“Leverage: Redemption” released its first eight episodes on IMDb TV July 2021. The show is a sequel series to the 2008 “Leverage,” which ran for five seasons before ending in 2012. On Oct. 8, they released the final eight episodes of the season. “Leverage: Redemption” brings back a majority of the unlikely heroes to fight for more justice in some familiar but also unfamiliar ways.
“Leverage: Redemption” is a great continuation of the original series; It brings our favorite bad guys and throws them into new and fun heists.
The show sees the return of the team’s thief Parker (Beth Riesgraf), hacker Alec Hardison (Aldis Hodge), hitter Eliot Spencer (Christian Kane) and grifter Sophie Devereaux (Gina Bellman) as well as introducing two new members, maker Breanna Casey (Aleyse Shannon) and fixer Harry Wilson (Noah Wyle). “Leverage: Redemption” followed in its predecessor’s footstepst by keeping a mostly bad-guy-of-the-week format and all the fun and comedy fans loved in the original.
The first eight episodes of the season picked up eight years after the end of the original show with Parker, Hardison and Eliot going to New Orleans to comfort Sophie on the anniversary of her husband’s death. The crew started multiple other groups like them all around the world, set on helping people in ways others cannot.
The last half of the season brings us an array of episodes where each character gets their time to shine and a finale that hits the heart — as well as the funny bone.
If there was ever a character that deserves more hype than they get, it is Breanna. One of the fan-favorite dynamics from “Leverage” was between Eliot and Hardison. The two would bicker like an old married couple, but when it came down to it they would fight for each other without hesitation.
It was sad to see Hardison depart for most of the season as he was always a source of humor and played so well off the other characters. Trying to force Breanna into his role in the same way would have felt like cheating, but that’s not what the executive producers did.
Breanna is not a replacement for Hardison; she’s a hacker, yes, but she adds a completely different dynamic to the team. She understands social media, Bitcoin and the other technology that modern bad guys use. There’s a reason why the name for her place on the team is maker, not hacker. I was worried they only put Breanna on the team so that Mr. Wilson wouldn’t be the only new guy trying to understand the crew dynamics, and while that is a part of their dynamic, she brings so much more than that.
Eliot has always been a fan favorite, and this continues into the new season. He is the team powerhouse with complex action scenes, great hair and a unique relationship with every other character. Over the course of the original series and the first eight episodes of “Leverage: Redemption,” we see glimpses of what’s behind the tough guy exterior. Eliot is an amazing chef, a good singer, has a soft spot for children and a mysterious dark backstory. This new set of episodes gives us the most information we’ve ever had about what Eliot did before he joined the Leverage crew. We get to see a few moments of Eliot’s past and a small look into his relationship with his dad. There is still so much of Eliot to discover, and I hope we get to learn more and his character can have some closure.
“Leverage: Redemption” is a mix of various genres. Most of all it is a very entertaining caper story — we see all our main characters commit various crimes in clever and humorous ways. It has its fair share of action, mostly in the form of Eliot either chasing down the “marks” bodyguards or kicking the legs out from under whatever goons are sent the team’s way. There are also elements of comedy and drama, and it all mixes into a very engaging and fun experience.
Currently there is no information as to whether we will get a second season of “Leverage: Redemption” but I cast my vote for yes. The characters are playful and have great chemistry. Nothing is more satisfying than seeing the team gloat at the “marks” they take down. I hope more shows can take note about how bad guys really can be the best good guys.
Edited by Elise Mulligan | emulligan@themaneater.com