Xenos 

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

One of the funnist things that happens throughout the episode is Mr. Steele getting into certain situations. For example, hiring Marvin as an intern, guest lecturing a college class, overplaying his undercover role as Trever Keetch (sp), and of course getting Mildred to come back on her terms. LOL All of these things of course was done without Miss Holt's knowledge which makes everything so funny!! Everytime Laura finds something out, the dialog is too funny!! 

How about the head of Platinum Air!!! What a chauvinist!! Again Laura is slighted as the other person. It's all about Mr. Steele. Some of the looks SZ gives at this realization are right on! I think this happens about three times in the episode. Once in the beginning, in the middle after the headline comes out, and at the end. 

The whole scene on the airplane when Steele is over playing his part! HA!! Too Funny! Some lines that I sort of remember are these: 

R: ....a touch more coffee? 
L: I hope you're enjoying this? 
and 
L: You Bellowed sir? 
There are more lines...but I just didn't write them down. Like I said, all those short lines while on the plane were soooo funny! 

Just love how Mildred and Marvin are at worst end in the beginning of the episode and everytime you try and talk with them, they are, I found this out first, I did this, and...well you all get the picture. Then, by the end of the episode, they are in a totally opposite tone with each other, but still annoying people because now you get...oh, Mildred did that...oh no, you helped too Marvin...etc...too funny!! 

Just love how Mildred plays Mr. Steele!! Loved the whole scene at her house!! Go Mildred!!! 

Okay!! Biff is REALLY annoying! That singing has to go. But I did love how Laura handled the situation in the cockpit! 
Biff starts singing the song Laura after finding out L's name and Laura makes this face.... 
Biff: How about Dinner? 
Laura: How about no? 
HAHA!!! 

Glad Sally interrupted the hotel room scene with Biff...love the next thing.. 
Steele comes to the door.... 
Laura thinking it's still Biff: Now listen you sexist dog. 
R: I'm all ears. 
HA!! 

Loved the hotel scene with L and R...Mildred interrupts once again. But then, they both get a second shot and what happens!!! Miss Holt becomes all business!!! OH MAN!!!! 

Did anyone notice that Mr. Steele was hit on the back of his head and his bruise is on his forehead! Now how did that happen, eh? 

Was that plane scene at the end from a Hitchcock movie? All I can see is Carry Grant...but I think he was the one running, right? 

Everyone looked great in this episode. I don't think I can remember anything that really stuck out other than the pink pin-striped suite that Laura was wearing. Very nice for the 80's. I don't know if I like the pin-stripes as much now that we're in the 2000's...Maybe just all pink would be better. :) 

Jilly 
 

Coffee, Tea or Steele...COFFEE, TEA OR STEELE?!?! Why, STEELE, of course!!! Oh-ho-ho, yeh-heh-hes!!! 

This episode has never been one of my favorites...It's actually pretty far down on my list. Not in the bottom ten, mind you...But close. The bad thing is...I DON'T KNOW WHY!!! It just seems to fall flat for me. There were a number of really great things about this episode...but overall I just can't seem to connect with it. Here are some observations... 

1) O...M...G!!! Mr. Steele looked fabulous in this episode!!! His clothes and the way he wears them...*sigh*...Simply impeccable!!! Holy moly!!! And those eyes!!! I think the make-up department gives Remington wounds on his face on purpose...Just so they can sit Pierce down in a chair and stare at him for an hour (or however long it takes to stick one of those owies on)! LOL! Steph looked great, too...But those outfits were really dated. I miss her classic look from seasons one and two. 

2) Was it me or was this a really "pink" episode? Platinum Air had a ton of pink everywhere...From the pilot's uniforms to the carpet to the pink pet poodle. Even Laura was dressed in pink, for Pete's Sake! Yeesh! 

3) You have to hand it to the casting department...They sure do know how to cast wimpy guys! First Bernard, Mildred's nephew...Then wimp lawyer Reuben Saltzman...Now Marvin T. Slottman, Jr.!!! BRILLIANT!!! Such a stark contrast to our scrumptious "real man", Mr. Steele!!! *sigh* 

4) Best Line: When Mildred tells Laura that Mr. Steele has been guest lecturing at USC -- 'Introduction to the Criminal Mind', Laura says, "Well, he should know." Heh-heh-heh!!! 

5) You gotta love how full of himself Mr. Steele is in this episode. "It takes years to develop the imagination of a master sleuth...To hone the instincts to a razor-sharp sensitivity..." Then, "Please, enjoy the photographs, will you?" Hee-heeeeeeeee!!! This is shades of season one when he was more of a snob. LOVE it!!! 

6) Laura as a stewardess. HA!!! And the hoops Mr. Steele makes her jump through...*tsk, tsk, tsk* Methinks he enjoys that a little too much! LOVED that she dumped a drink in his lap! I would've done the same thing...Only I would've taken MUCH, MUCH longer to clean him up!!! Oh-ho-ho, yeh-heh-hes!!! The stuff dreams are made of!!! 

7) Still thinking about cleaning that drink up...Hold on... 

8) Hold your horses...Still drying him off...It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it!!! Oh-ho-ho, yeh-heh-hes!!! (I must be thorough, you know!!!) 

9) OK...Done for now. Continuing on...You've gotta love Lorraine's tenacity regarding Trevor Keach!!! She's got great taste, I'll give her that!!! Wasn't he GORGEOUS?!?! 

10) The scene in Laura's hotel room is luscious...incredibly frustrating to the point of wanting to pummel Laura over the head mercilessly...but luscious nonetheless. From "Now listen, you sexist dog -- "...to Remington testing the bounciness of the bed...to placing a kiss on Laura's shoulder before 'getting ready' and leaning against the headboard...to Laura reclining so comfortably and nonchalantly next to him like lovers do...to talks of 'pitching his tent' and 'recharging his batteries'... It was perfect...Until she made him leave!!! What's up with that?!?! (My bed is always available for him to pitch or recharge!!! Please take note of that, Mr. Brosnan.) 

11) Biff and Clay Platt must be brothers. Yick!!! Oh, and the "Biff/Boff" thing made me cringe. Too high school. 

12) Enjoyed the subplot of Mildred verses Marvin. They had a nice chemistry going there...First with the arguing and fighting and staking out of territory...Then to the mentor/mentee relationship. (LOL! That's not right. But you know what I mean!) Cute. HOWEVER, regarding Mildred verses Mr. Steele...I know Mildred was pissed, but geezo-peezo! Quite the demanding one, isn't she? In real life, she would've been told, "Don't let the door hit ya' on your way out!!!" $100 a week raise?!?! Pfft!!! (Nice bit, Mr. Steele picking Mildred's lock.) 

13) I remember seeing this episode the first time around and being VERY upset that Mildred insisted on being much more involved in the cases. NO FREAKIN' WAY!!! I mean, it's bad enough that she ALWAYS interrupts Laura and Remington when they're getting close...But with her more involved, I figured there'd be less time for them to even get close to crossing that line!!! Maybe this is why I subconsciously don't like this episode very much. Hmmmmm.... 

14) Kinda disturbed that Ace pinched Laura's behind. Rather out of character for a "professional"...Especially since he hired Laura and Remington. Makes him no better than Biff, IMHO. 

15) Although I find the, "Let me put it another way, Laura. At least we get to keep our offices." kinda cute, I was really disappointed. They should've come up with a little suggestive "mile high club" banter or something to that effect to end with. The best tags are the ones where they end up in a clinch or there's a little suggestive interplay between the two. This had neither, so it left me on a "low note". 

I don't know...so-so episode for me. The potential was there, but it never lived up to my expectations. *sigh* But Pierce looked FREAKIN' HOT, so I really can't complain too much!!! 

Xenos 

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

Totally agree with you on a lot of your points. 

Jilly

Jilly

I liked that Mildred had more scenes in this ep as she is such a good 
actress. There were funny moments but in general it was a mediocre ep. 

The only good thing about "Coffee, Tea or Steele" is that it aired in the 
middle of two good episodes. 

Isabel

Memorable Stuff 

- I like the little touches about Platinum Air that make it obvious these passengers are "not like us": Mrs. Saint Claire's PINK poodle!!, the Arab sheiks napping on the couch, REAL wine glasses, liveried luggage valets and champagne girls at the baggage carousel, a Correia lamp in the plane 
- Marvin! The definition of bright and eager-to-please. Mr. Steele has a new puppy. 
- Good job by John Zarchen (Marvin) who, after Mr. Steele tells him to "enjoy the photographs" (in an ad lib by PB) takes him at his word and immediately begins studying them 
- George Coe is just marvelous as Ace Ketchum. Such a chauvinist that he's funny without knowing it. 
- I like the way Laura quietly rebuffs Biff in the cockpit: How about "no". When said with a smile it's quite effective. 
- Biff is sooo oily! Why does Sally even want him? 
- Wonderful background action by PB off taking his coat off, sliding back on the bed, taking out the pillows, rolling up his cuffs, kissing Laura's shoulder, all while she's on the phone with Mildred. 
- Mildred and Marvin racing for the phone! 
- Kudos to Steph for tackling Terry O'Quinn into the pool herself! 
- LOL at Mildred in her desk chair in the middle of the reception area with Mr. Steele and Laura surrounding her, questioning her! 
 

Character Development 

- Glad to see Laura wasn't furious when Mildred told her about Mr. Steele's hiring of an intern. Though it was clear she intended to find out what was going on, she didn't charge in angry and was very polite to young Marvin. 
- Subtle clue Mildred doesn't like the intern from the outset: she's ripping into that mail like nobody's business 
- You just know Laura felt like she'd taken a step back in time to her Havenhurst days with the way Ace treats her. Fortunately she now has the confidence to mostly ignore it and even be slightly amused by it. (See her suppress a grin at the end of her opening scene with Ace when she offers assurances and he tells Mr. Steele he knew he could count on him.) 
- Mr. Steele milking the passenger-stewardess (as they were called then) relationship for all it's worth. He's so cute as he enjoys his role. 
- I love it that Laura looks as disappointed as Mr. Steele when the phone rings. (OF COURSE it had to be Mildred!) 
- Fun to see the competition between Mildred and Marvin. 
- Wonderful to see Laura so comfortable with Mr. Steele that she doesn't even think before she stretches out next to Mr. Steele after she hangs up the phone from talking with Mildred & Marvin. You just knew her practical side would win out and she'd send him packing and I wish she'd indulged herself a bit further but it was nice to see her allow a few moments of personal time in there before Practical Laura won out. 
- I crack up when Laura has enough of "Trevor Keach's" demands and dumps the drink in his lap. Good for her! 
- Such a true team, our duo! Just when Mr. Steele is about to apologize to Ace for having their identities revealed in the newspaper, Laura steps in to cover and they weave a plausible tale - all on the spur of the moment. 
- Mr. Steele and Laura seemed to have reversed roles when it comes to the ability to view a dead body. As I recall in Season 1, she was still having a hard time with it, but it didn't seem to bother him. Now, Laura goes in for a much closer look while Mr. Steele looks queasy and leaves the room. 
- Good for Wanda to finally hit & kick Barry to get away from him 
 

Favorite lines 

Marvin: I can't tell you what an honor it is to be working for Remington Steele. 
L: Yes, I've always found it a challenge to find the right words. May I see you in my office, Mr. Steele? 
R: Obviously a crime-solving case that demands my immediate attention, Marvin. Please, enjoy the photographs, will you? 
-------------- 
L: I've had about all I can take on this assignment! I've been pinched, pawed, clawed, man-handled - what happened to you? 
R: Merely a brush with death. 
 

Hair & Clothing 

- I like Laura's pink suit and though I'm not normally a fan of her wearing her hair up, she does look very professional. 
- This is one of those episodes where Wardrobe seemed to "match" our duo: her navy blazer, his navy shirt 
- I also like the blue-green-gray-whatever color jacket that is Laura wears. We saw it in an earlier episode too, I think. 
 

Goofs, Headscratchers & Misc 

- In an earlier version of the script, part of the conversation at Mildred's apartment goes like this: 
(they're discussing what it would take to get her back to the Agency) 
M: Nah, you'd just have to run these by Miss Holt, anyway 
R: Hang Miss Holt. I may have started out as a figment of her imagination, but I am now undeniably real and autonomous. To some degree. 
- When R&L are searching the plane for Wanda, we assume it's parked at the gate with the jetway attached. That means the plane has its nose (and therefore its front windows) facing the terminal. So how can Laura look out the front window of the plane and see Barry and Wanda running down the taxiway?! 
- Why does Barry keep running down the taxiway once the plane starts pursuing him? He can easily out-maneuver it, even though it's faster than he is. All he had to do was veer off to one side or the other and it couldn't have followed. (But then we wouldn't have Mr. Steele leaping from the wing of the plane to tackle him!) 
- SueJue's take on how the episode really should have ended: http://krebsfiles.com/coffeescrap.html 
 

Where are they now? 

- Future Emmy-winner Terry O'Quinn (Chuck McBride) is on Lost. He co-starred in Sexual Advances with SZ. 
- John DeMita (Carl, the bully boyfriend) teaches theater arts at College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita

Are there any episodes of RS that you dislike? 

Isabel

Isabel, is there an episode somewhere, anywhere, that you DO like? 

If you read my prior post you'll see that I like "Premium Steele" and 
"Dancer, Prancer, Donner amd Steele". 

However, as much as I like RS I am not blind to the fact that numerous eps 
were just plain average or extremely silly like "Steele in the Chips". 

Yet, my current favorite TV show, "Bones" has been great thus far and I have 
seen two and a half seasons. Hopefully, it will continue to be a quality 
show. 

I guess I find it hard to believe it when someone says, "all of RS was great 
because it just really wasn't" at least not in my opinion. Though, except 
for a handful of eps, they all did have their special moments, even YUCKY 
Season Five. 

Isabel

Moving on... 

Both Mick and Jilly wrote that Ace was a chauvinist. Hmmmmm... Ya' know, to be honest, I can't even recall an opening scene with him and Laura and Remington. I'd blame it on my cold and say that the meds I'm taking are making me loopy. But if I'm honest...It's because Mr. Steele is so FREAKIN' HOT in this episode that I'm sure I lost half the plot and dialogue just staring at him lustfully in admiration and wanton desire. Damn Pierce Brosnan for being so good-looking!!! (Pierce...Call me!!!)  

Mick wrote: 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When R&L are searching the plane for Wanda, we assume it's parked at the gate with the jetway attached. That means the plane has its nose (and therefore its front windows) facing the terminal. So how can Laura look out the front window of the plane and see Barry and Wanda running down the taxiway?!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Only you, Ms. Seasoned Flyer Extraordinaire, would catch that! Good job, Mickster! 
 

Xenos 

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

But do you know how many times I've seen this episode and last night was the first time that ever occurred to me?! Sigh. 
 

And Isabel, I guess we did see two different episodes. (I'm not crazy about Corn Fed, BTW) Season Four may just be my favorite. There are lots of episodes in it that I like. I enjoy what Debra calls the "Mr. & Mrs. Steele" feeling of the way they work and play together. At this point they've each admitted they're "committed" to the relationship - of course we need them to say that to each other! (That's why Bonds feels like a huge step backwards to me. But more about that when the time comes.) I just feel like they're right on the verge of being happier than either has ever been and I want them to get there. Even though we never really get to see that on screen, at least we do in fanfic. 

Mick

The bed scene in L's hotel room is priceless, in spite of the scripted 
scene being bland. And I love the James Bondishness of the scene 
where R tumbles down the luggage carousel, suavely picks himself up and 
dusts himself off, tells the bluecap to keep an eye out for his luggage, 
takes the martini, sniffs the flower and puts it in the glass as he walks 
away. I used that scene in a RS/Bond Theme music video I did years ago. 
(I'm not where I can verify the accuracy of that scene, but 
you get the idea.) 

I get a kick out of watching Terry Quinn in this episode, before he looked 
all grizzly from being lost on a weird desert island. 

Debra (It says ctalley but it's really dtalley - I'm at my brother's house)

I love the camera work and PB's eye work when Laura makes her first appearance as a stewardess. The shot of her great legs, then Mr. Steele looking them up and down. Then the dialog about prancing around in "that tutu". (I can tell you that my tutu's were always even shorter:)) 

Loved the bar scene: Laura's flirting with Captain McBride, Mr. Steele being a bit jealous even though he knows it's all in the line of duty. (Great acting by PB) and Mr. Steele reluctance to kiss the blonde. 

Mr. Steele's "rescue" of Laura at McBrides. How he wants credit and all Laura has to say is "Great timing". I think PB played that great with just the right touch of jealousy. 

Finally, the scene where they are in Wanda's apartment and Mr. Steele has to forcably remove the same blonde. Also great acting by PB. Mr. Steele doesn't want to be rude but he also doesn't want the blonde either. 

P.S. (Debra - thanks for the timing info. This episode makes a bit more sense now.)

I actually really liked this episode. In fact, the whole family liked it for different reasons: 

1) My daughter because she loved Mr Steele having a drink spilled on his pants. She made me rewind it a couple of times and laughed hysterically each time (of course, I was more interested in the mopping up :-) so didn't mind rewinding...) 

2) My son loved the chase with Mr Steele on the wing of the plane and then diving off to catch the baddie :-) 

3) My hubby enjoyed Laura in her stewardess outfit (dirty dog :-) 

4) I liked the bedroom scene in the hotel - the bouncing of the bedsprings was hilarious... Of course Laura was a total idiot - you'd think a night in New York could be amazingly romantic, but Miss Holt seemed to have other ideas (is she crazy or what!!!!) 

I enjoyed the interplay on the plane - very funny, but I could understand Laura's frustration (I think if she hadn't spilled the drink, I would have - Mr Steele really had that coming!) 

Merryl  

The sexism runs rampant in this one and not in a "Chippendales" kind of good way. I really believe that Gleason and Company missed the boat here. I mean Pierce was getting all this attention for his hotness back then. Certainly this show would have had way, way, way bigger ratings if Pierce would have been required to walk around bare chested, with a little bow tie around his neck, skin tight black leather pants getting pawed by women ............. Oops day dreaming again! I know they wouldn't have had to pay me to be an extra to do that!!! Oh well, fan fic...et cetera....*coughXenoscough* 

Poor Laura, she really gets perused by the male extras and Trevor Keech on an all too frequent basis. But at least she didn't have to wear the bunny-esque waitress outfits from the baggage claim / lounge area. The hot color back then was that disgusting mauve and it is prevalent in the episode. Must be why Steele was outfitted in complimentary browns instead of the "Brosnan Blue" we've seen so much of this season. Plus it looked better with Laura's uniform, which by the way, she looked very, very good wearing. That shorter skirt really accentuated Stephanie's great gams. Wowsey Wow! I'm pretty sure when Steele gets an eyeful on the plane the first time, he's already conjuring up Pilot / Flight Attendant scenarios. *coughXenoscough* 

Hats off to SZ in managing to get goosed on the plane with the drinks and not spill a drop! That is until Xenos trips her, ( I swear it was her... I have zoom and slow motion!) and she dumps it in Steele's lap. "Attention Shoppers! Clean up on Aisle one, wait...17 no...25" OMG!!! 

But I bet the casting department had an easy week when they posted the extra call for this episode....Wanted: several men to goose SZ. I'll bet Sakmar was trying to get to the top of the list....Poor Steph, they should have at least picked cuter ones for her... 

I loved the scene at the "Final Approach" bar. Laura picks up Captain McBride in like 2 seconds. I think Steele is reminded that he needs to work a little harder to keep Laura's attention, because clearly, if she sets her mind to something......she gets it. 

Just how does Steele find out where Captain McBride lives so quickly??? And shouldn't everyone have realized Laura was a "plant", she was the only brunette among a bevy of blondes. 

Really felt horrible for Mildred when she gets dressed down by Steele and Laura in front of Marvin. I'd have quit too... after goosing Mr.Steele of course!!! But oh how it was worth it to see Steele, contrite and groveling, telling me, errr Mildred that "Flexibility is our motto." STEELEGASM!!! 
Mildred really takes'em to the cleaners too. $100 a week back then is like $250 a week now. Then she tries to play him again for vacation time, when he hasn't confessed the cost of Mildred's return to Laura. Way to Go Mildred! 

For a season 4 episode, this was middle of the road. Pretty good humor and mystery, but an apalling lack of romance despite the hotel bedspring effort of Mr. Steele. Oh well, that can't all be great, and good is better than sucky or as I say now... better than Breath.