8 Characters Who Should Return for the ‘Leverage’ Revival

Agent McSweeten Tara Cole James Sterling Leverage
TNT

Our favorite bad guys are returning to provide some more Leverage in an IMDb TV revival, and hopefully they’re not alone.

While our favorite grifter (Gina Bellman’s Sophie Deveraux), hitter (Christian Kane‘s Eliot Spencer), thief (Beth Riesgraf’s Parker), and hacker (Aldis Hodge‘s Alec Hardison) are all back, there are other familiar faces we’d like to see again as well. (Timothy Hutton‘s mastermind Nate Ford is not returning, but the crew has a new member, Noah Wyle‘s corporate lawyer Harry Sullivan.) Over the five seasons of the original series on TNT (airing from 2008 to 2012), the crew took down marks, helped clients, and got some blasts from the past along the way.

Whether it’s a thorn in their side (like Mark Sheppard‘s James Sterling), a former (temporary) teammate (like Jeri Ryan‘s Tara Cole), or someone that had to be lied to along the way (like Gerald Downey’s naïve Special Agent McSweeten), there are quite a few characters who should (and could) pop up again. Scroll down for some of our picks.

Leverage, TBA, IMDb TV

Mark Sheppard as James Sterling in Leverage
TNT

James Sterling (Mark Sheppard)

The former insurance investigator (and coworker of Nate’s) was working for Interpol last we saw him, but by then, he was also best described as a frenemy (whom Eliot would gladly beat up, especially after he drugged the hitter on a job) and someone who respected what the crew could do and was even willing to help Nate escape prison. While it would be fun to see Eliot or Sophie partnered up with him for a job again — that was so entertaining in “The Queen’s Gambit Job” and “The Frame-Up Job” — anything with Sterling is welcome.

Jeri Ryan as Tara Cole inLeverage
TNT

Tara Cole (Jeri Ryan)

Tara filled in as the team’s grifter when Sophie took some time away in Season 2, and she ended up working with her friend and Parker in Season 4’s “The Girls’ Night Out Job.” While there really is no need for two grifters full-time on a crew, we would like to see her working with them for a job or two, especially since she’s no longer new to the others as she was the first time around.

Kari Matchett as Nate's Ex-Wife Maggie in Leverage - 'The Second David Job'
Erik Heinila / TNT / Courtesy: Everett Collection

Maggie Collins (Kari Matchett)

We may not be seeing Nate again, but there’s no reason his ex-wife can’t show up. After all, she’s worked with the crew before, is friends with Sophie, and can even grift a bit (as we saw in “The Last Dam Job”). We’ve seen the crew come to her aid and vice versa, so we’re not picky how she returns. But getting more scenes with her and Sophie or her and Parker would certainly be fun.

Sofia Pernas, Drew Powell, Timothy Hutton in Leverage = 'The Boy's Night Out Job'
Erik Heinila / TNT / Courtesy Everett Collection

Jack Hurley (Drew Powell)

Hurley first got on the crew’s radar as a potential mark, and they’d later help him when he got mixed up with mobsters and drugs. A bit too trusting, it’s very easy to imagine him needing their help once again.

Gerald Downey Leverage Special Agent Todd McSweeten
TNT

Special Agent Todd McSweeten (Gerald Downey)

Parker and Hardison met McSweeten and his partner, Taggert (Rick Overton), while posing as FBI agents. They ran into McSweeten a few more times over the years, and he never learned the truth. We’re not quite sure if we’d like that to change, but we would like to see him pop up again, with or without Taggert.

Wil Wheaton in Leverage as Colin 'Chaos' Mason
TNT

Colin "Chaos" Mason (Wil Wheaton)

The crew (especially Hardison) reluctantly recruited the hacker in “The Last Dam Job” to take down their marks, but no one would ever call them friends. (After all, he did try to kill Sophie.) Let’s see them on opposite sides once again, during one of the episodes Hardison’s around, of course, since Hodge is only recurring.

Goran Visnjic as Damien Moreau in Leverage
TNT

Damien Moreau (Goran Visnjic)

Last we saw the criminal, he was locked up in San Lorenzo, after the team successfully took him down. If the revival is going to revisit one of the crew’s marks from the past, why not have it be Damien (assuming he’s still alive)? Not only would it be great to see Visnjic back, but it could also offer the chance to explore more about Eliot’s past given his time working for him.

Lisa Schurga Leverage Peggy
TNT

Peggy Milbank (Lisa Schurga)

Parker became friends with Peggy after meeting her while serving jury duty under one of her aliases. (Yes, Hardison’s work was that good.) The two became friends, and Peggy remained in the dark about her friend’s true identity. In fact, last we saw Peggy, she thought Parker was a spy. Maybe it’s time for her to learn the truth … when she needs the crew’s help.




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  1. R

    RedBone

    You forgot Clayne Crawford's Quinn. "Can I hit him?" "Which one?" "Either one..." Turn to Sophie, "See it's not just me."

  2. O

    Olive8Ball

    I would love to see Sterling back again!!! Was so much fun watching Eliot try his best not to hit him.....again!

  3. R

    RedQuill

    I vote everyone but Damien Moreau. Dealing with Moreau makes Eliot hurt and no one is allowed to hurt Eliot emotionally, he is used to taking the hits, but he has had more than his fair share of heart ache.

  4. O

    OliveCactus

    I'd like to see all of them back!! I'm a #Leverage OG and there isn't a single character I would leave out! Even the evil bad doers! But, I am so anxious to see any new characters and what evil they are up to!

    1. G

      GreenSeahorse

      I agree, cause I am die hard "Leverage" fan. I have the "Leverage" channel, so I watch all of their episodes over and over every day.

      1. G

        GoldGlasses

        I've watched #Leverage so many times, I can't count. But, certain phrases from Leverage tend to show up in my everyday talking. Also, when I see actors that have been on the show I call them by their #Leverage names! #GeraldDowney may do #BuschBeer commercials, but he will always be McSweeten to me!

        1. G

          GoldBlowdryer

          I yell Da@$it Hardison outloud when I get agitated at work. I work with a bunch of teenagers mostly.

  5. P

    PurpleBattery

    Mark Sheppard!

  6. B

    BluePaw

    I agree with your choices. But not Damien. If he’s back, the team needs to go into hiding. Plus you forgot two, Claude Crawford as the infamous Quinn and Adam Baldwin as Colonel Michael Vance

  7. C

    CyanBus

    It would be great to have any or all of them back! Such a great show. Can’t wait!

  8. J

    Jena

    I like all of these ideas..... except for Maggie. I don't need to see her again.

  9. O

    OrangeBike

    Love Leverage. I’m their number one fan. Bring them all back. Even new ones. Would love to see Nate return also. In any case. Yes yes bring back Leverage.

  10. B

    BlueFan

    All but Moreau. The others have a great many possibilities left, especially Maggie. Damien Moreau is pretty much played out, except perhaps very peripherally. And Alice White's friend was really great.

  11. R

    RedPlane

    I would love to Damein Moreau back as abig bad, why, because he was the guy that they faced head on. Quite honestly, given he a back up plan I really dont think he went to jail. Plus he had time plan his revenge.... Can't wait

  12. R

    RedFlask

    Chaos, Arthur, Quinn and Shelley

  13. G

    GoldBlowdryer

    I hope its a different show. Without Hutton, it can't be the same. He was the heart and soul. I kinda hope they kill him off. Give it closure. Buuut... I am still excited about it. I'd like to see some of the kids grown up from the original shows. The girl from the carnival job, the boy from the mine job, and of course Sterling and his daughter. And the female hitter from the two live crew job. Not a kid, just good chemistry with Elliott.

  14. O

    OliveSword

    Why is Nate not coming back?

  15. G

    GreenWrench

    I think everyone should come back but Damien - he was a great character but his story really felt like it ended. But everyone else has something to add to the series. I am so going to miss Nate, though

  16. R

    RedBee

    Quinn would be a good returning character

  17. R

    RedElephant

    Not Wil Wheaton....his potty mouth and hate speech on Twitter made me sick