Series 9 Episode 8 discussion

[redlyn]

(09-11-2010 01:40 PM)AnnMarie Wrote:  

(09-11-2010 01:32 PM)NightOwl Wrote:  Let me start shouting:

Seriously? It's Richard Armitage's fault and not the writers? Seriously?

So if RA hadn't given his notice, Lucas would have what? What's the "real" ending the that the writers wanted that would have pleased us all but RA thwarted. How was this mess of plot actually supposed to end? All would be forgiven? Lucas would have returned as Section Chief and lived happily ever after?

The writers chose Lucas's fate, plain and simple. They created the idea of the Dakar and false identity. They had Lucas sell Albany to the Chinese. It seems quite clear to me that the writers knew at least halfway through the series that RA was not returning. (Although who made that decision, RA or TPTB, is not clear.) They made the choices that lead directly to the rooftop scene, not RA.

Please don't defend the idiocy of the the writers by slurring the actor.

NightOwl you are exactly right on here.

The writers will have the overriding series story arc planned before the shooting starts even if they do not have the actually scripts yet for the whole series. Since shooting starting in February long before RA was cast in the Hobbit, it is obviousl that they had decided to overturn his character from the beginning of this series. The suitcase was introduced in the first episode remember. So to assume that they wrote it this way because RA got cast in something else is just illogical.

I have no problem with Lucas dying considering the mess they had made of his backstory: it was the need for that particular backstory which I question.

I have watched Spooks since the beginning so I'm not an RA newbie but the regret I feel over the shoddy writing is immense. This was dishonest television and we deserved better.