I usually don't watch the opening credits simply because I've seen it many times before, but last night, I watch it, and for whatever reason, it didn't sit right with me this time. It starts off with Nate saying, "The rich and the powerful take what they want. We steal it back for you..." Now I've never had a problem with the concept of the show, mostly because it doesn't quite follow the language of the opening credits. However, taking the language by itself reveals something troubling.
It starts off directly accusing all rich and powerful of all being terrible people who steal. It's a direct sentence, a statement of fact. After painting every rich and powerful person in the world in a very negative light, he proceeds to declare that he and the team steal it back for "you," the audience. This line of thinking propels class warfare and is an extreme hyperbole.
What should be said in the beginning--far more fitting with the theme of the show--should be an emphasis on those who need help, not those doing the hurting. I don't feel satisfaction because a rich person gets taken down in the end, but because the client gets something back, emotional resolution and/or money. The second sentence, "We steal it back for you," doesn't do justice to what actually happens during the show.
And "The Double Blind Job" does a great job with that angle. There's an average job about a pharmaceutical company releasing a dangerous drug to the public, but more importantly, the client is involved the whole way--or at least she's clinging on to Hardison. Occasionally, the person who puts the team in the right direction disappears until the very end, negating the importance of the job, so her continued presence was welcome.
Along the way, Parker is jealous of the client's connection with Hardison--though she won't admit it is jealousy. Like the episode a few weeks back when Parker was trapped in the building, she had to blend in and act normal, failing badly before doing her usual thieving.
Sophie and Nate were kind of in their own world. Since his return, Nate has been different and it showed this week as he puts himself directly in harms way where he may be killed. In fact, he is a hairbreadth away from being injected. Nate's justification is that he has to be willing to put himself in danger before putting others in danger.
The Italian woman didn't show up, and based on the number of appearances, I'm guessing she'll be in and out for the entire season, possibly every other episode. In any case, there are still 11 episodes left in the season before the team moves on Moreau.
Score: 8.5/10
