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No matter what kind of story you’re telling or where you’re telling it, the importance of a proper ending cannot be understated. That can be tricky in television, where poor ratings kill many shows before they can even think of a closing shot, while proven money-makers are extended long beyond what their story merits. Amid that landscape, it’s a minor miracle that Leverage lasted a full five seasons—and that it managed to craft a fully satisfying conclusion.
In the show’s fifth season, the team of former criminals turned do-gooders relocate to Portland (where the series was produced for its last two years). As with previous seasons, it works as a heist procedural, with Nate Ford (Timothy Hutton) and crew stepping in to get some justice on behalf of ordinary folks at the mercy of large institutions. There’s a touch of a seasonal arc, this time involving a secret project of Nate’s and the reason for their relocation, but each episode mostly stands on its own. Standouts this year include a take on the classic D.B. Cooper mystery and a trippy installment in which the team tries to hack a disturbed businessman’s dreams.
The episode plots, as fun as they can be in all their low-budget Ocean’s 11 glory, certainly aren’t the full story here. Rewatching the season for this review, especially with the commentary tracks on, I was struck by how carefully the characters were set up for the end of the series. It’s incredibly subtle work, just a nudge here and an offhand remark there, but the pieces all fit together. By the time you reach the finale, one of the best episodes of the season, every dramatic reveal and sentimental send-off feels earned.
Along the way, we get moments with each of the cast that remind us why we stuck around with such a light show for so long. Mastermind Nate and grifter Sophie (Gina Bellman) have settled into their respective mama- and papa-bear roles and are contemplating life outside the game. Hitter Elliot (Christian Kane) gets a couple of episodes to deal with his past as a solo operator and his newly-formed family. Hacker Hardison (Aldis Hodge) and thief Parker (Beth Riesgraf) try to navigate their new relationship, despite each character’s extreme social oddities. Everyone gets a chance to demonstrate some growth, and it’s immensely gratifying for those who’ve been watching since the beginning.
Producers John Rogers and Dean Devlin didn’t know if they’d be renewed when they put together the season finale, so they took a chance and constructed it as a possible capper for the series. It proved to be a wise choice, as they received notice of cancellation just prior to it airing. While it leaves the door open should they ever choose to revisit these characters, Leverage’s last caper turned out to be its most impressive: stealing a perfect ending.
DVD Review:
As far as seasonal TV sets go, especially for their final collection, this one doesn’t offer a lot of extras. There are a handful of deleted scenes and an enjoyable blooper reel. The real bonuses, as it has been in each previous season’s DVD release, are the commentary tracks recorded for each episode. They never fail to be informative and, likely due to an oft-referenced bottle of Irish whiskey, frequently as much fun as the episodes themselves.
