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Archie Goodwin sat at the knee of the master in Nero Wolfe  . Now Timothy Hutton is back - master in his own right - as the ringleader of a small band of infamous thieves-turned-guardian angels who deal out backhanded justice to a deserving few. He brings together a select group of skill sets to right the big wrongs that the legal system either isn't prepared to handle or simply won't fix. In Leverage, Hutton fights for the little guy - the fun way.Leader Nate struggles with grief and its resulting alcoholism after the insurance company he worked loyally for opted not to pay for his son's cancer treatment. When his son died, it sent him into a tailspin. He uses his rage to fight back for the little guy, taking on cases that the system can't or won't help with. From Iraq and the corrupt U.S. government to the mob, together with an eclectic team, Nate Ford finds deliciously devious, intelligent ways to undermine the most notorious killers, the heartless extorters, the mundane corporate grifters, and the oh-so-astute average scheming schmucky schmo who has simply gotten too big for his britches. And he doesn't just quietly snitch a small amount to reimburse the poor little guy who has been had. oh no, not our fearless leader. He plants a tiny sliver in the toe of Mr. Bad Mr. So and So, watches it slowly fester, then swoops in and takes the whole leg - maybe both legs - out from under him. Every time. In this case - and each case that this ragtag little group of ruffians takes on - the punishment always fits the crime excruciatingly well. Nathan Ford (Timothy Hutton) heads up the little band of thieves, each chosen for their particular talents in various fields. Christian Kane plays Eliot Spencer who is the muscle of the group, preferring to fight hand-to-hand rather than with any deadly weapons. Sophie Deveroux (Gina Bellman) does the role-play acting for the group (need a Southern belle to throw off investors, or a fancy sophisticate to go to a big party?). While she seems entirely unable to lead an acting career, she is the best in the group at social schmoozing, especially if one needs a great accent to play the right part. Aldis Hodge is Hardison, master geekman of the group. As he'll tell you, it is the Age of the Geek, and he reigns supreme. Anything computerized or electronic plays for him now. Parker is possibly the most interesting of the bunch. Played by Beth Riesgraf, Parker is an interesting mix of determination, intelligence and social blundering. The guest stars in season one are just as impressive and well-casted: Dan Lauria, Mark Sheppard, Lauren Holly, and Brent Spiner. Flashbacks are used fairly effectively to offer background and depth to the characters. The struggle with alcoholism drags a bit as the season progresses, and one hopes it will be resolved enough to not be a main theme in season two. Beyond that, the stories are well-conceived and the dialogue is uniquely top-notch. It is easily one of the best shows to come around in a very long time. Leverage had only thirteen episodes in season one, but each episode offers a chance to root for the little guy, to stick it to the big bad guy, and to laugh. Oddly enough, a show that deals with such emotional issues does make the viewers laugh - out loud and long - at the antics and the droll jokes that get snuck in. The innate cleverness is the real gem of Leverage. |
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