4.3 DVD Commentary

[lwhite53]

Info from 4.3 DVD commentary [Katie Swindon, Alrick Riley]:

- Rupert Graves as William Sampson -- great performance and a hit on the set with the other actors. Plays the pompous, conservative ass brilliantly -- has just the edge needed to make the character believable.

-Story very timely re British National Party, which had won 6 seats in the most recent election. BNP had a march in South London at the same time this ep was being shot and marched directly past the studio where it was filming.

-Ep written by Ben Richards -- very different style from eps 1 and 2 (also by BR). This is more his metier -- looking into politics and the corridors of power. Very serious and realistic in his approach to this topic.

-Riot sequences -- actors had a great time smashing up the car.

-Interesting slant to the politics of the ep -- taking what looks like a very conservative politician (Sampson) and having him move over to a far right party.

-"Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, I am the voice of every frightened, disillusioned and angry person in Britain." One of the best lines in the ep and also very controversial. Went in and out of the script several times because it basically said if you're frightened and disillusioned, you need to turn to the right -- line hit a little too close to home.

-This was originally supposed to be ep 1 of series 4 -- decided to start new series with two-parter that had bombs going off across London. Worked well in the third slot as it was an "intellectual" ep.

-"Use the democratic process, destroy the democratic process" line -- BR manages to get his argument across quickly and succinctly; very subtle and articulate.

-Legend scene -- all characters involved.

-How realistic is the show? Swindon: "Well, I've asked MI5 and they won't return my call. MI5 aren't allowed to talk to us." Unofficially, word has come back that the series is "close to the bone" -- one of the major differences is that spooks "concentrates" time (unrealistic to get so much done in one ep -- more like 6 mos to a year).

-Bringing Wes into eps humanizes Adam and Fiona.

-Olga S -- brilliant as Fiona in this ep; much warmer than previously.

-Editing is absolutely crucial to spooks, especially because of the many different directors -- one of the strengths of the series.

-PF "relished" the scene where Harry put the screws to Perry Davis -- had a great time. PF adores the character of Harry -- has a lot of fun with it.

-Harry not anti-gay but will use any angle possible to get what he needs.

-"Bird hide" built by spooks crew and put into field. BR's father is a bird watcher and he put a bittern into the script at father's suggestion. Bitterns really rare in the UK and wouldn't be found anywhere near to where the filming took place. "That booming noise" was definitely not a bittern.

-Bird watching scene humanizes Moran (discussion about his father) -- tried to give him a motivation that the audience could sympathize with. By end of ep, even though his beliefs and politics are abominable, you do have some sympathy for him.

-Perry Davis -- well cast. Not a typical politician -- younger and more vibrant. Much scarier if someone like him went over to the far right party.

-Structure of ep -- fighting on two fronts. Political (in Commons and within British Way party) but also in media and what public are thinking. MI5 trying to control all the different strands.

-Zaf switching pens -- simple bit of tradecraft, but effective.

-Sending Ruth back to GCHQ -- longest running joke of the show.

-Raza Jaffrey brilliant with dirty tricks campaign -- great cheekiness about him.

-Rupert Graves -- dropped lots of little sexual bits into Sampson's interactions with Fiona.

-Sampson's taking advantage of child's death to garner publicity for himself -- made everyone very uncomfortable but is something that one sees in politics everyday.

-Juliet suggesting that Sampson be murdered -- quite scary because you don't know how real it may or may not be. Explores a very gray world -- what really goes on in Whitehall offices?

-Lots of thought re how would audience feel about seeing Adam shoot someone with a crossbow? Hope was that he would be forgiven because he does it for the greater good. Next scene was needed to explain Adam's action -- he can't take what he's done too casually because audience needs to like him; no good if viewers lose sympathy for Adam.

-"Make Perry your number two" -- key moment in ep, separating Sampson and Moran. Up to this point in the ep, the two have never been seen together. We finally see Sampson's true nature in the way he talks about the dead girl.

-There was a lot of argument about the use of the word "nigger" and the decision to do so wasn't made lightly. In order to make Moran as poisonous as possible, it seemed certain he would use that kind of language. If it was cut out, the character would be imbued with a set of values that he didn't really possess -- would be imposing other people's values onto him. Alrick Riley -- as a black man and director, use of the word was necessary to the believability of this character. It would be ridiculous to assume that Moran doesn't use the word. Ep is about destroying men like this specifically because they hold these views.

-NW (as disgruntled GCHQ worker) -- has an amazing ability to get you to believe whatever she says, to win trust and confidence.

-Standoff between Adam and Moran -- running toward someone who is going to shoot you. Admirable thing about Moran is that he has his beliefs and won't do any deals. If he has to go to jail for what he believes in, he will. Won't ever take the easy way out -- very unusual.

-Interrogation room -- actually an old shooting range in a disused munitions factory. Pockmarks in walls are bullet holes -- gives set lots of atmosphere.

-End shot -- the team. Harry and Ruth -- go well together.

[Silktie]

The debate over the use of "nigger" is interesting. I always think that the censors and whoever decide on these things give the audience too little credit. Most of us can tell the difference between gratuitous use of such words, and when it is being used to illustrate the values of a certain character, and to show his racist views.

Aww, Harry and Ruth do go well together, don't they?

Thanks lwhite

[Aria]

Thanks lwhite. Fascinating stuff.

[Tea Lady]

I agree with what Silktie says about the use of "that" word. It was a necessary part of the story to make it realistic. I wonder though how difficult it was to get it by the BBC.

I'm glad this wasn't the first episode of the series. It just didn't feel right to me to have this as an opener.

Glad to see there is some acknowledgement that Harry and Ruth go well together !!

Thanks lwhite53.

[JHyde]

Thanks lwhite - this one was especially interesting. And thanks for double spacing too, you're the best

[lwhite53]

(21-06-2010 08:43 AM)Tea Lady Wrote:  I agree with what Silktie says about the use of "that" word. It was a necessary part of the story to make it realistic. I wonder though how difficult it was to get it by the BBC.

Apparently, the BBC didn't make a big deal of it (according to Swindon). Maybe that's because Alrick Riley was the director and he made it pretty clear that the word needed to stay in.

It would have been a tremendous deal here in the US and I think the word would probably have been censored.

I agree, Silktie -- second guessing the audience is never a good thing.

[HellsBells]

Thanks for posting lwhite. My DVD doesn't actually have the extras on this particular disc, so this was all very interesting.

[A Cousin]

(21-06-2010 01:15 PM)lwhite53 Wrote:  It would have been a tremendous deal here in the US and I think the word would probably have been censored.

It could possibly make it through over here but it would certainly cause a furor and lots of complaints! I am reminded of George Carlin and his Seven Dirty Words... routine which, incidentally the FCC still uses to gauge what is considered indecent, obscene and/or profane. While this is not one of them it is a very loaded word it would be in the category as "profane." To quote the FCC: “Profane language” includes those words that are so highly offensive that their mere utterance in the context presented may, in legal terms, amount to a “nuisance.” At least between the periods of 6 am to 10pm. Yep, you heard me, we have a TIME FRAME! Of course, by that standard there are plenty of non-expletive words that are offensive and a nuisance to me so maybe I should complain to the FCC? Appreciate the freedom you have my European friends!

I am a big believer in the power of language but it is a double edged sword. On one edge, language only has the power we give it and on the other edge, some words hold such inherent power that they must be used cautiously. It doesn't sound like anyone took it anything less than seriously. Their reasoning for using it is sound.

This also helped solidify a thought in my head about Moran. I am a huge David Threlfall fan dating back to Nicholas Nickleby at the RSC in 1979. He is a brilliant actor. At the time I thought that my sympathy for Moran might be colored by my respect for DT. But I am now inclined to think that my sympathy was manipulated (in a good way) and that it was not quite so misplaced as I had previously thought.

Thanks again lwhite53!

[lwhite53]

BTW, should've made clear re language and censorship that I was specifically referring to network television. Cable tv has fewer issues with censorship and premium cable networks have no rules, from what I can tell.

Yes, A Cousin, you were indeed manipulated into feeling some sympathy for Moran!

[A Cousin]

Sorry. Went on a bit of a tirade there. The FCC - personal pet peeve.... mumble, grumble, grumble....

Looks like a bit of sympathy (albeit grudging) for Moran is intentional. I'm still working on it....