Series 9 DVD Release

[BoHenley]

Thanks for the second transcript, Byatil.

[FionaC]

Thank you so much, Byatil, for taking the time to do the transcription. It sounds great.

[Tea Lady]

Just watched the commentary for 9.7. Very interesting indeed and helped explain a few things. Obviously you may not want to read below if you have not watched it yet.

Series 9.7 commentary Spoiler: show

Anthony Neilson the writer was explaining why there wasn't much Dimitri in this episode or Beth for that matter, and as a series as a whole. He was saying it was just very difficult to write for characters that had not been cast yet and you hadn't got much information on their background. Hence they concentrated writing for the characters they did know.

With regards to revisiting what happened to George and Nico in series 8, NW was glad they did this. NW said she felt this had been brushed aside a little too easily in the previous series.

As for Harry and Ruth, Anthony says this episode helps explain why Ruth turned down Harry's marriage proposal and that they were glad Ruth did turn Harry down, because for the fans, the feeling of frustration lasts longer than being pleased about something.

NW was also commenting that the chaos which surrounds filming helps get the most out of their scenes. As the actors don't know what scene is coming next and only get the script on the day, they act for the moment, instead of acting for what they know is coming in the next few scenes.

NW, Anthony and Andrew Woodhead did all seem a little down on Series 8 in the commentary and felt it had moved too far away from the characters. They felt Spooks had also moved too much towards TV's 24 instead of John le Carre. They had deliberately tried to move it back to le Carre in Series 9 and will move it further there in Series 10 (perhaps because of budget issues as well.)

Anthony will also be writing for Series 10 and it sounds like he will be writing very much with Nicola in mind as he loves writing for her. He made a comment towards the end of the episode when Ruth had just shot the bloke and is handing the gun over to Harry. Anthony says this is the point they set up Ruth's character for Series 10. This is an important stage in the progression of Ruth's character, he says.

Another interesting comment, right at the end of the commentary, is when the advert appears for episode 9.8. They all say how much they are looking forward to this episode and, "the new spy's in there as well." (I took from this that Alec is now a permanent fixture.)

[binkie]

(05-03-2011 02:22 PM)Tea Lady Wrote:  

Series 9.7 commentary Spoiler: show

...the chaos which surrounds filming helps get the most out of their scenes. As the actors don't know what scene is coming next and only get the script on the day, they act for the moment, instead of acting for what they know is coming in the next few scenes.

This ^^ is really interesting, and I think it helps to set the show apart from a lot of other slick dramas, in that the viewer is often learning at the same time as the character. A lot of TV drama writes this concurrent discovery into its storylines, but does so very self-consciously - as if to say: look, here is something new: notice it and process it as new. Spooks has less of that CSI-like habit of, effectively, showing us something until we see it and then behaving as though we and the characters have only just noticed it. I like that Spooks does this only rarely, and I like (for the most part) that the actors feel an advantage from the lack of forewarning.

[Tea Lady]

Just watched the commentary for 9.1, which again was very interesting. A couple of points I will note below in tags if interested. On a general point though, why is it that all these actors and writers and producers all love Harry and Ruth and keep saying they want them to get together? If that's the case, why haven't they got together? It doesn't make sense?!!

Spoiler: show

The scene where Harry kills the old HS, was actually a lot longer and was cut when edited. When Harry gets up from the chair and walks towards the door, he is startled by a dog. Not wanting to leave the dog for 24hrs without food, as the HS's wife doesn't arrive until the next day, Harry goes into the kitchen and feeds the dog. One of the writers actually joked that Harry did this, not because he felt sorry for the dog, but because he was afraid the dog would eat the HS.

The writers complained quite a lot about the scene where Ruth goes into Harry's office and he tells her he resigned. They said the best line was cut. After Harry says "I don't want to feel like I'm covered in blood anymore," and then he stops Ruth trying to talk him out of it, Ruth turns away from Harry to walk out of his office. But she then turns back to Harry and says, "but we are born covered in blood Harry." The writers couldn't believe that line was cut.

[A Cousin]

Wow! What a great line! I am sorry they cut it. I love the idea. Life starts messy people!

Is there any indication as to who is (are?) "they"? The producers? TPTB at the BBC? My guess? It was cut either because it wasn't decided that it just wasn't right in that moment or because they thought it was a bit too graphic an image. Keeping it would have made the image of Ruth in 9.7 mean oh so much more!

Series 9 commentaries Spoiler: show

I hope for the later, but I would not at all surprised if TPTB think that viewers can tolerate brains and gore being splattered all over someones face but not the image of childbirth as a metaphor.

[Silktie]

Thanks, TL, it seems there are loads of interesting info in the commentaries. I'm sorry both those things were cut - it would've been great to see. I assume there are no deleted scenes on the DVD extras?

[Byatil]

(07-03-2011 06:02 AM)Silktie Wrote:  I assume there are no deleted scenes on the DVD extras?

Sadly not Interestingly the executive producer/writers on the commentary for 9.1 did say that they were wondering if deleted scenes would be included on the DVD, so I don't think they have much say in the matter.

[Nitrus]

Any outtakes? I like seeing bloopers from serious shows like Spooks, lifts everything a little bit.

[Byatil]

(07-03-2011 03:37 PM)Nitrus Wrote:  Any outtakes? I like seeing bloopers from serious shows like Spooks, lifts everything a little bit.

I tell a lie about deleted-scenes; there is a glimpse of the scene where Lucas hits Harry with his gun (on the roof at the end of 9.8) in one of the extras, explaining how Harry gained that gash across his face. But there's nothing on the DVD's dedicated solely to outtakes or bloopers as far as I am aware It's a shame; they'd be really fun to see, especially seeing as Sophia Myles has commented on how giggly she can get when on set with Peter Firth!