Series 10 - Episode 6 Discussion

[Gillymac]

Once again A Cousin hits it out of the park....

(28-10-2011 01:24 PM)A Cousin Wrote:  I think there was some symbolic intent involved with the killing of Ruth that, for me, was successfully executed. Much like The Saga of Lucas in years past, The Saga of Harry and Ruth had kind of taken on a life of it's own. The creators intentionally placed Harry & Ruth in the centre of this series for a reason. Much earlier in this thread, someone (I forget who) mentioned that 10.6 put a stake through the heart of Spooks. By having Sasha stab Ruth and put an end to the relationship of Harry and Ruth, the Producer proclaimed "heart of the programme," they put an end to the programme itself. The pain of losing this programme for us is almost as much as the pain of losing Ruth for Harry. For me, that is what is meant by a definitive ending for Spooks.

However, since "cooler heads are reigning" (love it!) at the moment allow me to share another thought...

I remain resolute in my belief that the finale delivered the best ending for spooks. Additionally, I don't interpret it as "sad". There is tragedy in Ruth's death most certainly, but in the scenes leading up to her death we see Ruth forgive Harry, thus enabling him to forgive himself regarding the Elena mess. We see her offer him a way out if he wants it. However there is an important caveat to her offer. She says; "leave the service - WITH ME". Implicit in this of course is that she wouldn't want him to leave without her. So he honours her wishes after her death. Importantly, he does so with a clear concience. With her final words, she absolves him of any guilt he feels towards her. Someone on twitter called her "Ruth the Truth"- how appropriate. She says; "Harry, we were never meant to have any of those things." And they both know that's the truth.

Harry avenges her, pays tribute to her (and her fallen colleagues), then does what she would want him to do and go back to work. Those final seconds, while the phone rings, the look of doubt in his eyes, replaced with the ever familiar steely determination as he snatches up the receiver - Masterly, imperious, playing by Peter Firth. I'm in no doubt that Harry comes through his grief a stronger, better Section Chief, and I sleep soundly in my bed knowing that he is in charge.

---Reality Check Time. Please Don't Shoot Me--

From a practical point of view, consider for a moment what would have happened if H&R had got their happy ending or if Ruth had lived (both of which were entirely possible, if not my personal preferred course of action)? The people on the forums now asking for an alternative ending, would be bombarding Kudos with requests for "spin off!" "more!". Looking at this from a purely business perspective it is my opinion that Kudos wanted to (maybe had to - money looked short this series) 'end' spooks - for the meantime anyway (and certainly in this incarnation), because, lets face it, the door hasn't been closed entirely shut. It is entirely possible that it was worth alienating that minority of fans (the loss in DVD sales, by my reckoning, won't bankrupt them) to be rid of it, and they never would have been without this particular course of action. They aren't going to base decisions on the wishes of maybe 100 viewers out of five and a half million. The hard fact of the matter is that that's not how the business works.