Episode 1 & 2 Discussion [rewatch]

[JHyde]

I never saw EastEnders, so I suppose it didn't bother me that way with Martine. I do remember thinking that she had a pretty big guest role though, compared to many others, even considering that it is a double header.

But if you think about season 4, a lot of guest stars had pretty big roles compared to earlier seasons. I thought Martine was worth the screen time she got. Tash was a mouthy girl, no doubt about it, but she wasn't unkind or unfeeling, at least from what we saw of her. She was meant to be the every day girl, and she did that admirably.

[Silktie]

I found Tash a little annoying at the beginning, but she grew on me as the episodes went on. I found the bit where she's yelling at Adam after that bad guy fell when he hung him over the railing slightly unbelievable. She had just witnessed these guys trying to execute Zaf after all. If I had seen that, I don't think I would have been all that bothered that the guy fell to his death. I think I would've given the good guy (Adam) the benefit of the doubt before throwing around accusations in the same circumstances.

Anybody else think Shining Dawn and Agent Smith from The Matrix would have got on like a house on fire? They both see humans as a plague on the earth, after all.

[lwhite53]

A couple of thoughts about ep. 2:
-Boyd's American accent sucked -- hints of Brit kept coming through.
-Why Ruth should never be allowed in the field -- she fell asleep while watching Curtis (among other reasons).
-Loved Harry and Adam interrogating Juliet re being the mole -- I'm surprised either of them had any chestnuts left!!
-Adam's line re Curtis' cat's tail and the plug socket -- absolutely hysterical.
-The repartee between Tash and Harry was extraordinarily well written -- it nailed both characters.
-Speaking of true to character, Harry's offer to resign rather than be blackmailed by Juliet was right on the money.
-Malcolm and Colin were wonderful in this ep, as was Tash.

[Silktie]

Good points, lwhite. Although, I don't blame Ruth for falling asleep - they'd all been awake for two days by then. At least the others were running around doing things, poor Ruth had to sit around listening to the Professor's tedious arguments the whole time. That would put me to sleep too, I think.

In fact, I thought that was something most of the actors managed to portray well - the fact that they'd been awake for days. There was no overdone yawning, but lots of little beats of fast eyeblinking etc.

[A Cousin]

I'm lagging behind. Again.

Regarding Boyd's (horrible) accent, I had to go back to my speech classes in drama school. He had particular trouble with the "-er" and the "d" sounds. He was OK until he got to those. Pity, because many of the other American accents in these episodes were fine.

I like it when they bring in Harry's history. It heightens the reality if they don't ignore what must have come before as if Harry didn't exist prior to S1E1.

I too am not familiar with Martine McCutcheon from East Enders, although we get it, I have never watched it. I remember watching this episode the first time, I thought she was going to be recruited. The Tash story line is a plot device that Spooks does very well, and completely unsentimentally, that I like to call The Everyman device. They create a civilian character that the audience a) can (hopefully) like and relate to and b) creates a natural outlet for any exposition that may need to happen re: methods and motives, in this case Adams (but also Malcolm and Harry at the end). I liked the Tash character. She is brave, resourceful, out-spoken, smart, and strong - but an innocent in the ways of MI5. She reacts like a civilian. Strap her to a bomb at the end and the stakes go way up because there is a sympathetic face to what it is they are protecting. We learn a lot about Adam in particular through this device. Well, look at that: the Mad Dog is HUMAN!?!

These terrorists are not very good. First, they wire a bomb so that it can be defused with one clip and then they bomb the closest hospital? Very good luck that. I would think that they could have been much more resourceful than that! Or they are grossly underestimating their opponent.

I also like the "babbling" conversation in the car between Adam and Zaf. In one short conversation you learn about the nature of the Adam/Zaf relationship, protocol when a mole is suspected and Zaf himself and his babbling tendencies. So much in so little time.

And Juliet's "carefully coordinated military, industrial, Zionist, corporate, conspiracy" improvisation to explain her "deal" is great! So funny. So Juliet. I can kind of see what Harry saw in her - but I wouldn't want to be on the wrong end of it. I love to hate her!

[Beatriz]

(17-06-2010 07:28 PM)A Cousin Wrote:  These terrorists are not very good. First, they wire a bomb so that it can be defused with one clip and then they bomb the closest hospital? Very good luck that. I would think that they could have been much more resourceful than that! Or they are grossly underestimating their opponent.

I thought that too when I was rewatching the episode, they were very lucky and/or the terrorists weren't very bright...

[nigelgatherer]

I thought these episodes were excellent - edge of the seat stuff. Series 4 is shaping up to be one of the best yet.