[spoilers] How Did You Rate Season 8?

[age1021]

Series 8 Spoiler: show

I don't really see Lucas as being section chief. Not that he isn't capable, but I see him being passed over and turn traitor because of it. Now this probably won't happen, but I think it should....

[phoenix]

(02-03-2010 06:53 PM)age1021 Wrote:  

Series 8 Spoiler: show

I don't really see Lucas as being section chief. Not that he isn't capable, but I see him being passed over and turn traitor because of it. Now this probably won't happen, but I think it should....

Really? I can't see that happening at all. I don't think Lucas has it in him. He strikes me as someone fiercely loyal, perhaps even to a fault; the job's taken everything from him and he still believes in it, I think. If he were going to turn, I think that would have happened from the beginning with the FSB. I also think that the writers used that bit of ambiguity when introducing Lucas as a character to say, "yes, he's damaged, but not disloyal".

[loladom]

Watching the re-runs on BBC Asia now after I've seen S9 and honestly feel (with the exception of 8.1) this is the most disappointing season for me. Even all the criticisms levied at S9's storyline, it was better that S8.

Agree the shaky camera work is really off putting and the lighting too dark
The sleekness was gone
It felt tired
Too much focus on Ros (even Harry took a back seat after 8.1)
They brought Ruth back and then really under used her. Much prefer her in S9
The never formally married part seemed so out of character for Ruth, they lived together, they thought about getting married, but the way she explained it sounded so stupid.
Some nice little H&R but not enough. The hand stroking too contrived and not them.
Harry spent too much time on the grid
Seemed to be more tell and less show somehow
I can see why they changed the writers they needed a fresh approach
Really dislike the actor who played the replacement HS. Glad he didn't make it out!!

I liked Ros' character (even when I hated her) in 5-7 but in S8 she just got on my nerves. Now I've watched all seasons several times, this is my least favourite I think.

[JHyde]

I've just finished a re-watch of season 8 and I have to say I think it's a lot better than most of you guys give it credit for. 8.1, 8.7 and 8.8 are fantastic episodes with several of the others close behind. It's true that there is a coldness on the Grid this season (although Ros is noticeably softer than usual) but in almost every episode the main secondary character (Ashok, Baisley, Coleville) has a back story and a point of view worth caring about, and that is always a big factor in how much I like a season. I also love that the undercurrent of every episode is the issue of human rights. How much should Section D officers care about what happens to those they are not sworn to protect? Some truly dreadful choices made, perhaps most disturbingly the sacrifice of Coleville's love interest to her brother in return for his testimony at the war crimes tribunal.

I still maintain this season has a lot in common with season 3, has the same feel to it. And while it's true that Sarah still drives me crazy and Nightingale has some false moments, this season got a pretty bad rap that is mostly undeserved.

Ros' end was completely heroic and amongst the best write outs of anyone in the whole series. HN was utterly fantastic in those last ten minutes she was on screen, seriously good stuff. I miss her.

8.1 easily makes my top 10 list of the show's best episodes and 8.7 and 8.8 aren't far behind.

[Sparky]

JHyde, I tend to agree with you, I enjoyed S8 and although I don't think it was the best series it certainly wasn't the worst! Sarah Caulfield was a terrible character and I think was instrumental in spoiling the series for a number of people, however 8.1 was an amazing episode and I agree that it would be one of my favourite episodes from all series. Not knowing whether Harry was alive, Ruth returning, Harry and Ruth seeing each other again for the 1st time, Malcolm and Nico and even Malcolms way of leaving made this a great episode from start to finish! The rest of the series struggled to live up to this, and the team was too small with only 4 core characters for the majority (Tariq always seemed like a bit character to me), but the 4 that were left were superb! I also really enjoyed 8.2, 8.7 and 8.8.

[The Grid]

I am currently rewatching Series 8 for the first time. My first review of it (a few pages back on this thread) was me judging it when I first saw it play out on TV. I've only recently bought the DVD of this series.

I finished rewatching 8.6 last night. So far, I do feel it's a weak series compared to the others which is quite funny as I was singing its praises after watching it the first time! However that doesn't mean it's awful. I have thoroughly enjoyed rewatching it, but I felt the plots for some episodes were a little weak. The middle part of the series doesn't grab me that much at all. 8.1 makes the series seem promising. I still love 8.1 with Ruth's return and Malcolm's heroics. I still love how understated Malcolm's exit is!

But then it starts to fall apart a bit for me. I'm not a fan of the episode surrounding Lucas at all (8.4). I feel it was a bit of a letdown. I felt like we didn't learn enough about Lucas in this episode. However, I do quite like the episode with Ros and Colville, simply because Ros becomes a bit more human to us. She's been cold and distant in past episodes, but her guard really comes down in this episode. She feels guilty about Jo's death and you can sense her devastation at the man who recruited her, completely falling apart in front of her eyes.

I'm looking forward to rewatching 8.7 and 8.8 later as I remember completely loving these episodes when I first watched them!

So far though 8.2, 8.3 and 8.4 are pretty lacklustre episodes in my eyes. It picks up a bit in 8.5 and 8.6 though. 8.1 is just fantastic!