DVD Reviews

Leverage: The Complete Second Season – DVD Review - CLIPS ADDED!

By Dana Rae Jun 3, 2010, 14:01 GMT

Leverage is a slick and crafty drama following a team of thieves, hackers and con artists who act as modern-day Robin Hoods, standing up for the little guy who has been victimized by the rich and powerful. In this riveting and timely second season, the team takes on corrupt bankers, high fashion, the tabloid media and, most shockingly, an old nemesis from their past! ...more

Leverage returns to television and comes to DVD with the second season. Fans won’t want to miss this smart and funny show.

If you haven’t seen Leverage, you are missing out on a great ensemble cast with loads of chemistry. 

Some shows you can just tell: they are having fun on the set. This is one of those shows.

Timothy Hutton plays Nathan Ford who hires a team of con artists to ‘make things right’ and fight the corrupt corporate world. 

With a wonderful ensemble that includes Hutton at the helm, this ‘smart A-team’ show really delivers. It is funny; it is action packed; it is clever. Just when you think the bad guys might have won, it becomes all part of the plot and the con.

Gina Bellman plays Sophie Devereaux, who with her sexy English accent can con the cons, the grifter. Christian Kane plays Eliot Spenser, who is a Special Forces type, the muscle, the hitter of the group. Aldis Hodge plays Alec Hardison, who is the group’s computer person and hacker. Beth Riesgraf plays Parker, just Parker, who is the master thief. 

Together, with Ford leading them, they take on a different case each episode and give back to the little guy or gal in the end. In that way, the show is very formulaic, but the back and forth banter between the cast members seems real and really works. Eliot and Alec mix it up a lot, and they often go after Nathan in a fun way (like moving their head-quarters to his apartment).

The character of Nathan Ford is ingenious because he is the flawed hero. He is a drunk that is operating sans drink - he even tests his will-power by ordering a shot and simply smelling it. But he is a very redeemable character as the audience sees him continually fighting the good fight and winning (with the help of the others, of course).

I call this show a ‘smart A-team’ because of the technology involved. Most episodes make use of computers and computer conning and Aldis Hodge really shines as Alec, their hacker.

You can get several comparisons to The A-Team, but this show also stands on its own, and I believe that is due to Timothy Hutton’s performance and the talented ensemble cast he is surrounded with. 

Also, the writing is really clever - made even better by the actors back and forth banter with each other. This show just really works, and the flaws that it might have are forgotten or forgiven because it is just really enjoyable to watch. It works on all levels - acting, writing, directing.

If you haven’t seen the first season, then by all means, pick it up, and then watch this one. It won’t disappoint. It is television entertainment at its finest - smart, clever, funny, and heart-warming all at the same time. High recommended.

THE CLIPS:

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