TVSquad

Watching an advance screening of the first episode of the second season of Leverage was a bit like seeing the Star Wars movies in numerical order. The small references make no sense and makes you feel like you're in a clubhouse that you haven't yet joined.

The second season, starting this Wednesday at 9 PM ET on TNT, makes me wish I had all control over time and space so I could follow along with everyone else during the first season. That and so I could make a lot of money by predicting the outcomes of high stakes horse races with an all-knowing sports almanac from the future.

The entire team regroups for another season of innocent people helping in their signature and highly illegal style that's bound to earn them more federal conspiracy charges than Bernie Madoff. Nathan Ford reluctantly returns to his old habits after the prospect of working for the man once again drives him to the drink.

Fortunately, a mysterious car accident sucks him back into the world he swore off and keeps him from sucking back a tasty row of scotch shots. That's probably the first and last time that car accidents and alcohol have been mentioned in the same sentence as a "fortunate" occurrence until NASCAR requires their driver to shoot a beer bong after each lap.

Ford's old team regroups to work on the case of a former bank employee's botched hit attempt by rigging his car to crash. Ford doesn't want to go back to helping the meek take on the powerful in their inevitable attempt to regain the Earth, but he certainly doesn't want to help the powerful and finds himself struggling between returning to righting the wrong and sober unemployment.

The episode wastes no time regrouping the time through their various pasts and presents, and getting down to taking on the big evil bank and finding the reasons for their bad corporate behavior. A large corporate bank is a perfect enemy for the new season and if you're wondering why, you are either the least informed person since Glenn Beck or are part of a large corporate bank.

It does what every good show should strive to do: hook you in with an original and interesting premise, keep your attention by moving things along, and leave you craving for more. But it accomplishes something that only great shows can do: make you feel like a total fool for not watching it sooner.

Consider me fooled. Glad to be part of the club now.