Tag Archives: SMK

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?

Moving on and we are back to IFF, a couple is patrolling the perimeter!
Lee and Amanda walk along the corridor toward the bullpen. There seems to be a new sign on the bullpen door?

{Lee and Amanda  enter the bullpen. The sign on the door reads: “Anti-Domestic Terrorism Action Coalition,” i.e. ATAC.} [‘ATAC’?! rofl.. that’s funny!]
Yusef and his giant cigar welcome them into the bullpen.. [‘Atac’! he cries!!! err no not really… but he should have!]

Lee: Yusef.
Yusef: Ah, Lee. Mrs. King. As God wills it, he is yours.
Lee: Birol?
Yusef : Mm.
Lee: When did it happen?
Yusef: Don’t be impatient.
(Billy and Francine join them)
Billy: You had Birol boxed in so bad, he had to hit back. All we have to do now is pick out the right color ribbon and wrap him up.
[Haa. famous last words.
Maybe it’s just me but the ‘you had Birol’ irritates me.. Billy points at Lee and seems to single out Lee – Scarecrow has a team! but.. okay okay, Lee was in charge.. rah rah… I figure they are trying to play up the situation as Birol vs Lee – as Birol is solely focused on Scarecrow.]
Francine: Delivered this morning from our Cable System News cover desk…
Birol (voiceover): God wills me to raise the sleeping conscience of our American brothers in arms… 
…I will appear for your television within twenty-four hours and give you my ultimatum. Be ready to act. Remember Karbala.
Yusef: Typical arrogant cur. They never introduce themselves. [But God wills him to not introduce himself! haaaa]
[Is that cigar lit?! me confused. God wills me confused.]
Francine: Voice match is ninety per cent positive. It’s Addi Birol. [or as Christy would say… it’s “Addi the Baddy”! ohhh hoo hooooo that is genius!!!! good one Christy!]
Billy: Well, now is a good time to pass on what the President told the National Security Council in executive session this morning. I quote, “Three months ago I asked the intelligence community to join forces and formulate a plan to put an end to terror at home. It works. I congratulate the ATAC team.” Unquote. I congratulate you also. It’s been your show so far, Lee. Play it out to the end. We’ve got twenty-four hours to push the button on Addi Birol. [They certainly are playing up the idea that it’s all Lee’s show!]
(Billy leaves)
Lee (to the room): All right, let’s get to it!

[Ohhhh this whole scene is dripping with irony to me! Yusef is saying Birol is arrogant, while they all stand around glowing in their success – err Lee’s success lol-  in fighting terrorism while they haven’t even caught “Addi the Baddy” yet! They just assume Birol is arrogant.. so they don’t ask if this is a trap of some kind. Now that is ironically arrogance!  At least Lee and Amanda aren’t grinning stupidly!]

(On to the Q Bureau..) [It’s visual aids time
LOL Lee fix your jacket. Just what have you and Amanda been up to?! ahem.]{Lee walks over to a large corkboard set up in the corner between Lee and Amanda’s desks. It reads KARBALA. Lee adds a surveillance photo of Phyllis from the airport.}
[They only have photos? Birol had video! edited video! haa]
Lee: We saved the lives of those people, but we managed to miss Addi Birol.
Amanda: Well…
Lee: We’ll get him. We’re close.  He’s even started changing his own rules. {He pins up a picture of Addi Birol sitting inside of the black truck.}
…He was actually there when she planted the bomb–that’s a first, believe me.
Amanda: Max’s nose must be off. He walked right by it.
Lee: No. Max’s nose was right on. According to Night Crawler, Birol was using the new Belgian plastique-C, dogs can’t smell it…

… But from now on, we’re going to have to forget about dogs, x-rays, metal detectors… Intelligence is the only way we’re gonna beat the new terror… [Intelligence huh. And.. this operation is led by someone with the code name ‘Scarecrow’ – I don’t know why but this is giving me giggles anew – maybe it’s the break from smk that is making this stand out as funnier than usual to me!]
… Night Crawler says this one’s named Phyllis.
Amanda: Night Crawler is a very impressive source.
Lee: The best.
[What do you all think of Lee not telling Amanda who is night crawler? I don’t mind it – I think it’s good to see they can keep things professional and that Lee doesn’t have to tell Amanda everything! Probably for Amanda’s protection too I guess as ‘Need to Know’ is a concept for a reason I guess! LOL that in this conversation he identifies it’s not Phyllis though ha. ]
The scene ends there..

Moving on..
(Lee walks along a street…..)

[oh noooo Lee your hair is getting a bit long in the back there. eek..]
(…He heads into a photo booth)
[Hey that sounds like the start of a really bad joke!]
[why the star over the price?! I wanted to see how much it cost in the 80s!]
Photo Booth: Smile, please.
(It starts taking photos)
Lee: Is it for real?
[Oh good! At least Lee is wondering if it’s a set up! Well done and very non Scarecrow like. tee hee.]
{In the next photo booth, Lee’s source, Night Crawler is revealed to be Mara.} [Hey how can they hear each other?!! I thought it was different poses in ‘complete privacy’! tee hee. apparently not that private!
Night Crawler/Mara: I think so. He was despondent after the airport, like I’ve never seen. He wants the interview.
[I guess I can’t pretend I don’t know how this all plays out in general, though honestly, I don’t remember the details – but I do wonder based on what I’ve seen at this point if Birol suspects Mara as being the source. Because the video of the airport could have shown Mara signalling to Pilot Lee and Lee reacting no? that video seemed to pick up a lot lol. Oh and ‘despondent’ not a word I would guess someone who speaks English as a second language would use.. but then again, maybe she is very familiar with the word and the concept given her own current situation!!! ]
(more photos of Lee are taken.) [‘You can’t have too many photos of Lee!’ is a motto I live by! ]

[whooo he looks dreamy in this light.. with those eyelashes – and no guyliner!]
Lee: Who’s he told?
Night Crawler: Phyllis. Everyone. I’m safe.

(Lee accepts this response, and exits the photo booth. Mara waits a moment and exits also)

[– lol looking back at him like that is probably not wise! I guess she could put it down to checking him out haaa.]

Back to the Q Bureau. {Amanda is working at her desk. Edna D’Angelo enters the Q Bureau. She’s carrying a manila envelope.}
Edna: Hi, King. Stetson in the neighborhood?
Amanda: Hello, Mrs. D’Angelo. No, he’s not here right now. Can I help you with anything?
Edna: Well, he asked me to put together his, uh, pension totals and his early retirement numbers. 
…Now, I have factored in the two-salary hike, and the dependent breaks…
[Is it just me or is Amanda reacting to this information and finding it very interesting indeed?!]
…It’s all here, confidential.
[Or at least.. it sorta use to be!]
Amanda: I’ll see that he gets it.
Edna: Stetson’s got a new bird in the cage, I know the pattern. When a bachelor starts thinking about his pension, bring on the rice.
{Just then Lee walks in the door.}

[Lee’s expression says it all: Uh oh. Edna is here.]
Amanda: Hello.
Lee: Hi.

…Hiya, Edna… …Uh…

(Lee walks over to Edna to physically direct her out of the room!) [Because you know.. there is a board there with visual aids for all to see: about the top secret Karbala operation! It’s all here, confidential!]
…Did we say we were coming up to the Q Bureau?

Edna: Well, we didn’t say that we wouldn’t, ha ha…
[rofl- she sticks a post it note on his tie!]
….Sorry I missed you.
Amanda: See you later, Mrs. D’Angelo.
Edna: Bye-bye, King.
[Cue the romantic chimes. lol.

and the secretive side glances..
and reactions to secretive side glances haaa]

{ She smiles.

Lee smiles at her warmly.}

[So cute, they seem to communicate without words huh.. I know you aren’t ready to tell me.. and I’ll respect your privacy and give you space. and.. you’re cute! lol..and… Bring on the rice!!!!!] The scene ends here.

Soooo what do you all think hmm?? Hey, do you think Edna has identified that it’s Amanda that Lee is getting his financial affairs in order for? I’m thinking not, and that she just generally likes to stir the pot! What do you think?
Can’t wait to hear your thoughts!

Welcome everyone!!!
Where has the last year gone? It’s been 16 months since we walked through a new episode. Bang your pots and pans! toot your horns!!! yell out to your neighbours!! okay okay.. well maybe others won’t get it but.. I’m super excited to be back here – let the fun continue!!!!

A huge thank you to Jaemie who has transcribed this episode for JWWM and for operation sandstorm: We Salute you!!!!
Since Jaemie has included all descriptions in the transcript I’ll rely on these at times while writing up this episode. I’d be silly not to use it! but.. I don’t want to present other’s words as my own.. soooo when I’m including the transcription’s written description, I will use these brackets { } Okay?

Thanks also to wonderful Learjet who has helped with formatting and saved me loads of time. Thanks soooo much Learjet!

Here we go! Smk starts in it’s usual fashion.. A vista of Washington DC… and.. whoooo Lee in uniform.

Lee and Francine exit the terminal.
Lee: I’ll check in with operations.
(They part ways and Lee can be seen glancing oh so secretively at a guy putting tags on luggage. Lee keeps on walkin.)
[Lookin good Lee. Walk this way!

I don’t know how I could have stayed away from smk for so long!!!!! tee hee..]

(Lee walks by Amanda, who seems to be playing a cover) [– as a trendy fashionista with funky white sunglasses.. ha!]
She speaks into her earpiece.. Amanda: I’ll have a feed for you at twenty after, stand by.
(Amanda doesn’t acknowledge Lee as he passes by.)
[We all know that on the inside, Amanda is thinking: Whoooo haaaa check out what’s headed my way! He’s all mine. Hope we can borrow that uniform for our date this weekend. ahgaqghalagho who needs ‘Rebecca’s fantasies’! hgaogogu
Ahem. Keep it PG Iwsod.. aie.. this is going to be so tough!!! Where was I… ]

(A lady with a hair don’t walks into frame, and is seen putting down a suitcase, looking a bit smug about it.) [ha. In that shirt I can’t think why..]

(A Doberman comes along and sniffs the row of luggage. he seems to skip the one Phyllis just left?! …


Lee starts casually walking toward the luggage.. and.. a blonde walks by Lee and sneezes.) [Lee doesn’t usually have that effect on women. Whatever could be going on here?! Oh wait..
Hang on, it’s action time! ]
Lee: The woman in the black jeans!

(Pilot Lee, luggage guy, and flight attendant Francine all fly into action, [get it?! pun intended] now Lee has called out to let the woman in the black jeans know they are on to her. haaaaa… so polite of Lee to give her a warning.)
{Francine pulls a gun from her bag and steps up to Phyllis from her side and disarms her. Lee runs to the suitcases and picks up the one Phyllis had put down. Yusef and Francine are cuffing Phyllis. Among the commotion is a woman with a camera who is filming what’s going on}
[That lady in the background is the one who sneezed. One second she’s behind Francine.. the next she is off to the side observing. whooooo stealthy! ]
To the onlookers who are gathering.. Lee says:
It’s all right, folks. It’s all right…

…Don’t panic.
[it’s flippin hilarious how Lee says  ‘don’t panic’ right when we cut to Lee and find he is actually pointing his nifty luggage handle/machine gun at the crowd!!!! Don’t panic people.. or Lee will shoot!! Seems Lee had a machine gun hidden in his case? and the case handle is sticking out the top of the machine gun? oh rofl. that looks so lame!!! but I bet in the 80s I thought that was super clever!]
{Behind Amanda, a black truck speeds onto the scene. }
Amanda: Leeeeeeeeee, look out!
{Phyllis uses the opportunity to break away from Francine and Yusef.}

[umm Francine’s pointing a gun at Phyllis as she turns and runs away?! Yes this image above is Francine and Yusef just look really incompetent! It’s pretty funny! ]

{Lee jumps back out of the way of the oncoming truck. Everyone around screams and ducks as the truck speeds into the line of suitcases. Francine shoots at the driver as he speeds by.}
[Amanda screams ‘Lee Lookout’.. not Lee and Francine haaaaa… soooo I guess Francine didn’t feel that she needed to look out.. Everyone hits the deck – but.. not Francine!!
she’s standing her ground with a revolver, heels and handbag no less… great to see her putting her flight attendant training to good use!]{Lee also shoots at the truck as it comes to a screeching halt beyond them. Phyllis, with her hands cuffed behind her back, quickly climbs into the back of the truck and lies down.}

Yusef: The suitcase! It’s going to blow!
{The truck speeds away.}

[even not slowing it down, this looks nothing like an airport terminal at Dulles! rofl.]
{Lee picks up the smoking suitcase and hands Yusef his machine gun.}
Lee: Hit the ground, it’s live!
[Love how Lee takes the time to gesture to the crowd to hit the ground, while holding a live bomb and not moving it away from them. rofl.
Cue the women screaming in terror.. If I had randomly come across this scene, I’d think Lee was a terrorist! Don’t panic! It’s live! rofl.. ]
{Everyone screams and ducks . The camerawoman continues filming. [Boy, she’s good! She must be like a foreign war correspondent or something!]

Lee runs the suitcase over to an armored van and pulls the security guard out of the way as he throws the suitcase into the back of the van and slams the door.}
[ummm Lee should not have been able to just grab that security guard and shove him away from the van he was guarding. Not without him showing ID haaaaa.. Okay maybe the security guard is in on it?
Lee does a showy somersault as he rushes away from the truck. haaaaa.. ]
{The back of the van explodes.}

[Love how that guard just kind of sticks his butt in the air right next to the exploding truck. Does he think explosions are like lightning?! Isn’t it your butt you want to get hit?! tee hee..]

{Lee gives Amanda a slight wink and smiles gratefully as he sits up.

Amanda smiles back .}

[awhhh. Lee looks like he’s having the time of his life, and… Amanda gets it. Such a cute little look between them. Showing real affection, love and understanding, and.. happiness they are okay!
As the scene ends we are reminded one more time of that lady diligently filming everything for her holiday video.. hmm.. ]

Moving on to an old shack..
Have we seen this place before? It looks familiar!!
(Inside, we find the video of Amanda screaming “Leee!!!!” is being viewed..)
[rofl. we get a close up and everything! that’s quite the gifted camera work haaa!
It’s even edited to cut straight to Francine not backing down!
Haaaa I love that we get to see that again! Oh and the footage cuts back to Amanda for her reaction to the events with a close up? It’s edited out the explosion to just focus on Amanda.. Whoooo freaky.. but also.. flippin hilarious. ]

{The tape is paused on Amanda’s smiling face.} {We hear the voice of Addi Birol saying something in his native Arabic and then we hear him say “Lee.” (NOTE: May be “Se rahat andar Lee.”) He is speaking on the phone and standing in front of the television set.}
Addi Birol: Scarecrow anticipated again. It’s impossible to get anything done!  Ask yourself, ‘how does he always know?’ Scarecrow has a source inside.
[How does a scarecrow ‘know’ anything?! tee heee. This guy seems especially interested in Amanda and rewinds back to her and pauses the tape..]
{He pauses the tape again. He slides the large square peephole open and sees that it’s Mara. He opens the door for her. }
[It’s sneezing lady from the airport!! Okay I confess I didn’t pick that up the first time I was watching this episode. My excuse? Ummm Lee in Uniform!!!! say no more..]
…No! No, give me time to toss the snake from my nest. Ma’a salama.
(He hangs up the call)
Mara: Beirut?
Birol: Bunch of old women. They lie about their villas. Stuff their face with spring lamb and absinthe and belly ache because I’ve not burned Washington to the ground.
[Old women is an insult is it.. you know one of my abiding memories of this episode is what a creep this guy is, so very creepy with women. I ughhhhh to see Mara fussing over him. Yuck. Stuff your face with that Kentucky Fried as fast as you can creep so you can keel over! He’s such a baby to me here!]
Mara: Don’t they understand about Scarecrow?
Birol: They understand I let him stay one step ahead of me. I’m not hungry for this zabla.
[Mr sookie pouty face grabs the chicken and throws it across the room. Make his life hell Scarecrow! but errrr uh oh.. he seems to be too interested in Amanda and that camera work picked up real feelings uh oh.. Ohh noooo!!! do you guys remember what you were thinking the first time you watched this episode?]
Mara: They can’t blame you. You put a Karbala terror squad in American soil. No one’s ever done it!
Birol: I put it here. Scarecrow dismantles it. One more busted operation and we’re gone…we’re dead. I’ve got to think of something!
Give up now – you can’t beat Scarecrow! Haaaaa..

So welcome back everyone! Got any thoughts you’d like to share? When was the last time you watched this episode? I literally have not watched it in years! So it’s all pretty fresh for me. Anyone remember the first time they saw this episode? I actually watched this episode for the first time when I bought the VHS tape of this episode – way before the DVDs were released.. Remember how this show released a few select episodes on VHS?! This episode was one of them… and.. I can see why!!!! Sooo can’t wait to hear from you lovely peeps!

Don’t forget how the formatting works:
{what the transcriber has written}
[Iwsod’s commentary]
(Iwsod written descriptions)
All clear as mud? Let me know if this is okay?!