been said, I love that Lee has been working for the agency for 10 years for 3 years now, just as despite birthday parties, braces, and voice changes, Jamie is 8 and Phillip is 10. And they are two small boys. (Except in TBWWBK when they are small and they have tiny fish.)
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Definite Doctor Who or Quantum Leap crossover potential here.
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LOL!!
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Not that it helps much, but Dr. Smyth does rely heavily on his most cherished childhood book, “Mother Goose Nursey Rhymes.”
Jamie’s and Phillip’s ages being frozen-in-time perplexes me, too. It’s been said that Kate Jackson was so smart, she memorized everyone’s lines, not just her own. So why isn’t she capable of addition? The only answer I can deduce is that she didn’t want years added to Amanda’s life either! Perhaps she decided to adopt “the Jack Benny syndrome.” LOL
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rofl. Mother goose nursery rhymes huh. figures.. he would like the classics 😉
What’s this jack benny syndrome? can someone explain this?
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I agree with your take on Francine here. I think she is trying to help Billy here, not Lee. At least not indirectly. She may be thinking it less likely Lee is guilty, but she still has to do her job as if he may be guilty. I think Billy has shared with her his plans and she knows all of what the Agency is doing to find Lee. Billy I’m sure is holding things back from Dr. Smyth, as any good spy boss would do – even more so when it’s this guy.
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I think the fact that Billy even brings up Alexi and Sonja is that he believes in Lee and wants to give him the benefit of the doubt. He seems to be trying to sway Dr. Smyth’s opinion about what’s going on with Lee. Dr. Smyth’s focus is on his own reputation and not being the target of gossip or being made to look bad. Francine doesn’t seem to want to stick her neck out to say that she believes in Lee. She has this evidence about Alexi and Sonja, as well as what she knows about Lee, but is hesitant about drawing a conclusion.
Smyth seems to be having a bit of pronoun trouble. He starts off with “we” and “us” as in “we’re coffee and croissant gossip” and “hung us out to dry”, but ends with “I don’t like it” and “I want him dead or alive”. This is all about him while trying to make it seem about the Agency. The man is arrogant, condescending and narcissistic and irritates me. Maybe Smyth got his position on a wing and a prayer and things have to run smoothly in order for him to keep his high level position. Just maybe, somewhere deep down, he knows that he’s really not qualified to be in the position that he is. What the agents do is a reflection on him and he could lose his cushy job should Lee defect. He seems to be in panic mode and his reactions seem to reflect that.
I keep thinking back to Reach For the Sky and how hard Lee and Amanda worked to find and rescue Billy. Lee keeps mentioning how he owes Billy, but I think Billy owes Lee and Amanda for what they did for him. I’m also thinking of Lee’s comment to Amanda in The Triumvirate about this being a dirty job that someone has to do. Lee has given so much of his life for what he believes in and this all has to be weighing so heavily on him. I really haven’t been a fan of the Agency in this episode.
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I love Dr. Symth! (in a love to hate way of course) I think I’ve said it before, but he has the greatest lines. Whenever he shows up, you just know he’s going to say something funny.
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Me too xiolaperry! He has a fascinating turn of phrase 😉
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hi everyone!
I’ve been enjoying your comments. it’s beena roller coaster ride! ha!
I read a comment and think: Oh yeah! they probably were sleeping together,
I read another comment and think: Oh yeah, they probably weren’t sleeping together!! and .. so on and so on..
I’m so confused 😉
I tend to assume not – but if we find evidence that can’t be interpreted any other way (IMHO of course as I can only speak for me) – I’ll change my view..
So far, a no is still possible.. and so is a yes. lol. 😉
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The clever thing with this show is that the innuendo level of many of their jokes is very high but the actual visuals aren’t, so everyone gets to interpret it their own way. S4 has some of the best ones – really looking forward to heading down to the gutter with everyone here as we get there. 🙂
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whooo hooo!!! Sounds great! I look forward to sniggering with you all about it 😉 haaaa..
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Honestly I think the location was only one room, when he gave the tour. I don’t think there was another room.
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Could be a pull out sofa. And you guys are right, we weren’t shown another room. Hmm!
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Great catch about the blankets. I never noticed that before. I don’t know why Lee told Amanda she wasn’t going. She almost always either wins the argument or she comes anyway.
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Hi Samellatrent, great to hear from you again!
Yeah I had never seen it either. I think I was distracted by the hideous painting on the wall 😉
LOL I’ll have a go answering this one, or at least trying to- Lee says she isn’t going to give her a chance to pull out of it. And.. she doesn’t.. 🙂
How’s that.. does that work? 🙂
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Dr Smyth always made my skin crawl. Originally, it was his totally condescending demeanor and arrogant manner of speaking that turned me off (i.e. Then let me butter your bread and cut your meat, children). In more recent years, I couldn’t help but think of him as Cigarette Smoking Man’s brother. They seem to have a lot in common. I wonder if he smokes Morleys, too?
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I love that Francine runs in ahead of Dr. Smyth to warn Billy. Wonder if Billy asked Francine to be a lookout? I think they could have used a better code word than “the old man.” Maybe “hot confetti” would have worked? lol… Quicker to say too. 😉 And “Kick out the jams” sounds more like something King Eddie would have said to Billy Bluenote.
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rofl! I love it- Hot Confetti is code for the old man is coming! 🙂 genius Sara!
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“… that Traveller’s Friends Foundation never mentioned or showed them a 🛌room…”
True, but he never mentioned a bathroom, either! I assume the apartment surely must have a bathroom … then again, he never mentioned towels — or makeup! I suppose on a need to know basis … LOL
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Good one!! 🙂
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Lee had work at the Agency for ten years already in Season 1. I bet Amanda still says that Phillip and Jamie are 10 & 8 🙂
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Dr. Smyth: “…I want Scarecrow—dead or alive.”
This is his top Agent that Dr. Smyth is tossing overboard like last week’s trash. Who in tarnation does he think he is? A bounty hunter? Listen to me, “Doc” Smyth, you watch way too many Westerns! You better set aside those childish fantasies and start acting like the analytical top dog decision-maker of a secret counter-intelligence government agency that you were hired to be. And make that pronto … not Tonto! I find it tragic that your callous attitude and short-sightedness are stampeding Scarecrow straight to the Soviets … at least THEY value him!
On a brighter note, Amanda says: “I’m going with you.”
So as we listen to Lee’s mouth state: “No, you are not.”
Simultaneously, we watch his facial expression say: “Of course you are!”
These two are a riot! I gain comfort in the knowledge that Amanda already has hands-on experience at keeping Lee’s tail … and the rest of his handsome, sexy self … under protective surveillance. IIRC, one such quality inspection occurred during “Utopia Now,” while on a ladder. Yeah, okay, Amanda’s qualified; she knows exactly what to keep safe! Still jealous, though.
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Nancy I think a few posts earlier you raised some really interesting ideas about Dr Smyth as a character – and I didn’t have time to respond or explore it then..
I think Callous and short-sighted is spot on!
If I remember correctly I think you may have suggested Dr Smyth has a personal dislike of Lee.. have I remembered correctly?
This all got me thinking about him as a character.. not something I’ve really thought about other than ‘whoooooo he’s bad!’ 😉
How do you all see Dr Smyth as a character based on what we’ve seen so far? Does he have a personal dislike of Lee?
My current thoughts are – I don’t think he sees any of the employees at IFF personally at all. To him they are all disposable, chess pieces to move around the board (sticking with the Russian theme 😉 ). This seems to be an overall theme to this two part episode also so I think it’s no accident Dr Smyth and his agenda are central to the plot.
I think Dr Smyth only cares about himself, and his own reputation.. and he would never put an agent’s wellbeing ahead of that!
he doesn’t want people laughing at him over their coffee and croissants, and he doesn’t want to be the dog the president kicks. These are his motivations.
Easy solution here? Blame Lee for everything – and come out looking clean and shiny.
Dr Smyth is brutal, ruthless and I’d even suggest he is amoral. In some ways, this may be easier to deal with than Dr Smyth having a personal dislike for Lee… I’ll ponder this one some more.
Thoughts everyone?
Post 7 – which has now been published also highlights that the Russians treat their agents the same way. They are disposable.. but I’ll hold that thought and head over to that thread! 🙂
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“Nancy I think a few posts earlier you raised some really interesting ideas about Dr Smyth as a character – and I didn’t have time to respond or explore it then… If I remember correctly I think you may have suggested Dr Smyth has a personal dislike of Lee.. have I remembered correctly?
One of those times was back in “Unfinished Business” (post 14/16) where I said Dr. Smith had a personal dislike for Lee. You then reminded me UB was only his second appearance and I amended that similar dislike to Dirk, whose first appearance was S1E1. I wonder, iwsod, is there any way for me to pull up just my previous posts without hours of looking for the proverbial needle-in-a-haystack scrolling through episode comments?
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I can search comments only by word – if you can remember any phrasing that you used in the original comment this will help me to find it.
I’ve tried searching ‘personal’ or ‘vendetta’ or ‘dislike’ or ‘Dr Smyth’ and I can’t find it 😦
I know what you mean about the haystack!
If you can suggest a few more phrases to search for I’ll give it a go and share your comment if I find it.
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Is this the post (copy & pasted below) that you’re thinking about, iwsod?
In Stemwinder Part 1 15/21 comments I wrote:
You are kind toward Dr. Smyth, clagjanet. I just can’t be … his style really rubs me the wrong way.
“Dr Smyth is putting pressure on Billy to sweat the housewife and bring him Lee’s beating heart.”
Who does he think he is? The hung, drawn and quartered executioner in Braveheart? Dr. Smyth is nails screeching on a chalk board. He comes across as a self-serving pompous ass …
From the previous blog post (14/21), Amanda states, “We should be looking for Lee.” To which Dr. Smyth responds in a Boris Karloff sinister tone, “Oh, we are… rest assured….”
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Sorry Nancy! No this isn’t it, there was something someone said about how Dr Smyth may have a personal grudge against Lee in particular that struck a chord – it may not have been you. sorry!
Nevermind!
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“Nancy I think a few posts earlier you raised some really interesting ideas about Dr Smyth as a character – and I didn’t have time to respond or explore it then…If I remember correctly I think you may have suggested Dr Smyth has a personal dislike of Lee.. have I remembered correctly?
This all got me thinking about him as a character.. not something I’ve really thought about other than ‘whoooooo he’s bad!’ 😉”
Here’s what else I found that might be what you’re trying to recall:
Stemwinder part 1 blogpost 15/21 Nancy wrote: “… As for Billy helping her, it will be dicey with Dr. Smyth (who doesn’t approve of Lee) hanging over his shoulder, but I believe he will at least try covertly.”
Unfinished Business blogpost 14/16 Nancy wrote: “We can’t forget how Dr. Smyth is usually the first to assume the worst of Lee and never cuts him any slack … because of Lee’s parents?. Sure a stark contrast to Billy Melrose, who frequently gives Lee plenty of “Lee” way!”
[Note: You addressed this post at the time, iwsod, reminding me this was Dr. Smyth’s second appearance and I amended my comment to Dirk Fredericks, whose attitude toward Lee was akin to Dr. Smyth’s … IMO.]
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Hi Nancy – ah thanks! I think it was the unfinished business comment.. ” We can’t forget how Dr. Smyth is usually the first to assume the worst of Lee and never cuts him any slack … because of Lee’s parents?.”
I may have responded at the time, but I likely didn’t respond as fully as I would have liked to.
So my comments about how I see Dr Smyth as not viewing agents as people was a response to this idea. Oh well better late than never!
I think Dr Smyth doesn’t care enough about agents to hold a grudge, at this point.. I mean I’m open to what’s ahead changing my view of him.
What are everyone else’s thoughts? do you think Dr Smyth cares about agents? at all?!
I see he has come up in Post 8 now.. so maybe we’ll continue this over there! 🙂
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And despite them repeating it twice, ten years isn’t right since Harry Thornton specifically mentions recruiting Lee in 1973.
Speaking of emergency make-up supplies, I see that Dr. Smyth inherited Lee’s old guyliner…
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“And despite them repeating it twice, ten years isn’t right since Harry Thornton specifically mentions recruiting Lee in 1973.”
Maybe Lee doesn’t count those ten years out on the streets as part of the year (or so?) he worked solely with the Oz Network and the time right afterwards in Italy, which we learned about in “Lost and Found.” That’s the best I can reckon, does it fit with your recollection?
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Eva says their time together in Lost & Found was only two years before which would make it 1984, so no, I think this is just bad continuity editing as usual. But yes, I’m sure J&P are still 8&10.
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ROFL!!!!! I love it clagjanet! 🙂
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Interesting that ambitious Francine is not sucking up to Dr. Smyth. Looks like our gal does show some loyalty (to who? Not entirely sure). I do like her outfit, I could never pull off that shade of purple.
I never noticed the sheets and pillow before, yes SMK is telling us that no hanky panky went on.
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Orrrrrr, they’re telling us that’s a pull out sofa in a one room apartment (Mary-Tyler-Moore-style) and they’ve been sharing a very tiny bed. 😉
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Exactly my thoughts, clagjanet.
Especially because Mr. Kurland from that Traveller’s Friends Foundation never mentioned or showed them a 🛌room… ☺
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Especially since he points out that they’ll find sheet and blankets, meaning there’s no bed made up anywhere already and also the AM/FM radio and those of us of a certain age know that FM radio is code for “stations that play cool jazz that you can seduce a girl to.” 🤣
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I think they look too darn well rested for this 😉 If they had- I don’t think they would have been doing much sleeping 😉
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They’re also apparently sharing one pillow. But then again, they are living in some sort of parallel universe here anyway…the room they are in is not the room of the main floor in the screen cap – the front door is on the wrong side. Or they are staying on the top or basement floor and their front door is on the other side? Heck, maybe they have to share a bathroom with the other house guests and that is why Mr. Kurland never showed it to them that we got to see?
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I also like Francine’s outfit. I think Francine’s loyalty is to Billy. And I think Dr. Smith intimidates Francine. I never noticed the pillow/sheets on the couch either. SMK may be telling us no hanky panky went on…but I prefer to think that if L & A were in the mood, a bed would not be a strict necessity. 😉
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