[archive] from iFMagazine
ANATOMY OF A CHARACTER:
ELIOT SPENCER (The MUSCLE)
Eliot Spencer (played by Christian Kane) is more than meets the eye. He’s the hitter, the muscle of the group, but that’s not his only talent. Not only can he open up a can of whoop ass better than anyone else around, he is also a phenomenal cook. He’s the one that tries to look mean and grumpy all the time, but underneath he does have a bit of a soft spot.
As a retrieval specialist, Eliot’s been trained in all kinds of different fighting styles. He can identify a gun by the sound of the gunshot and what kind of training someone has had by their knife fighting style, because well, they are “very distinctive styles.” The funny thing about Eliot though is that while his job description requires him to hurt people, very badly in fact, he has never spoken about killing another person. While it can be assumed that he has, he seems to take measures against doing it, only hurting his adversary as much as necessary. While that can come back to haunt him, like “The Butcher” did, seeing as he did not kill him the second time around either, it can be assumed that he doesn’t enjoy it, and will avoid it at all costs.
Nate seems to be the one he’s closest too on the team, and the one who got his respect first. There’s almost a big brother vibe in regards to Nate, and Eliot actually seemed a bit annoyed in the pilot when he was trying to talk to Nate, trying to tell him that he’s sorry for the death of his son, and Nate made a point to remind him that they are not friends. Always a loner due to his job, it does seem that he wants friends, or at least people he can readily count on, but yet he will never tell the rest of the team that. When Aimee, his ex girlfriend, told him that she was glad he found a family, he all but rolled his eyes at that, trying to convince her that he didn’t need the team like that, but yet it still seems like he does no matter what he tries to say about it.
If Nate’s the big brother, Hardison is the little one. Due to Hardison readily annoying him, Eliot’s always getting on to him and threatening bodily harm with the looks he’ll give him, but for some reason he did seem to take to the guy pretty quickly. No matter if Hardison’s spilling slushy on the floor of his car, no matter how bad Eliot will blow up at him time after time, his threats always seem a bit idle. He could kick Hardison’s ass relatively easily, both of them know that, and yet Hardison still seems to know deep down that he never will, otherwise he would have been walking on eggshells long before now. The banter between the two is amusing, and no matter how much Eliot tries to convince everyone that it annoys him, deep down he seems to like it, to have someone to look out for but yet at the same time yell at and boss around. Only child? Maybe. Or maybe he’s not, and just misses his own family.
Parker and Sophie seem to both annoy him as well, but for two very different reasons. Parker is so nuts he can’t seem to relate or even understand half the time, and Sophie is constantly pining over Nate, which tends to annoy him as well sometimes (but to be fair, that tends to annoy most people on the team at some point). However, no matter how much both the women annoy him, he does still seem attached to them, and will no doubt protect both of them if anything goes down. Not just because they’re women (though he does seem the type), but because they are part of his little dysfunctional family.
The team being a family for him is also very obvious in the season finale, when he personally feels very betrayed by what Sophie did, even more so then the rest of the team. He was offended that he was the last for her to “apologize” to (even though it wasn’t much of an apology), and is the one that continues to get on to her with his little comments here and there. He said he was just getting used to being part of a team, and it seemed really important to him. He never seems to be the one to have any real emotional ties, and for him to have these people were clearly something he really enjoyed, even if he usually tries to hide it behind a scowl. Whether that trust with Sophie will be restored in season two is a big question.
Eliot is a man’s man when it comes to women. While we never actually see his conquests on screen, we hear about them, and amusingly enough see what happens when he tries to pick up a lesbian’s girlfriend at a bar. He’s got a smile that draws you in -- he’s very handsome with a large dose of Southern charm. He doesn’t seem to date exclusively though, probably due in large part to his line of work and what happened with Aimee because of it. While he always ran off in the middle of the relationship, he made a point to her that he did always come back, and one time after a job he came back -- and she was engaged to another man. That seemed to hurt him, another thing he tries to hide (and probably thinks he suppresses much better than he actually does). He seemed to have really loved her, giving her a promise ring which for him seemed like a pretty solid thing. For that to fall apart underneath him, it’s no wonder all he does is see women for a night or two now.
Eliot has a temper though, but at the same time seems to have amazing control over it. Sometimes when he gets angry, it's almost like you can see the steam coming out of his ears as he clenches his jaw and tries with everything in his being not to hit the person who pissed him off. From stopping short in golf carts as a mark talked about not caring that horses died, or from picking up a kitchen knife when a step-mother of the bride insults his cooking, he tries very hard not to follow through with what he really wants to do. One could assume he didn’t grow up very well, either during his home or school life, to have all that anger stored inside of him, ready to burst at any given moment. But while he does have the anger, the control is what makes him interesting. Seeing as he knows many different fighting styles, it wouldn’t be a stretch to assume he took lessons on how to channel his anger productively through martial arts or from some other kind of resource.
Eliot also seems to have strong options on any kind of substance that dulls your senses and surrenders your control. While he does drink, and has been seen drinking a beer, it would follow, due to him being in the profession, that he doesn’t get too hammered … ever. With the life he lives, he can never know who’s lurking around the corner ready to get one up on him. When he sees Nate drinking himself half to death, while says he doesn’t care if he does it, he clearly is unhappy with the risk he’s putting the rest of the team at doing it while he does it on the job. Alcohol makes you less aware, something Eliot is smart enough not to do, and while he doesn’t say it, one can assume he wishes that Nate would be aware of too.
Eliot tries to always be the tough guy, to be intimidating, but he seems to show how good his heart is more than he wants to, or even means to. Kane’s muscular body, rough around the edges look, and dazzling smile (when he lets you see it anyway) fits the kind of character of Eliot is perfectly, and his hair even seems to have a fandom all of its own. So what’s to come for him in season two? Will he finally show more interest in a woman for more than a night? Will a bad guy get one up on him for once? Will we find out more about this man’s past, and maybe even find out why he chose this specific line or work? Time will only tell.
ELIOT SPENCER (The MUSCLE)
Eliot Spencer (played by Christian Kane) is more than meets the eye. He’s the hitter, the muscle of the group, but that’s not his only talent. Not only can he open up a can of whoop ass better than anyone else around, he is also a phenomenal cook. He’s the one that tries to look mean and grumpy all the time, but underneath he does have a bit of a soft spot.
As a retrieval specialist, Eliot’s been trained in all kinds of different fighting styles. He can identify a gun by the sound of the gunshot and what kind of training someone has had by their knife fighting style, because well, they are “very distinctive styles.” The funny thing about Eliot though is that while his job description requires him to hurt people, very badly in fact, he has never spoken about killing another person. While it can be assumed that he has, he seems to take measures against doing it, only hurting his adversary as much as necessary. While that can come back to haunt him, like “The Butcher” did, seeing as he did not kill him the second time around either, it can be assumed that he doesn’t enjoy it, and will avoid it at all costs.
Nate seems to be the one he’s closest too on the team, and the one who got his respect first. There’s almost a big brother vibe in regards to Nate, and Eliot actually seemed a bit annoyed in the pilot when he was trying to talk to Nate, trying to tell him that he’s sorry for the death of his son, and Nate made a point to remind him that they are not friends. Always a loner due to his job, it does seem that he wants friends, or at least people he can readily count on, but yet he will never tell the rest of the team that. When Aimee, his ex girlfriend, told him that she was glad he found a family, he all but rolled his eyes at that, trying to convince her that he didn’t need the team like that, but yet it still seems like he does no matter what he tries to say about it.
If Nate’s the big brother, Hardison is the little one. Due to Hardison readily annoying him, Eliot’s always getting on to him and threatening bodily harm with the looks he’ll give him, but for some reason he did seem to take to the guy pretty quickly. No matter if Hardison’s spilling slushy on the floor of his car, no matter how bad Eliot will blow up at him time after time, his threats always seem a bit idle. He could kick Hardison’s ass relatively easily, both of them know that, and yet Hardison still seems to know deep down that he never will, otherwise he would have been walking on eggshells long before now. The banter between the two is amusing, and no matter how much Eliot tries to convince everyone that it annoys him, deep down he seems to like it, to have someone to look out for but yet at the same time yell at and boss around. Only child? Maybe. Or maybe he’s not, and just misses his own family.
Parker and Sophie seem to both annoy him as well, but for two very different reasons. Parker is so nuts he can’t seem to relate or even understand half the time, and Sophie is constantly pining over Nate, which tends to annoy him as well sometimes (but to be fair, that tends to annoy most people on the team at some point). However, no matter how much both the women annoy him, he does still seem attached to them, and will no doubt protect both of them if anything goes down. Not just because they’re women (though he does seem the type), but because they are part of his little dysfunctional family.
The team being a family for him is also very obvious in the season finale, when he personally feels very betrayed by what Sophie did, even more so then the rest of the team. He was offended that he was the last for her to “apologize” to (even though it wasn’t much of an apology), and is the one that continues to get on to her with his little comments here and there. He said he was just getting used to being part of a team, and it seemed really important to him. He never seems to be the one to have any real emotional ties, and for him to have these people were clearly something he really enjoyed, even if he usually tries to hide it behind a scowl. Whether that trust with Sophie will be restored in season two is a big question.
Eliot is a man’s man when it comes to women. While we never actually see his conquests on screen, we hear about them, and amusingly enough see what happens when he tries to pick up a lesbian’s girlfriend at a bar. He’s got a smile that draws you in -- he’s very handsome with a large dose of Southern charm. He doesn’t seem to date exclusively though, probably due in large part to his line of work and what happened with Aimee because of it. While he always ran off in the middle of the relationship, he made a point to her that he did always come back, and one time after a job he came back -- and she was engaged to another man. That seemed to hurt him, another thing he tries to hide (and probably thinks he suppresses much better than he actually does). He seemed to have really loved her, giving her a promise ring which for him seemed like a pretty solid thing. For that to fall apart underneath him, it’s no wonder all he does is see women for a night or two now.
Eliot has a temper though, but at the same time seems to have amazing control over it. Sometimes when he gets angry, it's almost like you can see the steam coming out of his ears as he clenches his jaw and tries with everything in his being not to hit the person who pissed him off. From stopping short in golf carts as a mark talked about not caring that horses died, or from picking up a kitchen knife when a step-mother of the bride insults his cooking, he tries very hard not to follow through with what he really wants to do. One could assume he didn’t grow up very well, either during his home or school life, to have all that anger stored inside of him, ready to burst at any given moment. But while he does have the anger, the control is what makes him interesting. Seeing as he knows many different fighting styles, it wouldn’t be a stretch to assume he took lessons on how to channel his anger productively through martial arts or from some other kind of resource.
Eliot also seems to have strong options on any kind of substance that dulls your senses and surrenders your control. While he does drink, and has been seen drinking a beer, it would follow, due to him being in the profession, that he doesn’t get too hammered … ever. With the life he lives, he can never know who’s lurking around the corner ready to get one up on him. When he sees Nate drinking himself half to death, while says he doesn’t care if he does it, he clearly is unhappy with the risk he’s putting the rest of the team at doing it while he does it on the job. Alcohol makes you less aware, something Eliot is smart enough not to do, and while he doesn’t say it, one can assume he wishes that Nate would be aware of too.
Eliot tries to always be the tough guy, to be intimidating, but he seems to show how good his heart is more than he wants to, or even means to. Kane’s muscular body, rough around the edges look, and dazzling smile (when he lets you see it anyway) fits the kind of character of Eliot is perfectly, and his hair even seems to have a fandom all of its own. So what’s to come for him in season two? Will he finally show more interest in a woman for more than a night? Will a bad guy get one up on him for once? Will we find out more about this man’s past, and maybe even find out why he chose this specific line or work? Time will only tell.