Coming after the pretty amazing Season 3, Leverage's fourth season had a lot to live up to. While I can't say it didn't try, I also can't really say it managed to reach its predecessor's heights.
Similarly to Season 3, the fourth season of Leverage had an overarching storyline that was introduced in the premiere, brought up every once in a while, and resolved in the finale. By concept alone, I like the idea that one of the Leverage team's past enemies has been spying on them, especially it being the first person they ever conned. However, I think they could have done a lot more with the concept. We learn who's been bugging the team so early on in the season, and it doesn't have that same kind of urgency that the Moreau arc did. Thankfully, the last two episodes are incredibly awesome and one of the best endings Leverage has ever had. I've also really enjoyed the character work this season. After Nate and Sophie slept together last season, we really get to seem their relationship slowly develop to the point where they can finally confess their feelings in the finale. Similarly, Parker and Hardison are growing closer than ever before, to the point that in the second half of the season, it basically feels like they're already dating. Something I like about this show is that each season gives a certain character a lot of screen time. Season 1 has Nate, Season 2 has Sophie, Season 3 has Elliot, and this season ended up giving Hardison a ton of focus, leading to some of Aldis Hodge's best performances in the whole show. There's only one character left, I seriously hope Parker gets a ton of screentime in Season 5!
Right from the start of its fourth season, Leverage seemed somewhat different, it was darker. While the premiere was mostly just another con, the case was far more dramatic and the characters were put in far more danger. And it wasn't just this episode, it was the entire first half of the season! Hardison getting buried alive, Eliot trying to stop a child abduction, and especially the heartbreaking World War flashback in The Van Gogh Job. Don't get me wrong, this darker tone isn't inherently bad, but it just felt off to me, as those aforementioned episodes just ended up not being as fun to watch as I had come to expect from the show. The second half of the season, starting with The Queen's Gambit Job was a massive boost of quality, as Leverage was bringing back old characters and experimenting with its formula more than ever before. There were still some dark moments including an honest-to-god death scene in the penultimate episode, but it really felt like Leverage was back and better than ever. This leaves Season 4 is a bit of an odd spot, with an incredibly weak first half and an amazing second half. The season felt a bit disjointed as a result, even with its numerous high points.
There were a bunch of really strong episodes this season, especially in the second half:
The Queen's Gambit Job: Sterling's back! This episode was just so entertaining, the DDR scene, Nate faking his way through a chess tournament, Parker jumping off the Burj Khalifa, Sterling's killer betrayal, that final confrontation between Nate and Sterling. After such a grim first half to the season, this episode felt like Leverage as its most exciting, compelling, and just plain fun.
The Office Job: This was one of those high concept episodes that managed to get by on sheer premise alone. Seeing the show pretty much ape The Office was a ton of fun and packed with hilariously awkward moments, even if the execution was a bit clunky at times.
The Girls/Boys Night Out Job: This two-parter has a pretty cute concept. Two episodes taking place on the same night, each focusing on a different section of the group. I personally preferred "Girl's Night Out" since we got the return of Tara, but both episodes were packed with fun character interactions, charming humor, and a ton of fanservice.
The Radio Job: I adore this episode's premise. The team faking a hostage situation is an insanely fun twist on a pretty rote storyline that Leverage itself played straight back in Season 1. And just like all of Leverage's other penultimate episodes, this one packs a wallop with the big reveal of who the villain is, along with the show's first death in the form of Nate's father.
The Last Dam Job: Easily the show's best finale, The Last Dam Job is a satisfying end to the season that brings back a whole bunch of minor characters for one of the most intricate and exciting cons to date. It's a ton of fun to see what everyone has been up to since their debut episodes, while Nate's storyline adds some great emotional heft to the proceedings.
Overall, in spite of an oddly grim first half and an underdeveloped story arc, Leverage's fourth season has some of the show's highest points, along with some top-notch character work.
4/5 Stars
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