Steele Watching

1.02 Tempered Steele

2010-02-27T13:49:00.000-08:00

The second episode of Season 1 could be alternatively known as "The One Where the Unresolved Sexual Tension is Set Up for the Rest of the Series". If there was every any question whether Remington Steele and Laura Holt could be romantically interested in each other, this episode clears up any doubts.

If you're concerned with little things like plots, the agency is trying to find out who is stealing information from Dillon Electronics. Is it the new boss of the company, the hard-talking employee waiting to take over, or the boss's widowed mother? It takes a dinner party a la The Thin Man to snuff out the thief/killer, Mrs. Dillon, who was stealing company information to keep her son from selling it to enemy governments.

The plot is secondary, however, to the skillfully written seeds of romance written between Laura and Mr. Steele. The episode is littered with gems of dialogue:

Steele: We make such a winning combination. Let's enjoy our success, allow our passions to erupt into something outrageously fulfilling?
Laura: You mean hop in the sack?
Steele: A little crude but...
Laura: Love to, but I can't.
Steele: Why not?
Laura: It's tough enough trying to keep up this little charade without that kind of complication. As long as we're in business, let's keep it business-like.
...

Laura: You know, it's not just the free ride that keeps this clown around. It's the challenge. I'm probably the only woman he's ever met who didn't tumble right into bed with him.
Bernice: Not a bad way to break the ice.
Laura: Yeah. Hmm. But I can barely keep him in line now. Can you imagine what he'd be like if we turned that corner?
Bernice: Might be fun finding out.
Laura: I've worked too hard to risk everything just to get my teeth rattled.
...

Steele: There's something I want you to know, Laura. You're good. This Dillon thing is only a temporary setback. I don't want you for one moment to lose heart or confidence, because you are a skilled, resourceful, and often brilliant investigator. I have had an opportunity to observe your talents firsthand, and I am terribly impressed. You're practical yet intuitive. You can see the large canvas without missing the small detail- Have I said something wrong?
Laura: I hate it when you're nice to me.
...

Claude: Would you permit me an observation, Mr. Steele? This young lady is by far the finest of a staggering array.
Steele: You have exquisite taste, Claude.
Claude: Does Monsieur intend to bestow a nameplate on her, too?
Steele: Possibly.
Claude: They're solid brass, you know. And I'm afraid your largesse is beginning to run into big bucks.
Steele: Well, if I do, it could very well be the last one I dispense.

The episode does an expert job of setting the stage for the rest of the series. The audience is now left wondering...when will they get together? Only time will tell.

Movie References: Casablanca, 1942 and The Thin Man, 1934

Best Holt Outfit: Riding ensemble, complete with newsboy cap and cravat

Best Steele Outfit: Tan plaid jacket and purple-lens aviator sunglasses

P.S. Who else could make purple aviators look so sexy?

Get the Look: Laura's Grey Suit

2010-02-23T15:59:00.000-08:00

If you look up "classy lady" in the dictionary, you might just find a picture of Laura Holt. Laura's outfits are always classic, chic, and make a statement in a man's world while still looking feminine. Even more than 25 years later, her outfits look like something you could buy at J. Crew or a high-end department store like Lord & Taylor.

The grey suit that Laura wears at the beginning of License to Steele is one such example of classy professionalism. The pieces are basic, but not boring. They accentuate her femininity without being cute. And the outfit would still look like a million bucks today. Get the look yourself, just don't forget Laura's trademark fedora!

Laura's Grey Suit

Items in this set:
Splendid Merino wool and cashmere sweater, $200
Wool Melange Stretch Jacket, 99 GBP
Melange Pencil Skirt, 49 GBP
Gap Womens Blue Oxford Stretch Oxford Shirt, $30
Gilbert leather pumps, $495

1.01 License to Steele

2010-02-20T12:03:00.000-08:00

On October 1, 1982, the Remington Steele pilot aired on NBC. It starred Pierce Brosnan and Stephanie Zimbalist, two relative unknowns that would spend the next five seasons making one of the best television series of all time.

The episode introduces Laura Holt, a private investigator who, discouraged by the lack of interest in a female private eye, invented a male superior for herself, named Remington Steele. Ms. Holt runs Remington Steele Investigations with counterpart Murphy Michaels and secretary Bernice Fox, and successfully maintains the illusion of her faux boss until one fateful day when a client, who has hired the agency to provide security for precious gems, demands that Mr. Steele oversee the job personally.

In steps Ben Pearson, a special agent sent to retrieve the gems for the government of South Africa. While Ms. Holt makes plans to create the illusion of Remington Steele, the man that Laura thinks is Ben Pearson introduces himself to the client as Remington Steele. It's not until near the end of the episode that Ms. Holt realizes that the impostor (who owns seven passports, all under the names of Humphrey Bogart characters) was after the jewels all along.

In the end, the client himself tries to make out with the jewels, and is apprehended at the conclusion of a high speed golf cart chase. As the episode closes, our mystery man appears in Ms. Holt's office, ready to assume the role of Remington Steele on a permanent basis.

Movie References: Tea and Sympathy, 1954

Best Holt Outfit: Strapless red pleated gown

Best Steele Outfit: Three-piece charcoal suit with red tie