[spoilers] Harry and Ruth Strike Back

[Silktie]

Yep, there was some interesting and subtle moments between Harry and Ruth in this one. You can really start to see that everyone from the writers, directors and actors are now well and truly on the Harry&Ruth train. You make a good point about that scene with Juliet at the beginning, TL, I hadn't noticed that. I also thought her reaction when Harry asks her to come into his office and close the door was interesting. It seemed she thought for a moment he was going to do or say something personal. Very similar to the phone call scene in the previous episode, only with the roles reversed. I don't know whether it was done intentionally, but both of them seem to be really struggling to hide their personal interest in the other in this latter part of season 4.

[Tea Lady]

(12-07-2010 06:07 PM)Silktie Wrote:  I also thought her reaction when Harry asks her to come into his office and close the door was interesting. It seemed she thought for a moment he was going to do or say something personal.

Yes I did wonder about that moment as well. After Harry starts speaking and it's clearly a work related matter, she seems to swallow quite hard, as if to compose herself.

I also wondered why she stood in the doorway while Harry was on the speaker phone to Zaf at the end, and didn't come in and stand next to Harry's desk. Why was she keeping her distance at that particular moment? I'm not sure what that was supposed to be saying.

[SPOOK91]

Ruth seems to represent the moral centre of the grid and perhaps by having her on the edge of Harry's office and not inside could perhaps be seen as an allusion as to how she feels about what is going on, although she is in love with Harry she cannot get totally behind what he is doing as she doesn't see everything he does as being the right thing to do, or the moral thing to do.

Also it could say something about their relationship that she is literally on the threshold of being with him and not being with him.

[A Cousin]

(12-07-2010 09:24 PM)SPOOK91 Wrote:  Also it could say something about their relationship that she is literally on the threshold of being with him and not being with him.

Ooohhh, wow! That's good! I'll buy that.

However, I disagree that Ruth is expecting something of a personal nature from Harry just before he asks her to look into the Special Branch report on Malik. To me her reaction is just that she knows that something else wrong.

She does look very proud of herself after gaining Harry's approval with the "passing the buck" comment. However, it does strike me a bit un-Ruth to need approval. Just seems a little, I don't know, needy.

I think 4.5 is where the writers, actors and directors really hop on board the Harry/Ruth train. 4.6 is only treading water. And I am not so sure that the characters of Harry and Ruth have fully realized what the thing between them is either. I think there are still too many barriers for full realization.

[SPOOK91]

I agree that they do not fully realise what is between them. Perhaps they know how they themselves feel but not the other and the events of 4.05 have perhaps shocked them a little and given them some hope as to the other. In 4.06 Ruth's needyness is perhaps her trying out this new dynamic between the two of them

[A Cousin]

This is a really nice Harry/Ruth get-it-together fanfic: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6140603/1/En...Beginnings

I hope its OK to link directly. I mention it because it is a scenario that has been suggested here and I think it is particularly well handled in this piece. If the author is on this forum, well done!

[SPOOK91]

I've just read that fic, it is great. I do like the scenario and I think that it is something that could well happen in series 9.

[A Cousin]

(14-07-2010 04:38 PM)SPOOK91 Wrote:  I've just read that fic, it is great. I do like the scenario and I think that it is something that could well happen in series 9.

I generally have a problem with an overly weepy Ruth. This one was less annoying than others.

[A Cousin]

Is it just me, or is there a real MOMENT for Ruth in 4.8? That warm smile she gives Harry after he lets Adam back on the operation, for me, is a moment of realization for her. I still feel that their connection develops so slowly that I am very reluctant to name a moment for either of them where the depth of their own connection dawns on them, but I would say that this as close as Ruth gets.

[Tea Lady]

(27-07-2010 02:00 PM)A Cousin Wrote:  Is it just me, or is there a real MOMENT for Ruth in 4.8? That warm smile she gives Harry after he lets Adam back on the operation, for me, is a moment of realization for her. I still feel that their connection develops so slowly that I am very reluctant to name a moment for either of them where the depth of their own connection dawns on them, but I would say that this as close as Ruth gets.

There is a moment in 4.8 but I don't think it is THE moment. I'm actually inclined to believe that there is no single moment for Ruth. Because Ruth had been in Harry's confidence so much during this episode, I think she just forgets herself. When someone does something nice, it's quite natural to smile at them. Harry is her boss though and I think she just forgot that for a moment. Also, I am not sure Harry is used to anyone smiling at him, let alone the woman he secretly loves, so that's possibly why he just gives a stoney faced, dismissive look in reply.