Threaded Mode | Linear Mode

HellsBells · 06-01-2011, 02:13 PM

(05-01-2011 08:30 AM)BoHenley Wrote: It'd make more sense if Series 9 never happened.

I totally agree!
One thing that irritated me during 9.8 was the fact I kept waiting for the clever twist in the plot that would explain everything and it never happened. The storyline of Lucas being John was "too simple" for Spooks. I guess I just expected a more intelligent storyline.

**A Cousin** · 06-01-2011, 06:18 PM

IMO, only in so far as it pertains to Lucas. From my perspective it was a great set up but the payoff lacked. I was intrigued and buying the farm with the "Lucas-as-an-evil sociopath" idea, but not for Maya. They did that to parallel Harry and Lucas making their "sacrifice for love." But I don't need Lucas back any more than I need Tom, Zoe, Danny, Fiona, Colin, Adam, Ros, Zaf, Malcolm or Jo back - all of whom were equally as heroic and intriguing as Lucas.

As for all the other characters in S9, there was sufficient feasible development that, if S9 were discounted completely, one would have to play catch-up in S10. Certainly for Ruth and Harry. Beth had a good episode or two where we learned a lot about her. Even Dimitri had moments. Not enough, IMO, but they were there. Poor Tariq languished a bit, but Shazad Latif is still fresh out of drama school and probably still thrilled to just be a part of it. Even Towers was well established.

binkie · 06-01-2011, 09:47 PM

(06-01-2011 06:18 PM)A Cousin Wrote: As for all the other characters in S9, there was sufficient feasible development that, if S9 were discounted completely, one would have to play catch-up in S10.

Yes, that's the real killer. I would quite merrily expunge the experience of season 9 from the Spooks story were it not for the fact that this would deny important and earned development to surviving characters. If only it could be made in some way to relate to something other than Lucas-is-John (the way it was done). This is one of those times I regret the fact that Spooks is in the wrong genre for the parallel universe or timeslip explanation / get-out clause!

HellsBells · 07-01-2011, 02:21 PM

There were indeed great storylines in series 9. Not sure about Harry and Ruth development in series 9 (I just want them to get together and carry on saving the world !). I think the whole Lucas storyline ruined what was a great series. If RA wanted to leave Spooks, then fine just blow him up. I loved the characters of Beth and Dimitri. Shame the writers didn't just forget to whole Lucas storyline and give Tariq a decent story.

**A Cousin** · (This post was last modified: 07-01-2011 03:07 PM by A Cousin.)

(07-01-2011 02:21 PM)HellsBells Wrote: Not sure about Harry and Ruth development in series 9 (I just want them to get together and carry on saving the world !).

Yeah, I know you do. I really liked how they explored it in S9. They went somewhere - not where we may have wanted them to go, but they did. However, another series of it would certainly wear even on me. I would like it to go from the Will they/Won't they scenario to an Are they/Aren't they scenario. I like the idea of them being together but without any fanfair at all so we, the viewers, are left to collate and analyze the information.

(07-01-2011 02:21 PM)HellsBells Wrote: If RA wanted to leave Spooks, then fine just blow him up.

Hahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!! This shouldn't make me laugh so hard, but it did!

If I'm honest though, that would have felt too familiar to me, in both an Adam and Ros kind of way. Execution: Helen, Danny and Colin. Shot: Jo and Fiona. Torture: Zaf. Decommissioned: Tom and Tessa. Gone underground: Ruth and Zoe. Retired: Malcolm. Transferred: Sam. What's left but suicide? I thought it interesting (up until the "Lucas. North. Is dead." line) that the singularly most heroic of them all was the one who wasn't in the end.

(06-01-2011 09:47 PM)binkie Wrote: This is one of those times I regret the fact that Spooks is in the wrong genre for the parallel universe or timeslip explanation / get-out clause!

But it would make for a completely fun and FUBAR Dr. Who crossover episode, don't you think? Maybe Matt Smith regenerates into Lucas North? But I digress....

BravoNine · 07-01-2011, 03:14 PM

(07-01-2011 03:04 PM)A Cousin Wrote: If I'm honest though, that would have felt too familiar to me, in both an Adam and Ros kind of way. Execution: Helen, Danny and Colin. Shot: Jo and Fiona. Torture: Zaf. Decommissioned: Tom and Tessa. Gone underground: Ruth and Zoe. Retired: Malcolm. Transferred: Sam. What's left but suicide? I thought it interesting (up until the "Lucas. North. Is dead." line) that the singularly most heroic of them all was the one who wasn't in the end.

I kinda like the idea if they just put Lucas in the loony bin, maybe at least in that way it shows just how much of what he sacrificed and what he went through for his team and country in the end was destroying him from the inside. The psychological and emotional ramifications of everything he had suffered to cause him to go down this "un-heroic" path would have made a much more interesting story than someone who is just evil and pretended to be someone else.

The concept of the most heroic was the one who wasn't in the end is a great concept, but the writers did not execute it in a way that made a sensible storyline, at least not to me.

(07-01-2011 03:04 PM)A Cousin Wrote:
(06-01-2011 09:47 PM)binkie Wrote: This is one of those times I regret the fact that Spooks is in the wrong genre for the parallel universe or timeslip explanation / get-out clause!

But it would make for a completely fun and FUBAR Dr. Who crossover episode, don't you think? Maybe Matt Smith regenerates into Lucas North? But I digress....

Not a bad idea! I'm still waiting for that alien invasion for MI5 to deal with! Big Grin

Maybe it wasn't Lucas who died, maybe he just ran off in his TARDIS! Silba

BravoNine · 07-01-2011, 04:53 PM

(07-01-2011 11:27 PM)Byatil Wrote: Yeah, it's funny how the plot would have made a lot more sense if Lucas had simply slipped into a state of insanity. He could still have betrayed the team and could still have committed suicide... he didn't have to be pretending to be someone else I suppose the problem with that plot is that it gives cause for the audience to feel sympathetic towards the character (and for the other characters to feel guilt/sympathy) which are obviously not the emotions the writers wanted to create.

Well, if that was what the writers were trying to make the audience feel, they failed in that department too. Because I DO feel sympathy for Lucas, only now it's the writers that I feel no sympathy to when I attack them with pitchforks and flamethrowers! Dodgy

binkie · 07-01-2011, 07:35 PM

(07-01-2011 03:04 PM)A Cousin Wrote:
(06-01-2011 09:47 PM)binkie Wrote: This is one of those times I regret the fact that Spooks is in the wrong genre for the parallel universe or timeslip explanation / get-out clause!

But it would make for a completely fun and FUBAR Dr. Who crossover episode, don't you think? Maybe Matt Smith regenerates into Lucas North? But I digress....

I need to see this now!! 'Come along, Pearce.'

BoHenley · 07-01-2011, 10:37 PM

Lucas (RA) as Doctor Who...now THAT I like!

(07-01-2011 03:14 PM)BravoNine Wrote: I kinda like the idea if they just put Lucas in the loony bin, maybe at least in that way it shows just how much of what he sacrificed and what he went through for his team and country in the end was destroying him from the inside. The psychological and emotional ramifications of everything he had suffered to cause him to go down this "un-heroic" path would have made a much more interesting story than someone who is just evil and pretended to be someone else.

The concept of the most heroic was the one who wasn't in the end is a great concept, but the writers did not execute it in a way that made a sensible storyline, at least not to me.

That would've made more sense to me too, Bravo.

Byatil · 07-01-2011, 11:27 PM

Yeah, it's funny how the plot would have made a lot more sense if Lucas had simply slipped into a state of insanity. He could still have betrayed the team and could still have committed suicide... he didn't have to be pretending to be someone else Tongue

I suppose the problem with that plot is that it gives cause for the audience to feel sympathetic towards the character (and for the other characters to feel guilt/sympathy) which are obviously not the emotions the writers wanted to create.