Eddie shows no remorse over taking money from people
Episode: Leverage 2.03 – “The Order 23 Job”
Original Air Date: July 29, 2009
In this episode, no one actually hires the Leverage team. They are already on the tail of a Bernie Madoff-type (though smaller-time) who is slapped on the wrist because he’s been helping the police with a bigger case. Meanwhile he’s still bilked a lot of money from a lot of families, and the team is on the case. After discovering that Eddie (the crook) is a germophobe, Nate decides to convince him that he’s sick.
The plan is to get Eddie away from his federal marshal handlers and get him in to a hospital. While there, the team uses a variety of suggestive techniques to make Eddie think that there’s a major plague that he has contracted. From sound effects recorded by Hardison to the performance of Sophie as a victim of the plague, this was probably the best part of the episode (the Order 23 of the episode title is the order that Eddie overhears some “government officials” invoking, although it’s actually just a recording). They really play on Eddie’s inherent paranoia in a way that seems quite plausible.
"Doctor" Nate reveals his plan to "Nurse" Parker
There are, however, complications with the plan. First, the federal marshals discover that Eddie is missing and nearly call in the local police. Hardison and Eliot, posing as local police, convince them not to do so. As it turns out, though, one of the Feds isn’t really a Fed at all — he’s an Armenian mobster sent to kill Eddie. Fortunately, Hardison is able to warn Eliot just in the nick of time by using an elaborate code he set up earlier. Hardison told Eliot that if he referred to one of the odd numbered Star Trek movies, everything was okay, but if he referred to an even one, something was up. Despite not having a TV (“Everybody has TVs. Dead people have TVs,” is Hardison’s incredulous reply to Eliot’s revelation), Eliot does manage to understand Hardison’s page for Dr. Rath O. Khan as a signal that something is up so he’s able to take out the fake Fed.
But then the local police do show up and the team has to adjust yet again. This time they allow Eddie to escape, but make it look like he had the intention of fleeing custody. Meanwhile he leads them to the stolen money which, of course, was their intention all along. Eddie is taken back in to custody and this time he’s in even bigger trouble, meaning he’ll be spending a lot more time in jail than his original 18-month sentence.
Eliot tries to convince a kid to tell the police about his father's abuse
There’s also a side story involving Eliot that gives us some possible insight in to why he is so violent. He notices a boy in the hospital with a broken arm. His father claims he fell off his skateboard, but it’s clear he’s beating the boy. Eliot talks to the boy at one point, but the father knows several of the local cops so the boy doesn’t ever say anything about his father. As a favor to Eliot for writing a glowing review of his performance recapturing Eddie, the real Fed visits the father and son to help the son. I have to wonder if Eliot himself was beaten as a child and had to toughen up as a result.
Hardison and Eliot are disappointed their joke didn't fool Parker
Although the plot was pretty interesting, the writing wasn’t nearly up to the usual standards. I’ve actually already mentioned the best part — when Hardison and Eliot set up the Star Trek code. There’s also Parker’s line about not finding one item while gathering supplies to fool Eddie: “And by the way, nurses haven’t worn skirts with white stockings since the ’70s. Sorry.” You can see the disappointment in Hardison and Eliot’s faces (and mine, too, if I’d been on screen). Also, while the team tries to convince Eddie he’s sick, he gets a nose bleed about which Parker comments to Nate: “Did you just give a guy a nose bleed with the power of your mind?” Nate just smiles and says something cryptic. Typical Nate.
Rating: 3 / 5 Stars
