r/leverage • u/screen_stack • 6d ago
Leverage S03E07 — "The Gone Fishin' Job"
Beyond the towering awesomeness that is Clancy Brown as Hugh Whitman (which I will DEFINITELY get to in a second), this is a great episode for a bunch of reasons.
First, we get a micro-buddy-escape movie starring Hardison and Eliot. The thing I appreciate most about this team up (and kind of despair over, if I'm being honest) is that we get to see Eliot functioning in his true capacity: as the man who knows how to survive and has the absolute tools to do it. I despair because Hardison's dismissal of Eliot's factual, lived experience of knowing where he is at all time is a little out of place in season 3.
By now our Age of the Geek Baby knows what Eliot can do. The brotherly ripping and teasing is one thing, and pretty sure we all love it, but when you are in the middle of the forest being hunted by 'trained' militiamen, handcuffed to Eliot goddamn Spencer, you LISTEN to the man's thoughts on the matter of survival. You just do. Everyone takes Hardison's skills with the computer most seriously (unless they're teasing him), so Hardison should do the same.
The clip I included was an easy choice. It shows the moment Hardison stops playing around. I accept that our cityboy was trapped in an extremely bad situation and spiraled. I live damn near in the country these days myself and if I have to go weed the back lot where the weeds grow really thick, I have myself a really good hissy fit as well. In his situation I would've for sure done the same level of bitching and complaining.
And now on to the legend that is Clancy Brown. He IS a legend. I first saw him as The Kurgan in Highlander, and I fell immediately in love with him, and I can't think of a single role that I've felt 'meh' towards. The man's a consistent deliverer, much like Michael Ironsides.
But here's the fun thing about this absolutely legendary actor. At no point is any scenery chewed. He's calm, stable and very focused on the numbers, and takes a lot of time out of his day to point out that he was District Manager for the IRS. He's still villainous as hell, but he's like ... an accountant level villain. He's really into math and, like, maybe blowing you up. But the math first.
The con itself, complete with stealing a train, is one of the better ones out there. It was an all hands-on deck situation the moment our boys got themselves caught and trapped in those woods, and that's when Leverage shines best and brightest. I particularly enjoy the payoff on this one, mostly because it's one of those rare times where, when the team does their reveal as a final 'gotcha' moment, Hugh Whitman points out Sophie and Nate and is like 'THEY'RE IN ON THIS TOGETHER!'.
That's some real classic fun right there and the show, like the team, shines best when things have fallen all the way apart.
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u/BillMagicguy 6d ago
Funniest part of this as a person living in Massachusetts was them stealing that train. There are no train lines in that part of Massachusetts.
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u/Zanoushe 6d ago edited 6d ago
aren't they supposed to be in like the Fitchburg area? I thought I remembered them saying that at some point and there definitely is a Fitchburg line at least of the commuter rail which to be fair is not what that train is.
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u/Acatinmylap 6d ago
I agree: in that situation, you do everything Eliot says, full stop. I think Hardison was just panicking, and when he panics, he reacts by trying to control everything.
What I found totally out of character was Eliot doing the "high five for morale" ruse to cut Hardison and use the blood for a false trail. There is no way Eliot would have cut Hardison over himself. And certainly not with a dirty stone on the palm, ffs.
And it was really unfair of Nate to scold only Eliot for not taking the train. He was going to! Hardison refused! Though I think Nate probably did that because he knew Eliot could take it.
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u/Garrettshade 6d ago
It was Eliot's job at that time to keep Hardison safe, that's why Nate scolded him
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u/screen_stack 6d ago
Agreed. That's Eliot's job. Protect everyone else, even and especially if they're being idiots.
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u/Stories_in_my_Dreams 6d ago
I do find that whole scene out of character for Eliot too! Especially cause he knows that won’t be enough to distract those dogs 😂 would’ve been better to toss a piece of clothing or multiple far away and in different directions.
Here are some reasons that I thought of that might make it more in character? One that it leaves Eliot injury free to defend and attack. Two, to let the dogs smell Hardison’s blood so Eliot can set up a sneak attack if needed since the dogs would be focused on the fresh scent that came from the blood. And three, I think Eliot was a little annoyed at having Hardison ignore his advice and arguing against it all that he decided to do that as a small form of payback.
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u/General_Ginger531 5d ago
What I dont think Eliot would have done was cut a palm. If they need to climb anything at all, Hardison is going to have a major gash on the part of his hand that will interfere with his climbing. Cut a calf or a shoulder or something, a hand is so important to us.
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u/RetrauxClem 6d ago
This scene, along with Parker insisting on staying behind in The Inside Job because they know they have to stop the bad guys, are some of my favorite moments with this crew and it even stretches to the final season when they’re taking down the mad scientist who’s trying to pull off a terrorist attack. “Sometimes bad guys are the only good guys you get.” They have the opportunity to escape but they know they have the skills to stop a bad thing from happening before it hurts anyone.
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u/Accurate-Nobody-8314 thief 6d ago
I just always love the high five...for morale between the two of them 🤣
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u/knight_shade_realms 6d ago
Where's my cigarette?
Hardison and Elliot working together was great to watch and Nates mild annoyance that they didn't take the train he stole for them was entertaining