# Leverage: a disappointment **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 27, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leverage-a-disappointment/587043 "2011-06-27T17:37:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leverage-a-disappointment/587043/1 "2011-06-27T17:37:45Z")
I was looking forward to finally seeing an episode of this series. Somehow it never appeared on my radar in several seasons. I was really hoping to like this show, as it’s filmed locally and gets good reviews. I made it through about 15 minutes before having to turn it off. Seems like a variation on the old Charlie’s Angels series or something. Everybody is trying too hard to be cute and hip, and the acting really sucked. Were earlier seasons better, or is this how it’s always been? ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leverage-a-disappointment/587043/2 "2011-06-27T17:49:05Z")
Are you talking about the 3rd season premiere? It wasn’t the best episode, and a lot of the humor was derived from already knowing all the characters back stories. Of course, if you really hated it, than no, you probably won’t like the rest of the show. Although I wouldn’t really call any of the characters “cute and hip.” Parker is cute, and Hardison tries to be hip (that’s really his character), but that’s about it. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leverage-a-disappointment/587043/3 "2011-06-27T18:18:25Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I was looking forward to finally seeing an episode of this series. Somehow it never appeared on my radar in several seasons. You missed all those casting calls? It’s filmed in Portland. 9900 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leverage-a-disappointment/587043/4 "2011-06-27T19:19:32Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > You missed all those casting calls? It’s filmed in Portland. > 9900 Yeah, I mentioned that. In fact, I first became aware of the series when I saw them shooting scenes a couple of blocks from my house. Maybe I should find season one and see if it makes a better impression. ---
**Author:** ![cdsilv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cdsilv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cdsilv)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leverage-a-disappointment/587043/5 "2011-06-27T20:14:03Z")
I think it’s modeled after the brit series ‘Hustle’, which was really a better show all around. See if you can replays of that on BBC. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leverage-a-disappointment/587043/6 "2011-06-27T20:17:27Z")
I gave up a while back. It became supernaturally ridiculous. And by that I mean the only explanation for some of the shit they pulled depended upon suspension of the laws of physics. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leverage-a-disappointment/587043/7 "2011-06-27T20:24:43Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > I gave up a while back. It became supernaturally ridiculous. And by that I mean the only explanation for some of the shit they pulled depended upon suspension of the laws of physics. This was a bad episode to view as a first; for me, anyway. It supposedly takes place on a mountain in Alaska. As someone who is from Alaska, it was painfully evident that they weren’t within 2,000 miles of the place. In fact, I think it was filmed on Mt. Hood. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leverage-a-disappointment/587043/8 "2011-06-27T20:34:06Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I was looking forward to finally seeing an episode of this series. Somehow it never appeared on my radar in several seasons. I was really hoping to like this show, as it’s filmed locally and gets good reviews. I made it through about 15 minutes before having to turn it off. Seems like a variation on the old Charlie’s Angels series or something. Everybody is trying too hard to be cute and hip, and the acting really sucked. Were earlier seasons better, or is this how it’s always been? I tried watching it in the first season and gave up on it almost immediately. In my opinion it didn’t rise to the level of mediocre. Operating on the theory that life is too short to be wasted watching bad TV (watching good TV is a perfectly fine use of time), I gave up on it. It’s a pity, because Hustle was reasonably good, and I like caper shows. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leverage-a-disappointment/587043/9 "2011-06-27T21:23:46Z")
They often replay it on a Sat or Sun morning and if I’m feeling lazy I’ll lay on the couch and watch it. But it isn’t good enough for me to put it on my schedule. ---
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leverage-a-disappointment/587043/10 "2011-06-27T21:28:49Z")
My opinion is that the very first episode of season one is extremely good. It’s all downhill from there. We just started season three and I feel that it is not as good as season 1 or 2. We are still watching it on DVD (from netflix), but I find myself rolling my eyes more and more. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leverage-a-disappointment/587043/11 "2011-06-28T13:47:30Z")
My complaint is a little different than most. I like the show OK; it’s light weight and fun; but my two complaints are 1) I’m sorry but you can force it all you want; there is just no chemistry between the characters Nate and Sophie, and 2) I get it, Nate’s a fall down down drunk; that only takes away from the story for me. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leverage-a-disappointment/587043/12 "2011-06-28T16:59:15Z")
I’ve been watching it from the beginning, and it’s still got a fond place for me. I agree that Season 3 was not their finest hour–suspension of disbelief was frequently strained, and I’m quite easy to keep happy on that point. But I enjoy the characters, their relationships and “family” dynamic, and the banter; I can look the other way when I need to. Plus, I adore Timothy Hutton from back when he was doing Nero Wolfe Mysteries on A&E. In the end, though, it’s just some fun fluff–the creator has called it a pulp show, as well as competence porn; if you’re looking for anything resembling gritty realism, you’re in the wrong place. I don’t think it’s got more than a couple seasons left in it–the creator’s also said that there’s a finite number of stories you can tell with these characters. I’d expect it to do five seasons and wrap up. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leverage-a-disappointment/587043/13 "2011-06-28T17:09:21Z")
I had high hopes for this show when it premiered, as I am a big fan of Hutton in A&E’s _Nero Wolfe_ series, but I hated _Leverage_. IIRC, I started a thread here at the time calling it a “bucket of suck.” The acting (with the exception of the hacker guy, who was good) was so bad I just could not stand it. Surprisingly, however, most people who responded to that thread disagreed and enjoyed it. You could not pay me to watch another minute of it, and based on the previews I’ve seen recently, it still looks like a bucket of suck. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leverage-a-disappointment/587043/14 "2011-06-28T17:12:31Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Yeah, I mentioned that. In fact, I first became aware of the series when I saw them shooting scenes a couple of blocks from my house. Maybe I should find season one and see if it makes a better impression. I liked Season One when Parker was crazier, Eliot was grumpier and Hardison was nerdier. Then the writers started smoothing over the rough edges. Character development has only ruined these characters. They were a lot more fun when they were two-dimensional. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leverage-a-disappointment/587043/15 "2011-06-29T07:07:37Z")
I like the show. It’s an hour of pleasant fun. But if they happened to give up using Nate’s "Let’s go steal a … " catchphrase, I wouldn’t be especially wounded. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leverage-a-disappointment/587043/16 "2011-06-29T15:07:44Z")
> [@ShadowFacts](#): > > I had high hopes for this show when it premiered, as I am a big fan of Hutton in A&E’s _Nero Wolfe_ series, but I hated _Leverage_. IIRC, I started a thread here at the time calling it a “bucket of suck.” The acting (with the exception of the hacker guy, who was good) was so bad I just could not stand it. Surprisingly, however, most people who responded to that thread disagreed and enjoyed it. You could not pay me to watch another minute of it, and based on the previews I’ve seen recently, it still looks like a bucket of suck. 😛 Wait, what? The hacker guy (black guy) is the worst actor I’ve ever seen. The show is terrible and the acting is so terrible that it’s distracting. I’m not even remotely critical when it comes to most TV, I’ll happily watch some terrible Sci Fi and action shows, but this show just goes way to far for me. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leverage-a-disappointment/587043/17 "2011-06-29T16:26:18Z")
Wait, Season 3 started? Crap! ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leverage-a-disappointment/587043/18 "2011-06-29T16:32:33Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Wait, Season 3 started? Crap! Season 4 actually. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leverage-a-disappointment/587043/19 "2011-06-29T17:31:28Z")
I tried this show, but found it pretty poor. Hustle + The A-Team, but nowhere near as good as either. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leverage-a-disappointment/587043/20 "2011-06-29T18:35:27Z")
My older and wiser brother forced me to watch half a dozen episode of _Leverage_ last Turkey Day weekend, demonstrating once again (as if there were any doubt) that is is smarter than I for discovering it first. It’s great, not least because it takes itself not at all seriously. And Gina Bellman is incredibly beautiful. (The young blonde woman, not so much.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leverage-a-disappointment/587043.md?page=2)