Episode 3 Discussion [rewatch}

[lwhite53]

Watch and discuss!
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I like this ep a lot -- it would probably make the bottom of my top eps list!

What I appreciated most was that everyone got his/her moment -- after the drama and trauma of Tom's exit, the series' focus finally returned to the team. I especially liked Harry matching wits with, and outdoing, Mace. H finally gets a real nemesis to play off and you just know that they will cross paths and swords over and over. I thought it telling that Mace used MI6 to carry out his plan -- he clearly knew that Harry wouldn't help him, even if ordered to do so.

Bits I really enjoyed:
-Ruth calling Adam "Tom" and both their responses.
-Adam passing on Harry's words to Ruth, "Harry tells me you're the soul of discretion," and her very pleased response.
-Zoe explaining to Danny that she's with Will.
-Ruth and Harry and the cricket analogy.
-Malcolm telling Ruth his terrible joke.
-Ruth trying to peek at Adam's present for Fiona.
-Sam and Malcolm discussing postcodes: "Malcolm, has anyone ever told you you're a dreadful snob."
-Adam asking team to trust him: "I need you on my side."
-The whole counter-surveillance set up and execution.
-Zoe and Will becoming more of a couple.
-Harry screwing Mace in the tube station: "Damn you, Harry."

I think one point of the ep was to have the team re-gel around their new leader, Adam, and to have everyone buy into his ascension. Putting the focus of the ep onto Adam also helps move the plot along -- with everyone paying so much attention to what Adam is doing, Mace included, everyone forgets about Harry. It was great to have Harry be the final piece of the puzzle, the wild card as it were.

The ep also had some really terrific lines. One of my favorites was Harry's: "To me this application looks like something written by an analyst, one of those spotty MI6 mutants they keep in the dungeons of Vauxhill Bridge Road beside where C grows his magic mushrooms." In one line, you understand both the rancor and the lack of respect Harry has for MI6.

One of the through lines of the ep was, to use Mace's words, "old friends" v. "new friends" and the question of where one's loyalties lie:
Harikat v. Khordad, Tom v. Adam, Danny v. Will, MI5 v. MI6.

I really liked the inclusion of the "post 9/11 defense" to differentiate between Harry and Mace at the end of the ep. Mace uses 9/11 to justify amorality and state-sponsored assassination, while Harry sees the attack as a clarion call to vigilance and loyalty to values. These two men personify the different approaches of western intelligence agencies post 9/11.

My favorite Harry moment of the ep was his permanently stealing Adam from MI6 as quid pro quo for Harikat. He may not like what happened, but he can play the game, too!

Note: Once again, no commentary!

[Aria]

I agree with everything you've wrote, lwhite53. You have eloquently and concisely explained all the reasons why I love this episode:

The differences between Mace and Harry
the whole counter-surveillance bit
Mace's justifications for his amoral actions

I also liked the Indian actor, Anupham Kher, who played Harikat. His growing friendship with Danny was handled well and juxtaposed the political machinations of Mace and Khordad.

[Adam Carter]

The counter-surveillance sequence is exquisite and Spooks at its finest. And as mentioned earlier, I was really glad to see the "team" become the focus instead of one character. They allowed Adam to slowly but surely assimilate himself onto the grid without thrusting him straight into the spotlight.

[Silktie]

Great post by lwhite, and I second everything she said. That sequence where Adam is trying to lose his tail is one of my all-time favourites from Spooks, as it provides an in-depth look into old-school tradecraft, and highlights the fact that spying is a team game, and one lone person cannot possibly win against the overwhelming forces of the opposition.

Mace is wonderfully slimy in this episode, and his verbal jousting with Harry is also a highlight for me. Mace got some wonderful lines, especially his "We may not be able to see the red-coated ranks of her Majesty's finest swarming over the field at Waterloo, but for all intents and purposes we are at war." And also his comment about a secret being something you told only one person.

This episode also sets up the wonderful friendship that will develop between Ruth and Adam, as after her slip with his name at the beginning, she is the first one to make an effort to help him and draw him into the team. It's quite funny, though, that after Adam asks her not to tell the rest of the team that he asked her to look into Harakat, the first thing she does is run to Harry. It's clear that even this early in season 3, and after the departure of Tom, Ruth has unconsciously made a decision about where her real loyalties lie.

I loved Harakat, and also the role cricket played in this episode. This is the second time we see Spooks use sport as a unifying tool, we also saw that in episode 2.2 when football was used in an attempt to talk the suicide bomber kid out of blowing himself up.

[Tea Lady]

I liked this episode, but not for the base storyline. I didn't like Harakat or Zuli at all and I couldnt really believe Danny would be allowed to take Harakat to the cricket ground. Its hardly a secure location! What I liked though is the amount of classic Spooks lines, which some have already been commented on. The writing for our favourite characters was excellant.

Loved Ruth's reaction when Adam passed on Harry's compliments. Also loved the fact she went straight to Harry. She really is 110% loyal to Harry now.

Loved Harry calling Ruth a "senior pro" and then getting all embarrased and the Mace/Harry club scene. Wonderful.

Loved the fact that Malcolm seems to be an expert on weapons and his cricket ball joke. Poor Malcolm.....

Loved the Mace line "oh Adam, dont you have another hat?" and the Harry line "here be dragons."

Final comment is Danny. He really does not have much of a life out of the service and not much of one in the service either come to think of it.

[JHyde]

Not much to add after all has been said, but two things.

Firstly, I never thought much of this episode the first few times I saw it, but having watched it twice in the last month, I've ended up loving it. Mostly because of the counter survelliance sequence (let me tell you how hard those things are to plan out as a writer!) and also because of the Harry/Mace stand off.

Also, this is only the first time we meet Khordat.

Series season7 Spoiler: show

He reappears in 7.3, in a way where Harry is once again asking questions of what relationships are worth. He comes good (for lack of a better phrase) in 7.3, but does it justify what Mace did?

[fanofChristine]

I really enjoyed the effects on the cast with Tom's "demise". I understand why they can't always do this but... it really adds to the realism.

Loved the Tom/Adam name scene with Ruth

[YourFutureMuse]

Yeah I loved the awkwrdness when Ruth called Adam Tom haha I suppose it was an easy mistake to make.

I think the Zoe/ Will thing is perhaps one of the best relationship storylines, it seems more natural than the others and I love Danny's reaction to it.

Poor Danny in this ep though - as if he hasn't got enough on his plate. I too loved the way they bonded through the cricket twas a nice touch

[Silktie]

I find it funny, though, that Mace's office seems to be at his club. He is rarely seen in other locations - obviously Chair of the JIC is not a very demanding job of you can swig whiskey and smoke cigars at your club at all times...

I loved that Malcolm is such a snob, I think it fits in well with what we know of the character. And he doesn't seem at all put out that Sam calls him on it, hee!

[Tea Lady]

(12-04-2010 01:38 PM)JHyde Wrote:  Not much to add after all has been said, but two things.
Also, this is only the first time we meet Khordat.

Series season7 Spoiler: show

He reappears in 7.3, in a way where Harry is once again asking questions of what relationships are worth. He comes good (for lack of a better phrase) in 7.3, but does it justify what Mace did?

Series 7 Spoiler: show

I didnt realise we see Khordat again. Was he the one who died in the plane crash at the end when Harry is drinking with Connie?