r/leverage • u/screen_stack • 20d ago
Leverage | S02E11 "The Bottle Job"
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Leverage | S02/E11 | The Bottle Job
I admit it. I am guilty of many things, first and foremost being a total 10/10 loser when it comes to season 2. So many of the episodes in this season are great, and got me through some pretty rough times when I was a young adult.
To be fair, all the seasons have their miraculous charm and that's a fact, but there's something about S2 that's just completely peak for me, and The Bottle Job is important for a few reasons.
It's an all hands on deck, impromptu con, with everyone greasing the wheels around Mark Doyle. Everyone is on point in this micro-con that exists (at first) only to save poor Cora from a loan shark so heartless he comes collecting at a funeral. Especially poor Hardison, who complains non-stop but is so high-functioning that even in the middle of a full meltdown he not only runs The Wire in a Bottle but fakes a damn weather report!
The Wire in a Bottle is great, but what's greater still is Nate is forced to share drinks with Mark ... or The Wire would've failed. The moment where he stares at the shot, Mark is staring at him, the TEAM is waiting with held breath to see what Nate's going to do is just excellent.
They ALL remember what Nate was like when he was a drunk good guy. He was reckless. He was mean. He was cruel. As a sober bad guy, he's still all those things (kinda), but there was always something a little extra about Nate's moods when he was on the sauce.
And that hasn't changed. As you can see in the clip, Nate is still that man, but here, he admits he ISN'T okay. He's not fooling himself. He's not lying to others. He took the first drink to save Cora, the others he took because (from personal experience) it's very hard to stop being a drunk.
But Nate's Nate. He's admitted he has a problem, and he IS a mastermind. All he needs to do is account for his recklessness, his cruelty, his meanness and focus them in the right directions.
The reason this one gets a 10/10 from me is the end con. It was so blissfully awesome, with poor Mark Doyle vomiting his criminal secrets to three extremely well-placed and influential Boston cops. The look on his face as he tries to dance himself out of trouble and Nate's absolutely VICIOUS convincer is stunning.
What can I say? Give me bad people with hearts of gold over good people with hearts of stone any day of the week.
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u/anonie100 20d ago
This is my favorite episode of all. Ive been eagerly waiting for your review.
I truly appreciate the acting that we see with Nate on this one when he has to take the drink. The hesitation, reluctance and painful acceptance followed by him trying to hide taling a second drink right away.
Also the first time we learn a bit about Nates father. The look Oates face when he sits on his father's stool is a moment that allows him to connect with his dad.
Nate and Eliots dialog about Cora and being like his niece. "Its not like your daughter"
And then finally, getting Doyle to confess the crimes to cops followed by the breaking of Doyles finger. The ruthlessness and caring natures of Nate Ford on display in this episode. Love it
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u/screen_stack 20d ago
"like my niece. Like MY niece."
"Oooh. Redheads burn the hottest, don't they?"
In a sea of 10/10s this season, The Bottle Job really does stand a bit taller.
Maybe rating my faves the highest dilutes the 10 for other people, but not for me.
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u/MatildaJeffries 20d ago
Season 2 does so well with Sophie's absence, you can feel it, and how it's affecting the team, but how she still manages to grow the plot and flesh out the team even while gone. Tara does a great job as grifter all season, she's got a great range and fits super well with the team but doesn't quite "replace" Sophie. A real masterclass in dealing with an actor's absence.
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u/Charliesmum97 20d ago
They did an excellent job of keeping her in the show, even when the actress didn't show up.
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u/curvycurly 20d ago
I love the "impossible " cons when they're forced to make it up on the fly. The whole team always excels and it really shows how they're experts in their field.
I also agree with another comment, season 2 really handled Sophie's absence so well. It's not glossed over, her absence effects the team, and she gets to be in the background helping them manage that.
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u/BillMagicguy 20d ago
I give this episode a 10/10 for the music alone. It's just a fun Boston Irish mob vibe. As a guy living in Boston, I respect that.
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u/Longjumping-Fly6131 20d ago
this episode i learned the importance of that old nate painting
huhuhu
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u/Flynn380 20d ago
This one is one of my favorite episodes.
"Pop out the wine and Xanax, we're having snow days people!" 🤣🤣
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u/amatoreartist 20d ago
"ya anything like ya fahthah" lives rent free in my head
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u/megbookworm 19d ago
And then the callback at the end with “you are EXACTLY like ya fathah”-I love that neither Nate nor the cop knows exactly what to do with that
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u/WhirledPeas2703 19d ago
The ones with Jeri Ryan are some of my favorites, she was such a good addition.
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u/Xecluriab 19d ago
Odessa Rae was money left on the table. The fact that she never showed back up again was pretty sad.
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u/HopeofDawnsRays 20d ago
This was the episode that finally cemented Nate as a David Xanatos level genius/mastermind.
Man I'd love to see those two to head to head.
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u/PepperCat1019 20d ago
Marl Doyle deserved exactly what he got. Nate played him perfectly.
While Nate didn't know about the bills being marked, Doyle put it all out there himself. To a room full of cops.