Warning: Mild SPOILERS lie ahead for Leverage: Redemption season 3's first episodes!
Parker and Breanna are facing some major life changes going into Aldis Hodge's Hardison has gone on various humanitarian jobs both around and orbiting the globe, though they were reunited in the season 2 finale. Aleyse Shannon's hacker, meanwhile, found herself contemplating going to college after the season 2 case in which she helped a grad student recover her groundbreaking research stolen by her professor.
Leverage: Redemption season 3 kicks things off with a more emotional turn for Parker as Hardison announces he is taking an indefinite hiatus from the team, disillusioned by the apparent lack of long-term impact they're making on the world, while still assuring his partner their relationship is strong. As Parker processes it in her own way, Breanna finds herself stepping up more to help the team from the hacking chair, while still gradually progressing her education. When a threat from the past emerges to target one of their own, though, the Leverage team will find themselves in a tight squeeze.
In honor of the show's return, ScreenRant interviewed Beth Riesgraf and Aleyse Shannon to discuss Leverage: Redemption season 3. The former reflected on Hardison's big decision and how it'll impact Parker throughout the rest of the season, as well as her hopes to further explore her character's past, while the latter clarified her current team status amid her educational desires, as well as praising the show's continued representation of the queer community, and their dream episode.
Hardison's Decision Is Actually A "Moment Of Growth" For Parker & Co.
"...Parker Really Understands That His Purpose Is Bigger Than What He's Doing Now..."
Parker and Hardison have been one of fans' favorite dynamics of the Leverage universe, and while the first two seasons of Redemption have explained Hodge's smaller role due to his busy schedule as Hardison being on other jobs, this is the first time the show has properly seen him decide to step away from the work. Given Hardison was a big part of Parker's acceptance of wider society, along with Sophie's teachings, it's understandable to assume that his absence would change her, and Riesgraf confirms it will.
"As the world has changed, the stakes have shifted in a direction that's forcing both of them to do a little exploration on what this means for them, personally, in their journeys," Riesgraf explained. "With Hardison, I think Parker really understands that his purpose is bigger than what he's doing now, and it's something that he's going to have to decide on. So, as the world makes it more legal and easier for these people to corrupt people and do all the things. It's like he's seeing a bigger picture there, where he's like, 'I don't know if this is enough.'"
In looking more specifically at Parker, Riesgraf explains that Hardison's departure will lead to her questioning her own ongoing status with the team, raising questions about "aren't we always doing this no matter what?", as well as "how does this change also affect me?". The star goes on to describe it as a "moment of growth" for everything from Parker and Hardison's relationship to that of the team's, as well as her own skills as a leader, particularly given the latter comes into the play later in the season in which "someone has to go through and figure out which consequences are worth it".
Breanna Is Starting To Feel Far More Comfortable With Her Position On The Team
Shannon Also Praises The Show For Its Normalization Of Sexuality
Even before Hardison's departure, it seemed clear that Breanna was still going to be part of the Leverage team, though now more so than ever given their need for a skilled hacker like her. That being said, Shannon teases that her character will still be "wondering if the frustration that she feels against these kinds of insidious systems at play is something she can commit herself to doing over and over", something that she describes as being a "grown-up idea."
"[She has to face] like, 'Let's make a career out of this, not just a one-off, or trying to keep up with your brother,'" Shannon explained. "And that shows a maturity as she's been mentored by Parker and Sophie quite a bit. She's going out on cons a lot better, and they're willing to throw her, like, the Christmas carol job and stuff like that. She's able to really take up the reins now, and I think she's just grappling with her cynicism, being a Gen Z millennial around the world, and what she's going to do about it."
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On her note of being a Gen Z millennial, one aspect of Shannon's real life she was able to bring into Breanna is making her into a queer character, with both Leverage: Redemption seasons 1 and 2 showing her dating a few women. While Shannon confirms that season 3 will see more of Breanna's queer representation on screen, the actor also clarifies that it isn't "the most interesting thing to talk about" both as a person and for her character.
One of our jobs coming up, "The Tinder Swindler Job", is gonna show how this is a culture. This is only an asset to you, as a person. Whereas I feel like season 1 and season 2, it was about our love being so different and accepted, and this season, she's like, "I'm accepted, I get it. Now, let's make it work." So, I love being able to hit that side of the representation, as well.
Riesgraf Is Pushing For More Of Parker's Backstory In Future Seasons
The Season 3 Finale Will Deliver Something Big For Fans Of The Character
Where previous seasons of the original show offered some insight into her past, there's still a lot of Parker's backstory left unexplored in the Leverage world. When asked about the possibility of getting the chance to dive further into her past, much like season 2 did for Gina Bellman's Sophie Devereaux and Christian Kane's Eliot Spencer, Riesgraf confirmed she's very eager to uncover further layers of her character's history, revealing she's even "had those conversations" with the creative team about how to do so.
"It was important to me, in general, not to lose the essence of who she is, you know, the adrenaline junkie and the quirk," Riesgraf explained. "The fun is there and amazing, but also letting her evolve from the place she started. She's someone who was very damaged and grew up without anyone to trust or love or feel safe with, so now that she's got this [group], she doesn't overthink it. She doesn't place parameters, she just knows what she's supposed to do and just does it and doesn't second guess it."
7 Things Known About Parker’s Backstory Before ing the Leverage Team
Not much is known about Parker's backstory in Leverage prior to ing the team, but bits and pieces of info have been revealed in the series.
Despite her excitement about doing so, though, Riesgraf acknowledged that "it's a balancing act" finding a way to explore everyone's arcs in the show along with the heist thrills of each episode. She did, however, promise that there's "actually an entire episode" dedicated to putting Parker at the forefront, in which she has to confront questions of "Why am I doing this?", "What's the ethical way?" and "Why am I restraining this instinct I have to be really dangerous?". Riesgraf further promised that fans of the character are "going to love" the episode.
Shannon Knows Exactly What Part Of Breanna's Backstory She Wants To Explore Next
Riesgraf Is Also Campaigning For The Same Element
With her being the youngest member of the team, much of Breanna's backstory has been explained through dialogue, with the show seemingly taking a coming-of-age approach to the character by having her work with the group being her formative years. That being said, there are still elements of her history that have yet to be explored, and Shannon is very keen on exploring her childhood with Nana and Hardison.
"I'd love to get a Nana episode in there, and cover that for both of us," Shannon affirmed. "I know Nana's a beloved topic, especially as Hardison's is concerned, and I think it would be a cool thing to explore." Riesgraf revealed she has also been pitching a Nana-centric episode for the show, having told the creative team "We gotta have a Nana episode!".
In addition to her childhood, though, Shannon also explained that she'd "love to see what has brought her all the way to Leverage" prior to the events of Redemption. Her early episodes on the show explained that she had run away from Nana's after crashing Twitter and being targeted by the FBI, though the star feels there is still plenty of material to explore there, as well as her past experience in Canada as alluded to by this season's "Maple Syrup Job".
More About Leverage: Redemption Season 3
In Leverage: Redemption season 3, the team pits themselves against a power broker stealing the clean water under people's feet and turning into dirty money, fight against a mayor who's literally the judge and jury of his small town, outrun a mark who's finally caught up with them mid-con, outhustle a pool hustler with a side business in international extortion, and bring down an industrialist exploiting child labor. All this while dodging an intricate plan of vengeance from a past enemy and working through the fallout of their new personal relationships. But no matter what, when someone needs help, they provide ... Leverage.
Check out our other Leverage: Redemption season 3 interviews with:
The first three episodes of Leverage: Redemption season 3 are now streaming on Prime Video, with new episodes premiering every Thursday.
Source: ScreenRant Plus
Leverage: Redemption
- Release Date
- July 8, 2021
- Network
- Prime Video, IMDb TV, Amazon Freevee
- Directors
- Dean Devlin, Noah Wyle, Jonathan Frakes
Cast
Noah WyleHarry Wilson
Gina BellmanSophie Devereaux
WHERE TO WATCH
Leverage: Redemption reunites The Hitter, The Hacker, The Grifter, and The Thief, ed by a new tech expert and corporate fixer. The group targets contemporary villains, from an opioid crisis architect to a secretive security firm, continuing their mission to provide leverage to those in need.
- Writers
- Marque Franklin-Williams, Mel Cowan, Chuck Maa, Alayna Heim, John Timothy, Christine Boylan
- Main Genre
- Action
- Creator(s)
- John Rogers, Chris Downey
- Executive Producer(s)
- Rachel Olschan, Kate Rorick
- Producers
- Josh Schaer, Jill Weinberger
- Seasons
- 3
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