Tom vs Adam vs Lucas

[inveniam]

Tom will always be my favourite. I was about 13/14 when I started watching Spooks, and I had a big crush on him (well, I had a crush on pretty much everyone), but I was a deep teenager and respected the way he tried to distance himself from feeling, and was cold hands/warm heart. I only started watching the later series' a few years ago (I do things in stops and starts, now I'm determined to finish s10 before my stop urge comes around again) and I was pleasantly surprised by Adam. More casual, happy-go-lucky-ish, a bit smirky. I've only just met Lucas, so I can't really say until I've seen his full character arc, or whatever goes on with him. I like them all, for their stories, emotions and motivations. It's fun for them to be good to look at too, but pretty much all of them are.

So in order of preference it's: Tom, Lucas, Adam.

[Bourgy]

Tom all the way.
Adam and Lucas seemed to be more skilled agents but that's a creature of the storyline.

Tom just seemed like a spy to me. He looked like he could fade into the background yet had a strength and focus about him.
Lucas and Adam were more James Bond type characters.

[Kirayuki]

Close between Adam and Tom. Adam got annoying in the end but Tom could have had more to work with... Really liked them both though whereas Lucas got on my nerves almost 24/7.

Went for Adam in the end.

[molecatcher]

Loved everything about Adam when he first took over from Tom. He was loyal, brave and a loving husband and father and even when he began to fall apart I saw exactly why he would and felt for him but towards the end of his era he became a bit too cold hearted for my liking. Lucas annoyed me from the start because he came across as some sort of stalker trailing after the latest love in his life and didn't do a great deal for MI5 until series 9 when he was suddenly focused and animated even as his world unravelled and his past caught up with him. I loved him in that series. So Tom gets my vote because he was strong minded, prepared to go the extra mile but also had a conscience. His exit was the best of any and the cameo appearance in the last episode awesome even if it did only last a few seconds.

[Atticus Finch]

Really tough call for a whole host of reasons. I loved Tom because of his human side and for the fact that he came across as more "real" as opposed to the James Bond style of spy that an earlier poster describes Adam and Lucas as. He had a conscience, which was ultimately what led to his downfall as section chief. Tom could never quite justify some of teh tactics used by the secret service. He was also first section chief we saw and the group dynamic of Tom, Danny and Zoe was excellent. We got to delve into their daily, personal lives as well as seeing them at work.
I loved Adam for his action-man style, actually for his style in general (I wish the costume department would have sent me his Gucci and Belstaff gear when he'd finished with it). The family side of things was explored well and you genuinely got to care about Fiona, Wes and him as a family unit. I'd really hoped that they would spare him from death when he decided to leave (if only to spare Wes from being orphaned).
It took me a little longer to really warm to Lucas but it happened eventually (about halfway throuigh season 7). I very much enjoyed his performances and it was enjoyable to see the return of Russia and a nod to the Cold War with his introduction. I liked the fact that his character was significantly darker than Tom and Adam as well and, although I'll admit I didn't like what the writers made him in Season 9, he played it brilliantly.
Of course, there are two other section chiefs we haven't mentioned. Ros, who was fantastic and the most maverick of all of them. Loved her loads....and of course Erin, who just didn't get chance to stamp her character all over the series (by the time we were getting used to her in the role it was all over).

Anyway, a tough call and really only a hair's breadth between them but, if pushed, I go with Adam............just.

[Saerwen]

Lucas for me, he covered different character aspects in his struggle to fit in on his return from Russia, coming to terms that Elizaveta had divorced him, and the darkness that seemed to lie underneath the surface, yet he could show compassion for those around him. I will completely discount series 9 as his character had a complete brain meltdown which had no correspondence with what was shown in Series 7 & 8 despite that it showed how outstandingly talented he is.
Next would be Tom then close behind would be Adam.

[Charmredux]

My first Spooks ''crush'' was Tom Quinn so of course I voted for him. Adam's a close second - I hated him at first but that changed after Fiona's death. Never been fond of Lucas to be honest.

[zafione5]

I'm a fresh brand new (and late) member of this forum and i have read many of the comments posted and enjoyed them very much!
So which of the 3 do i like the most.... for now, I'll say Adam because he's the only one out of the 3 that I have spent more time with.... I got to know him if you'd like, almost like family..... however, i dislike several of the choices he made, especially the one involving anna.... was not too crazy about his relationship with ros either, but loved his connection with fiona!
I do like Lucas too first because I am a loyal fan of RA (ever since I saw North and South), he has this amazing ability to convey his vulnerability and emotions with such subtlety through the tele screen! However, i have not seen serie 8 in its entirety yet and i haven't seen serie 9 at all, so i'm for Adam for now... I never was able to connect with Tom completely to be honest, but i do appreciate the realism he brought to the show.

some are arguing that Adam was too perfect...what do you mean, i'm puzzled.... In the contrary, I find that his melt down and his ptsd issues, brought some humanity and vulnerability to his character....no?

that is my official first comment/ post: I'm praying that i haven't broken any rules[font=Trebuchet MS][/font], hahaha

[eDub1309]

I too thought that Adam was the best (Although Tom was a very, very close second) and that his breakdown was great--it made the show so much for realistic! I thought Tom was equally good, though we didn't get as much time with him. I thought that Tom represented a very human element in the intelligence world, and often conveyed how personal and tragic the life as a spook can be.

As for Lucas I honestly don't have many kind words for the character. I never liked him from the beginning and when he, well "went off" I'll say, I loathed him even more. I thought that Adam and Tom were on a much much higher level.