LEVERAGE: THE REAL FAKE CAR JOB

Before I even get into the con this week, it’s great to see Matthew Lillard as our bad guy of the week. He’s one of my favorite character actors from the 90s (oh hello She’s All That and Scream) and it’s great to still seem him around.

That out of the way, Lillard’s playing a scam artist who is now Witness Protection, though he’s been found by our poor victim. Erikson is now going to be moved into another city for protection, but not before Nate and the team try to find a way to get at the $50 million stashed in an off-shore account.

Detailing Erikson’s DVR and trash reveals that Erikson loves vintage cars. To catch him, the team is going to find The Motor City Mussolini – a vintage Packard once owned by the Italian dictator. Before the big draw, though, Nate comes into town with a roadster that’ll grab Erikson’s attention, while Eliot and Hardison grab a similar Packard Coup to rope Erikson in.

It’s so sad watching Eliot and Hardison put that gorgeous car into something that looks like it’s been sitting for seventy years. But I know for the sake of the con, it needs to happen.

This Marshall feels like one who hovers too much. Or maybe I’ve just watched In Plain Sight and I know that the Marshalls can’t be around their cases all the time. Stalking his house seems extreme. Well, that or this Marshall is really paranoid–she thinks that Eliot and Sophie are hired guns by the mob.

Erikson’s call to one of his old connection and that sounds like a bad thing right from the start. One he was too nervous, but that’s only the tip of what I think must be wrong.

Erikson’s so sneaky that he has been getting money from poor people at the bookstore, which means that Hardison’s in on the con too. Of course, it means that there’s plenty of other things afoot. As an artist who takes a car apart for installations, I have to laugh at Hardison. It does get Erikson to open up his off-shore account.

While Hardison was off helping to get Erikson’s account, Eliot and Sophie are now playing the pantomime of hitmen sent to kill the Marshall. The Marshall figures out that they aren’t out to kill Erikson (thinking it’s her) and now this whole thing is going to go south, and quickly (at least it seems that way).

The Marshall is now with Nate, pointing a gun at him, and Eliot and Sophie are being chased by the Portland PD. Paranoid Marshall is now being really amazing with her story–Eliot, Nate and Sophie were hired to kill her.

Turns out this Marshall sold the Marshall Service out so that Erikson can get out of the country, and get $5 million.

The mob really is now involved. Wow, this is bigger than I imagine Erikson ever imagined. A New York mob boss in the mix with everything else is just asking for disaster (and plenty of gunshots).

Poor Hardison had to lose a bottle of his good Orange Soda just so Nate could get the Packard out of the warehouse. I really do hope that the care is bulletproof like the Batmobile, Hardison. Not just for your sake, but for the real owner back in Sacramento.

I’m confused by Nate’s deal with the mob boss, but I think that’ll play out later. Watching the Marshall get caught is worth it, though. Leaving Erikson alone for this mob boss might be the most difficult thing,but I’m sure there’s a larger plan later.