A Pros ep - Mixed Doubles

[byslantedlight]

It's been a slightly rubbish week this week, but one thing I have done is get out some Pros fic, after a long bout of regular (and excellent) book-reading), and I realised when my telly went funny that I was in the mood for something comforting - our lads. First up, thanks to the unknowing dawnebeth was Mixed Doubles. Anyone remember this? *g* Here's a

Comments

[heliophile_oxon]

A few of our favourite things indeed! This has to be a strong contender for best episode - and am I right in thinking that apart from Geraldine Mather, this ep is almost the only one to really explore the notion that CI5 may not be an unmitigated good?

Mixed Doubles ... hmm, even the title has so many interesting associations, with each of the two duos being shown as an (indissoluble) matched pair. (and soooo many good bits here! The training h/c; the scared - all the time conversation; there's so much here!)

I've also always thought this ep is in some ways the most chilling in terms of its villains - as in, the way the switch of venues is ensured.

[byslantedlight]

Oh I think you're right, it has to be right up there.

am I right in thinking that apart from Geraldine Mather, this ep is almost the only one to really explore the notion that CI5 may not be an unmitigated good?
Oh, now isn't that an excellent question, that should probably be a post of its own in a comm! *g* And hmmn... in what way is CI5 not an unmitigated good in this ep (compared to any other, I mean?). I guess I'd argue that Need to Know probably shows CI5 - and Cowley - in a much worse light. Here they're at least just trying to protect an official ambassador, but I always get a chill with the idea of Manton locked away with no legal recourse, and then the way Cowley shoots him at the end cos he's no use to CI5... I'm sure there are other eps too, cos Pros is so beautifully grey about things (and when I say beautifully, I mean it seems relatively likely to reflect a realer life than some other shows

[heliophile_oxon]

Ah, I was thinking not so much in terms of what the ep overtly says about the goodness or otherwise of CI5 but just about the way the two pairs are so emphatically and repeatedly painted as paralleling each other - all those parallel shots and scenes - inviting comparisons and suggesting that they have similarities as well as differences.

I can't think of examples off the top of my head (inevitably!) but there are quite a few fics, aren't there, that look at the ways in which the two pairs are similar/different? Different in what they're prepared to use, that comes up in the ep itself, iirc? ... different in the aims of their employer ... similar in the way they train and work together, generally not privy to the bigger picture of what their employer is planning, etc. That kind of thing. Which I suppose is one of the many many good reasons this ep features in fics! *g* There's so much about their relationship in here, those brilliant admissions of vulnerability, as well as about the eternal question of what separates "us" from the

[solosundance]

Hopefully watching this improved your week a bit! Such a lovely partners eppy. And the Mother's Pride packet in the headshoulder picture fills me with warm and fuzzy nostalgia :) It's a great concept as well, although always slightly undermined for me by the fact that I can't believe in their opposite numbers as being what they're supposed to be. Well, obviously you're not supposed to be able to recognise a hitman when you see one, but their supposed competency and the danger they pose never quite convinces me... and so I'm never very worried for the lads. Still, it's the headshouldering and heart to hearting that I like best anyhow *g*

[byslantedlight]

It did, it definitely did! And I noticed the Mother's Pride too, and it made me grin (and think of salmon paste sandwiches and archaeology *g*)

I quite like Frank and Joe being sort of ordinary looking, especially with Joe being short too and upset about it. And I think Frank looks pretty fit (and quite pretty, which doesn't hurt *g*) - it's almost more chilling that they just look like two lads you might see sitting at a table together at the pub. What do we really know about people we see in the distance? And they're so perfectly okay to just go along with what Chappy tells them to do, killing someone for the cash - and its almost worse that they're a bit squeamish about watching the violence of Serpoy's death, cos again that could be the bloke next door... eep!

But yeah, it's the heart to hearting that's the real thing... *sighs happily*

[snailbones]

I'm sorry you've had a meh week - give it a swift kick in the shins.

And thank you for the lush piccies - I hope it made you feel tons better to watch the lads - and definitely one of my favourite episodes too. So much to watch, and so much to imagine off-camera, not to mention the mega-competency thing going on. I really must start watching again!

[byslantedlight]

Oh, but it's over now - a whole weekend, again! *g*

It did make me feel better to watch the lads, and I've got quite a yen on to read lads again now too, which is also a happy thing... *g* Oh, and competency... good, innit. *g*

[cloudless_9193]

I like this episode very much, especially the bedroom scene. ;-)
Great book cover, btw.

[byslantedlight]

It's a lovely ep, isn't it! And yes! the bedroom scene! *vbg* I shall always think of it like that, now! *sighs happily*

And thank you! I must update the bookcover post - there are at least two to add... *g*

[ariss_tenoh]

One of my favourite episodes. Even the villains were interesting for once.

[byslantedlight]

It's a fab episode, isn't it! And yes, the villains are interesting, aren't they! Frank and Joe seem so ordinary, like you could see them anywhere, and yet they both went in the direction they did, and our lads only just on a tangent from it...