Episode 6.10 [Re-watch]

[Silktie]

The season ends with a touch of Beethoven, some Colombians and a group bent on capturing and torturing spies. Also, Bob Hogan shows his real colours, Jo is in peril, and Adam is asked to make an impossible choice.

Watch and discuss.

[JHyde]

I really like this episode, the scene between Jo and Malcolm and Jo's impassioned monologue about the plight of imprisoned women everywhere being particularly good. She's also at her best arguing with Adam about Zaf's death and why they shouldn't be cold about it.

Jo has functioned very much as the heart and soul of the Grid in this season, and this episode cements her in this role. And it's nice to see Adam going nuts on her behalf. MR did a stellar job in season 6 and Jo's growth as a character (yes, I know I've said it at least 10 times already) is truly one of the best things in an otherwise quite lack lustre series.

Lots of funny bits too, mostly between Harry and various other people, from Malcolm to Adam to the Ambassador (I think....admittedly I haven't re-watched this one....) I think the plot is also a good one, making a school as the target really rachets up the drama, obviously coupled with Jo's kidnapping it makes the stakes quite high.

A point about timelines. I think there is a fair gap between episodes 9 and 10. This is mostly because of Ben's training (which had to take a little while, surely). I've argued about this with others, mostly fan ficcers, but I genuinely feel like there's some time that's meant to elapse before this whole messy season wraps up.

Also sad news about Zaf but as expected. The poor guy had the worst ending for any character on the show before and after him as he really SUFFERED. Everyone else has blessedly gone quickly. Lucky them. Utterly tragic - he was not only a lovely character but horribly underused (probably why Raza left, at least in part). And yes, the poor guy is dead - no more threads asking if he's really gone guys!

[HellsBells]

I agree that there was some excellent dialogue between various characters and Jo had some of the best vocalisation of some of the moral dilemmas they face. Loved the ending where Harry and team out witted the CIA to get the location of the school and the Redbacks hideout.
I thought the plot was rushed and confused, there was so many story lines that I felt this is just too much. The idea between a missile strike in Gaza with a school kidnapping in England was very stretched and the idea of a CIA sponsored assignation of the Venezuelan president seemed highly unlikely.
And of course, Zaf deserved better!!!

[Silktie]

Ben is finally useful in this episode, although I still find him a little lifeless. Like A Cousin said before, it needed a more dynamic actor in the role. I loved the idea of using the sniper's allergies to identify him, that was neat.

So Bob Hogan shows his real colours. I enjoyed him throughout the season, and found this twist quite in line with how the character has been presented to us. He is one of the (too) few redeeming features in this season.

And for the second time this season we see Harry not knowing what to do. The first time round he only acknowledged it to Connie, but this time he doesn't bother to hide it from the team. It is rather strange to see him so helpless. Interesting that in the end it is his willingness to admit to it that allows the newbie to come up with a strategy.

I enjoyed the Torres character. The sparring between him and Harry is quite entertaining. I loved the little moment where they're telling each other what their respective countries offer the world, hee!

Also loved Malcolm with the Beethoven CD at the beginning, and the way both Harry and Adam handle it in that first meeting. Harry's response telling Malcolm to send them Pomp and Circumstance in return made me laugh.

I am torn about Jo here. Though I feel deeply for her and the horror she has been through, part of me thinks that it is unfair of her to ask Adam to kill her. What a horrible position to put Adam in. He is facing the terrors of what Zaf has been through himself, and on top of that he is asked to kill someone he cares deeply about.

And lastly, rest in peace Zaf. Those shots with the coffin covered by the flag moved me more than I thought it would. He was a great character and I still miss him.

In retrospect, I didn't enjoy this season upon watching it first time round, and this re-watch has not changed that. I still dislike most of it, and won't bother watching it again.

[HellsBells]

Ben's introduction has got to be one of the slowest, but I always feel he has got potential and it is a shame that the relationship between Jo and Ben has appeared to fade away.
Zaf's coffin.....heartbreaking and very nicely done.

When thinking back to series 6 as a whole the last two episodes were so much better than the previous 8. Is this because the story arc, which I felt was poor, had effectively ended in episode 8 and the last two episodes were 'free' to be stand alone episodes?

[A Cousin]

I like the pacing of this episode. Alrick Riley really gets it right in this one. It feels like a car shifting in and out of gears. You can hear the engine racing and then it shifts up a gear, settles in, and shifts again until it comes crashing right into Jo in Adam's arms. And Ben Richards does what he does so well which is instill a lot of character moments into a very convoluted plot. Never noticed it before, but they are a good combination. Maybe I like this episode because it feels like it has nothing to do with the rest of the series except to wrap up Bob Hogan and poor Zaf - who we have pretty much ignored since Ep. 2.

I can't help but giggle at Harry's conversation with Connie just before the opening titles. I always wondered how he held a straight face saying the line, "We don't know who are our friends and who are our enemies." Saying "are" and "our" like that, you run the risk of sounding like a dog barking. I think Ben Richards was toying with PF.

Once again a junior officer gets side-lined which Malcolm handles with his usual equanimity. I have always wondered if there was any further significance in the choice of Beethoven's 7th symphony for Malcolm? Haven't found anything any more meaningful than Malcolm would "get it." Beethoven considered it his best symphony. The last movement is very fast and furious with a rare fff (fortississimo) in it - even for Beethoven. Wish I could hear what was added on with Malcolm's ears. "Pomp and Circumstance" in reply is hilarious!

At least Ben finally gets to do something. And a couple of somethings cool, too. At least there is that.

As for the state sponsored assassination on foreign soil thing, I bought it. Both of our countries are very critical of the other at that time and remain so. However, Spooks is doing what they do - using the allegations of covert US operations against Chavez and Chavez' own allegation that the US attempted an assassination on European soil (twice - thanks to anther idiot, Pat Robertson) as a spring board to the most possible dramatic outcome. It's what they do - take the real world and spin it into epic proportions. Chavez is a little bit of a nut and Dubya was an idiot - match made in hell, if you ask me. But my politics are showing again. The US and Venezuela are huge trading partners. There are other ways. Nothing good could come from assassinating their President.

Zaf.... *sniff* All alone with no one but the Ambassador to Pakistan. *sniff*

Loved the conversation between Jo and Malcolm, esp. the "I know what your feeling." moment. Yeah, he does. I like it when they reference past series, even obliquely. At this point in the programme, they tended to ignore it and move on.

Ahhh, Hogan.... Whadda bunch of pr*cks we Americans are, huh? He's good, he's bad, he's good, he's bad. What a great character you love to hate! And well done by Matthew Marsh. As Silktie said, he's one of the redeeming factors of S6.

I adore the lighting and direction of Adam and Jo's scenes in the cell. It is a really good example of what I like about Alrick Riley's direction. It is very character focused, but looks incredible! There is a lot on hand-held camera work, but this is where it is appropriate. RPJ and MR are fabulous in it. And that last shot with her in his arms...cliffhanger! She's a gonner!

[HellsBells]

I agree that last shot of Jo and Adam was a real cliffhanger. The rest of the series had been so chaotic but that last scene made you want to watch series 7.

[JHyde]

Guys, is it this episode that has

Series veryslight7.4 Spoiler: show

Harry and the team talking about Coventry and WWII? I can't remember...I do vaguely recall Connie being part of the discussion.

I think I've just sprung myself as not having actually been re-watching these episodes but doing them from memory.....

[Silktie]

Nope, it's Connie and

Series 7 Spoiler: show

Lucas

that talk about it in 7.4.

[JHyde]

Ta! It's been bothering me all day.