Season 10 - Episode 4 discussion

[Naivety]

I enjoyed this episode very much, it was a massive improvement on last week. I loved the scene between Harry, Ruth, Towers and Ilya which was full of class. There was even a little glance between Harry and Ruth that I noticed. The threat of the week was a good choice, and still very topical. Full of plot holes of course but that is Spooks after all. The bit where Ashor is caught in Trafalgar Square before he hits the ground was chilling I thought, and incredibly believable.

The Ruth/Coaver scene was wonderful, and I'm convinced that Harry was aware the meeting was taking place. It was connected to the park scene, hence Ruth calling Harry when she sees the car. Coaver is being set up though, I reckon.

My favourite bit was the bench scene, of course. I know Ruth is hurt by Harry telling her to go soon, but I hope she will not hold it against him. Judging by the trailer, I don't think she will, as I'm sure we will still have Harry and Ruth moments in episode 5.

And finally, there was a photo released for episode 4 where Harry was holding Elena by her armpits. I'm so glad that was explained! It never crossed by mind that he would be picking her up from the ground! It just looked so odd!

[harrbd]

Just a thought - what a risk Harry was taking with Elena's life. It was either a deliberate miss or a lucky thing for Elena. It was a wooded area, a sniper could have picked Elena out from a distance away. Was Harry sure of Elena's innocence or guilt? Not only her life was at risk but Sasha would have probably killed Harry and Ruth if his mother had been killed. (I think it was Ruth's idea to stage that event. Perhaps she was trying to get rid of a love rival !) The British Russian talks would have also ended.

[beatrice4ruth]

I think that Elena staged the assassination attempt. A sniper would not have missed her. Was the sniper the same woman who spoke on the phone in episode 1?

I doubt that Ruth would take a life, even of her rival. She killed once for her own protection. She is not a field officer. She wants to save lives not kill anybody. She pleaded to the HS for the granting of a British passport to Ashur's young daughter.I am happy that Harry later mentioned that the young girl got a passeport and was going to live with her uncle and aunt in England.

I found strange that only Erin in high heels and Dimitri were tracking the terrorist leader. It seemed a bit laughable for such a major terrorist attack.

[JHyde]

Wow, I really seem to be the only one who didn't buy this episode.

[tammy1]

(10-10-2011 02:09 PM)Tess24 Wrote:  Blimey Ruth saying s**t twice in an episode must mean things are really bad!

An enjoyable episode given that the storyline's pretty familiar. Asif Khan did a great job as Ashur. Why wasn't Ruth watching the woman in the park scene with the attempt on Elena given that we already know she's the one doing all the dirty work for Coaver? Can't see him breaking cover to shoot Elena himself.

I'm convinced Lara Pulver must have 'can frequently cry on demand' in the special skills section of her CV - getting a little tired of it now. Also, what's with Dmitri and Erin stealing the rooftop scenes? It's almost like their being set up to become the new Harry and Ruth.

Continuity error - in the 'Last Time' bit at the beginning while Ruth is having dinner with the HS he asks if he can tear her from Harry's tentacles and she replies that she would have to do it herself but in the aired episode she doesn't reply at all and the next line is the HS telling her that he doesn't want to be a homewrecker.

You have such sharp ears and eyes I must re-watch now

I also gaped at Erin and Dimitri on the roof, and had exactly the same thought. I think this whole series is about getting MI5 and us ready for Harry's resignation, for the post-SHP era.

[Silktie]

A good, tense episode for me, but not quite up there with the brilliance of episode 2.

I enjoyed the threat of the week, and by the end really wanted poor Ashur to survive. Alas, it was not to be. Although the peril to little Rosie was pretty obviously telegraphed at the start. To me Lara Pulver did a good job this episode. And that speech that Ashur gave when he stood with Erin to feel the sun on his face - about not being able to escape his circumstances - could just as well have been spoken by Harry. I like that they take the time to show us the bond growing between the new team, it's good that they didn't just have them there to make up the numbers. I also wonder whether, when Harry tells Erin to stay because they need people with humanity in the job, he doubted whether he still had his own after all he's done in the name of protecting the realm. And I'm still loving Calum.

As regards the Russian storyline, it got a good outing this week and for that I am glad. Ruth's plan to flush out the impersonator was pretty risky, which was the reason for Harry, Sasha and Ruth's conspicuous presence in the park whilst Elena played the bait, I thought. They were there to see who turned up to meet her, and to ensure that whoever came saw them and did not go through with any attempt on Elena. That didn't work out quite so well.

I also now think Jim Coaver is being set up. Geez, Ruth (and Harry), it's not that difficult to get a car similar to his and put false plates on it, so seeing him in that car is not conclusive proof. You two are supposed to be smarter than this. But loved self-righteous Harry giving Jim an altimatum at the end. Also did not like the way Harry Junior was brooding over that picture of Jim Coaver - methinks Sasha will take matters into his own hands and ole Jim may not live long enough to prove his innocence. And what with all the anvillicious Parents Sacrificing Themselves to Protect Children In Peril we got this episode, who wants to bet Harry will do something similar to save his hot-headed off-spring? And if it's not Coaver, then who is behind all this? I've given up speculating, as I obviously have no clue what's going on.

Good on Ruth for offering to stay until the Russian thing has been concluded before starting her new job, and good on Harry for telling her to go now. Both still have each other's best interests at heart, despite all that's happened. I hope Towers' party wins the next election, otherwise Ruth might not have a job for too much longer, though.

[dalia]

I liked the episode even if it wasn´t my favorite one this series. I wondered as well why everybody was so visible in the parc scene where the woman shoot at Elena. The people in the car must have seen Ruth standing there and Coaver or someone other surely wouldn´t appear at the meeting with Elena if he would see 3 people standing there in the environs. If they wanted to see who will come to meet Elena, they should have hide... I think the meeting of Ruth and Coaver on the bridge was planned by Ruth and Harry to realise if it was Coavers car before. And that Ruth told him Harry explained her about Berlin, but he didn´t and she just wanted Coaver to tell her something more. I´m surprised that many people believe Coaver is innocent, I don´t trust him at all. When he spoke to Ruth, he didn´t seem genuine to me at all, I think he came only to realize if they suspect him or not. And Ruth wanted to persuade him she trusts him.
I liked the "week story" as well, the actor who played Ashur was very persuasive.

[Onion Terror]

(10-10-2011 02:09 PM)Tess24 Wrote:  Continuity error - in the 'Last Time' bit at the beginning while Ruth is having dinner with the HS he asks if he can tear her from Harry's tentacles and she replies that she would have to do it herself but in the aired episode she doesn't reply at all and the next line is the HS telling her that he doesn't want to be a homewrecker.

Glad someone else picked up on this too-wasn't sure if I was imagining things until I read this, and had a re-watch. Wasn't too sure what to make of this ep at first, but I enjoyed it more after a 2nd viewing. One thing that surprised me was Ruths lack of reaction when the HS was so disinterested and non-commital about bringing the daughter to the UK. I half expected her to be upset at him being so disinterested and that this would put her off his job offer, but evidently not. Very magnanimous of Harry to suggest she accept the job even though he clearly wants & needs her to stay, though.

---

BTW, am I alone in thinking that this episode was reminiscent of episode 4.6? Young Muslim guy is sent to prison, where he meets some extremists and is coerced into carrying out a terrorist act on his release. Feeling betrayed by the British justice system, and desperate to protect his family, he agrees to go through with it.

[A Cousin]

I liked it. For the record, this one has a different and new-to-Spooks writer: Sean Cook. I thought that there were a lot of thematic threads going that held together tightly and weren't too complicated or convoluted. There were a few plot-holes (I did notice the conspicuous absence of Granny and wondered how they got to Rosie? Amongst others...) BUT I didn't give a sh*t because I really think there is something bigger at play here.

If I was slow in the up-take in the last episode, I am now completely convinced that the writers are using the threat-of-the-week plots as a device for examining the actions, decisions and emotions of 30 years ago. To my mind - it's a brilliant device.

I liked the idea of the utterly disillusioned and sympathetic Ashur, e.g. Ashur betraying his "people" to protect his child. Even the Mani character had some sympathy at the end.

Not at all sure about Coaver being the big bad wolf. Or if he is, it is obvious, predictable and repetitive and I hope there is more to it. Although I could not tell if he was lying or telling the truth to Harry at the end. But I'm diggin' the character. He has been given a lot of the (albeit dark) humour. Oh, and thanks KUDOs for using a North American to play a North American. I appreciate it. And he's handsome too - which I appreciate more. I am really enjoying his work. (Anyone catch the "spaniel" and/or "dogged brilliant bitch" reference in "Stop digging up my back-yard, Ruth."? *Hah!* ) His scene with NW was a highlight for me.

I thought that LP did a fantastic job in this episode. Yeah, she cries rather a lot, but I think there is method to their madness in that one too: emotional accessibility = humanity. If I had been in her place, I would be bawling in Trafalgar Square too. I felt for her waiting for Rosie to arrive home. I teared up when she curled up with Rosie in bed. But, admittedly, the child in peril angle hits a personal chord. (BTW, Silktie, what does "anvillicious" mean? )

They can't possibly have time to tie JFK conspiracy theories into this story arc?!? Can they? I mean, if they do, more power to them but maybe its just another Easter Egg. It just shows how much the KGB/FSB distrust the CIA. I thought Ilya was just trying to manipulate Harry.

I had a bit of an Underdog moment at the end with Harry: "Here he comes to save the daaaayyy!" I suppose the last 10 series have been building to Harry taking the CIA down single-handedly. F*ck yeah!

It was also a good-looking episode. There were some great shots. One was the view of Al-Said through the jail cell window and then again sitting on the bed receiving Mani. I also loved the shot while Erin and Ashur were sunning themselves in front of the apartment block. There were others.

[Snowball]

(11-10-2011 05:30 PM)A Cousin Wrote:  There were a few plot-holes (I did notice the conspicuous absence of Granny and wondered how they got to Rosie? Amongst others...)

I thought that Rosie was in a school uniform, so she could easily have been picked up coming out of school. Maybe Granny's still there looking for her....