Cat’s Thoughts: Looking back on this story now, I think it’s a foreshadowing for how the family ultimately ends up living together. And the fact that so many of the kids end up sharing the bed with their parent.
This story is probably the first time Leo reacts to what Grant did to him and Jemma. Prior to being dropped in the ocean, Leo steadfastly refused to believe Grant was a traitor. It was more than clear in season one how much he looked up to Grant. And he still does, even if the ‘specialist’ most frightened him.
This story is another huge turning point. This is when it becomes clear that Coulson is truly Grant’s father. In playing the role of a family, they were both able to put voice to their feelings and to their relationship. It also gave the opportunity for both of their acting skills to come out pretty well. After all, they both had Leo and even May halfway convinced that Coulson really had spanked Grant.
As I recall, when we were planning out this particular story, we’d discussed whether to have Grant and Leo break into the house of an innocent person or not. Ultimately, we went for them ‘discovering’ their own agent. Partly because it was just more amusing; but also partly because an ordinary civilian would be harder to deal with after Grant’s slip into specialist mode.