Oh my GOD where do I even begin. This episode was SUCH A GIFT IN GENERAL AND ALSO TO ME PERSONALLY. We've got references to The Inside Job, The Rashomon Job, The Girls Night Out Job, The ACTUAL PILOT, The Runway Job, The Maltese Falcon Job, and that's just me pulling from my first watch.
Also peep Tara "I'll do it but only if you pay me" Cole turning down thanks for the first time EVER and only taking an itty bitty watch as payment.
The fact that it's a very clear-cut 5-person con using Tara and Astrid instead of Eliot/Hardison/Harry. The fact that they USE TARA AS THE ELIOT BECAUSE THAT IS A DISTINCT PART OF HER SKILLSET and we always forget that because she was brought in originally as a temporary replacement for Sophie.
Tara's extremely calm and measured approach to everything. The reference to her previous work with governments and coding. The Russian border.
I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT HER GIVING SOPHIE PARENTING ADVICE? DID TARA GET A FOUND FAMILY? WHAT'S GOING ON THERE?
The glow up from her questioning the way Nate and the team did things to just doing them herself.
Parker: You're my wild card.
Parker seamlessly stepping into the role of leader which we all know and love. Sophie seamlessly stepping into the role of distraction so that the team can work. Astrid was kind of being taught here.
The team's ability to turn on a dime and Tara knowing exactly who to defer to and who to call. It's just so good. There is so much trust there.
"Aww, I'd've killed you too, babe."
Tara calling Breanna "hun" and "kid". Breanna acting very lesbian about meeting Tara. The in-episode upgrade to WINGMAN.
How the entire theme of the episode was an inversion of The Inside Job, where there it was two "dads" fighting to get Parker out while she was kind of coordinating her own thing. And this time it's two "daughters" fighting to get Sophie out while Sophie was just like lmaooo just wait until my kids get here.
The big spot of affirmation for Astrid and Parker from Sophie, and how Sophie considers herself to be one of Astrid's weaknesses 💔
Tara & Astrid mirroring that bit that Eliot and Hardison always used to pull! Mind you, they have JUST MET. I do like the idea that Sophie tells Tara so much detail about her team in passing that Tara can work with them if possible, but it also again drives home how much Sophie trusts Tara.
THE REFERENCE TO THE RASHOMON JOB BECAUSE ASTRID DID NOT NOTICE TARA.
Honestly still dying at how the bad guys have so much information on this team and didn't look at who Sophie was having lunch WITH. Sophie and Tara are the definition of DL.
I honestly don't know if Tara, the last time we saw her, would have verbally admitted how much she cares for Sophie in the way that she did this episode. She was so cagey back then. They both were. Warms my heart at how happy she seems and how wholeheartedly she stepped into the way that this team runs.
And I will actually take this growth and elevation of Tara over like, yeah, I know, the gay stuff a lot of us want to see between her and Sophie because like, I don't think any episode of the show has ever hit on how transcendent, rare, and deeply trusting it is for grifters like Tara and Sophie to have remained friends and confidantes for so long. No episode of the show before has ever really put this much emphasis onto the relationship between these two. Tara's always going to be there for Sophie. PERIOD.
We get foreshadowing of Tara's presence with the way that Parker and Astrid were acting on the roof.
Very slight reference to Sophie thinking the way Parker does in the s1 finale with Tara looking at that cable on the roof.
TARA DOES NOT UNDERSTAND PARKER AT ALL BUT SHE RESPECTS HER AND UNDERSTANDS HER AND HER LASER QUIRKS ENOUGH.
We even get the dance nod to Tara's iconic dance scene in s4!!! But no actual dancing which is fine.
Obsessed with how Tara stayed for drinks this time, even though I'm convinced that the only reason why she left with that one guy in s4 is because Sophie was obviously having serious issues with Nate and Tara was not about to stick around for that (never mind that Leverage was not going to pay Jeri Ryan for a whole extra episode).
Like even the styling is super consistent! Tara with all that silver bling around her neck.
We also get Tara driving which she did a lot in the OG series.
The Let Them Eat Cake function was sooo funny and I love how the entire episode is about how women can also be toxic and how they use that toxicity.
We also get Tara with a clothes rack which is a nod to that one fashion episode.
TARA COLE FOREVER AUNT OF THE LEVERAGE FOUND FAMILY!!!
I also cannot stop watching it because this political shit show is riveting as hell, and I have no idea how any of these shady ass people are going to make it out of this happy or alive, but by golly I'm tuned all the fucking way in to watch it unfold.
