Spooks Meme - Days 6, 7, 8
Day 1. Favourite episode?
That's a hard choice. I really enjoyed 4.10, where Ruth really shined. She finds her late- step-brother's fiancé, Angela, uninvited, sitting in her living room, and tries to enlist Ruth into finding out what actually happened to her brother. Ruth refuses, but that doesn't deter the former spook, who manages to get on the grid thanks to an unsuspecting Juliet Shaw. Once on the grid, Angela's motivations are revealed, as she takes Jo hostage and insists the rest of the Grid team find a way to prove that MI-5 was responsible for the death of Princess Diana. The team manages to successfully draw up a plausible scenario, but it's up to a reluctant Ruth to use their personal connection to talk Angela down from bombing the Grid. Harry calls her a 'born spook.'
Spooks (MI5) Diana Conspiracy
Day 2. When did you start watching?
Several years ago now. Not sure if it was via the Canadian Showcase channel at the time and/or A&E (under US title of MI-5. I'd originally heard about it online and it had me curious, so I checked out out and I'm so glad I did. I love the series; have all of the Spooks DVDs up to series 7; waiting for series 8 to come down in price some.
Day 3. Favourite guest star?
Alexander Siddig (Ibhn Khaldun; series 2, ep 2). [SF/F fans will remember him as Dr. Julian Bashir of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]. In the ep, Khaldun shows up in London and threatens a police officer at Scotland Yard and demands to speak with Special Branch; he has information on some bombings and a connection from the Birmingham bombings to North African Muslim extremists. He wants freedom in exchange for his intel. Ruth, the new intelligence analyst uncovers that his family (wife & son) had been killed in a bombing meant for him because he dared to speak out against the extremist movement. He went undercover at the mosque in Birmingham where he learned of suicide bombing attempts using teenage boys, and reported that back to MI-5. Though they were able to stop one attempt, Khaldun confronted the young suicide bomber, trying to convince him that being a martyr for others was not something he should aspire to be. MI-5 cleared the school grounds where the bomb strapped teen was, and seeing that the boy ignited the bomb, Khaldun sacrificed his own life to save others, by throwing himself at the boy. Below is the final section of the ep (with the aforementioned scene).
Day 4. Favourite female character?
This is probably a no-brainer to anyone who knows me: Ruth Evershed, Intelligence Analyst. From the very moment she showed up on screen, bumbly, socially awkward, delightful, she shined. Not only that but within the first five minutes when something wasn't making sense, she spoke matter-of-factly, "Bugger the Home Office". (@ 4:53 mark). Nicola Walker has done a brilliant job of the role. Aptly put by fellow MI-5 agent, Zoe Reynolds, Ruth is 'brilliant, but bonkers'. She's often underestimated by those outside MI-5, and sometimes from within. As the series progressed, her character grew immeasurably. When the actress left in the middle of the fifth series, both the character of Ruth and the actress Nicola was much missed amongst cast, crew & fans, so it was with great delight when she returned at the beginning of series 8.
Day 5. Least favourite female character?
When I was thinking about this, I was trying to think of some of the characters that made their way through the pods into MI-5's Section D, which on a whole there weren't a lot of female characters. First off eliminating the ones I liked from this category: The aforementioned Ruth (from previous category), Helen (only in 1st two eps in series 1), Zoe, Sam, Ros, and Jo. Right now, Beth is a bit of an unknown quality; she's only been in two episodes.
Ones I liked a little less.
Ellie: I didn't really see her point in the series other than to see if an agent of the security services could maintain a relationship outside the confines of the Grid; having to disguise who you are even from the ones you fall in love with.
Juliet Shaw: Even though she was a pain in the arse for many of those in Section D, I loved to hate her. She had her few redeeming qualities.
Tessa: wasn't so much a character to really dislike, but she was misguided.
Connie: was duplicitous, but I still liked her at times, especially her dry banter with Harry; she was a 'temporary fix' for the absence of an intelligence analyst (the void left from Ruth's disappearance/supposed death). Well, liked up until she killed Ben and threatened other agents of Section D.
Oddly enough it came down to Christine Dale & Sarah Caulfield (both CIA agent liaisons). For as much as I occasionally disliked Christine, I really didn't Sarah. So by way of elimination, Sarah Caulfield gets the 'prize' as least favourite female character.
Day 6. Favourite location?
Even though it was rather melancholic - series 5, episode 5: where Harry showed up at the docks when Ruth was going to leave. The greyness, and wet, cold day in London worked so well in this instance to lend to the sadness of Ruth leaving.
Day 7. Best exit?
Tie:
(1) Ros, end of series 8. In making an attempt to leave the Embassy Hotel with the interim Home Secretary (who'd been drugged), realized there was no time to get out of the bomb-rigged hotel in time, mostly carrying the Home Secretary (refusing to leave him there), she was killed when the bomb went off.
(2) Danny, Series 3 finale. Danny and Fiona were being held captive, facing each other, bound in chairs. The gunman tells Adam (via cellphone) to choose which of the agents he (the gunman) should kill.
Danny: You will never win. If I'd been born somewhere else, it might have been me holding the gun there. If you'd been born somewhere else, it might have been you sitting where I am. For all your talk about choices, you don't get to choose those things. But I guess you were just unlucky because somehow you've lost your humanity and now have no kindness or pity left in you. But I still have those things. Acts of hatred also produce acts of love, so you, my friend, will never win.
Terrorist: I'm unlucky?
Danny: Look at all the cake and presents, Fiona.
Fiona: Please don't, Danny, please. Danny, please don't do this.
Danny: If I weren't chained to this chair, I would be right up in your face, and you know what I'd be saying to you? Fuck you, you death-worshipping fascist.
Terrorist: Then you know what my answer will be. (raises gun and shoots Danny).
Video
8. Worst exit?
Zoe Reynolds, Series 3, episode 6 - almost seemed like an afterthought. Zoe is arrested and charged on conspiracy to murder charges when an operation goes badly wrong and she's taken as the scapegoat. In the trial, certain details of the security services operation cannot be revealed, and Zoe is convicted on all charges. with some blackmailing from Harry, he secures her a 're-location' with a new life and new identity in another country.
9. Favourite baddie?
10. Least favourite baddie?
11. Favourite male character?
12. Least favourite male character?
13. Favourite couple?
14. Favourite quote?
15. Tom, Adam, Lucas: who would win in a fight?
16. Favourite actress?
17. Least favourite episode?
18. Most interesting plot?
19. Least interesting plot?
20. Plot that should have been developed/carried on?
21. An episode that made you cry?
22. Favourite actor?
23. Favourite personal interaction between characters?
24. Favourite quote?
25. Dream guest star?
26. Favourite dodgy government type?
27. What would you want to see in a Spooks movie?
28. How would you end the show?
29. Least favourite dodgy government type?
30. Something you learned from watching the show
That's a hard choice. I really enjoyed 4.10, where Ruth really shined. She finds her late- step-brother's fiancé, Angela, uninvited, sitting in her living room, and tries to enlist Ruth into finding out what actually happened to her brother. Ruth refuses, but that doesn't deter the former spook, who manages to get on the grid thanks to an unsuspecting Juliet Shaw. Once on the grid, Angela's motivations are revealed, as she takes Jo hostage and insists the rest of the Grid team find a way to prove that MI-5 was responsible for the death of Princess Diana. The team manages to successfully draw up a plausible scenario, but it's up to a reluctant Ruth to use their personal connection to talk Angela down from bombing the Grid. Harry calls her a 'born spook.'
Click to viewSpooks (MI5) Diana Conspiracy
Day 2. When did you start watching?
Several years ago now. Not sure if it was via the Canadian Showcase channel at the time and/or A&E (under US title of MI-5. I'd originally heard about it online and it had me curious, so I checked out out and I'm so glad I did. I love the series; have all of the Spooks DVDs up to series 7; waiting for series 8 to come down in price some.
Day 3. Favourite guest star?
Alexander Siddig (Ibhn Khaldun; series 2, ep 2). [SF/F fans will remember him as Dr. Julian Bashir of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]. In the ep, Khaldun shows up in London and threatens a police officer at Scotland Yard and demands to speak with Special Branch; he has information on some bombings and a connection from the Birmingham bombings to North African Muslim extremists. He wants freedom in exchange for his intel. Ruth, the new intelligence analyst uncovers that his family (wife & son) had been killed in a bombing meant for him because he dared to speak out against the extremist movement. He went undercover at the mosque in Birmingham where he learned of suicide bombing attempts using teenage boys, and reported that back to MI-5. Though they were able to stop one attempt, Khaldun confronted the young suicide bomber, trying to convince him that being a martyr for others was not something he should aspire to be. MI-5 cleared the school grounds where the bomb strapped teen was, and seeing that the boy ignited the bomb, Khaldun sacrificed his own life to save others, by throwing himself at the boy. Below is the final section of the ep (with the aforementioned scene).
Day 4. Favourite female character?
This is probably a no-brainer to anyone who knows me: Ruth Evershed, Intelligence Analyst. From the very moment she showed up on screen, bumbly, socially awkward, delightful, she shined. Not only that but within the first five minutes when something wasn't making sense, she spoke matter-of-factly, "Bugger the Home Office". (@ 4:53 mark). Nicola Walker has done a brilliant job of the role. Aptly put by fellow MI-5 agent, Zoe Reynolds, Ruth is 'brilliant, but bonkers'. She's often underestimated by those outside MI-5, and sometimes from within. As the series progressed, her character grew immeasurably. When the actress left in the middle of the fifth series, both the character of Ruth and the actress Nicola was much missed amongst cast, crew & fans, so it was with great delight when she returned at the beginning of series 8.
Day 5. Least favourite female character?
When I was thinking about this, I was trying to think of some of the characters that made their way through the pods into MI-5's Section D, which on a whole there weren't a lot of female characters. First off eliminating the ones I liked from this category: The aforementioned Ruth (from previous category), Helen (only in 1st two eps in series 1), Zoe, Sam, Ros, and Jo. Right now, Beth is a bit of an unknown quality; she's only been in two episodes.
Ones I liked a little less.
Ellie: I didn't really see her point in the series other than to see if an agent of the security services could maintain a relationship outside the confines of the Grid; having to disguise who you are even from the ones you fall in love with.
Juliet Shaw: Even though she was a pain in the arse for many of those in Section D, I loved to hate her. She had her few redeeming qualities.
Tessa: wasn't so much a character to really dislike, but she was misguided.
Connie: was duplicitous, but I still liked her at times, especially her dry banter with Harry; she was a 'temporary fix' for the absence of an intelligence analyst (the void left from Ruth's disappearance/supposed death). Well, liked up until she killed Ben and threatened other agents of Section D.
Oddly enough it came down to Christine Dale & Sarah Caulfield (both CIA agent liaisons). For as much as I occasionally disliked Christine, I really didn't Sarah. So by way of elimination, Sarah Caulfield gets the 'prize' as least favourite female character.
Day 6. Favourite location?
Even though it was rather melancholic - series 5, episode 5: where Harry showed up at the docks when Ruth was going to leave. The greyness, and wet, cold day in London worked so well in this instance to lend to the sadness of Ruth leaving.
Day 7. Best exit?
Tie:
(1) Ros, end of series 8. In making an attempt to leave the Embassy Hotel with the interim Home Secretary (who'd been drugged), realized there was no time to get out of the bomb-rigged hotel in time, mostly carrying the Home Secretary (refusing to leave him there), she was killed when the bomb went off.
(2) Danny, Series 3 finale. Danny and Fiona were being held captive, facing each other, bound in chairs. The gunman tells Adam (via cellphone) to choose which of the agents he (the gunman) should kill.
Danny: You will never win. If I'd been born somewhere else, it might have been me holding the gun there. If you'd been born somewhere else, it might have been you sitting where I am. For all your talk about choices, you don't get to choose those things. But I guess you were just unlucky because somehow you've lost your humanity and now have no kindness or pity left in you. But I still have those things. Acts of hatred also produce acts of love, so you, my friend, will never win.
Terrorist: I'm unlucky?
Danny: Look at all the cake and presents, Fiona.
Fiona: Please don't, Danny, please. Danny, please don't do this.
Danny: If I weren't chained to this chair, I would be right up in your face, and you know what I'd be saying to you? Fuck you, you death-worshipping fascist.
Terrorist: Then you know what my answer will be. (raises gun and shoots Danny).
Video
8. Worst exit?
Zoe Reynolds, Series 3, episode 6 - almost seemed like an afterthought. Zoe is arrested and charged on conspiracy to murder charges when an operation goes badly wrong and she's taken as the scapegoat. In the trial, certain details of the security services operation cannot be revealed, and Zoe is convicted on all charges. with some blackmailing from Harry, he secures her a 're-location' with a new life and new identity in another country.
9. Favourite baddie?
10. Least favourite baddie?
11. Favourite male character?
12. Least favourite male character?
13. Favourite couple?
14. Favourite quote?
15. Tom, Adam, Lucas: who would win in a fight?
16. Favourite actress?
17. Least favourite episode?
18. Most interesting plot?
19. Least interesting plot?
20. Plot that should have been developed/carried on?
21. An episode that made you cry?
22. Favourite actor?
23. Favourite personal interaction between characters?
24. Favourite quote?
25. Dream guest star?
26. Favourite dodgy government type?
27. What would you want to see in a Spooks movie?
28. How would you end the show?
29. Least favourite dodgy government type?
30. Something you learned from watching the show