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Leverage looks like a slick heist show, but it's actually comfort food television wrapped in clever cons. This is a show about broken people finding family while pulling elaborate schemes on behalf of underdogs who've been screwed over by the powerful.

Consistently satisfying in a way that feels almost therapeutic. Each episode delivers the pleasure of watching bullies get their comeuppance through intricate, often ridiculous plans that somehow work. The emotional core is surprisingly warm—these characters genuinely care about each other and their clients, which gives every con a moral weight that feels good rather than cynical.

The show maintains an optimistic worldview even when dealing with corporate malfeasance and personal trauma. Individual episodes can touch on heavy topics—medical fraud, military corruption, elder abuse—but the format ensures resolution and justice. The characters have painful backstories that inform their work, but the show focuses more on healing than dwelling in damage.

Some episodes involve characters' traumatic pasts, particularly around Nathan's grief and military storylines. The show treats these sensitively but they do surface regularly as character motivation.