Xenos 

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

It is going to be a long, hot summer. 

Isabel 
 

Can't wait to review the kiss at the court house!! ohh loved that! and what...is this the episode with Mr. Steele in his briefs!!! Calm down Xenos!! I know what you're thinking. 

Jilly 

Memorable Stuff 

- Nice mystery from the very beginning. Good idea to only let the audience know what Mr. Steele knows, at least at first, to keep us guessing. 
- LOL at the giant paintings Cranston uses to decorate the office 
- Laura attacking Cranston after he's fired Mildred. And then Cranston planning to fire Laura. 
- Mildred bringing romance novels to Mr. Steele in jail! 
- James Tolkan is really just very good. Norman is so nasty! 
- You'd think by now Keyes would know better than to turn his back on Mr. Steele's associates. First Laura smacks him on the head with the phone in "Diced Steele" and now Mildred does 
- I must say the mystery in this one was excellent. I never figured out who it was until they showed up at the airport. 
 

Character Development 

- After the hard time he gives Laura when she goes off on a case without him, Mr. Steele should know better than to go off without her 
- Nice to see it doesn't take much to convince that Laura that Mr. Steele was being set up. 
- Mildred finally gets to do some B&E with Mr. Steele and she does a great job setting up Keyes. 
- The whole City Hall scene. Sigh. I like the way Mr. Steele pressed the issue without accusing or yelling at Laura. I'm glad she finally confessed her fear that he might be setting her up. (I must say, it never occurred to me until she brought it up. Guess that's why she's the detective!) They finally have a meaningful conversation and you can just feel the relief of both of them when they finally hug. Sweet kiss too. 
 

Favorite lines 

L: After all we've been through together, do you really think I'd believe that you would stake Remington Steele Investigations, the major accomplishment of my life, the product of six years of hard work, as collateral in a card game? Would I ever think that you would be that reckless, that foolhardy, that stupid? 
R: Do I have to answer? 
L: Well, while Reuben tries to find a legal means to stop Cranston from turning our office into an adjunct of the scandal sheets, we have to figure out who's behind it, how they did it and why. 
R: Laura, you're being remarkably calm about all this. 
L: Mr. Steele, when Cranston entered my life yesterday, I had one of two choices. I could believe in you and know there's a way out of this. Or, I could believe him. In which case, I would have had to hunt you down, tear your heart out and scatter it to the four winds before jumping off the nearest available building myself. 
R: Good choice, eh? 
--------------- 
M: (re: Cranston) Holy cow, he's another you! Kinda, a...FORMER you. 
R: Mildred, why do I get the feeling you're not entirely behind me on this on? 
M: I'm behind you. 
R: Yes, and ready to shove at the next cliff, it appears. 
M: OK, Chief, here it is. I've seen the kind of trouble you've put Miss Holt through. And I have watched her defend you when 99 out of 100 women wouldn't. And, well, I just hope you're worth it. 
R: So do I. 
-------------- 
M: Boy, if you can't trust wimp lawyers anymore, who can you trust? 
 

Hair & Clothing 

- Mr. Steele in his undies. (Calm down Xenos!) 
- Even after he's been missing for 36 hours, he looks pretty darn good in a slightly rumpled suit, un-perfectly coiffed hair and 2 days' growth of beard. 
- I'm not crazy about the cut of the suit (it's pretty 80s) but once again, Laura looks good in red. 
- Mr. Steele, all in black. Nice! 
- It's nothing special, but the teal & black looks good on Laura. 
 

Goofs, Headscratchers & Misc 

- I thought Mr. Steele never carried cash because it was too bulky? He's sure got quite the walletful. 
- Where are Mr. Steele's scars from that fence in London? 
- Where did Mr. Steele get the change of clothes at City Hall?

If you see this scene carefully you will noticed that Pierce has a small scar on his upper left arm. It looks like one caused by the smallpox vaccine. I know it well, as I was vaccinated at school and never forgot the experience. This vaccination is not given as a shot. A needle is used to prick the skin a number of times and it was pretty painful. 

Isabel 

What a way to start...Mr. Steele in his blue suit showing off those gorgeous blue eyes and then...to his briefs...oh my!! How awesome is that!! 

Here we go again....We don't see as much air time with scenes of L and R together. Did these guys say hey...Through S4, we're just not going to let L and R have as many scenes together!? What's up with that? 

Confused by the fist scene...can anymore explain to me why Mr. Steele seems so ready and willing to be wooed by the so called B. J. Sinclair? He even gets a look like...oh i hope laura don't find out...at the end of that whole scene. A little confusing to me. Please someone hlep clear this up for with some suggestions!! 

Just loved both car scenes!! Laura is still on board with her belief in Mr. Steele and I just love that whole dialog between them. 

OH!!! Loved Mr. Steele in the grey suit and did you see those BLUE EYES!!!! WOW!! 

The Icy calm line between Laura and Remington...LOL R starts it and then Mr. Steele really must say it a number of times to Miss Holt to calm her down when Mildred is let go!!! HA!! Loved it! 

OH MY!!! Did I say how great PB looks in black and did you see those BLUE EYES?!!!!!! Everything that PB is wearing in this episode just seems to bring out those blues eyes!! Love it! 

Just love the scene with Mildred and Remington staking out Crandon's place...Loved Mildred's comments about Mr. Steele's past!! Great scene between the two of them. Again...where's all the scenes with Laura and Remington. Humm...me thinks there is more to this that meets the eye!! 

Love how the writers incorporate the whole plan to have Vilagence Insurance pay for bail. Really very good! 

OKAY here we go!!! Finally a relationship building scene!!! YES!! This scene was wonderful outside the courthouse. I would have loved to have seen more scenes like this (buliding there relationship, talking about their insecurities and then working them out to become even more closer) in the fourth season, but I think it kind of fizzles in that respect. 

Loved how the writers put in the phone scene from Diced Steele using Mildred in the plan too!!! And also, the writers are consistent about what Mr. Steele doesn't like...squid...from You're Steele The One For Me. 

I love the scene at the airport with the newspapers. Too funny! Just loved when L and R find out who did it. 

I really liked this episode a lot for a lot of reasons. There is a development in Laura and Remington's relationship, Steele looked great!! I mean really more so than usual and so did Laura, the writers used some things from other episodes (squid, phone bit), and I liked the whole storyline. Liked how we got to see Keyes again. 

Jilly 

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Confused by the first scene...can anymore explain to me why Mr. Steele seems so ready and willing to be wooed by the so called B.J. Sinclair?
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Um...maybe because of her name.  Hey...It HAS been a long time, folks!!! (Sorry, Jilly!) 

I'm really enjoying all the posts so far!!! Keep 'em comin'!!! And, Isabel...Never noticed the scar. Not really looking at his arm, honey. I'll try to pry my eyes away from other areas and take a look. 
 

XXXenos 

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

I really liked Forged Steele - very, very good mystery - kept us guessing all the way through!!! I enjoyed the concept of the (ex) conman being conned - although I did feel sorry for him. Pierce does the outraged and totally confused look so well. And Norman Keyes is just so jubilantly nasty! 

Also some good progression in their relationship. I loved, loved, loved the fact that Laura actually believed and supported our Mr Steele - what a turnaround from seasons 1 and 2! And the court house scene - some honesty and some genuine expression of feelings from both of them. Only slight jar was when they were walking back to the car - arm in arm and then a sudden separation. I suppose Laura went back into "business" mode (uggghhh!!!!) 

And Mildred in her black breaking-in clothes - loved this!!! She had some good moments in this episode, really part of the team. 

Loved the "icy calm" moments and Laura having to be physically removed from Cranston. Shades of "Diced Steele" and glimpses of her "absurdly passionate" (hidden) nature! They should have done more of this kind of thing... 

Loved the fact that they "USED the phone" on Keyes again! You'd think he'd know by now :-) 

Oh, almost forgot (not!) we get to see Mr Steele in his undies... He looked pretty good, don't you think? *nudge, nudge, wink, wink* (No, I didn't see his vaccination scar ;-) 

Someone mentioned him seeming happy to go off with BJ Sinclair without Laura. I think he was just flattered by her attention (no not, in that way, Xenos!). The poor guy has lived like a monk for the past 3.5 years and was probably wondering if he'd "lost his touch"... having a beautiful lady flirting with him probably did wonders for his ego. I must admit to having a "moment" myself, though, when the next scene was the thrashing around under the covers scene - I had a second or two of doubt (so I'm as guilty as Laura :-). Was very relieved that it was only Mr Steele... by himself... 

Although the tag scene was OK - supposed to be funny, I know, but not really my sense of humour, I really felt there needed to be some resolution in terms of the relationship - some acknowledgement that they'd made progress - a hug, a kiss, "a gentle touch, a soft caress"... *sigh* 

I found a nice fanfic fill-in story from Debra Talley that explores Laura's feelings during the coiuple of days Mr Steele disappears: 

http://www.mindspring.com/~dtalley/steadfast.html 
 

That was me with the remark about the B.J. Sinclair scene. You make a good point. It would make Mr. Steele feel like he still had it! Although, I think he knew he still had it because he's had too many womem look at him in the past 4 years. I think he knows he still has it, but a guy can never get enough I guess. LOL Thanks for giving your suggestion. 

Jilly

So we all assume he's been set up, but of course by now we are expecting Mt. Holt to erupt when she sees him right? But no, what do we get instead.... a trusting Laura, a worried Laura, a Laura who might be involved romantically with a man she's known for over three years. It's about bloody time! Did the male writers on staff finally solicit a women's opinion about relationship advice or did a bit of fan fic sneek through into their office and they "lifted" a bit? Afterall, people get desperate when on deadline and out for two hour martini lunches! 
 

Okay, so we all know that Cranston's the bad guy and our fabulously coiffed and dressed duo will be figuring this out shortly. I mean the episode is titled "Forged Steele", he didn't sign it. Great, lots of time for romance just as soon as they wrap this up! Handwriting expert? Didn't you learn anything from the Mystery Writer's Guild case?? They don't know crap! Alright, for the sake of more mystery, chase a few more leads. But then I'm serious.... more, much more romance.... 
 

Shoot, I forgot they need to get more time for Mildred on screen, before Doris flat out strangles Michael Gleason. So she get's a fabulous scene with Steele in Cranston's condo. Typical Mildred, a straight shooter right between the eyes. Michael must have really been scared that week, cause she also gets to hoodwink Keyes in the cafeteria and bonk him on the head with the phone. Shades of last weeks "Hatpin Millie" sticking it to Steele's new nemesis. (BTW, was this scene shot in the NBC commissary?) 
 

Great twist in the plot when Steele shows up and everything is back to normal. Great look on PB's face when the lights come up in the office below. You can see he's figured it out now, the real con, the true prize for all of Cranston's work at deceiving them. Six million in unset diamonds. 
 

Steele in jail, no he's too pretty! I know why Laura didn't visit, she was afraid he get more whistles than her!!! But finally.... here comes the pay off. The jailhouse pick up (Been there, done that!You know who you are!) of Mr.Steele by Laura. This is unequivocally, the best emotionally intimate and honest scene between the two of them for the entire series. Well written and well played by both SZ and PB. Let's all just be thankful that since Mildred is riding with Keyes, she wasn't able to interupt them!!!! 
 

The resturant scene with shades of Steele Trying is worth a giggle under the breath. But the funniest is the exit from the resturant with the police hot on their heels and they all stop to review the food and leave a tip! What an inspired bit of comedy! 
 

The mystery really heats up when Cranston, the guy we all decided was the bad guy, gets whacked and his girlfriend, the ever flirtacious BJ Sinclair / Kristy McCall, becomes the catch of the day, and not in a nice kind of dirty way! So who's left? I mean we are out of bad guys!!! Right??? Not so fast...the wimp lawyer and equally airheaded girlfriend set this all up? 
I doubt it. I think Cranston set it up, needing the lawyers help, but Reuben is desperate enough to take advantage of the opportunity. Or maybe Debbie didn't trust Cranston not to dump her for the classier BJ Sinclair, and coaxed Reuben to kill them both. Either way we never really know whose idea it was orginally. 

Finally, the tag scene, while a bit more romance would have been better, Steele get's the best one line in the episode - "The curve of his lip really points out the man's inner humanity." This works to set up Keyes as future pain in the side for the Steele Agency.I believe this might be my #2 episode of the series, just behind Vintage. 

And a cut and paste from Steelewatchers 

The entire idea that he would ever have committed this theft is so insulting to his intelligence, gifts and skills as a thief that I'm surprised he didn't leave in a huff. :D 

That Steele would set all that up just to break into some rinky dink place downstairs from his office (that he could have cracked with far more ease and left far more easily) to steal 6 measly million dollars in diamonds (he's given up finders fees bigger than that to stay as Steele not to mention numerous other opportunities of more money) that he then partially hides in the CHEESE in his apt as he slowly very slowly plans his escape to leave her behind ....come on! 

To heap upon this galling turn of events he has once adoring Mildred making snarky remarks and then injury to insult bringing him bodice rippers in prison, Fred turning into a "toady" for Cranston and some hussy flaunting his ID bracelet (love how he irately and swiftly snatches it off her wrist). He'd have been better of staying unconscious in bed. 

Oh did I mention that I love this episode? :D 
 

Isabel

I like how you put that little socializing endeaver between Mr. Steele and B.J. Sinclair. Thanks for you input. Enjoyed it very much! He is a charming flirt isn't he? :) He can charm me anytime!!! 

Oh, and I noticed the little face at the end of that scene too!! Great! Makes much more sense now with your comment Ace. 

Jilly

You think by that time he would have learned about working without backup! 

Also, not mentioned is the fact that Laura trusted him enough to send him to the initial client meeting without her (even if she didn't know the reason for the solo interview request).

Of course this is just my personal opinion:) 

Yes, I agree he can and has been assaulted with and without Laura in any number of locations.

I am racking my brains and I can't come up with one. I can come up with them in the horrid 5th season. 
 

My point being, as best as I can remember, this is the first instance of Laura actually "blessing" such an occasion and sending him out without her to meet a prospective client for the 1st time.