Tomorrow's viewing is Live Wire...Scene 17...Widescreen...Unrated version. Oh, wait. Sorry. I was thinking about something else. (Don't make me say it, Jennifer!) Tomorrow's viewing is Etched In Steele. Very good episode, by the way...Lots of game-playing and jealousy!!! LOVE IT!!! Looking forward to your comments...
 

Xenos

"What happened to your periscope?" 
"It's retractable." 

"Forgive me Laura, I didn't mean to ramble on about the family jewels." 

"When I'm in the market for pleasure, I want more than a smidgen." 

"Itchy."

(Help me pick which tag to use, please.) 

Xenos

"When I'm in the market for pleasure, I want more than a smidgen!"
(I'm gonna keep rotating my tags.)

First, I have to say that I'm mighty disappointed in myself. I got Etched in Steele and Steele Among The Living confused. Shame on me! But anyway...

There's a lot to like about this episode...more than I remembered, actually. This show really demonstrated the love/hate relationship Laura and Remington had at the beginning of their partnership, which I LOVE! He's always getting on her nerves yet you can see the obvious attraction she has to him. And he knows her a little too well after only a short amount of time together. LOVED the argument about her being afraid to kick up her heals and have fun. SWEET!!! 

Pierce once again shows his incredible comedic abilities. His body language when he can't figure out who did it and asks Laura for her help was absolutely, unequivocally hysterical!!! And I almost wet my pants when he bursts out, "WHAT?!?!"...So, so funny!!!

Great Laura moment: When Charlotte's drunk husband is telling them about "Twice Nightly" being the first four years of their marriage and "Prone Positions" being the second four years of their marriage...HYSTERICAL!!!

Nice couple moment: Remington trying to protect Laura from hearing the racy sex scenes. So charming and sweet. *sigh* He does this again in Love Among The Steele.

Best line: Though there were many good ones (including Remington's "wrong about the case or wrong about you" line and the "little lists" line), I would have to tip my hat to Murphy's "I heard arguing, so I knew Mom and Dad must be home." (Paraphrasing here. Sorry. I didn't take notes last night. Shame on me again!)

Best outfit: Remington in a tux. Nuff said. Laura's shimmery, sequin dress at the party.

Fashion disaster: Why did Charlotte's boy-toy wear dress pants, no shirt and wrist bands?!?! What was he thinking?!?!

Funny non-Remington and Laura moment: Finding out that Charlotte hired her gigolo writer boyfriend as a gardener when they live in an apartment on the 35th floor! LOL! THAT was original!

OK...I'll leave off here in case someone else wants to post something.
 

Xenos

Pierce Brosnan...Proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy!

Debra

I'm ready, willing and able to discuss ALL the Season ONE episodes, and then I vote we JUMP to Season FOUR! LOL. 

DCZinger

"That's what I love about you,Laura...Always willing to stick my neck out". 

Laura bemoaning the good will of the holiday season that keeps her from a nice juicy murder.

Bernice doesn’t know about the holiday slow down so she can’t have been very long or have worked for Detective agencies before. It makes me wonder when they met and why Laura told her about their being a fake Steele.

The secretary’s condescending of Dickens opening for A Tale of Two Cities – yes much more economical. LOL

Laura completely frustrated and losing it with Steele over his book – “You don’t have ten famous cases!” and Steele oh so calm in the center of her storm and talking about opening branches in London and in malls where families can pick up books and leave clues. 

Steele’s bemused and amused facial expressions in the limo as Laura is breathlessly describing Charlotte’s books -- “How quaint” and then claiming she never read them -- he doesn’t believe her for a second – Reading is such a chore”

Laura and Steele’s (and Pierce and Stephanie’s) nuanced expressions of pity, discomfort and some disgust as Mitchell is pouring out his marital sex and woes. Laura turning her head into Steele’s shoulder at the sight of Mitchell’s body. I know some find it out of character but 

a) I don’t think Laura is as hardened or as experienced in the first seasons (especially early on) as she is later as regards death and danger. 
b) I think it’s a normal human reaction to seeing someone crushed on the pavement after just talking to him 
c) Right after she turns to look back down – you can see her eyes looking for clues
d) When they’re both alone on the balcony Steele is just as jumpy as she is – in fact he actually jumps when the publisher advances from behind. Human.

“My mother, Mrs. Steele – taught me it never hurts to ask”. LOL!!!! 

“I heard fighting so I knew Mom and Dad were home”. LOL!!!!!!!! Best Murphy line ever. Then Murphy looks frightened when Steele starts going on about Laura and her lists – he doesn’t want to be in the middle of it all – Murphy makes a run for it to safer ground. Coward.

“He was drunk as a skunk in a funk.” 

The reversal – first Laura thinks there’s a case and then Steele thinks it’s one after she changes her mind. When he comes over she’s actually lounging on her couch and looking through brochures to go away with him. (and Murphy and Bernice – I can’t believe he wanted to order 4 tickets but then that might be the only way Laura would agree) And he’s deduced correctly-- Mitchell had writers block and the writer of the third book is the murderer. Of course he doesn’t know who it is but he’s also right that the motive depends on the murderer. 
 

"These people, these people are creating fictions, foisting frauds on the public, exploiting talented underlings for the aggrandizement of a figurehead who contributes nothing but a winning personality and good looks! Trust me Laura, it's my area."

Priceless!
 

“What are you doing?”

“About twenty minutes—it depends—this looks like a tough room.”

Of course he doesn’t know who the writer is. Neither does Laura and she looks rather pleased that she doesn’t and he’s out their hanging like a fool.

"You think I would have dragged us all the way up here, accused all these nice people of murder, made a blooming idiot out of myself, if I didn't think that when everything went awry, you'd be there to jump in. I don't ask for much Laura."

LOL!!!!!!!!

This episode has a great tag – Laura’s breathy “watching speech” – her pride at doing nothing – then her sudden burning desire to balance her checkbook and Steele stopping her with one of his great signature lines --

"Irresponsibility is not a sickness. It's an art. Stick with me.” I’m a master."

Love her touch of his chin and smile at the end as he says it.

Things that make me go hmmm:

The stomping on the foot – I know it’s used for humor and later for good effect since his foot has lost all feeling by the end. And it also gives the funny line “I suppose your feet have no odor”. But I’ve never muched cared for Laura’s stomping of feet and kicking of shins. I know it’s supposed to be cute because she’s a small woman but it obviously inflicts pain so why is it cute or appropriate? It comes off like a case of not so latent aggression. Which of course there is -- as said there's love/hate with Laura over Steele - but I don't care for the physically violent manifestation of it. Practically speaking there are also less painful ways to convey what she wants. For instance, she could have told Steele about seeing Tony typing and her idea before they went in – and there would have been no need for continued stomping. Especially since when Steele saw him typing he figured it out as well. 

Love the seducing the Calc professor story through the magic of geeky glasses – but if Laura doesn’t wear glasses why is she wearing glasses with Steele? Is she planning a repeat performance? And she brings salami – how Freudian!

“I’ll be up in a minute mother” -- now that’s something that countless children have said to their mothers over the years. Steele is asleep so this would actually have to be something from his past that he wasn’t making up – it’s so instinctual. But we later know it really can’t be reacting with instinct to a past pattern of his mother calling to wake him up. If she called him she’d have used his name – a name he doesn’t remember or have. It makes me wonder again how much of Steele’s past was known to the writers when the show began and how was changed later – and when. Did they always know he was a nameless orphan? And why don’t we ever really find out anything about Steele’s mother? Daniel doesn’t even mention her name when he tells Steele the truth.
 

Fashion: 

Charlotte Night’s white lounging outfit – very nice and one of the few times she didn’t look completely overdone. 

This is the season of the three pieced suit – he wore that look more than in any other. His beautiful three-piece dark suit at the end with the red tie and handkerchief, the grey pinstripe three-piece suit is also gorgeous. I even like his short velvet smoking jacket – not so much for the look but the idea of the look as Steele is trying to write. I don’t much care for the patches on the tweed jacket at the end but maybe he’s still feeling writer-ish. :p The tux with the vest and the chain -- ooh la la.

Laura’s spangley dress jacket– not her best evening look but I think the best of this type. It’s fitted, relatively subtle and not overwhelming – nice. Her short jacket black suit at the start is very nice. Her brown suit later on with the little neck choking bow tie—not nice (and looks worse next to Steele’s gorgeous grey pinstripe). I prefer her white turtleneck with the rather dull grey suit. Really ugly sweater vest at the end. I like her home grey sweats and pony tail look.
 

And since there are relativley few votes on particualr episodes on the IMDB here's the link to cast yours on Etched In Steele:

http://imdb.com/title/tt0684844/

The "Lists" arguement is BY FAR one of Rem and Laura's best shoutfests. It isn't until the shoutfest on the streets of Cannes that we have another of this calibre. I love Murphy's best line in this : " I heard arguing so I knew Mom and Dad were home". Sooo, when the case was over...what was to stop Laura and Steele from going away together? 

I also love Laura's whole face/expression when he asks her who did it, and she says "Who did what?". Cat that swallowed a canary! LOL. Then she deadpans "I don't have a clue, I don't know who did it". Steele's stunned look and "WHAT!!!" get me a Belly laugh every time. 

The whole Rem and Laura out at a party idea was great. Very Mr. and Mrs. Steele-ish. The little bit of Laura looking down at Mitchell Knights body, then turning and burying her face in Steele's shoulder...very priceless. We didn't really see them AT a party after this one. Oh, we saw them ON THEIR WAY to a night out (Breath of Steele, Springtime for Steele, Steele in the Family) or coming home from one ( Red Holt Steele, Lofty Steele) and we had ONE scene where they are out to dinner with a client ( Woman of Steele), but I would have liked to have had them AT a party for a while and have a mystery present itself. Perhaps Mr. and Mrs. Steele's first night out as a married couple after they get home from Ireland? 

I'm with Xenos that Steele's Tux and Laura's black dress withe sequins ( that must have been bloody hard to film, though) was the outfit of the episode. Laura in her fedora again. 

Okay...is Charlotte's boytoy writer wearing any UNDERWEAR under those pants? EWWWWW. 

DCZinger 
 

DCZinger

"That's what I love about you,Laura...Always willing to stick my neck out". 

Anyway, this was another episode I had not seen before. Not one of my favorites but I don't hate it either. I would say it's a "nice" episode. I do love Murphy's line about mom and dad being home. And this of course: "These people, these people are creating fictions, foisting frauds on the public, exploiting talented underlings for the aggrandizement of a figurehead who contributes nothing but a winning personality and good looks! Trust me Laura, it's my area." 
 

The stomping on the foot bit is so cliche! Does anyone ever do that IRL--in real life? I hate it when I see it in any show.

Laura describing Charlotte's book and looking away from a dead body I think adds to Laura's personality. They are glimpses that suggest maybe she's not such a tough detective after all.

Oh well, here are a few things not mentioned.

I really liked the secondary storyline in this one better than the main plot. Man behind the woman/Woman behind the man thing was played very well I thought. It was another way to explore how Laura and Remington's relationship worked. Also Murphy's role. Getting help from Laura on the cross word puzzle, showed that he knew she was smarter than him and that she was the true brains of the agency.

Coffee Mugs - I can only think of 2 mugs we ever see Laura drinking from. The one in this one that said "Laura" and later the one that said #1. I'm glad they switched to the #1 mug, it was more appropriate and funnier.

This episode was the first glimpse we got into Laura's wild side. Sort of a lead up to "Vintage Steele". We see that she is not a total prude and goody goody, much to Steele's delight. LOL

I thought Steele looked great at the party scene, but that Laura was nothing short of STUNNING!! 

"Bush Beating....Me??? Classic Steele/Laura interaction!

Ok, so a room FULL of people and not ONE of them saw how the guy falls over the railing??? I doubt that, but whatever. LOL

Another great line....."He's was seeing a lot of shows not listed in the TV guide." 

Did anyone else see the "Geese" painting in Charlotte's apartment?? It is the same one that turns up at the agency in later episodes. 

And finally.....the winner for the best line of the episode goes to........Murphy for "I heard fighting, so I knew Mom & Dad were home." It was a great line and his delivery was dead on hysterical!! Well done Mr. Read!

All things considered, this was not a favorite episode of mine, but I do like it. I love going back and watching these characters bloom again. 

Brenda

We're spoiled now that we have instant access to each and every RS episode at the drop of a hat (even though a few of those episodes have been desecrated). I looked forward to each week's episode on NBC and very few actually disappointed me. Were they all favorites? Certainly not, but the vast majority of them were excellent television. Most of the episodes *won't* be our favorites, but there are things to love about each of them and I love looking back at the great things in each and every one. (I admit, it'll be hard to come up with some great things about "Springtime", but I'll do my best to find them.)

Debra

Truthfully, there isn't a clunker in the bunch (well, ok maybe Springtime. But even that one has it's merits LOL). Watching them again in order takes me back 20 + years and is almost like falling in love with the show all over again. So, for as long as this continues, I will be here with my little notes, happy and willing to discuss each and every episode.

Brenda

Another nice thing about this episode I'd like to bring up...I like how Remington talks about "the woman behind the man" when referring to Laura. It's a nice touch and he did it quite often in the first season.
 

Xenos

Pierce Brosnan...Proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy!

Even with "clunker" episodes, you are always guaranteed at least ONE decent scene. "Springtime", "Illustrated", "All Season Five", "Yonder", "Pocketful", "Breath", "Air" weren't great, but thanks to the DVD's I can cut to the ONE good scene and enjoy it. 

Show per show, Remington Steele has the greatest ratio of Excellent to average episodes. 

May I suggest that if we are discussing a not so stellar episode or an episode on our Bottom 10 or Twenty, that we make suggestions as to what would have made it better? Throwing the script in the trashcan and starting over doesn't count! Xenos, having Pierce take off his shirt doesn't count as well (though it does help!). 

DCZinger

"That's what I love about you,Laura...Always willing to stick my neck out". 

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Xenos, having Pierce take off his shirt doesn't count as well (though it does help!).

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Xenos

Pierce Brosnan...Proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy!

What I love about this discussion group, is that I get to read such great
points about the ep. For example, I had never heard until this time 
around, RS making his mother remark when Laura wakes him up after listening
to the tapes. Is this the only episode that he mentions his mother twice,
because I don't remember hearing it again.

And I must say, for a couple that didn't sleep together, until the last show, didn't they seem to spend the night together in several other episodes or 
is it wishful thinking on my part?.

I also need to mention the big eyeglasses that Laura wore when she thought
they had to read. Ace mentioned this and it made me wondered
why is she wearing them if they are fake glasses? Why? Thanks for pointing
that out Ace because I never picked up on this before.

And yes, Pierce looks good, but when doesn't he, right Xenos?. In fact, we
should just mention his clothes when they look lousy, because hell, he always
looks sexy to me. But yes, Laura's dress for the party was just striking 
and she looks beautiful. Yet again, next to such a gorgeous guy it is 
hard for us to really look at her. Well for me anyway.

Isabel

Favorite lines:

Bernice: He writes?
Laura: When I get through with him he won't be able to READ!
***
Murphy: I heard fighting, so I knew Mom & Dad must be home.
***
Rem: Irresponsibility is not a sickness, it's an art.

*********************

Enjoyed Laura's guilty pleasure, Charlotte Knight books, and her embarrassment when she realizes what's she's revealed to Rem.

*********************
Observations from the party
 

Love, love, love Laura's spangly dress. (Zinger, I, too, had pity for the poor camera and lighting guys while watching the party scene!)

Like the conversation that parallels Mitchell being the man behind the woman and Laura as the woman behind the man. Nice touch that Rem even introduces her as such to Mitch.

I agree that Laura's not as hardened to death in S1 as she is later on (is it in Steele, Inc. where, in the morgue, she lifts up the sheet and takes a nice, long look and meanwhile Rem is about to turn green?) She instinctively turns to him and he automatically puts his arm around her. Nice that even that early on in the relationship, some things were taken for granted in a good way.

*********************

I liked that when Charlotte started coming on too strongly to Rem, he got up and walked away. Not only was that not the reason he'd come to see her, I'd like to think he saw her for what she was and wanted no part of it.

*********************

I had the same thought as Ace - if she didn't NEED the glasses, why bring them? Unless she had an ulterior motive (I hope!). Also cracked up at that HUGE bag she brought over - popcorn and the salami.

*********************

As they're fighting about whether or not there's a case and she's walking from the office into the hallway and he's arguing with her the whole way, he again raises the proposition of going away for a week. She's *very* tempted. Perhaps because he's mentioned 4 tickets to Jamaica. But I'm not sure she's remembering 4 tickets at that point, only 2.

*********************

She looked so mature in that party outfit, but in the sweats & ponytail, I swear she looked about 18!

I usually don't get a chance to watch an ep until Friday or Saturday. Then it may take a day or two or three to post my thoughts. I thought we had the whole week?

Deep breath, girl...we're fine!

Personally, having never done one of these before, I'd rather keep on going in order but can be flexible.

That was when they were looking at the hitman's corpse in "Coffee, Tea or Steele". In the script, the next scene starts with R drinking Alka-Seltzer or some similiar concoction. He *is* drinking a cup of something in the filmed scene, but there's no mention of it being an antacid.

Debra
 

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had the same thought as Ace - if she didn't NEED the glasses, why bring them? Unless she had an ulterior motive (I hope!). 

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Xenos

Pierce Brosnan...Proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy!