r/leverage • u/screen_stack • 4d ago
Leverage S03E08 — "The Boost Job"
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This is a rare episode in that it's both (in my mind anyways) Parker-centric AND Sophie-centric to a degree, which is nice.
It's Parker-centric for the obvious reasons: she was a car thief from age 12 and so the episode relies extremely heavily on her expertise and knowledge, so that's sensible. But beyond that, we see Parker go all in on something she's only really recently been doing.
Take a chance on someone else. Her reasons for doing so are the purest of all motives. She sees herself in Shorty, and wants to do whatever she can do spare a young woman a life in an area of crime that would probably eat someone like her alive. It's a telling decision. Parker knows enough to recognize that Shorty isn't 'like Parker', and that's a big deal in car thieving rings.
Parker's play goes the way it goes, which queues us up for more Leverage scrambling, but I'm absolutely not mad about the way things shook out. Parker got her second chance, and after a lifetime of crime a lot worse than anything Shorty could've possibly done, so why shouldn't she give someone else the same courtesy?
After all. If the people in Leverage can change, why can't Shorty?
It's also a Sophie-centric episode because we get to see her running a much longer character than usual. The clip I included, where she sells the car to (I think) Carl, is just the tip of the iceberg. She plays that man like a fiddle because of course she does, but that's the tip of the iceberg. She spends a lot of time with Penzer as well, working him hard to get the con going the right direction.
I know Bill Engvall from his stand-up comedy days, and I gotta say, he's funny as hell. He's not as big as some of the other stars they've had so far this season, but he does a great job playing a terrible scumbag.
The final and best thing about this episode (beyond Shorty getting her second chance, that is) is the con itself. I've mentioned in each of the last two, maybe three episodes that the cons themselves were only mediocre, held together with some truly awesome character building and genuine skill.
The con they run here in The Boost Job is absolute S-Tier. Parker has a chance (as lame as it sounds) to pay it forward to someone who deserves a better life than the one she'd been given and we get firmly reminded why it is that only Sophie can really do Sophie shit.
Everyone got to play a committed part in bringing down Penzer, and that's always a good time from where I sit! As this was such a great episode, enjoy not one but 2 clips stitched together! Sophie selling a car and Parker driving like a bat out of hell!
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u/CommentMoney9761 4d ago
It's kinda funny how they just give a random kid to a client at the end. Here is your good name back oh and a teenage girl. I wonder if they checked up on her ever... Leverage Redemption idea 💡
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u/teamcrazymatt 4d ago
from John Rogers' blog post on the episode:
(question) @mad: While I love happy endings the teacher just taking Josie on as a landscaping assistant was a little too neat...and somehow a little creepy. He just took the race car and the girl and was going back home to his family?? And Josie just blithely went along with him? There must have been a long conversation we weren't in on!
(Rogers' answer) Yes. A long, boring conversation devoid of drama, and hence unworthy of your valuable entertainment minutes.
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u/screen_stack 4d ago
Shorty gets into trouble and the only person she can reach out to is Leverage ... Next on TV!
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u/Garrettshade 4d ago
yeah, it's like, here's a car thief, you can trust her!
Hey Shorty, here's a random middle-aged guy, you can trust that he won't abuse you or do anything else
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u/Extension-Flight908 4d ago
I love this quote:
Penzer: "Veronica's not for sale," and
Nate: "Veronica? I thought Betty was the fast one".
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u/Garrettshade 4d ago
where's that from?
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u/One_Nerdy_Wanderer 4d ago
It's an Archie comics reference. There are two main ladies, Veronica and Betty. Veronica is the girl next door type while Betty is.....not so much.
If I got anything wrong or left out some detail, someone please fact-check me on this.
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u/iwishiwasaredhead 3d ago
You did get it backwards, kinda. Betty is coded "girl next door" and Veronica is "rich girl." Neither of them are "fast" typically, but they are both shown to be into Archie and Reggie, but not committed to either.
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u/One_Nerdy_Wanderer 3d ago
Oh, cool, I wasn't 100% sure I had that right but I knew what Nate was referencing.
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u/Garrettshade 4d ago
Ohhh damn
I watched Riverdale, so I understand. Only, in Riverdale it was probably vice versa
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u/Acatinmylap 4d ago
I love when Parker and Hardison being held at gunpoint and suddenly they just start to smile...
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u/HappyLittleHotdog 4d ago
Oh i was a salesman when i watched this show and tried this. Never worked lol
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u/One_Nerdy_Wanderer 4d ago
Are you a hot leggy lady with amazing hair? That may be the trick 😆
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u/HappyLittleHotdog 3d ago
No, I was a buff, short guy with spiky hair. Dang, I was in the opposite direction!
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u/Garrettshade 4d ago
So, just to be clear, the timeline is that Parker went from the "system" of orphanages to Archie Leech, and then to be in a car theft ring? After Archie? Hard to believe
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u/Algiers2022 3d ago
I think the car seat era was before Archie didn't they say she was about 12 and I think she was older when she worked with Archie.
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u/Weary-Tree-2558 4d ago
Thank you for the reminder. This really was a fantastic episode. I love the ones where they actually do go sideways and they all have to think on their feet a bit more. And I do love anytime Nate sees Sophie in real trouble, how he comes running in. This episode has a little one of those moments 💓💗💕
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u/screen_stack 4d ago
It's a pattern established in Season 1, and I love it. He KNEW he loved her before he ever even REALIZED it.
He'd burn every con to save Sophie.
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u/Chiron723 4d ago
Parker: You know, I was trying to help you. You weren't supposed to tell them.
Josie: I didn't know that, and I didn't think they'd try to kill you!
Hardison: Wait, wait, wait, hold up. You told her?
Eliot: I should have known, you're a menace Parker.
Parker: What? She deserved a chance.
Hardison: Ooh, Nates gonna kill you.
Eliot: I'm gonna kill you!
Parker: Oh, stop whining!
Eliot: I got hit by a car!
Parker: [mocking] "I got hit by a car." GET OVER IT!
Eliot: I'm gonna kill her man, I'm gonna kill her.
Hardison: Hey, hey, hey! Nobody's gonna kill anybody. Seriously though, Nates gonna kill you.
Josie: Wait, wait, wait, who are you people?
Parker: WE'RE THE GOOD GUYS!
And scene. Seriously this? This right here? This is why I love this show.