Wow. What an episode. Strangely I'd completely forgotten this one!
- It's less thematically bleak than 1.4, and the contrast of the futility of spying vs. the drama of the characters lives didn't quite sit right for me this week - I have a feeling that this is why, though I greatly enjoy s1, it isn't one of my favourite series. It felt like the writers were still trying to find their feet with some episodes and this only really got resolved in s2. - I found Tessa refreshingly entertaining this episode. I don't know what's wrong with me. The more I think about it, the more I regret we didn't see more of her conniving ways. - Loved the attempt to shag in the camera's blind spot. Classy Tessa. - I had completely forgotten this story. It is quite similar (but less exciting in some ways) then that episode in series 4 where there was an ex spy murdered over memoirs. - OMG ZOE AND DANNY AND THE VODKA IN THE TEAPOT WAS A REAL THING AFTER ALL. I HAVE SPENT AN AGE WONDERING IF I'D IMAGINED IT BEING CANON AND IT WAS ALL FAN FIC. - I totally am having my PI drink spirits out of teapots and tea mugs in my crime novel next year - Danny feels all wrong for me in s1. This episode certainly didn't help with the random one night stand. Zoe broke my heart when he said "I just wanted to be normal" and she said "I know" - Look, can I just say, Danny and Zoe were such a lovely couple. I am still a little bit sad they never worked out, though I am relieved Zoe escaped someplace sunny. - Wow Ellie annoyed the shit out of me this episode. What a brat. If your partner is a spy of course he's not going to blow his cover to your ex husband. I didn't mind Ellie in early s1, but again, her writing is quite uneven and I was glad when Tom lost her. Christine/Tom worked surprisingly well. - Jools and the opera: how I had forgotten you and your quips to fellow audience members. Jools felt a bit funny for me this episode too - the mix of pure bastard and razor sharp comedy wit was quite an odd mix. It worked though. - Like last episode, this episode had a powerful feeling of being permeated by spying reality. This particular story had me feeling a little dirty. When you stop and think about this episode, a man died because MI6 wanted to one up MI5 and get rid of a dodgy politician. Did the means justify the ends? One to ponder. I lean towards Le Carre's view which is no it doesn't. - The saddest part of all is that the operation was so meaningless. Everyone in this episode uses their position of secrecy and power to get something they want; Tessa kills a man (buying into MI6's concocted paranoia), Tom roughs up Ellie's ex, Zoe has received money to keep quiet about Tessa's phantom op and Danny is trying to bounce back after his credit card scams - For some weird reason, I thought series 1 has 90 minute episodes. I wish it did for real. Both 1.4 and 1.5 would have benefited from more time in my opinion. For example, Maynard and Tessa comes out of nowhere. If the writers had put him in the story earlier there could have been quite a sadly bleak but fitting story about role reversal (Maynard as a CIA spy playing Tessa like a piano and the consequences of her finding that out - look I know I keep banging on about Tessa, but she felt like quite a realistic spy; cold, pragmatic, cruel, power hungry and her buy in to the game of secrecy her downfall)
- It's less thematically bleak than 1.4, and the contrast of the futility of spying vs. the drama of the characters lives didn't quite sit right for me this week
- I have a feeling that this is why, though I greatly enjoy s1, it isn't one of my favourite series. It felt like the writers were still trying to find their feet with some episodes and this only really got resolved in s2.
- I found Tessa refreshingly entertaining this episode. I don't know what's wrong with me. The more I think about it, the more I regret we didn't see more of her conniving ways.
- Loved the attempt to shag in the camera's blind spot. Classy Tessa.
- I had completely forgotten this story. It is quite similar (but less exciting in some ways) then that episode in series 4 where there was an ex spy murdered over memoirs.
- OMG ZOE AND DANNY AND THE VODKA IN THE TEAPOT WAS A REAL THING AFTER ALL. I HAVE SPENT AN AGE WONDERING IF I'D IMAGINED IT BEING CANON AND IT WAS ALL FAN FIC.
- I totally am having my PI drink spirits out of teapots and tea mugs in my crime novel next year
- Danny feels all wrong for me in s1. This episode certainly didn't help with the random one night stand. Zoe broke my heart when he said "I just wanted to be normal" and she said "I know"
- Look, can I just say, Danny and Zoe were such a lovely couple. I am still a little bit sad they never worked out, though I am relieved Zoe escaped someplace sunny.
- Wow Ellie annoyed the shit out of me this episode. What a brat. If your partner is a spy of course he's not going to blow his cover to your ex husband. I didn't mind Ellie in early s1, but again, her writing is quite uneven and I was glad when Tom lost her. Christine/Tom worked surprisingly well.
- Jools and the opera: how I had forgotten you and your quips to fellow audience members. Jools felt a bit funny for me this episode too - the mix of pure bastard and razor sharp comedy wit was quite an odd mix. It worked though.
- Like last episode, this episode had a powerful feeling of being permeated by spying reality. This particular story had me feeling a little dirty. When you stop and think about this episode, a man died because MI6 wanted to one up MI5 and get rid of a dodgy politician. Did the means justify the ends? One to ponder. I lean towards Le Carre's view which is no it doesn't.
- The saddest part of all is that the operation was so meaningless. Everyone in this episode uses their position of secrecy and power to get something they want; Tessa kills a man (buying into MI6's concocted paranoia), Tom roughs up Ellie's ex, Zoe has received money to keep quiet about Tessa's phantom op and Danny is trying to bounce back after his credit card scams
- For some weird reason, I thought series 1 has 90 minute episodes. I wish it did for real. Both 1.4 and 1.5 would have benefited from more time in my opinion. For example, Maynard and Tessa comes out of nowhere. If the writers had put him in the story earlier there could have been quite a sadly bleak but fitting story about role reversal (Maynard as a CIA spy playing Tessa like a piano and the consequences of her finding that out - look I know I keep banging on about Tessa, but she felt like quite a realistic spy; cold, pragmatic, cruel, power hungry and her buy in to the game of secrecy her downfall)
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