Leverage

spades24 · June 7, 2010

Leverage is a U.S. television drama series on TNT that premiered in December 2008. The series is produced by director/executive producer Dean Devlin's production company Electric Television. Leverage follows a five-person team of professional thieves, computer experts and con artists, headed up by former insurance investigator Nate Ford, who use their skills to right corporate and governmental injustices inflicted on common citizens.

The first season of Leverage consisted of 13 episodes, which writers John Rogers and Chris Downey and producer Dean Devlin intended to be a complete story should the series not be renewed. The second season, for which production moved from Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon, ran in two parts: a nine-episode summer season which premiered on July 15, 2009, followed by a further six episodes the following winter. On August 27, 2009, TNT announced that Leverage had been renewed for a sixteen-episode third season, to be aired on Sundays, beginning June 20, 2010

Overview

Former insurance investigator Nate Ford and his band of cohorts act as modern-day Robin Hoods, pulling elaborate scams targeted against the greedy and the corrupt. The team was formed in Chicago before moving to Los Angeles headquarters in Season One. With their headquarters demolished and faces known, they disbanded at the end of the season. They reformed in Boston after persuading Ford to lead them again, and have set up a new base in Ford's loft apartment. However, after a con involving the corrupt city mayor, they were forced to move out once again, this time leaving Ford, who left himself as a bargaining chip.

Cast and characters

Timothy Hutton as Nathan Ford – former insurance fraud investigator for IYS Insurance and the team's mastermind. The son of South Boston numbers runner Jimmy Ford, Nate originally intended to become a Catholic priest, spending a short period in seminary prior to becoming an insurance investigator. While working for IYS, Nate's young son became seriously ill; IYS refused to pay for the experimental treatment needed, resulting in his death. The aftermath leads to Nate's drinking, his divorce from his wife Maggie, and his subsequent dismissal from the company. Nate is at first a very likable and talkative man, but is unwilling to talk about his own problems, even becoming quick to anger anytime the subject changes to his son's death. A skilled planner, Nate draws on his experience as an insurance investigator to anticipate the moves of his team's marks. Nate has the privilege of selecting what client the team will help, and he often acts as their direct liaison to the team.

Gina Bellman as Sophie Devereaux – British actress and accomplished grifter with a taste for art theft. Sophie is oddly enough a talentless actress, appearing campy and over-the-top in her work on stage. But as a grifter who is one on one with people, she effortlessly plays the role needed to draw the team's target into the con. Particularly adept at the use of accents and multi-lingual, Sophie is seen to portray, among many others, a German athlete, a Southern horse broker, an Indian business executive, an American television producer and a reporter from New Zealand. Sophie also has a collection of aliases, including her identity with the team as Sophie Devereaux, but has never revealed her real name. She has a long history with Nate, dating back at least ten years to when he pursued her with IYS as an art thief. At some point, they recognized they are attracted to one another, but have never acted on it, leaving Sophie alternately frustrated, angry and disappointed.

Christian Kane as Eliot Spencer – highly skilled martial artist, weapons expert and retrieval expert. His role in cons is often to play small roles while protecting the team, often leading him into hand-to-hand combat that draws on his martial arts skills. Eliot has a long history as a soldier-of-fortune, and has seen violence much of his life. While merely presumed as the muscleman, he demonstrates a subtle intelligence in conversation often taking advantage of the underestimations of others. Eliot appears to be adept with women, but tends to keep his romantic life private, as well as much of his background.

Beth Riesgraf as Parker – expert thief, cat-burglar, pickpocket and safe-cracker. Known only by her last name, Parker is a risk-taker who loves money above anything. The product of an abusive childhood spent in more than one foster home, Parker is socially awkward, relates poorly to most people and avoids social contact. Parker is proficient with rappelling and similar equipment, and is an expert with a variety of safes and locks, skills she uses in many of the cons.

Aldis Hodge as Alec Hardison – computer/Internet specialist and hacker. He is a self-proclaimed geek and science fiction fan, with an easy going manner and dry, unusual wit. Like Parker, he was raised by a foster parent, an older woman he refers to as his "Nana". Hardison can hack into most—if not all—forms of electronics and is rarely caught. Hardison designed and assembled the computer and television systems in the team's headquarters, and is responsible for the electronic applications used by the team on their cons. He is also very attached to his electronics and shown to become very depressed when the con takes a turn for the worse and requires they destroy his electronics to make their escape.

Mark A. Sheppard as James Sterling – Originally Nate's colleague and rival at IYS, now an Interpol agent. Sterling learns of Nate's new life and begins to follow him, first thinking that Nate wants his job at IYS and later to bring the team to justice. Nate soon realizes Sterling is on his trail, but foils his efforts to dismantle the team's cons. In time, a theft leads Sterling to work with the team on a con, the outcome of which leads to his being offered a position with Interpol. This allows Sterling to pursue the team even more actively, eventually leading him to seemingly capture Nate.

Jeri Ryan as Tara Cole – A self-assured grifter Sophie sends to help the team temporarily. Easily able to adapt to the team's method, she is nonetheless slow to be accepted by the team. Tara is a con for profit who seeks a cut of most their jobs, but over time, learns to understand their not-for-profit motives.

Kari Matchett as Maggie Collins – Nate's ex-wife, an art expert who re-enters his life while working with IYS Chair Ian Blackpoole. Although no longer in love with him, Maggie still cares for Nate, but cannot live with his drinking, which led her to divorce him. She is unaware of IYS's role in her son's death, but learns the whole story as she's drawn into one of Nate's cons, allowing them to come to terms with his death and begin to rebuild their relationship. She demonstrates a flair for Nate's new work, and ends up helping the team complete a con; later the team comes to her rescue when she is falsely accused of theft.

Rick Overton and Gerald Downey as FBI Special Agents Taggert and McSweeten – who have (unwittingly) worked with Leverage Consulting & Associates on at least three occasions, believing Hardison and Parker to be fellow FBI agents. Credited with catching the bad guys following two of the team's cons, they have now earned a more prestigious assignment in Boston.

Robert Blanche as Lt. Patrick Bonanno – a Massachusetts State Police detective the team tips off when they want a mark to be arrested. An honest cop, Bonanno is seemingly aware of the team's work, and has their respect, but has never attempted to pursue them.