It’s evening.. and the halls of IFF are being cleaned.. the place is pretty empty.. except – there’s a meeting happening in Billy’s office.
Billy: He wants morning drive time for the traffic, easier to pick up a little blocking in a chase. What’s the contact?
Lee: A CSN van waits at Benning and U. He leads us by the nose.
Billy: Fire team?
Lee: Well, the news van has to be clean. He’ll check. Then I send in Amanda…
(Billy reacts)…She’s part of the established cover, Billy. Don’t worry, I’ll have her stay way back with the van, where she’ll be safe and…she can call in the strike.
[While I love to see Lee treating Amanda as a professional who has something to contribute- I can’t help but think uh oh. Established cover? She broke that cover when she called out Leeeeeee!!! to Scarecrow!!!!! ugh. Everything about that opening action scene is not our fave team at their best!]
Billy: You know, this was in my round file three times before I decided it wasn’t my decision.
“State Department, Bureau of Intelligence and Research.” It’s a job offer. SDBIR isn’t a bad shop.
Lee: Just like that, huh? Administrative One. Come on? What makes you think they’d want to hire me–and what makes you think I’d take it? 
Billy: Well, when I decided to marry Jeannie–
Lee: Wait a second, what makes you think I want to marry? 
[Umm Edna! tee hee. she stopped by Billy’s office first haaa]
Billy: You will. You should. 
…Lee, you’ve been a lone wolf too long. Now, that’s not good for a man like you…
…The pay jumps to GG-17. It takes money to raise a family, and for that you’ve got to be at management level.
Lee: I hear you.
Billy: If you want this, man, make your move. Promotions are frozen here at the Agency. If you stay here, you’ll be going nowhere fast. [whoa. Does Francine know this?!]
Lee has some thinking to do…pay level GG 17? whooooooooo… I have no idea what that is.. but it sounds impressive! Lee needs to be at management level to earn the dough to raise a family? eh? Lee is suppose to be THE top agent, who with Amanda’s help solves every case that comes through their doors.. (and some that don’t).. Umm really?! I mean Lee is running the whole ‘get Addi the Baddi operation’. that’s not management?
And since when was Lee lacking in money? I got the impression in season 1 that Lee did pretty ok.. with his classic porsche, his corvette (ok ok later he says he won it.. but is that the first one or the second one?? hmm..) and his fine threads.. his holidays to Bermuda or wherever he was going cos he was lonely and Amanda said she would feed his fish.. and flowers for Phyllis and whoever the heck wants them. lol. It all just doesn’t fit to me.. I am sure if Lee just laid off the hair products he could budget in a family..
If you have to go into management to afford a family there must be tons of agents who are being tempted by bribes. ahem. I would think it’s a security risk to pay your employees so poorly!
Oh and one final thought – Billy is in management and we see him time and again out in the field (cleaning up after Scarecrow and taking Lee’s dirtbags downtown!). tee hee.
Moving on! 
Lee: Single rider coming at you, Dagger One. This could be Birol’s contact.
Amanda: Dagger Two, motorcycle’s slowing.
Lee: We copy that, Dagger One. Dagger Team, stand by.
Amanda: It’s a go, Dagger Team. North on Benning. Copy?
[The van follows the motor bike to the location of the interview… Lee follows in the corvette.]
Lee: We’re on you, Dagger One.
(They pull up and park out the front. Amanda confirms the instructions with Birol’s biker – Phyllis? I’m not sure.. )
Amanda (to biker): Two go in, I stay here. Ten minutes and we’re out.
Biker: That’s it. You sit in the van.
[Yeah. you stay out here all on your own, lady who yelled out ‘Leeeeee!’
Hey, I think this entrance was in wrong number.]
Birol’s Lieutenant: All right, you’re clear. Let’s move.
(The terrorists check over the camera equipment etc. Then lead the crew into the warehouse, leaving Amanda alone in the van.)
{Birol’s News Conference. Interior Warehouse.}
Birol: Welcome, gentlemen. I’m Addi Birol. We’ll do this interview in silhouette–not all my enemies know my face-
[yeahhhhh so that’s what the mask is for isn’t it?!]
…-but I’ll send my fighters away. A gesture of confidence.
(All of Birol’s gang get in their car, on their bikes and leave.)
[Is it just me or is this just really a weird thing to do – why wouldn’t this be raising red flags already?! ] 
Amanda: Okay, Dagger Two, the soldiers are gone.
[Warehouse Interior.]
Birol: All right, whenever you’re ready.
(Lee pulls up outside, another car full of agents pulls up also.
Lee approaches Amanda waiting in the van.)
Lee: You okay?
Amanda: I’m okay, yeah. [Warehouse Interior.]
(Birol continues to deliver his monologue in silhouette..)
Birol: Ours is not a destiny of violence, but one of peaceful harmony left alone by the super powers–
(Lee followed by his group of agents, bursts into the room.) [Such irony- ‘left alone’ we hear as Lee sneaks in to nab him!]
Lee: Freeze! Federal agents!
[Yusef is simultaneously chewing on his lucky cigar!]
{Birol, still silhouetted behind the screen, picks up a machine gun from the ground and fires directly in front of him. When he does, a mirror shatters, destroying the illusion of Birol behind the screen. 
Lee and the ATAC team attack… I mean fire at the screen where Birol was thought to be. 
Lee peers through it and sees a large shattered mirror on the other side.}
Lee: He tricked us with a mirror. Odds are this place is booby trapped. Okay, boys, it’s a bust. 
{Lee pulls a pocketknife out of his pocket.}
[ah.. now I see why Lee called the operation team dagger! Since when does Lee carry a knife? especially a non bendy one?!]
…Back me up.
(Lee goes through the other side, while the other agents go elsewhere. We cut to outside on the street.) 
(Amanda waits in the van, playing with her heart necklace, she notices movement behind the van.)
Amanda rushes : Dagger Two, what’s your status?!
{Birol opens the passenger door and gets in as Amanda tries to get out. He stops her at gunpoint.}
Birol: Drive! NOW!
Lee is inside still trying to process that he’s been tricked. 
(He starts moving toward the exit but is delayed by a smoke bomb or something..)
{Amanda and Birol are speeding away in the van.}
(Lee makes it out onto the street, to find no van.. no Amanda.)[Hollywood sign?! ahhh drat!!! No Hollywood sign! one of these days!] 
Lee: Amanda!
[Uh oh. this is really bad!! ]
The scene ends with an intense close up on Lee in a world of angst!
Back to IFF..
Billy: Forget it, Scarecrow, the best thing you can do is to stay away.
Lee: Ah, dammit, Billy! The guy is a terrorist with nothing to lose! And he has got Amanda, and he took her to get to me! Don’t you see that?!
Billy: I know which one of my agents is in trouble… I always know…
(Lee struggles to keep it together)
[BB knocks this acting out of the park IMHO!]
…Does she know about Night Crawler?
[Awh I love Billy here! He is kind to Lee but he also acknowledges he cares about Amanda too]
Lee: Yes, she knows Night Crawler is my source, and that is all! Birol won’t believe her!
{Billy turns and picks up a small piece of notepaper which we see has the words “Night Crawler for the woman” written on it.}
Billy: “Night Crawler for the woman.” Ah, stay out of it, Lee…
…because if he gets you, he’ll use Amanda to break you!…
…And we’ll lose the best source we’ve got! Could you watch Amanda suffer?
[Holy cow, this is intense stuff!]
Dr. Quidd: How’d he pick her out, Scarecrow?
Lee: Random. Or he figured the CSN crew for a front, or he figured out something else!… 
…I don’t know, if I knew I would’ve stopped him!
Dr. Quidd: So he duped all his lieutenants about the interview?
Lee: Yeah, and he outsmarted me, and he bagged Amanda all by himself,…..
. …and now he has got us by the back pockets because we don’t have a clue! I do this for a living, doc!
[lol I really don’t know why Lee points that out when he’s been fooled and stuffed it up lol. Great work: Scarecrow!]
Billy: Then act like a professional!… 
[Hear hear! but.. I understand why Lee would not be thinking so clearly here!]
…Let Yusef and the ATAC team get her. We can’t even let her family know until Birol makes this public!… 
[ohhhh noooooo her family!!!!!]
(Lee looks like he can barely hold it together here hearing about her family.)
…If you go charging after him, he’ll simply eliminate the need, you know what I mean? Why don’t you…bunk down in the TAC center–out of harm’s way?
[BB really nails it. It’s like this is Lee’s worst nightmare becoming a reality. Heartbreaking!]
Dr. Quidd: I’ll make it a medical order, Scarecrow. Put you out for a few days, it’ll be best.
[Lol Lee was calm, until this doctor stuck his nose in!]
Lee bites back: Don’t you try me!
Dr. Quidd: Hey, easy. Think it over. Your first loyalty is to your source. Night Crawler’s been at considerable risk for us. You owe it–
[oh really?! Mr pointy finger here is super irritating!]
Lee: I know exactly what I owe, doc! 
…And if I have to, I will pay it back in my own blood!
[oh swoon. you don’t doubt for a moment that Lee means what he says here. He would give his life for Amanda!]
{From transcriber NOTE: I think the music here is particularly fitting, at first anxious, then sympathetic strains, before settling into a slightly ominous and anguished tone.}
(Lee leaves them and heads out into the bullpen)
Billy: He thinks it’s his fault, Quidd. Maybe it is, we try to tie him down now, someone’ll get hurt.
[I’m thinking it’s his fault. lol. It was Lee’s operation, his plan..]
Dr. Quidd: There’s more going on with him than guilt. He’s got an emotional hang-up, and that’s not good.
yeahhhh Lee is in love. Or as the agency calls it- An emotional hangup oh rofl!!
(We cut back to a close up on Lee while the two continue their exchange..)
Billy: For an agent, that can be bad. I remember when he didn’t have any emotions at all.
[Two minutes ago Billy was telling Lee he should marry Amanda! And now he’s saying this? Very cheeky Billy! I guess Billy can’t be seen to know about the relationship or approve of it.
It’s all wonderful and dramatic, but I don’t think this ‘I remember when he didn’t have any emotions at all’ is a true statement of Billy’s – Lee always had emotions, he just buried them deep down.. Okay okay, except when being double crossed by a former friend he was jealous of for hitting on Amanda I guess.. you know.. Lee: I have to do everything. Leave my coffee, drive the car, get shot. Any excuse to quote season 1! Sorry I digress..] 
Lee: Don’t give it up, Amanda.
We shall pause here..
Well I cannot wait to hear what you all think of this part of the episode!
Billy to me runs hot and cold, but I figure it’s because he has to walk a fine line.
There is this terrible reality to the work they do – which came up in stemwinders also – that it is a dangerous business. They know the risks, and choose to stay involved with it regardless because of what they are working towards, and how they make the world a safer place..
Those risks are front and centre again, only this time – Amanda doesn’t have Lee by her side to help her through. This is a totally different vibe to all the other times she’s been kidnapped isn’t it!
As it’s been a while, I feel like I’ve lost a little flow with the overall narrative of the show– I hope you guys can help me and us to put this all into context. The idea that an agent is better off without emotions has come up before – where?! Can someone remind me? I know we’ve looked at it before, I remember thinking emotions can make an agent better at their job – it’s not black and white. but which episode was that?! I really can’t remember. Help?!
What are you thinking about this episode so far all?
"Just walk with me.." 
I’ve always wondered about the comments about “Retirement Numbers” and Billy trying to urge Lee to take that position. The writers had no idea the series was being cancelled, so where were they going with those?
I also really wonder about Lee’s lifestyle. They imply the Agency doesn’t pay much, but he sure used to travel a lot and knew a lot about champagne, wines, fancy food, etc. His parents were in the intelligence business and his uncle was an Air Force Colonel. Something literally does not add up here.
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There is a big difference in what you need for cash as a young guy who travels and may not expect to have a long life expectancy as opposed to a guy who wants to settle down and have a family (expecially when you are looking at a ready-made one). The young people I work with would appear to have huge disposable income compared to me because they splash it around, but it’s not really true.
The familiarity with the finer things may well be Agency training. Left to his own devices, Lee apparently had a great affinity for Milo’s chili dogs. That stuff that went moldy in his apartment may well have been bought to impress dates and is not what he preferred.
Billy may also be gently encouraging him to get into management and a lifestyle with a better chance of not dying every day. Lee’s approaching 40 – there’s not a lot of job longevity for him at his current job.
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I see the scene about Billy giving marriage advice to Lee kind of like a father sitting down with his son and saying “maybe it’s time to settle down…” if Billy doesn’t know it’s Amanda who has Lee’s heart, then he needs to turn in his badge.
In contrast, the later scene with Billy, Lee and the Q guy, is so hard to watch because we see Lee’s heart breaking.
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Iwsod wrote:
I am sure if Lee just laid off the hair products he could budget in a family..If you have to go into management to afford a family there must be tons of agents who are being tempted by bribes.
Bwahahaha 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Iwsod, a couple of watches ago, I noticed a sign in the background in this scene where Lee runs out from the busted setup and yells for Amanda. I was so crazy pumped that it might be a Hollywood sign!! But, alas, it wasn’t. It is a Hotel Roosevelt sign, which I Googled and is clearly in LA. Hopefully this link works- you got it in one screenshot.
Morley, I looooove your take on Billy in your comment: “…he isn’t just a head of department, he is guiding Lee in so many ways, like a mentor and elder brother He sees his skills as an agent, as a mentor, but also as a man who is growing and releasing shackles and walls and opening up his heart…”
I loooove this. I heard something on the radio today asking folks to call in and talk about those who fit the kind of role you’ve described as Billy for Lee. These influencers/supporters/motivators/exhorters make us better people, able to stand taller and stronger than possible on our own. You know, as much as Lee has grown, matured, and developed having Amanda in his life, Billy has also filled a very important role in Lee’s life – professionally, but also personally. Billy seems to have a sweet and healthy relationship with his wife and family from the few references we get scattered throughout the series, and Lee can watch that firsthand – that it is possible to have family and Agency in the same life, and do both with excellence. Men sharpening men as iron sharpens iron. It’s a sweet scene between Lee and Billy. We all know I’m a Billy fan, anyway.😊
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Hiya Amandarambler, I meant to look at this photo and get back to you sorry I forgot!
Unbelievable! The Hotel Roosevelt is internationally famous. heck. this is almost as good as the hollywood sign!
Well spotted Amandarambler! wowhahahaahahahaah..
Did your son see it?!
That is a very very long pursuit. for Lee to run all the way from the East to the West of the country in pursuit of Birol and Amanda is true dedication! whahahaa..
Agree re Morley’s insights.. I miss you Morley – come back when you can 🙂
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I’m so glad you saw it, Iwsod!!! As for my son, I didn’t point it out to him since it’s his first time through the series – I didn’t want to take away from the angst of the moment. 😁 It’s actually even clearer in real time on the episode if anyone wants to take a look. Now it’s all I see in that scene!
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Pretty sure the Hollywood Roosevelt was used in Triumvirate.
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I enjoyed reading everyone’s comments and don’t think that could add much more to the discussion. I agree with how well BB plays the angst in this scene. You feel what he’s feeling, especially after being so invested in these characters.
It was Billy who put Lee and Amanda together in the first place and I’m sure he has watched the progression in their relationship for quite some time, although from afar. I think he has known when to say something and when not to say anything.
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So I am reading posts backwards… but, do you think Billy had a little talk with Edna??? About pensions and all, you know, because of the possible bird in the cage?
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OMG!!! Good grief there is so much going on in this post!!
First of all, Billy!!! Man! That guy has a pastoral calling… mean, he isn’t just a head of department, he is guiding Lee in so many ways, like a mentor and elder brother He sees his skills as an agent, as a mentor, but also as a man who is growing and releasing shackles and walls and opening up his heart. He is talking to him about marriage. And Lee says, ” I hear you”!?! And then in the next scene he has to tackle Lee’s “emotional hangups” and Amanda (and Lee) being at risk – in front of the departments mental health guy. Wow! Go Billy. I want a Billy in my life!
Oh, yeah! Lee is in love. And more than that, Lee is on the edge. The edge of being an agent if it means being a lone wolf. The man has attachments and I think if push came to shove, he would chose them over his career. The only problem is that Amanda’s safety is all wrapped up in the job right now. So, at the moment their is no distinction. Oh, and Lee knows that Amanda’s safety is tied up in the job because he took her there and now she is their on her own volition and design and skill. So now even his old guilt response doesn’t extricate either one of them.
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Pastor Billy. Ahhhh. Gosh, love Billy sooooooo much. He is certainly a father figure/friend.
IMHO after this case is over, Billy, the doc, or higher up would have, should have separated L&A from ever working together again. Lee, himself, might have made that decision. He is clearly attached and comprimised.
I don’t know if Edna is the type to keep secrets, should a topic come up. My daughter loves to think that Billy and Dottie are secretly calling each other.
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You nailed it, iwsod! It’s a terrible security risk to pay your agents so poorly then can’t have a family.
And why doesn’t Lee have someone cover the back door??? Puh-lease.
I remember feeling gut-wrenching feelings when Lee came out to see Amanda gone. It’s still hard to see this now. Poor Lee!
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Hey iwsod, I have no idea which episode it was where we discussed agents having no emotions, but I think I can understand why Billy might say he can remember when Lee had no emotions. I think he might be referring to emotions as they relate to other people and possible relationships. With women, Lee probably only had one-night stands or brief flings where he was never hurt when they ended. I’m guesing after the death of his partner that gets mentioned in the very first episode, Lee built walls and turned off his emotions as best he could to avoid getting hurt. If you don’t love other people then it can’t hurt when they leave/die/etc.
Of course we all know that the emotions are there in the background or getting buried deeply. Lee must have been very good at keeping them at bay.
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Finally, a chance to sit down and write. I have to get my password updated, as I can’t get it on my phone, otherwise, I’d be oohing and ahhing with you all more often. Why take the time to update when I can read posts??? I do LOVE hearing what you all have to say. Also, I know now that I will never get bored watching this show and could spend a lifetime catching up on all the reading—whoa, with special posts about dimpes! Tuxes! etc. Dimples?!?! Crack me up!!!! How many other hidden treasures are there inbetween eps? You guys are great! And then there is Neds.
I was a young mother when I first watched the original airing. Probably haven’t seen it since, until last year. It was my sister who talked about it, so I sent it to her. She loved it so I got it for myself. Wow. Dear Daughter and I love it. Anyway, the first time we watched this through, the slow burn was a killer. It can be hard to remember how Lee and A were not a solid thing when watching it the first time. So, when this scene came on with Billy and Lee—WOOOOOWWWWWW!!!! Suddenly after all the teasing, guessing, burning, Billy—the authority in Lee’s life, more than a boss, talks openly about marriage. Yes, still not mentioning names, but come on, Billy is just trying to save face for Lee. In other posts, have you talked about what Billy is to Lee and vice versa? No one else could talk to Lee like this and I think this also cements that Lee and Billy have a strong relationship. DD and were squealing at this scene.
As far as the money goes, well, of course there are other agents supporting a family on that pay. SO…whyyyyyyy???? I think it is because Billy loves Amanda and wants the best for her. He doesn’t want to see A have to deal with a man who is stressed because he can’t afford everything he wants to give A. Plus, the unspoken truth about Lee’s safety. And….no one gets to be a top-notch-on-the-hunt agent forever. Age does set in and slow people down. How old is Lee now? Billy wants Lee and A to have a long, happy, healthy life together. And Billy cares for Lee very much and maybe doesn’t want to see him stuggle the way he (Billy) did. Lee’s tastes are exceptionally high, though A’s aren’t, Lee is going to want that big place in the country, with horses and….and….and….well, not a stationwagon. 🙂
The other scene….all I can say is that acting is superb. I can’t figure out why Dr. Quibble is there in the first place. I see what he adds, but I think this would have been done well if it was just between Billy and Lee. It could have really played off of the earlier scene. However, both BB and MS are incredible here and I would give it an SMK emmy for one of the best acting scenes. I also think we need this intensity to provoke Lee to propose.
Gosh, BB is so good looking here. You can all get your helmets, but I call it the SMK Weight Loss Plan—–I’m melting.
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I believe Lee’s birthdate is in June 1950 so he’d be 36 years of age. The Nightcrawler episode was timed perfectly: it was first televised in 1986 on … Halloween night!
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Found myself fixated (very irrelevantly) on what Billy and Lee were eating. Is that spinach that Billy is having (making up for all those donuts? 😀 ) And how come Billy gets a large glass of beer (I hope it’s beer because that amount of sparkling wine might knock Billy out) and Lee gets coffee? Yes, I can ramble too 🙂
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One of my favorite episodes. I have always liked the subtext imbued throughout the scene with Dr. Quidd in Billy’s office.
First, with Billy stating “I know which one of my agents is in trouble… I always know…”, he is reinforcing to Lee that he always is aware of far more than people think and that Lee is in trouble every bit as much as Amanda. He is walking a very fine line between Lee breaking down and spurring him into productive action. He really is running two parallel conversations, one spoken out loud with Quidd and Lee and the other deeper, unspoken one he is having with Lee’s warring emotions.
Next, Lee’s underlying declaration of Amanda being the one he owes and paying it back in his own blood is so desperate and poignant. At this point in his life, he honestly would rather die trying to save Amanda than face life without her, and perhaps the stark reality of that very possibility is truly hitting home for him for the first time.
Finally, Billy telling Quidd “we try to tie him down now, someone’ll get hurt.” I believe he may be trying to give Lee some rope here and to have Quidd back down somewhat. Once again, Billy is stuck attempting to run interference between Lee and the Agency and buy Lee some time and the benefit of the doubt. He knows that having someone he is willing to sacrifice everything for is everything for Lee, and he is willing to let Lee make that choice, as long as he has his brain as well as his heart tuned in.
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Welcome, RNP68! Your comment went into moderation because it was the first comment on the blog (or your first comment with that name if you’re not new to the blog). Future comments should post straightaway.
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ooo…. a brain and a heart? I like it… a complete scarecrow!
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You made me think… Scarecrow and Mrs King. This scarecrow is going to become a thinking and feeling man with courage. And a Mrs King needs to have a Mr and it ain’t no every day Joe… hehe
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Wow~ You write “Lee’s underlying declaration of Amanda being the one he owes and paying it back in his own blood…” never crossed my mind. I always thought he was saying that he should pay the piper instead of Amanda…he owes Night Crawler rather than Amanda owing Night Crawler. You’ve a very interesting take on this scene. Thanks!
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Ohhhhh I loved what you said about Lee world rather die trying to save her than face a life without her. You hit the nail on the head. Beautifully stated
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Sorry Iwsod, I really am here and paying attention; we are in a pre-Christmas whirl of houseguests, etc but I still sneak away for my SMK fixes!
What makes you think they’d want to hire me?
Interesting that Lee’s first question is whether or not they’d hire him, and only after that leaves his mouth does his brain catch up and he goes to and what makes you think I’d take it? as he tries to reassert his footloose and fancy free persona.
I continue to be mystified as to the question of “does Billy know?”. My God, if he doesn’t by now, he should turn in his spy credentials because they are doing a poor job of hiding it. Billy is romantic enough to assume they’re headed for something permanent, but even Francine seems to have simply accepted that, at a bare minimum, they’re an item at this point.
Now why does Billy act like he doesn’t know with Quidd? Maybe because they only just had that Stemwinder incident where Quidd suggested “noodling” Amanda by using her emotions gainst her to recapture Lee. I think Billy knows Quidd would toss both agents to the wind if he thought it would make him look good to the higher-ups, but Billy is determined to get Birol AND get Amanda back, but he knows he needs a calmer Lee to achieve that. The two men are saying the same thing but for vastly different reasons.
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I think Billy knows but maybe he’s just being discreet in front of Birol. It’s one thing to allude to it with Lee (and Billy never says it outright) and another thing to state it overtly in front of another person who Lee just knows in a professional capacity.
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I think that Lee and Amanda having a romantic relationship is a big no-no. I think if it was officially “out” they would not be allowed to work together. Soo, while it seems that Billy is aware and approves of their relationship (although may not know its depth) he can’t acknowledge it in any way publicly and certainly not in front of another higher-up who could not ignore it. I’m guessing the emotional hang-up Quidd is speaking of is one for a partner who is a woman/mother of two boys vs. a love interest.
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Hope everyone is well – it’s a busy time of year so I’m not surprised to see it’s quiet around here. Nevermind – do come back here when you can and share your thoughts with us all. Hope you are all enjoying the lead up to the holidays!!
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This walk is an early Christmas present!
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Interesting this post sandwiches the Addi scene in between these two scenes in Billy’s office – I find the contrast between those two moments striking. Amanda is absent in both scenes, but only missing in the latter. The first holds a sweet, timely conversation between Billy and Lee regarding marriage, where Lee seems hopeful, pensive yet positive; in the second, his angst and intensity over Amanda’s abduction is consuming and heartbreaking. In the first, Lee is in a place where he is ready to give his life to Amanda, the second, he is ready to give his life for her. Just so striking the differences. And Iwsod, I agree: BB knocks it out of the park.
On a totally lighter note, Amanda is wearing a banana clip in the truck. Why did banana clips ever stop being a trend!?!?!? I LOVED BANANA CLIPS!!!!!!!!
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Those contrasts you drew are so beautiful! I especially love the contrast between Lee being ready to give his life to her and then for her. Wow!
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Agreed! Lovely insights! So true!
It’s amazing how far our big guy has grown.
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My mind. Is. Blown!!!
I’d like to say I meant that.. haaa but.. no I didn’t! 🙂
Yeah Amanda makes Banana clips look good. they never looked that good on me!
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Thanks for the sweet comments, all. I just really feel for Lee here. His demeanor in that first scene with Billy, his shirt sleeves are rolled up, they are eating dinner….he’s got proposal on his mind probably all the time at that point,
huge decision that he really can’t share with anyone, and having that talk with Billy had to feel somewhat encouraging, as it almost feels like Billy giving his blessing to marry Amanda, which although nothing official has been said yet about their relationship, surely Billy has already figured it out. And so for Lee, that just had to feel so nice to have someone he cares about as much as Billy be able to enter in, even just a little, into his personal world, and that he could let his guard down just a smidge. So it just makes that next time back in the office that much more heart-wrenching. No longer are the talks of marriage, transferring to a job with higher pay, but instead, discussions of loyalty to a source, Amanda being abducted, and poor Lee just really struggling, can’t even sit down, jacket on, hands running through the hair, volume a bit elevated, guard way back up and protective Lee feeling quite helpless, I would think…all while Amanda is heaven only knows where with a known terrorist. It’s brutal the differences. Breaks my heart.
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Love this, AmandaRambler. You’ve put some of my thoughts into writing, but much more eloquently than I could have. Two really fabulous scenes which show how Lee has grown and changed as a result of his time with and love for Amanda. Makes it easy to overlook the cheesy spy scenes in between these moments of gold.
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I loved banana clips too!!! I think I saw one at Target the other day…but I don’t think I could still pull it off 😦
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Lots going on here. I’ll have to come back after I’ve pondered it further (plus, lots of nice pictures of Lee. ) 😛
Lee lives a pretty comfortable life as a bachelor. But beyond that, Billy may have a fair estimate of Lee’s financials and what it takes more than Lee would. Lee’s being ‘prepared’ but he’s only ever had to prepare for himself. So I think Billy was saying that this would give him more financial stability and a comfortable life for himself, Amanda and the boys. And of course, they may have one of their own. We know Amanda’s not looking to Lee for financial stability, but for love. I think, deep down, Lee knows that too. So staying at the agency won’t affect them long term. I think Billy may be telling Lee that he ‘knows’ and he supports him on it too.
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Man, BB really is amazing in this scene! It’s always bothered me a little that Dr. Quidd says the source is a higher priority than a fellow agent/partner. I really can’t imagine that to be true in real life. It seems like a source could easily be giving false information or be a double agent whereas I would expect every law enforcement agent and military person would have the most loyalty to their partner (even without Lee and Amanda’s intense connection.) Plus you have many sources but only one partner. This is further evidence to me of the Agency’s skewed loyalty system!
Oh, and you’re absolutely right that this one has such a different feel than all the other times Amanda has been kidnapped! This is the first time I remember being seriously scared watching this show. I was terrified for Amanda, not so much that she would die but that she would be horribly tortured or molested because Addi is so awful!
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So true, I don’t get how easily the agency seems to give up it’s employees and expect an agent to give up their partner. this has been a running theme in this show on and off from the start – in If thoughts could Kill Lee was bucking the system to believe better of a colleague. aie.
The agency at times seems as heartless and ruthless as the enemy they are fighting.
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Yeah, totally. It makes you wonder why anyone has any loyalty to the Agency at all (Saved by the Bells, and of course Stemwinder comes to mind as well. Wasn’t Lee also told to cut his family loose in The Eyes Have it?)
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Such a heart wrenching scene.
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