SkimIt
In tonight's season 5 opener, the Leverage crew goes after a ruthless CEO (played by guest star Cary Elwes) whose cost-cutting measures cause a fatal plane crash.
It's Official!
After four seasons of flirting and pretzel metaphors, Parker (Beth Riesgraf) and Hardison (Aldis Hodge) are officially an item, as the two begin dating after their around-the-world vacation. It's also official that the team has fled Boston and will now be based in Portland, something Sophie (Gina Bellman) is not pleased with. (Portland gets a lot of screen-time in this episode, as it is also where the series films.) Though the location of the team's headquarters has changed, the friends are closer than ever and they quickly get back to doing what they do best.
A Very Big Bird
Once reunited, the team takes on a case for the Sanders family. Papa Sanders was killed in a faulty plane he was piloting, so Nate (Timothy Hutton) and the gang go after the airline's CEO, Scott Roemer. Nate concocts a scam -- on the fly and much to Hardison's frustration -- to offer Roemer the chance of a lifetime. Nate tells the CEO that he can buy and own Howard Hughes' famous plane, the Spruce Goose, an object which Roemer is obsessed with. Forget that the plane currently belongs to a museum and seemingly can't take flight; the team will surely come up with something.
Child's Play
Eliot (Christian Kane) thinks the airline has people watching the Sanders family, and sure enough, he is right. The airline big-wigs recover Papa Sanders' laptop after the crash and discover a video fragment. They need to find the camera and the rest of the footage, as it could prove negligence on the airline's part. Eventually, Eliot figures out that the camera is hidden in something that belongs to Sanders' daughter: her teddy bear. Once the teddy bear camera is recovered, the team uses the footage to get the airline to agree to a substantial settlement for the Sanders family.
How It All Plays Out
After an elaborate con, the team convinces Roemer to go into hiding and makes sure that if he ever tells the tale behind his decision to leave the country, no one will take him seriously. The team gathers back at their new headquarters, a brewery/pub Hardison bought and plans to use as a front to cover the team's dealings. Hardison and Eliot argue over the menu and what they can actually serve to the public, and everything seems right as (Portland) rain. Unfortunately, the end of the episode reveals that Nate is lying to his friends -- with Hardison's help -- and has something much bigger planned. What could that something be? Hopefully, we will find out as the season continues.
Best Lines:
"This is the dumbest idea you've ever come up with." -- Eliot to Hardison about his new purchase
"Thief juice. It's a mouth of crime." -- Parker's slogan suggestion for their new brew
"No, London has fog. Fog is mysterious; rain just ruins my hair." -- Sophie to Hardison after he points out that Portland is similar to London
"I'm only going to say this once, boys. Give me the ... teddy bear." -- Eliot's threat to the bad guys
Recommendations:
