u/JananyaKali

In S4E7 Blinking Red Light, 8 minutes into the episode Karen Cross is doing an interview with James Panzer and Luthor Wainwright. She adresses him as "special lieutenant Wainwright" - and he, of course, corrects her to "special agent Wainwright".

I'm not from the US and therefore not quite familiar with the "ranks" so to speak... I'm not sure if this was meant to make fun or belittle him (like a special agent is "better" than lieutenant), or just a random play of words?

Can anyone shed light on this? I don't know why it bugs me so much.