Pretender 1x04: Curious Jarod

[kerravonsen]

Another Pretender episode while I sniffle and ache.

I'm certain I missed out on the allusions because I've never read "Curious George", so I don't know the significance of The Man In The Yellow Hat, nor why Jarod puts Sydney in that role.

Jarod crosses a line in this one; he framed Peter Morgan for something he didn't do. It wasn't even necessary; the police would have arrested him anyway. The only reason I can think of for it (besides vengeance) would be to undermine Morgan's support, thus forestalling Hanlon from covering it up.
Jarod also crosses a line by stealing $400,000 from the casino and giving it to the Elvis guy.

So, all in all, this is one of my less liked episodes.

Other stuff...

Miss Parker is sure throwing the money around. Where does the Center get its money from, anyway?

Comments

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

I confess, I seem to have forgotten most of the A-plot details on this one, so I can't really comment on them.

Curious George is a cool children's book. It's been published internationally, but is really, really popular in the US, so I think they just sort of assume people are familiar with it. Actually, it's a whole series of books.

Hmm... *googles*

Aha! You can read a good chunk of it, including what looks like the whole first book here. I think the significance of the Man in the Yellow Hat should be pretty quickly obvious. :)

Miss Parker is sure throwing the money around. Where does the Center get its money from, anyway?

I think they got a lot of it from selling Jarod's services, actually...

(And I hope you feel better soon! Sniffling and aching while watching this show is much better if you're only doing it because of the angst. :))

[kerravonsen]

I think the significance of the Man in the Yellow Hat should be pretty quickly obvious.
Ah, thank you. Yes, this makes more sense now. Sydney is definitely the Man In The Yellow Hat; both his captor and his saviour.

I think they got a lot of it from selling Jarod's services, actually...
True, but who could afford to pay for such services?
And if it's true that the Center isn't on any map (which Jarod said in the previous episode) then what is the public face of the Center?

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

Sydney is definitely the Man In The Yellow Hat; both his captor and his saviour.

Yup. :)

True, but who could afford to pay for such services?

Governments and gangsters, apparently.

then what is the public face of the Center?

That is a good question. I almost wonder whether it has one.

[butterflykiki.livejournal.com]

Jarod crosses a line in this one; he framed Peter Morgan for something he didn't do. It wasn't even necessary; the police would have arrested him anyway. The only reason I can think of for it (besides vengeance) would be to undermine Morgan's support, thus forestalling Hanlon from covering it up.
Jarod also crosses a line by stealing $400,000 from the casino and giving it to the Elvis guy.

True, but it also kept the guy from running if he was getting suspicious; he needed to play for time to get the murder evidence. And also I think his vicious streak came out here-- he wanted someone to pulp Morgan the way he battered Maggie and his wife, and wasn't about to do it himself. Still, as you say, crossing a line.

I think Jarod looked at that $400k as Elvis's retirement account. It's hard to be an older Elvis impersonator!

Miss Parker is sure throwing the money around. Where does the Center get its money from, anyway?

"Think tank" as they call it, probably means many standing corporate contracts for work previously done, solving things as simple as traffic problems and then the more complex stuff they handed off to Jarod -- failure analysis, negotiations, et centera. They designed the Popemobile, helped with the Korean peace accords... and they probably have independent corporate holdings bringing in cash, too. They can afford a lousy $100k. (I love the part where Miss Parker calls the mob guy a cheap date, and the look on his face.)

And come on, how can you hate an ep that has Jarod getting Miss Parker strip-searched? This is the first time the actors got too meet face-to-face on the series, and I thought it was pretty hilarious.

[kerravonsen]

probably means many standing corporate contracts for work previously done
What, like a computer maintenance contract?

And come on, how can you hate an ep that has Jarod getting Miss Parker strip-searched? This is the first time the actors got too meet face-to-face on the series, and I thought it was pretty hilarious.

Well, I didn't say I hated it. But I don't enjoy it as much.

Jarod really has a love-hate thing with Miss Parker, doesn't he?

[butterflykiki.livejournal.com]

Jarod really has a love-hate thing with Miss Parker, doesn't he?

HEE. Yes, yes he does. I enjoy the eps where they get screen time together so much, but they wouldn't be half as special if they weren't on opposite sides the rest of the time.