Okay, but one of the things that Leverage: Redemption does beautifully is not try to be something it’s not.
And by that I mean it knows it’s not the original. It knows there are gaping holes in its cast, it’s ten, twelve years removed from its original context, etc. etc. etc. And it doesn’t try to pretend that none of that happened.
The ongoing tension between Breanna and Hardison is an excellent example of this. “I am not you.” That is something the writers knew their audience may complain of when faced with a “replacement” for Hardison; she’s not Hardison, so she’s not good enough before they even give her a chance. But by giving the character herself those lines, they are admitting that they’re not so comfortable with it, either. They’re acknowledging they feel the loss, too. Nobody is safe here.
It’s similar on the leadership side of things. Harry is not and will never be Nate. For one, he’s much more stable. But also, he’s just a completely different personality. He and Sophie get along differently, Sophie has a different role here. Instead of spending all of her energy trying to prevent an explosion, she’s able to burn a little herself.
And the best thing they do for either one of them, I believe, is allow Sophie to grieve. The character of Nate does not disappear with the closing of his coffin. He lives on through his wife and their memories; he is a part of her. And by doing this, Redemption acknowledges most deeply that Leverage will never be the same. But it’s okay, because they still have each other.
