We join the gang back in Billy’s office.
Lee: It’s ridiculous. Amanda King – — burning flags, whipping up riots. Come on, give me a break, will ya?
[whoa. who is that lady in blue?! we haven’t seen her around for a while.. she’s back just in time to maybe insert a narky comment about subversive Amanda?!]
Amanda: When they give you a letter around here, what color is it? Scarlet? 
Lee: Blue. It’s a blue “S” on your file. And then the campus newspaper suddenly comes up with an attic full of underground newspapers. 
Billy: I don’t believe it, either.
Francine: I must say, it is a naughty little skeleton for the housewife of the year to have in her broom closet.
[bingo. We should play smk bingo. Honestly guys let’s do it! career on the line. check. Narky Francine one liner. check. Secretly work together to clear someone’s name and save their career? well.. I’m sure it’s coming any moment. lol. ]
Amanda: Francine, would you just take my keys, please? 
Francine: I’m sorry. I’m just trying to lighten you up a little bit. [I believe this is Francine trying to be nice! lol! It’s pretty hilarious when she gives that a go! haaaaa.. ] 
[Okay, Francine trying to be nice would not be on my bingo card. haaa]
…Relax, Amanda. Look, anybody can see that you missed the revolution. I meant that as a compliment.
Lee: Can we stop kicking the verbal ball around? This is serious. It’s a suspension, and it is damn hard to get reinstated. 
Billy: All right. So get to the bottom of it. But keep a low profile, because if Frampton thinks that you’re in her way, she’ll put us all on ice.
[ah bingo! Secret assignment to clear your name commences!]
Lee: Mm.
Francine: I’ll, uh, need your Agency ID too. But you get a visitor’s pass… 
…And, uh, you’ll have to be accompanied by cleared personnel – [funny, that’s kind of the system at Statik, which got those baddies in the door]
Amanda: All right, Francine.
Francine: — at all times.
Amanda: All right.
Francine: I’m sorry.
[Francine being nice.. whoa. It seems genuine. I know I was looking forward to the nark, but we got some genuine care here too. It’s very Francine. It works!] 
Billy: Amanda, this is as hard for us as it is for you. 
Amanda: Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. Will that be all?
[I find the handing back of the agency ID, and the wearing of the Visitor badge to be a huuuuuge slap. Amanda worked sooooo hard for that badge!!!]
(Amanda tries hard to keep herself together, and stoically asks to leave.. she leaves the room not waiting for Lee and he follows on after her.) [LOL she wasn’t supposed to wander around alone anymore guess she was pretty confident he would follow! ]
We find Amanda and Lee entering the Q Bureau.
(They both look really tense. Lee is pacing, Amanda sitting at her desk hands clenched.)
Lee: Well, what are you doing?
Amanda: Nothing. 
Lee: Heh. Come on, Amanda. Let’s go.
Amanda: Go where?
Lee: Anywhere we have to go. What are you going to do? Are you just going to sit there?
Amanda: Yes. I’m gonna just sit here. I’ve got a visitor’s pass and that’s all I can do is just sit here.
[Awh poor Amanda. She’s such a trooper, but this is such a sucky situation. I’m glad to see her have a little moment here. Seems Amanda found taking away the badge especially tough too! ]
Lee: Amanda, I wouldn’t scare you if I didn’t have to. But you can’t just sit there on your hands and wait for this whole thing to blow over.
Amanda: Lee, the security board will clear it up.
Lee: Did you hear what I said in Billy’s office? 
Amanda: Yes, I heard what you said in Billy’s office.
[love her little head toss here, this is Amanda pretty worked up!] 
Lee: All right. I can’t give you the exact box score, but I can tell you this: not many suspensions are cleared up, period.
Amanda: Listen. A suspension is gonna be cleared up if a charge isn’t true.
[Given other events Amanda has witnessed, and been a part of during her time at the agency, I’m kinda surprised she is fighting Lee on this. Then again, maybe she’s just in shock.. can’t say I blame her]
Lee: No!
Amanda: Yes!
Lee: Amanda, it happens! Sure, they can give you a week of their time, and then they move on. But if they can’t get any more breaks, if they start running out of leads, it is goodbye, Amanda! 
Amanda: Are you serious?
[this is the suckiest workplace ever!] 
Lee: I told you before, didn’t I?…
…We might not be able to work with each other, see each other. 
Amanda: Are you sure? 
Lee: Hh. Yeah. Okay. What do we have to do? I don’t know. Damn it, let’s make a start, huh?
[Amanda begins to realise the full gravity of this situation, and how this sucky workplace runs things. I’m amazed anyone who has made enemies is able to keep working at the agency if it’s this easy to dirty someone’s name!]
(Together they leave the Q bureau to start trying to clear Amanda’s name)
[ – ohhh!!! Bingo!!!]
(Scene shifts to Agency photo lab. A blown up photo of Amanda. Shot widens to show Lee and Amanda behind a work surface, with photos framed on the wall behind them. Amanda is holding up blown up photo. A man with glasses is standing behind the work surface, holding the original newspaper) 
Amanda: That’s me. But I wasn’t at that riot.
Seymour: So, it’s a mistake. And a rag like The Skwak didn’t make a dime being meticulous with its facts. They put in the wrong picture. [and yet the agency in it’s infinite wisdom is willing to toss away 3 years of great work based on the Skwak?!] 
Lee: Seymour, is there any other way to prove that this photo wasn’t taken at the riot?
[Wait. This photographic expert is named ‘Seymour’
Ohhh hoooo hooooo that is flippin genius!!!!!
Yeah, you can even see Amanda wearing the heart necklace. Just show the agency footage from Welcome to America Mr Brand that will clear things up!
err hang on.. something’s not right here.. ]
Seymour: No, no, no, not by the picture itself. You see. All these shots here could have been taken months, maybe even years apart, but the shadows are all the same length, which means they must have been taken about the same time of day. So – if it’s a fake, it passes that test. [Really. Lame. Test.]
Lee: Any other test?
[I have three.. what about the basic sniff test?! The common sense test??!! The reality check???!!!!!! ]
Seymour: Well, a complete analysis is going to take a long time. But this is what I can tell you now. The newsprint is the same as they used back then. The ink is Hobbs 970, which is unusual because it contains a hazardous substance. The EPA suspended its use back in ’75. So – it looks real. 
[Ugh. well if it’s a fake they wouldn’t want to make it obvious, I mean the point is to trick people. Ya know?! Thanks Seymour. Noooo thanks Seyless!]
The scene ends there and we move on to an old warehouse..
Yes, this looks suitably dodgy for nefarious activities!
Williamson: The last ready check of the detonator for the HK-86 will be completed within 48 hours. They’ll lock it in a clean bin as usual for final assembly. However, the timetable will be tighter than with the other components. One or two days at the most. How long do you need? 
Janitor No. 1: Don’t worry about it, all right? We’ll have it photographed and back in a clean bin before they can miss it. Yeah, what about the agent that’s been nosing around here, Amanda King?
[Oh okay, so they are taking photos of errr.. stuff. secret stuff, and then putting it back. right. whatever. But cool to see the dual ‘Photo’ themed storylines..]
Williamson: King’s a first-year agent. I’ve thrown her security review board a bone. That’s all she’ll be worried about. Besides, I’m keeping a close watch on her. If Amanda King winds up in our hair, I’ll make absolutely certain that she never bothers us again. 
[I like that the baddie check in is short and sweet. She gets in our way? she’s going to die. Muahahahaa!!]
So any comments on this part of the episode, or the episode so far guys? Can’t wait to hear from you!
"Just walk with me.." 
You know Amanda is mad when she says “Billy” instead of Mr. Melrose.
I love what clagjanet said about “lee has to be with you 100% of the time.”
LikeLike
If being accused of something means Lee has to be with me all the time, I’m planting photos of myself in a paper!
LikeLike
The original script had the scene after Billy’s office being a little different. Amanda is way more ticked off, Lee shows her where he has hit the wall a couple of times in the Q Bureau (I’m guessing during Night Crawler? Or maybe the Oz ep!), and he asks her to lean on him. I wish they hadn’t cut that!
Love how he’s so determined to get her to take action though. And the idea that they wouldn’t be allowed to see each other anymore because she’d be a security risk — although I think in that case Lee would resign from the Agency too.
LikeLike
I just want to add that I don’t think I’d want to work for the Agency. They REALLY don’t have people’s backs when they get in trouble. I get formalities, but some of it just feels a bit extreme. And it’s interesting that Lee has lasted so long there without getting fed up and telling them to stick it because he’s so loyal. I would have thought that would have gotten to him long before he even met Amanda.
LikeLike
For some reason, this screenshot just made me giggle, Iwsod:
Hiieeeeee, Lee!!! 👋🤣
LikeLiked by 1 person
rofl. you could make it your handle image! 🙂
LikeLike
I yell “NOOOOOO Not the Agency ID!” every single time I see this scene. So much time complaining about her having to use a Guest Pass, and now this.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bingo—-haha, yes! Also, must include: guest pass, real ID card, Billy rolling his eyes, “You never listen”, kidnapping, helicopter, gun fail, smelling salts, gastly outfits, good ties, hair don’t, smashed station wagon, “You’re a spy?”, “He saved my life once”.
Also, great catch on the name Seymour. Clever!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ha ha, great list. Also add: “Lee and Amanda run for their lives” (perhaps abbreviated to LARFTL or maybe just “On the Run” to fit the Bingo square), “Back Porch Conversation”, “Crazy Coincidences” and “Plaid Shirt Sighting”…
LikeLiked by 1 person
‘Back Porch Conversation’ this is brilliant!
rofl. LARFTL!
‘Plaid Shirt Sighting’ !! Love it texaslady!
In honour of BJo I suggest our Bingo game include: the Lee ‘Masseter Flex’! miss you BJo.
Looking back on Bjo’s wonderful stats posts – they read as a great big game of bingo!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I was thinking the same thing as I was posting my comment…SMK Stats would translate well into Bingo or an SMK drinking game…or drinking Bingo? Hmmm, maybe we need to all hop on a Zoom call one of these days and play a round…I’ll start looking for a small but provocative selection of wines…;)
LikeLiked by 1 person
rofl! Love your bingo list!!!
Hey is anyone interested in putting together a bingo mat for us to play with?!
I wonder if each season needs it’s own.. hmmmm..
LikeLiked by 2 people
This warehouse (street) reminds me of when L&A are on the lamb in Stemwinder, about the time they are in the truck wearing those goofy costumes and professing their love to each other.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I really like the depth of Amanda’s facial expressions in the post. Usually her feelings are shown very graciously, but she is all-out fierce. It takes a lot to rattle her cage, but this time it shows. Good job, KJ.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I would have loved to see Amanda stand up at some point in this episode (and actually a couple of others) and say “You know, since coming to work for you good people, I’ve been shot at, drugged, assaulted, kidnapped, chased, accused of treason, misled, been lied to, forced to lie on your behalf, and sexually harassed…multiple times…and I still came back to work the next day with a smile on my face. Yet despite ALL of these things, you’re still willing to kick me to the curb at a moment’s notice. Maybe it’s time to take my soccer mom spy talents elsewhere.” It would have been a very satisfying thing to witness. You hang tough, Amanda! P/S: I always think of KJ whenever I see a heart necklace…
LikeLiked by 4 people
Whoa!! Yes! And kidnapped multiple times. I love your summary Texaslady.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Genius! too right!!!
It actually starts to become quite ludicrous really.. maybe that’s a reason why the show only went 4 seasons!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am guessing that theories related to this topic will become a focus of the Walk once we get to the last few episodes…;)
LikeLiked by 2 people
I like to see Francine’s comment about Amanda having to be accompanied by someone at all times as a way to cheer her up: “Look! You get to send 100% of your time with Lee and no one can say a thign about it! Not even me!”
LikeLiked by 6 people
Brilliant interpretation, clagjanet!!! ❤️🤣
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly! So I put my Thinking Cap on and did some research. Amanda first wore the diamond heart necklace in S3 (A Lovely Little Affair & Welcome to America Mr. Brand). Since it would be helpful to provide evidence of photo tampering, she should go home and dig up the purchase receipt for that necklace. She probably did not own it until after her university days. (Who wears a diamond necklace to a radical demonstration anyway?)
Conversely, if it was a gift, she would remember when she received it and from whom. It’s worth a try!
LikeLiked by 4 people
That heart necklace was likely a gift from Dotty and/or the boys. A Mother’s Day gift or something. It couldn’t have come from Dean, because he was long gone by then. Lee? Well, that would be sweet, but we can’t confirm. It’s likely a gift, but they’re not even discussing it here. Even if the necklace went missing for several years and turned up all of a sudden, that still brings us back to the question of why Amanda would wear that pink outfit, diamond necklace and 80s hairstyle to a radical 60s demonstration.
LikeLiked by 3 people
yeaaaaahhhh I think we were not supposed to notice this stuff – it’s the joy of having digital copies and being able to snap images..
Heeyyyy Nancy, sounds like you could write a blog post about it when the walk is done???!!! Just sayin…. it would be awesome!
I don’t remember details, others here may – but I remember hearing that it was KJ’s personal necklace.. and she wore it on SNL very early on..
aha here’s an image! It’s from February 24, 1979.
LikeLiked by 2 people
She looks so pretty in that picture! I’m still sort of wishing there was more of an SMK-linked story to that necklace. Maybe she had it put away and just brought it out one day (season 3) and decided to keep wearing it. Perhaps a certain spy complimented her on it too. 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
In a way there is because it harkens back to the S2 Double Agent episode where Lee and Amanda met Arlene Francis, who wore a diamond heart necklace for 4 decades. That necklace was a gift from her husband, Martin Gable, in 1947 on the first anniversary of their marriage. Sadly, it was stolen, snatched off her neck, in 1988 after her husband’s death in 1986.
LikeLiked by 2 people
PS: Double Agent first aired in October 1984. Arlene Francis was wearing it during that episode.
LikeLike
I know there is a fanfic story about the necklace if someone remembers and can hop over to Ned’s and give us a link????
LikeLike
Head over to Ned’s if interested, I found the link for a great necklace story.
iwsod edited to add the direct link to Ruth’s post on Nedlindger’s:
https://nedlindgers.proboards.com/post/6599/thread
Please discuss over there. Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yesss..i sort of hoped for a story surrounding that necklace…
LikeLike
Obviously watching the show has honed some detective skills. If anyone here is a spy, would they admit to it??? Maybe there is a secret necklace spy code.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am not now, nor have I ever been a spy… 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person