History Recap / LeverageS03E06TheStudioJob

Meanwhile, Eliot has a stage fright, fretting over the size of the crowd he's expected to sing in front of. Hardison assures him that he has a program in place to correct Eliot's pitch over the bar's speaker system as he sings. Kaye, helping Eliot practice, takes a different approach:

They make a hasty exit from studio, but back at their hotel room they realize that Parker has brought every digital master ''except'' Kaye Lynn's, which they accidentally left behind in the machine. Eliot realizes that this will point Kirkwood towards Kaye Lynn and rushes to her house, where he finds her in tears: Kirkwood has stolen her spot in the upcoming music festival and is going to use her brother's song, the last thing she and Shane had left that Kirkwood had not managed to take from them. Nate and Hardison both say that there is no way to salvage the situation, that they will need to rework the plan and come at Kirkwood some other way in a few days, but Eliot refuses to hear it: "Help or don't help, but don't tell me it's too late!" Putting Kaye Lynn on his motorcycle, he rushes her to the music festival while the rest of the crew sets to work stalling Kirkwood with stunts like convincing Kenneth Crane's mob of fangirls that Crane is in Kirkwood's truck. Parker even gets on stage (still in her "weird European pop star" getup) and fakes a "performance," which buys Eliot enough time to confront Kirkwood backstage.

* IsThatWhatTheyreCallingItNow: After his performance, Kaye Lynn meets Eliot backstage to, ahem, give him some notes.

* IsThatWhatTheyreCallingItNow: After his performance, Kaye Lynn meets him backstage to, ahem, give him some notes.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_studio_job_7062.jpg]] [[caption-width-right:350:Christian Kane as Eliot Spencer as Kenneth Crane.]]

->'''Hardison:''' I been meaning to tell you, this, uh, Kenneth Crane? He is blowing up on Twitter. He's got a fan page and everything. It's a pretty good picture, too.\\

'''Eliot:''' There's a price on my head. In three different countries, and I'm fairly certain a fatwa was issued!

* TheCastShowoff: Christian Kane, a country music performer when he's not acting, does his own singing and playing here (and co-wrote the song that is featured in the episode).

Back at the HQ, Nate hands the money over to Kaye Lynn, explaining that this is how the Fiddle Game works: they have sold Kirkwood something that he thinks is much more valuable than it is. Now the only thing left is to steal the digital master of the Golds' album from Kirkwood's studio. Hardison and Parker disguise themselves as famous musicians (Hardison as British rap star K-Gent; Parker is not named but heavily implied to be Creator/{{Bjork}}) to infiltrate the recording studio office, under the pretense of sampling Kenneth Crane's song. Eliot, meanwhile, is appalled to discover that he's become an overnight country music sensation with internet fan sites and a pack of female fans following him around.

* {{Squee}}: After "Kenneth Crane" makes his debut, Eliot quickly begins attracting mobs of squealing women. Hardison weaponizes it later in the episode to help stall Kirkwood, tipping the fan community that Crane is in Kirkwood's truck and causing the truck to be mobbed by squealing fangirls.

* TheCastShowoff: Christian Kane, a country music performer when he's not acting, does his own singing and playing here.
* EngineeredPublicConfession: Eliot tries to get Kirkwood to make one inside his studio, but Kirkwood is too smart to fall for such an obvious trick. He turns the mikes off, ''then'' incriminates himself... only to learn that Hardison was secretly recording him all along.

-->'''Parker'''''(Casing rooms with a mark in tow)''''':''' Too much clutter... [[MortonsFork Not enough clutter.]]

* {{Squee}}: After "Kenneth Crane" makes his debut, Eliot quickly begins attracting mobs of squealing women. Hardison ends up weaponizing it later in the episode to help stall Kirkwood.

Nate hands the master back to Eliot while Kirkwood is taken away by the cops. Lynn is practically mobbed by A&R (artists & repertoire) representatives impressed by her performance and interested in helping her make connections to advance in the industry. She thanks Eliot and the team for their help as he gives her back the digital master, and even invites him to join her, pointing out that he's a natural-born country star. Eliot demurs, saying that he's too far down his current path to turn back (see page quote).

Showtime starts as Eliot, introduced as Kenneth Crane, sings Kaye Lynn’s new song "Thinking Of You." Hardison begins to panic because his program is not making any corrections to Eliot's pitch, but Nate points out that it's not correcting because it doesn't need to - Eliot's singing is fine on its own. When the song is over, everyone goes wild. Kirkwood has his henchman Jesse take Nate aside so that he can confront Sophie and insert himself into the deal, lying to her that he and Crane's manager are old childhood friends and demanding half a million dollars for the rights to the song. Nate finds himself being menaced by a pair of musclebound thugs; he calls for Eliot's help but Eliot, making out with Kaye Lynn, has taken his comm off and does not hear him. When Kirkwood comes into the room, expecting to find Nate roughed up and intimidated, he instead sees Nate sitting calmly and both of his goons unconscious on the floor. He thus has no choice but to give Nate the money.

Back at the HQ, Nate hands the money over to Kaye Lynn, explaining that this is how the Fiddle Game works: they have sold Kirkwood something that he thinks is much more valuable than it is. Now the only thing left is to steal the digital master of the Golds' album from Kirkwood's studio. Hardison and Parker disguise themselves as famous musicians (Hardison as British rap star K-Gent; Parker is not named but heavily implied to be Creator/{{Bjork}}) to infiltrate the recording studio office, under the pretense of sampling Kenneth Crane's song. Eliot, meanwhile, is appalled to discover that he's become an overnight country music sensation with internet fan sites and a pack of female fans following him around. Once he makes it to the studio, he and Hardison squabble over the recording of his song while Parker locates the safe containing the digital masters. She brings all of them to the recording booth, where Hardison discovers the original master for the song that originally made Kirkwood's name in country music and realizes that it is not Kirkwood singing - the song was actually recorded by a different singer, Jesse Jenkins. Jenkins sued Kirkwood, but then died under suspicious circumstances and Kirkwood was implicated but never charged. Nate realizes that Kirkwood intends to do the same thing to Eliot... who has been busy fighting off Kirkwood's henchman in the soundproofed recording booth while Hardison and Parker were distracted by the masters.

In Memphis, aspiring CountryMusic star Kaye Lynn Gold is singing her new song to her brother and accompanist Shane--until Mitchell Kirkwood, a former country star turned [[CorruptCorporateExecutive corrupt record label owner]], and his men barge into the place. Kirkwood blames Shane for talking to the lawyers, then takes revenge by injuring Shane’s hands severely.

At the Leverage HQ, Lynn explains that her brother’s hand might not able to move at all. She explains that Kirkwood hires them for the song and assumes that it’s their one chance to fame but they didn’t read the fine print and used their song, thinking it’s a waste to for unknown talents like them for their songs. At the meeting room, the team finds out that Kirkwood is a record producer and CEO of his own record company and sung a lot of good country songs. He gains lots of money and many times he was sent to court but his charges were always dropped. He steals music by stealing the digital Master. Hardison explain that it is a high-quality, multi-channel, studio-recorded, mixed, and engineered tape that could cost millions of dollars and assume that Kirkwood’s company has it. Nate’s plan is to get the money (and extra for the hospital bills), the Master and making sure Kirkwood don’t go hurting other people by using the Fiddle Game con.

At Saddlebag Saloon in Memphis, Nate confronts Kirkwood as a manager for Kenneth Crane (Eliot) telling him that an European lady named Virginia Ellington (Sophie) wants to sell him the song he sings for $25,000. Surprise, he ask his men Jesse to confirm this (which Hardison manages to create a special site for Sophie) and impress Sophie when confronting her. Meanwhile, Eliot has a stage fright and worries of the amount of people he’s going to sing. Hardison ensure that he has it all covered as he’ll help him with the pitch and everything. Backstage, Kaye helps Eliot gain some confidence and tips even asking him if he ever feels in love before. Showtime starts as Eliot introduce as Kenneth Crane and sings Kaye Lynn’s new song “The Road Not Traveled”. Stunned, Hardison says something’s wrong as his vocal’s perfect but Nate ensures him that Eliot doesn’t need it. Everyone goes wild once the song finishes and Eliot went back stage and make out with Kaye Lynn. Due to hat Kirkwood tells Jesse to stop Nate while he confronts Sophie that he’s worth half a million dollar for that deal due to his voices. He even lies that he and Nate go way back while his men lead Nate into a room (Despite Nate calling Eliot for help due to them doing a makeout). However once Kirkwood enters the room, he sees Nate sitting down while the two thugs lying unconscious on the floor while all Kirkwood could do is pay him the money.

Back at the HQ, Nate tells Lynn this is how the Fiddle Game con works and gives the money to her. Now the only thing left is to steal the Master. Hardison and Parker disguise as the hot-shot producers to infiltrate the recording studio office. Hardison checks on Eliot if he arrives yet. Turns out he’s been chased by his alias’ fans due to the amount of popularity of his song. As he runs, Eliot tells Hardison to destroy his fan sites since he’s wanted in three different countries. Meanwhile, Sophie confronts Kirkwood in a hotel about the deal. But his men manage to take the master of Eliot’s during the recording section. Also Kirkwood even gives her money for free in exchanges she forgets about Kenneth Crane, knowing that he’s also playing the fiddle game towards them. Parker manages to steal a bunch of masters but it turns out that Kirkwood used all his songs from different unknown singers. Unknowing to both of them, Eliot was confronted by Jesse and tries to kill him, due to the soundproof room. They find out the previous song they hear is been stolen by a singer name Jesse Jenkins. Jesse did tries to sue him but was killed as Nate suspects that’s what he’s going to do to Eliot.

Eliot rushes back to Lynn’s house sobbing about the fact that Kirkwood’s going to use her brother’s song. Nate suggest to hit him again in a few days but Eliot suggest that it has to be now and decides to head to the music festival in Saddlebag Saloon Kirkwood’s going to play with Lynn in a motorcycle. Knowing Eliot’s intention, they decide to change their plans. To stall him, Hardison uses Eliot’s fans to assume he’s in Kirkwood’s vehicle. This gives enough time for them to enter the saloon when Parker even tries to stall them by acting as a random singer. Eliot confronts Kirkwood but he lies that he needs help while pushing the mic aside; punching him in the stomach saying he wouldn’t be stupid enough to confess the murder that he did to Jesse Jenkins with all the microphones. Kirkwood starts to perform but as he sings Lynn’s brother song, he was cut short by Lynn continuing his song with a great vocal. Everyone clap hands but just as Kirkwood about to say something, he hears his confession that he tells Eliot about his involvement in Jesse’s murder. Kirkwood is smart to push away the mic but he underestimate him that Eliot is wearing the earbuds which Hardison can record it. Kirkwood tries to leave lying it’s a joke but Eliot stops him and shows him the proper way to let him stay down in the stomach.

Nate hands the master back to Eliot while Kirkwood is taken away by the cops. Lynn meets an artists and repertoire (A&R) representative who was amazed by her performance. Lynn then thanks Eliot and his team for what they have done while Eliot hands her back the master. She evens aska Eliot to join her since he’s a natural country singer but Eliot refuses (see the page quote). As they walk out Eliot was curious on how Nate takes down the thugs without his help while Sophie questions Eliot during that time.

* {{Fingore}}: How Kirkwood maims Shane.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: The singer Parker plays is a [[CloudCuckoolander highly eccentric]] cross between Music/{{Bjork}} and Music/LadyGaga.

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Nate hands the Master back to Eliot while Kirkwood was being taken away by the cops. Lynn was confronted by the Artists and repertoire (A&R) as they were amaze of her singing and performance. Lynn then thanks Eliot and his team for what they have done while Eliot hands her back the Master. She evens offer Eliot to joins her since he’s a natural country singer but Eliot refuses. As they walk out Eliot was curious on how Nate takes down the thugs without his help while Sophie questions Eliot during that time.

In Memphis, Aspiring CountryMusic star Kaye Lynn Gold is singing her new song to her brother and accompanist Shane--until Mitchell Kirkwood, a former country star turned [[CorruptCorporateExecutive corrupt record label owner]], and his men barge into the place. Kirkwood blames Shane for talking to the lawyers, then takes revenge by injuring Shane’s hands severely.

Kaye Lynn is singing her new song until Mitchell Kirkwood and his men barge into the place blaming him for talking to the lawyers. He then decides to injure Lynn’s hands severely.