Xenos 

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

Loved the intro with saxophone variation on the RS theme and just after that the DARK version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town. HA!! 

some lines I really enjoyed.... 
Wally: "If I hadn't left, I think I would have gone nuts." 
(I have news for you wally, you are nuts!!!!! You chopped up your mother and sent her to his uncle as a gift!!! EWWWWW!!! He's more than nuts!) 

Wally: "What kind of a guy do you think he is?" 
Laura: "Warm, gentle, very loving; although, I'd know he'd deny it." (Laura is thinking of R when she is saying this!! come on L go with your feelings and tell R how you feel!!!) 

M: "You two do like to play games." (don't know if this quote is exactly right, but you all get the idea.) 
R: "Adds spice to the relationship." 

I loved loved how these scenes play out: 
-The office scene with L and R talking about the secret admirer. very nice 
-The scene with Mildred and L. 
-the scene with Mildred and R. 

too bad there wasn't a murder cause I like Det. Jarvis better than Lt. Benjamin! 

Love it when R & L both realize that there is actually a secret admirer!! HAHA!! Very nice scene too! 

I just can't believe how fast Laura learned how to cook!!! I mean, it was just last week's episode that she had the stove a mess and couldn't cook spagetti! What's with that? 

I really liked this episode; although, it would have been much nicer if R & L weren't playing games and had done a little bit of kissing and then some.... 

Jilly

Jilly

They screw with a flashback from Steele's POV and give it Laura. 

"I'd love to splatter that pretty face all over this room." 

Dancer says that to Steele not Laura.

Wally kills his mother, cuts her into little pieces, mails her off to his 
uncle and only gets an eight month stay in the psychiatric ward? I don't think so. 

Is this the only time Laura cooks in her loft kitchen? And for the second 
week in a row, she wears an apron. 

Don Gordon is again great as Dancer. Don't you just find him extremely 
annoying? 

Twelve episodes of RS were written by Michael Gleason, (at least by my count) this episode was his last one. 

I love the tag scene, though I think I have seen it about 100 times in 
music videos. 

I can't believe that we only have eight more episodes left in Season Four. 

Isabel

I love the games. It would take half the fun out of the episode if they just kissed. And I love it at the end when Steele is a complete male chauvinist pig but manages to slip in a proposal and Laura forgives the male chauvinist piggery, because she hears the proposal. It's cute. 

Memorable Stuff 

- Dang but Laura/Steph looks great in the leotard. Not fair! 
- Laura nearly braining the delivery guy with the wrench. LOL! 
- Wally really is a cutie at first...such a shame about that mental problem. 
- What happens to Mildred's language in this episode? Hairball, dirtbag, slimeball, greaseball, etc. LOL! 
- Mr. Steele and Mildred are going to eat Laura's cooking?! Hmm. Maybe they don't realize she's making dinner. 
- Nice scene on Mr. Steele's bed when he & Laura discover there really is a secret admirer 
- That "shrine" to Laura that Wally had on his wall. Very creepy, especially considering just a few years later Steph really did have a stalker. 
- The tag scene is very cute but it does raise some interesting questions which have been addressed in various fanfics. Namely, what WOULD the Steeles do with kids? Would they change to do more security contracts so their work is less dangerous? Would one of them stay home with the kids? Would they have live-in help? 
 

Character Development 

- I like the way Laura's so certain Mr. Steele is her admirer and secretly really likes it. 
- Mildred clearing her throat until Mr. Steele includes her in his list of "professionals". (If I clear my throat enough, do I get a kiss too?) 
- I really enjoy the little chat in Mr. Steele's office (and bathroom!) about the secret admirer and how Laura might just get tired of waiting around. Though Mr. Steele knows he's not the secret admirer, Laura fills him in on her way of thinking and hopefully gives him some ideas. 
- Mr. Steele thinking Laura's sending the gifts to herself. Once again proving his thought pattern of the straightest line between two points is an angle. 
- It's more like "lack of character development" but once again Laura is totally clueless about a guy who likes her. Though Wally does hide it pretty well until mid-episode. 
 

Favorite lines 

M: That slimeball! (on Steele's look) Alistair Cooke says that a lot. 
-------------- 
R: Feisty piece of baggage, our Miss Holt 
M: A little too feisty for my blood 
R: Ah, she has a point to prove, Mildred 
M: What's that? 
R: Oh, that a woman with intelligence, determination and a certain amount of training can be as stupidly macho as any man 
M: Comes down to that, huh? You mean we're playing clay pigeons so she can win the battle of the sexes? 
R: Ah, the only battle worth fighting for, Mildred 
 

Hair & Clothing 

- That blue shirt does lovely things for Mr. Steele's eyes 
- Not crazy about the off-kilter ponytail on Laura 
- The red blouse looks great on Laura 

Goofs, Headscratchers & Misc 

- Where did the words "Suite 1157" disappear to? They're not on the office door 
- Mildred says Mr. Steele broke the same leg as he did in the bachelor's case. Uh, yeah, since he ended up with TWO broken legs in that episode! 
- Hope that when Wally left Laura's that he also turned off the stove since she ran out and left it on (in addition to leaving the agency gun) 
- Why is Mildred taking Mr. Steele's temperature in the tag scene? He has a broken leg, not a fever! 
 

Guest Cast Trivia 

- This is Ray Girardin's second appearance of the series. His first was as the fake Jack Merkel in Steele Away With Me. Later he was in Love Affair with Pierce. 
 

Alternate Ending 

Earlier versions of the script had this tag scene, after Mildred tells Mr. Steele he has to stay in bed another day and she'll be there to see he cooperates: 

R: You know, Laura...we've been so busy exploring and defining our personal relationship, we've begun to take the professional side for granted. Then something like this comes along and forces one to reevaluate. 
L: What, exactly, are we reevaluating? 
R: Is this a line of work you want to pursue for the rest of your life? 
L (sitting on the edge of the bed): I've never really given it much thought. 
R: I mean, for instance, what if you had children? (beat) Would you continue working? Would you make the little tykes breakfast, then rush off to a nice juicy murder? Would you call them to apologize for not picking them up at school because you were being held hostage? 
L: Why this sudden concern for my unborn children? 
R: I plan to be intimately involved in their upbringing. 
L (amused): Oh, really? And when was that decided? 
R: From the first moment I met you. (He pulls her down on top of him.) Now, about names. I've always been partial to Sean.... 
(And, as they laugh, nose-to-nose, we -- FREEZE FRAME) 
 

jilly

Really liked this episode. The mind boggles as to why R didn't end up actually buying L a Christmas present in Dancer, Prancer, etc!!!! This episode also shows that he should have put in a bit more effort in the traditional wooing game - he seemed to have done his bit with regard to wining and dining, but the gifts (lots and lots of gifts!) were woefully lacking :-) I only recall one gift he gave her - a necklace - don't recall the episode. (Not that Laura showered him with gifts either - ok, I guess she gave him a name, job, apartment, unlimited use of the limo, an expense account at LA's top tailor, etc. so she's off the hook :-)

Hmmmm........Mr. Steele & Laura - Traditional wooing - nope not working for me:)

-the references to "Dancer, Prancer, Donner, and Steele". It makes the characters seem so real when the writers give us such continuity. I do wish, however, they had not cut the scene in "Dancer.." of Remington calling Saks about the watch he was going to buy Laura for Christmas. 

-Remington brushing his teeth and drying his face right in the middle of a personal discussion with Laura!! It's just so homey - so Mr. and Mrs. Steele-ish! She starts asking personal questions and he tries to avoid answering by retreating into the bathroom. No matter- she just follows him in there! I wish she'd just grabbed her toothbrush and started brushing her teeth, as well. This is my favorite scene in this episode, and one of my very fav. scenes in the whole series. 

-Laura and Remington's entire discussion in his office and in the bathroom about the 'secret admirer.' I love the way she leans towards him over the desk and he, likewise, leans over the desk towards her after they leave the bathroom. Their conversation here is such a classic: 

"Any idea who it might be, Mr. Steele?" she asks. 
"Someone who cares very deeply for you," he suggests. "Perhaps even loves you, but can't bring himself to express those feelings- directly." 
"I wish he'd stop beating around the bush," she says. 
"He might," Steele suggests, leaning closer. 
Laura leans forward, too. "When?" 
"When the time is right, no doubt." 
"He'd better watch out," she warns. "I might just get tired of waiting." 
"His loss, my gain," Steele tells her with a smile. 
"Don't be so sure. I might just get tired of waiting for everyone." She gets off of his desk and starts for the door. 

I've always thought he was proclaiming his love for her during this conversation. And that she knew it, but she didn't want him beating around the bush about it. 

-Laura's tirade at Mildred's desk after she storms out of Remington's office: 

"He should be drawn and quartered. Tarred and feathered. Diced and sliced." Then: Laura shoves the watch into her face. "See this watch?" 
"Well, it's a little too close to get a good luck, honey," Mildred says, peering. 

-References to "Elementary Steele": 

Laura: He tried this little charade once before. He sent me flowers. Buckets and bunches and bushels of them, every day, for weeks on end with smutty little love poems signed 'Your Secret Admirer'." 
Mildred: "I was there, remember?" 
Laura: "So that he could become jealous of his competition and fight for me, so that he could -realize how much I meant to him." 
Mildred: "I was there, remember?" 

-the way Remington suddenly just appears after Laura says, "I'll teach him, graphically and irrevocably, that I don't LIKE game playing. That he doesn't need to go through all these elaborate ruses! All I need- is a little honesty. A little verbal commitment. A gentle touch. A soft caress-" and the detective announces his presence. I've always suspected Remington had been standing at his office door, listening to everything Laura was telling Mildred. After all, he had no idea what was really going on with the secret admirer thing. 

-the appearance of the illusive Agency gun. I love Remington giving it to Laura for protection when she leaves the warn the other witnesses. 

-the way Remington supports Laura in front of the detective, saying, "My subordinate is merely echoing a tenet of mine that I set down when I founded this agency." 

--Mildred's confusion/amusement regarding Laura and Remington's little "games". Love it when she, the mother hen, confronts him, the wayward son, about the whole 'secret admirer' game. Some fav. lines from this scene: 

R: "Feisty piece of baggage, our Miss Holt." 

R: "...a woman with intelligence, determination and a certain amount of training can be as stupidly macho as any man." 

Mildred: "You mean we're playing clay pigeons so she can win the battle of the sexes?" 
R: "Ah, the only battle worth fighting for, Mildred." 

R:"She wants me to believe that there really IS someone else, to force me into declaring my eternal, undying devotion toher. So, I'm not ruffled by this secret admirer. I'm simply going to wait her out. Driving her sufficiently bananas untilshe fesses up." He laughs. 
M: "You two do love to play all of these little games, don't you?" 
R: "Adds spice to the relationship, Mildred, yes." 

-Laura's description of Remington, whom she believes is her secret admirer: 
L: "Well, cards and gifts are one thing. But I wish the guy would get off the dime and say something to me." 
Wally: Maybe he can't. Maybe-he's afraid you'll laugh at him." 
Laura (laughs, putting the bear on the bed): "Believe me, Wally, that's the last thing I'd do." 
W: "What kind of guy do you think he is?" 
L: "Warm. Gentle. Very loving. Although I know he'd deny it." 

-Laura's obvious concern, fear and anxiety when she gets the phone call saying Remington has been hurt. 

-the crutches in the corner of Remington's bedroom and the continuity they provide from "Steele Eligible". 

-Laura and Remington's conversation in his bedroom on his bed about the secret admirer and their realization that there actually *is* a secret admirer out there. 

-Remington's frustration at being so helpless. What would he have done if Laura *had* answered the the phone at her loft when he tried to warn her? Give her a message in code? Blurt out that Wally was the secret admirer and her life was in danger? 

-seeing Laura cooking dinner for Remington and Mildred. I'm sure R didn't expect her to cook when he said, "Perhaps we should regroup at your place?I have this- sudden, uncontrollable urge for-togetherness." 

-Laura and Remington's conversation in the tag concerning their personal life: 

L: "The scary part is that they came right to our doorstep." 
R: "Yes, nothing like bringing one's work home, eh?...You know, Laura, we've been so-busy lately, exploring and defining our personal relationship that we've taken the professional side for granted. It's not until something like this comes along to force one to re-evaluate." 
L: "What exactly are we re-evaluating?" 
R: "Like, do you intend to pursue this line of work for the rest of your life?" 
Laura: "I haven't really given it much thought." 
R: "Supposing you had children? Supposing. Would you intend to continue working? Or would you feed the little tykes 
breakfast in the morning and then rush off to a nice, juicy murder? I mean, would you call them up at school and 
apologize because you couldn't pick them up because you were being held hostage?" 
L: "Are you saying a woman's place is in the home?" 
R (pulling her close):"Actually, I was thinking of a more specific area."He glances at the bed beside him and lifts his brows suggestively. 
They both laugh. 

I think this "Mr. and Mrs. Steele" conversation has *major* significance. Remington is bringing up their future together and the future children they may have some day. At first, Laura looks and sounds ticked off about his question. But as soon as he lightens up a bit, she just laughs along with him. She's not even upset about the "specific area" he was implying. It's like they're finally secure in their personal and professional relationship - they're beyond the jealousies and the stubborn bickering and the insecurities. 

-seeing Laura exercise in her loft. 

-Remington's wardrobe and hair. He looks great in this ep! 

-Remington's bedspread. 

Like I said, this is a Top 10 Fav. episode for me - it's a real keeper. 

Debra 
 
 

I agree with you - very special episode. Michael Gleason rocks!!! Wish he'd written a lot more episodes - every one he wrote led us to some new discovery about L&R and their inner feelings and motivation (e.g. "Steele away with me", the kissing scene - R admitting he "cares" for L, L admitting how vulnerable he makes her feel, "Dancer,... etc" - the story about the sled, also the obvious trust and caring between L&R, etc.) 

Really wish they'd kept up the momentum!!!