[spoilers] Sir Harry Pearce 2.0

[JHyde]

Yeah. (smiles fondly) That one.

I don't think Silktie likes that one though.

[Silktie]

No, I actually love that coat! I love Smiley, so anything I relate to him is good for future reference. The coat somehow reminds me of another era, I don't know why. It seems like something a spy would have worn in the Cold War years whilst sneaking around the damp and misty English countryside making chalk marks on stuff and retrieving dead drops...

I've never seen Harry as sexist. He belittles some men with the same gusto he does the women. Re his comments about his kids, I got the impression that he always talked Graham up as the smart one because Graham was struggling as a kid and Harry wanted to boost his self-confidence. I think, perversely, he always viewed Catherine as the stronger, more confident one that didn't need his emotional support as much as Graham did. So, without meaning to, he belittled Catherine's achievements so that Graham wouldn't feel inferior.

Harry's problem is, and always has been, that he is extremely poor at relating emotionally to the people he truly loves. He's better with those he cares about, like his team, but doesn't seem to know how to express deeper feelings.

[JHyde]

Yeah, plus I think he subscribes to the 'to whom much is given much is expected' ethos.

Plus, Catherine isn't the sort to be fathered much. Bright, perceptive daughter who didn't expect much and doesn't know how to handle it when it's kinda almost offered.

OK, pop psychology lecture over now.

I love that coat tooooooo And I agree, I think I like it because it has that cold war look.

[Aria]

I like the "Smiley" coat too, but my favourites are the black ones he wears from season 4 onwards. They make him look very distinguished, especially if he is wearing his leather gloves too.

[watchstrap]

This coat is my absolute favourite!

[JHyde]

Something I have been thinking about a lot this morning on my way back from work: that snippet of conversation from 3.6 where Harry says to Zoe 'The truth is a highly elastic concept' and Zoe rejoins beautifully with the 'No, we make it elastic'.

I don't believe for a moment that Harry thinks truth is relative. Not at all. I think the opposite, that he clings dearly to a few things he knows to be true and other things waver. Perhaps this is the elasticity to which he refers.

I think this is something he was telling Zoe as a way of comforting her for lying, probably because he himself felt pretty shoddy for it. But he's right - it was a show trial and so I suppose he justified to himself on those grounds.

[Silktie]

I think I know what you mean. If I understand you correctly, what Harry believes is that truth can be made to be elastic if the professional situation demands it, if truth can be more damaging to the country's security and the success of an operation than a lie would be. I would agree with that. I also got the sense throughout 3.6 that Harry had some doubts about the assurances he doled out - he said to Zoe that everything would be allright, and then later told Ruth that there was no need for alarm - but at the same time he and Adam planned for a negative outcome as well. It was really great to see how far he was prepared to go to protect Zoe. He does care deeply for his officers, doesn't he?

[HellsBells]

Yes definitely a good Harry episode (3.6). I love it when we see him defend his officers against 'outsiders', this is what makes him Harry Pearce.

[Silktie]

(05-05-2010 04:49 PM)Tea Lady Wrote:  Richard Arnold has a posted a photo of him and Harry/Ruth from his trip to the set today. Hope ok to post in this thread.

http://twitpic.com/1lakkg

(Harry with gold tie...)

YES!!!

Our man is looking good. Thanks Tea Lady, this made me a happy camper.

[JHyde]

That makes you a very easy person to please Silktie!!