Episode 1 & 2 Discussion [rewatch]

[Silktie]

These are two cracking episodes that I really enjoy. The thing I like about them is that they seem to get the balance between plot, action and character moments almost perfect. I also think it's nice that after 3.10, we don't get another Islamic terrorist plot, and also that we see throughout these two episode how much the team members are still affected by Danny's death.

These episodes tell us a lot about Adam, Ruth and Harry's characters in particular, and I think it establishes Zaf's character quite well too. We see here how far Adam is prepared to go, when he hangs that guy over the railing, and after he falls, he takes only one second to absorb the shock of causing another person's death, before using what happened to terrify the other bloke into giving up the information. Then later, with Tash, we see the extraordinary amount of compassion Adam has, when he refuses to leave her to die alone. The thing that makes it remarkable is that he didn't risk his own life because the operation demanded it, or because she is an important person, but purely out of compassion. It is this that makes early Adam my favourite out of all the team leaders we've had to date.

Juliet's introduction also allows us to see Harry's extraordinary sense of honour and morality. As soon as she begins to blackmail him, he immediately offers his resignation and comes clean to the HS, and it is not as though she was trying to get state secrets out of him either - she only wanted more access. And he is also a big enough man to realise that Juliet's ruthlessness will be useful in the position she is up for, and in the end doesn't block her from getting the job despite their personal differences.

I also thought this episode showcased Ruth's strengths extremely well. She knows she is not a field agent, but her intelligence allows her to see exactly how to play the professor to get the information they need. It also seems that some of her compassion rubs off on him by the end.

I find the ending bittersweet, as we hear people complaining about the Security Services not stopping the first blast. Nobody knows, however, that they foiled another three bomb blasts in the meantime. It is a thankless job, where only your failures are known, and never your successes.