Ep 10. The 12-Step Job

The Leverage team is back, and this time they're taking on a group of corrupt Alcoholics Anonymous sponsors as they work to steal $8 million from a rehabbing celebrity. In season 1, episode 10, titled "The 12-Step Job," the team poses as fellow recovering addicts to infiltrate the program and take down the corrupt "sponsors" who are using their positions to commit identity theft and fraud.

Nate Ford (played by Timothy Hutton) is the leader of the team, a former insurance investigator who uses his skills to help those who have been wronged by the rich and powerful. He put together the team, which includes his right-hand man and bodyguard, Eliot Spencer (Christian Kane); the team's thief, Parker (Beth Riesgraf); hacker Alec Hardison (Aldis Hodge); and grifter Sophie Devereaux (Gina Bellman).

The episode begins with the team watching a news report about a celebrity entering rehab, where she will be treated by a "miracle worker" sponsor named Jim Sterling. But the team knows Sterling is a fraud and that he and his team of sponsors are using their positions to steal the identities of their patients and create new financial accounts in their names.

As usual, the team splits up to perform their different roles. Eliot and Parker pose as recovering addicts and enter the rehab facility, while Nate and Sophie pretend to be wealthy donors to the rehab center. Hardison stays behind to monitor the team's progress and provide tech support.

The rehab center is a heavily-controlled environment, with all communication with the outside world strictly monitored. Eliot and Parker are forced to work around the security measures to infiltrate the AA group led by Sterling. They quickly discover that Sterling's assistants have been running an identity theft and fraud ring from within the rehab center.

Meanwhile, Sophie uses her skills as a grifter to pretend to be a wealthy donor with a personal interest in the rehab center. She's able to get close to Sterling and his team, gathering critical information for the team's plan to take them down.

The Leverage team is able to turn the tables on Sterling and his corrupt sponsors, using their own tactics against them. With the help of Hardison, who creates a false identity for their target, they're able to siphon off the stolen funds and cover their tracks, leaving no trace of their involvement.

As always, the team's success is due to their ability to work together and play to each other's strengths. "The 12-Step Job" is an exciting and fast-paced episode, with plenty of action, intrigue, and clever twists. It's a great example of why Leverage is a must-watch for fans of heist films and TV shows.