Top 5 Reasons for Loving 'Leverage'

The only show I love as much as Chuck and Castle is Leverage, and this is why:

1. Eliot, Parker, and Hardison: Forget Harry, Ron, and Hermione because these three are the all-time greatest Trio ever!  It's true that they play more supporting roles behind Nate, and to lesser extend Sophie, but individually they can steal a scene, and when you put them together it's by far the most fun you can watch on television.  All three have pitch-perfect timing, and are funny in their own way like Hardison's geek humor, Parker's quirkiness, or Eliot's badassness.  These three are what really make this show special because they work so well together, which takes us to number two...

2. Chemistry: Not only do Eliot, Parker, and Hardison feed off one another, but the entire Crew has great chemistry.  They came together as strangers, but quickly became a family with Nate and Sophie playing the bickering parents, and the rest are the mischievous kids.  It's so rare for an ensemble to click the way these five do.  It's magical.

3. The Tone: Another reason Leverage is such a great show is because it doesn't take itself too seriously.  Procedural TV shows can be too stuffy and focus on the darker sides of life.  Leverage is just a fun ride you can take every week, and it has everything you could ever ask for like action, romance, and of course comedy.

4. The Jobs: Part of the show's charm is the fact that it's about con-men playing modern day Robin Hoods, and it's fun watching them hatch some of the craziest schemes week in and week out.  Also, we always get the awesome reveals at the end, which just adds to the magic of the show. It's like watching Ocean's Eleven (not the sequels) every week.

5. Sterling: Love him, hate him, or love to hate him, but I think James Sterling is one of the most intriguing foils on TV right now.  One aspect that I feel has been lacking on Leverage is a constant threat to the Crew.  Sure, their jobs always hit a snag that they're able to avoid in the end, but they really don't have a cloud hovering over them.  Sterling was that threat for parts of season 1, but he only popped a few times in season 2.  I'd love it if Sterling's character became a semi-regular and just chases after the Crew during season 3.  Plus, Mark Sheppard is King of the Cult Shows.

So, there you have it; the top five reasons why I love Leverage so damn much.  Next week's season finale is shaping up to be all kinds of awesome, so I suggest everyone check it out.  If you're new to the show, just catch-up online, and here's a recap from this week's episode to get you started.