3.7 DVD Commentary

[lwhite53]

Info from 3.7 DVD commentary: [Andrew Woodhead and David Oyelowo]
-Longer re-cap than usual because ep 6 was so big.
-Opening scene (hands on keyboard with Arabic writing in background) wasn't in original script. Shot half-way through the ep's edit -- needed to set up red herring of Islamic terrorists.
-Scene in classroom -- utter chaos. Kids screaming through every take -- nightmare for ADs.
-Danny is feeling very sorry for himself at the beginning -- his life is basically empty. Memories of Zoe everywhere in flat.
-Lots of emotional moments for Danny throughout ep.
-"Taciturn" -- unusual dialogue word but it "felt" like a Harry word.
-Part of the ep is the idea that Danny is going to leave the service.
-Favorite location for political scenes -- next to Houses of Parliament. In middle of first meeting between Harry and Guy Facer, a woman seated on one of the benches looks directly into the camera. Decided to keep it in.
-Ruth -- "Info Central." Nicola brilliant at getting the info out -- "must be like learning a telephone directory, at times."
-David and RPJ not happy about having to wear white jumpsuits in Pharmacor scene. RPJ tried to make his more "cool" by unzipping it to mid-chest.
-Mtg room scene with Colin explaining Pharmacor production sequence -- hilarious to shoot because Rory couldn't get his lines out properly. Was like speaking gobbeldygook, everyone was literally crying they were laughing so hard.
-Hi-tech ep -- huge amount of computer info imparted.
-Will in Danny's flat -- very personal scene about characters' lives in the middle of a whodunit ep.
-CGI and satellite imagery very much a part of this ep -- gives another layer to story.
-Scene with Sam at cashpoint -- wasn't really a machine there -- prop person handed her the receipt.
-1st Adam/Fiona scene -- slowly re-establishing F's character after Zoe's departure. Won't become fully integrated until 3.8.
-Pods are still being operated by a man in a cupboard turning a wheel -- look far more glamorous than they actually are.
-Ruth knows everything -- a walking encyclopedia.
-Colin -- "very dry autumn" -- one of the funniest lines in spooks.
-David: Harry's great in this ep. What people probably don't realize because Harry is so stoic is how extraordinarily funny Peter Firth is, especially in meeting room scenes which is the place where hysteria reigns. "Potboiler" scenario -- all in there together, it's very hot because of the lights, all have important things to say, everyone is facing each other -- just a little twinkle in anyone's eye and it's all over.
-Harry and Danny re Zoe and Will -- Harry completely believes what he's saying but all Danny hears is "get over it."
-Dialogue between Andrew and Ruth when Andrew first comes onto grid -- Harry's look at Ruth at the end of the scene is "a bit of sexual tension that Peter tries to work into every scene that he has with Nicola Walker. They have this whole subtext going on." [David]
-Raymond Khoury [writer] knows all the computer stuff in this ep really well.
-Obbo van -- actors least favorite set, a "tiny little box."
-Ep plays on people's fears about Muslim terrorists -- helps set up the plot.
-Truck crashing into car -- impact actually happened about 10 feet in front of David.
-Algorithmic code that makes internet transactions safe actually exists. Names of inventors changed for ep (3 guys in US). Also, there really are competitions to try and break the code.
-"Moral ambuguity" a trait given to all the politicians in spooks.
-A little chemistry between Ruth and Andrew. Is Ruth going to find love? -- the constant question on spooks. Audience wants Ruth to fall in love.
-Danny apologizing to Ruth -- Ruth is often the person that others share with, she's their confessor.
-David: This was odd ep to shoot because both Matthew and Keeley were gone and they were all such good friends. A lot of what Danny was going through in ep, David was also going through. They always had a three-way trailer and were always together -- now he was alone.
-Scene between Andrew and Ruth where she's talking about how to narrow search down -- how many people figured out in that scene that Andrew was the villain?
-Amazing to have 5 different directors over 10 eps but have the series look seamless -- actors like having different directors, gives them new energy to work with.
-Danny re Zoe and Will -- moral dilemma. What is the right thing to do?
-Andrew a very likable character -- makes his villainy that much more unbelievable and terrifying.
-Helicopter -- very Mission Impossible. American military do use these helicopters for surveillance; also used on movie shoots with small cameras attached.
-Danny's redemption -- figuring out that Ruth is in trouble and working out what happened to her.

[Aria]

Thanks for posting this lwhite53. I really enjoy reading the DVD commentaries every week. Loved the fact that PF is so popular on set and his "subtext" with NW. Loved the mention of the pods being operated by a man in a cupboard with a wheel, the realities of life!!

[HellsBells]

Thanks, as always, for posting these commentaries.
Loved the idea of Sam's cash machine not being there. And I had been wondering about the G&J key thing, whether it was real or not.

[lwhite53]

I found it interesting that David said PF has this subtext going in every scene with NW but didn't say anything about NW responding in kind. I wonder if it's only Harry interested in Ruth, at this point in the series, which is why Ruth takes her shot with John and Andrew?