Leverage: Third Season [DVD] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

When the whimsical "Leverage" arrived on the television scene in 2008, I had just finished watching the delightful British crime caper series "Hustle." Needless to say, if you've sampled both programs--they share more than a passing similarity. I know every "Leverage" fan was instantly enchanted by our merry band of mischievous do-gooders, but I just couldn't get the comparison out of my mind and the program lacked a bit of the easiness and subtlety of its like minded cousin from across the pond. Subtlety is certainly never a word I will associate with "Leverage," in fact, which usually plays so broadly and comically that it is often bordering on slapstick. But, that's okay. The erratic tone of the show soon steadied itself and the attractive cast stepped up with nimble comic performances. A show about clever cons soon gave way to a show about clever con artists. To me, "Leverage" works most successfully as a sly and humorous ensemble piece.

Sure, there is often amusement to be had in the various cases (sometimes they even reach for genuine emotion as our gang tries to right the wrongs of injustice) but the strength of the show lies in witty banter and an easy camaraderie of our crew. The cases themselves can range from laugh out loud funny to downright preposterous, but no matter how silly things get--the actors engage and sell it! Gina Bellman as the grifter, Beth Riesgraf as the thief, Christian Kane as the muscle, and Aldis Hodge as the techie all give stellar performances. They've grown into their roles and expanded beyond the initial stereotypes. The inner battles and positioning within the team are priceless. Ostensibly a vehicle for Oscar winning actor Timothy Hutton as the mastermind, he is actually the weakest aspect of the show for me personally. I love Hutton in general, even thinking of his perfect performance in "Ordinary People" makes me a bit emotional. But haunted by inner demons, he seems at odds with the easy feel of the show. Also, in the cons, his accents and performances are so over-the-top--it reduces everyone else to moron level to begin to believe he is who he says he is.

But, again, the show isn't going for realism--so all is forgivable. I just never feel he is as deft at the comedic elements required as his compatriots. Season Three attempts to make things more serious, however, in its second half by reintroducing Damien Moreau as the team's major nemesis. I don't know, however, if multi-layered plotting or continuing storylines are the series' strong point. The episodes that stick out for me are some of the outrageous stand alone shows. My highlight is probably "The Rashomon Job." A rather silly escapade, really, it is highlighted by the guys each sharing their version of what happened--and the way they describe their fellow team members elicited some of the largest laughs of the year! Then there's Kane as a country superstar and Hodge as a concert violinist--two great bits. As a comedy, I'd rate this a five star entertainment--but oftentimes the tone gets decidedly sentimental or serious. "Leverage" is much less convincing in these moments, in my opinion. But bright and breezy rules the day. If you loved the other seasons, you'll undoubtedly love this one. If you haven't sample the show yet, why not give it a peek? KGHarris, 4/11.

16 Episodes: The Jailhouse Job, The Reunion Job, The Inside Job, The Scheherazade Job, The Double Blind Job, The Studio Job, The Gone Fishin' Job, The Boost Job, The Three-Card Monte Job, The Underground Job, The Rashomon Job, The King George Job, The Morning After Job, The Ho Ho Ho Job, The Big Bang Job, and The San Lorenzo Job.

- Nate Ford: "Let's go steal the Department of Defense."
- Parker: "Isn't that... treason?"
- Nate Ford: "We'll give it back."

These well-meaning crooks must go thru a lot of ear wigs; maybe Costco sells them in bulk. LEVERAGE has made it thru three seasons, which bodes well for those TNT viewers aspiring to be career criminals. Shows like this one and WHITE COLLAR and even BURN NOTICE go a ways in gratifying your inner grifter. Me, I've been taking notes, just in case my day job doesn't pan out. I'm this close to mastering the "Fiddle Game" and the "Vegas Wakeup Call" scam.

The end of Season 2 found incarceration beckoning for Nate Ford, the mastermind who made sure everyone else on his team got away clean. Season 3 finds him still behind bars, but he seems to be okay with serving out his sentence. It took learning that a fellow inmate had been framed for Nate to call in the cavalry and to turn the tables on the shady warden. But, once out of stir, things don't quite revert to status quo. Not when Nate is promptly blackmailed by a mysterious beautiful woman (Elisabetta Canalis) and given six months to take down Damien Moreau, shadowy financier to the most notorious, high-powered criminals all over the globe. It always means more when a season is galvanized by an ongoing plot thread.

When not taking on missions which will get them closer to nabbing Damien Moreau, the Leverage team is in full-on Robin Hood mode as it takes on the likes of corrupt CEOs, murderous record executives, ruthless debt collectors, and even the Russian cartel. The fantastic cast keeps on being fantastic and these actors are a well-oiled machine at this point, with Christian Kane lending sly nuance and depth to his blunt force "hitter" character and Beth Riesgraf's juuuust a bit deranged, socially-at-sea master thief, Parker, never failing to entertain with her offbeat takes. The humor springs mostly from the character interactions. And I haven't yet gotten tired of watching these ambitious heists unfold, with its resulting twists and swerves. Nate Ford may have reverted to being a drunk, but he's still got all the angles covered. Mostly.

Now that we've invested in these characters for some years, it means more when we catch glimpses of their back stories. Not too surprisingly, some of my favorite episodes in Season 3 are those which delve into the crew's respective pasts. Not that we learn everything, not even close. I'm still waiting to learn Sophie Devereaux's real name. Still, in "The Inside Job," to help out her mentor (Richard Chamberlain), Parker goes off on her own and gets trapped inside a building when she tries to crack a Steranko, the world's toughest security system. "The Studio Job" not only features a marvelous heel turn by John Schneider but also reveals a surprising talent of Eliot's (hint: he becomes a bonafide country music star). Meanwhile, "The King George Job," set mostly in England and centering on the team's efforts to ennoble a sinister antiques trafficker, unveils a choice bit in Sophie's murky history. As part of a con during a symphony concert, Hardison has to perform a violin solo in "The Scheherazade Job." And, in "The Three Card Monte Job," Nate matches wits with his wily crooked father.

And then there are those other terrific episodes. "The Rashomon Job" tells an offbeat caper set five years ago, in which the Leverage crew, not having yet gotten acquainted, each separately penetrated the Boston Museum's security to go after a tenth century Persian dagger. "The Ho Ho Ho Job" details the crew's attempt to infiltrate a mall on Christmas eve to restore Santa Claus's reputation. Season 3's explosive final two episodes - "The Big Bang Job" and "The San Lorenzo Job" - finally pit Nate Ford and his ace criminals against the elusive Damien Moreau. All in all, a satisfying third season, never mind that we don't quite get that high-stakes, game-changing thrill we got from the climax of Seasons 1 & 2. Never mind, too, that Elisabetta Canalis's character arc pretty much goes nowhere. I was expecting her enigmatic Italian blackmailer to play a larger role.

Special features for LEVERAGE - THE THIRD SEASON include: "On Set with Colton & Aboud: The New Writers of LEVERAGE" is basically a skit as these two newbies fail to get respect from the crew, as well as someplace to sit (00:02:20 minutes long); "What Does A Producer Do?" - another lighthearted piece as the show's producers break down their job responsibilities (00:02:33); "Inside the LEVERAGE writer's Room" details the process in which the writers work up an episode story (00:02:30); 4 Deleted Scenes; "Behind the Scenes" - executive producer/director Marc Roskin and visual effects producer Mark Franco go over selected scenes from "The Big Bang Job" (00:07:40); the Season 3 Gag Reel (00:05:37); and, awesomely, Cast & Crew Audio Commentary for each episode.

I love this show. The main characters are always interesting and funny and they mesh together well. The plots are intricate and creative, and there's comedy (sometimes in the most unexpected places) to offset the drama and tragedy. I love that each character is more than simply a "hitter, hacker, grifter, thief" -- the "hitter" has a sensitive side and sings beautifully; the "hacker" played violin and such other incongruous details that really flesh out the characters.

But I miss the subtitles most DVDs now come with. I'm hearing-impaired, and I think the only one on the show who doesn't slur words is Timothy Hutton. Him, I can usually understand, but I'm constantly asking my husband what Parker, Elliot, Sophie, and Hardison are saying.

Hopefully subtitles will be included in future sets?