Saturday, May 13, 2017

Leverage

I missed this little gem a few times because the introduction to the series didn't spike my interest. It looked like a white collar special crime unit taking on big corporations. It didn't seem realistic, which is one of my requirements.

I didn't remember how I rediscovered it. Maybe I clicked on it and soon found out that it was a team of cons. It satisfied a few of my binge watch requirements. It was the McGayer of cons, like Burn Notice as the McGayer of spies. I don't know if the writers consulted masterminds but I was willing to be conned into the series.

I think the producers made sure that every character is lovable and easy on the eyes.  And the actors delivered, including the thief. It was such an easy to watch time filler or waster.

I would think the Mastermind and the Grifter were veteran actors. The Hacker is doing it just right. And who wouldn't want a Muscle in their team who can knock anybody out in seconds? And he is a womanizer who can charm every woman that you don't dream of? The Thief may be a difficult character but soon anybody else will try to work with her on her feelings or lack of it.

After 5 seasons on a lesser network, it's respectable to retire. Any more will be too tedious. The formula without annoying long term threads serve them well but there can only be so many variations you can do on the cons.

I didn't see the end coming. Usually, there are hints when the season comes to an end. The formula in the last episode didn't change a bit until I saw the team dying. It was a happy ending after all. But I feel that the ending was a bit rush. The formula con had to be the main thing and the ending added little to it.

Spoiler alert. It was just another episode except for a minute that the Mastermind proposed to the Grifter all of a sudden and they rode into the sunset, leaving the rest of the team to carry on the torch.

The writers did leave something memorable - a secret black book that documents all the guilty parties in the financial crisis of 2008, when the series started. And it was the heist of all times.



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