Comments | msjdarcy: Spooks 7x02

msjdarcy

Spooks 7x02

Jun 27, 2009 14:42

I’m still on a bit of high following Queensland’s historic State of Origin win Wednesday night, but I’ve calmed down enough to put some thoughts together on Monday night’s Spooks episode - 7x02.

I usually watch Spooks as it airs and give it my full attention ( Read more... )

review: spooks, spooks, review

Comments 13

strandedinaber June 27 2009, 07:57:02 UTC

Ha! I knew you'd come to feel more sympathy for Ros this season! For what it's worth, I have the exact same read on her as you do - that she's never really been happy, and probably doesn't know how to be. I am shipping her and Lucas so hard you wouldn't believe, because they're both so very broken.

And I loved Lucas in this episode. I love how torn he is between wanting to do 'the right thing' and help MI-5 but also having to help the Russians, and having no idea what he's doing or why he's doing it. I'm so very relieved that he went to Harry in the end, because MI-5 is home for him and he should get to come home after 8 years.

Need to re-watch this season of Spooks, I think. I'm on a re-watch of season 6 and getting annoyed because Lucas is just so much better than Adam (IMHO, anyway). I want more Lucas...

Also, re. when Lucas and Elizabeta divorced, I don't know, I'm afraid. We don't find out this season (although we may do in the future).

msjdarcy June 27 2009, 11:55:31 UTC

Yes, I did try, and in this episode I didn't have to try too hard to find sympathy for her. I really can't see myself shipping her and Lucas though, but I'm only two episodes in so who knows...

I am also really glad he chose MI-5 - I was cringing at the start just hoping like all hell that there would be some explanation for working with the Russians.

When I heard that Elizabeta was Lucas' ex, I assumed that she divorced him while he was in prison. But later in the episode, when she mentioned that Kachimov had shown her photos of Lucas in prison, I got the impression that she didn't know Lucas was in prison. So that's thrown me off.

You should definitely rewatch season 7 - that way we can review together as the season shows here!

(The comment has been removed)

msjdarcy June 28 2009, 04:24:57 UTC

Thanks for the pick up. Her saying "this is what I am" is even sadder than "this is who I am". She's gone from a who to a what. Which makes her a very sad human but a brilliant spy. I'm looking forward to seeing where this series takes her.

belantana June 28 2009, 02:16:21 UTC

Great review. I totally agree with what you've said about Ros, and I think it was around here that I started to feel more sympathetic to her as well. And I love what you said about Malcolm's reaction to Adam - that he didn't really know how to feel. Oh Malcolm.

We’ve only just been introduced to Lucas but there’s just something about him that I trust. - very true. You said somewhere that you were glad he had chosen MI5 over the Russians, but I don't think there was ever a choice. Even the consideration of treason seems alien to Lucas ( ... )

msjdarcy June 28 2009, 04:40:48 UTC

I think you've undervalued your comment. It's worth at least 10 cents! And I'm glad you like my review.

Even the consideration of treason seems alien to Lucas. I agree completely. Never once did he look comfortable with the idea of betraying his country.

Interesting thoughts on Elizabeta and Lucas. I had assumed that they had lived together in Russia. But I completely agree that it was the first time they'd had the lying conversation. I'm still confused about the timing of everything, but maybe I'll try to work that out during the season.

belantana June 29 2009, 12:02:27 UTC

Wow, 10c - my tax's daily contribution to the ABC, no? :D

Well they were definitely living in London before Lucas left for Moscow ("I'm not sure I like what you've done with the house") but they could've spent time in Russia too... Don't hold out for much more explanation later in the series, though - with the show's dismal record for explaining things, we're lucky to have got this much backstory! I like spinnd's explanation below, actually. There should be more Elizabeta fic after all this discussion!

msjdarcy June 30 2009, 12:49:17 UTC

"I'm not sure I like what you've don with the house." Of course! Although that still messes up my timeline view of things. I'll work on it during the series and if I'm brave enough I might attempt some Lucas/Elizabeta fic later in the year!

spinnd June 28 2009, 18:36:24 UTC

iView never seems to work very well for me. But glad you got the episode in its entirety.

Regarding Ros: I love how we're given little glimpses of how human she can be. It just adds to my admiration of her self-control because once she steps out her front door, her armour goes on, her walls go up, and she's back being cold and lethal. The ball-grab is in its own league of awesome scariness, but it's intriguing, on a repeat viewing, to also see how that trademark detachment spills into her interaction with Lucas. The lines regarding Lucas' FSB interrogators and acquired sexual anxieties were pretty brutal, IMO, but Ros is cold like that - it's how she gets her job done - and she's also dealing with her own suspicions of Lucas' loyalties. I have a feeling that more than threats to national security and sneaky betrayals, Ros hates being out-played ( ... )

msjdarcy June 29 2009, 03:15:04 UTC

spinnd June 29 2009, 13:26:16 UTC

And I was wondering if it was BigPond was messing with my broadband...

Lucas is so different from Guy in almost every way, and I'm still trying to decide which I prefer. Armitage is brilliant, of course, in both roles, and he's constantly upping his game so it's a real joy watching him in both RH and Spooks.

Every time that Lucas was walking somewhere, all I saw was long legs! I like how you actually went and looked up the actors' heights.

Not at all stalkerish of me. Ha. It may also be that Lucas seems a good deal thinner than Tom or Adam, especially in the first few eps. The shirtless!Lucas washroom scene in 701? Limbs and ribs everywhere.

I've made no-fault divorce my own Spooks canon now. Poor Elizaveta. Not knowing he was a spy, she might have thought that he'd found someone else and was never coming back actually does explain why she snapped at him in their first cemetery meeting: "did you tell me what you were ( ... )

msjdarcy June 30 2009, 12:57:57 UTC

I've decided not to even try to decide which RA role I prefer, because it's just too hard. They're just too different to compare properly, because a lot of the aspects of their personalities seem to be polar opposites.

Limbs and ribs everywhere - somehow Lucas has managed to make washing your arm pits look good. That in itself is all sorts of wrong.

Yeah, I'm on the east coast and thanks for the link. That must have been so horrible! Oh, it's scary just thinking about it. It's given me some fodder for when I get around to writing my review (which will hopefully be tomorrow or Thursday night).

amandajane17 July 5 2009, 04:47:36 UTC

A fantastically tense episode this one; the Lucas Elisiveta exchanges are heart wrenching; as are the scenes where he's with Harry and Ros
having to try and explain himself;

but I was ridiculously pleased when he justifies my faith and turns out to be a bona fide ' one of the good guys '.

Elisaveta does give us an insight into Lucas and his liking for Blake
" He mistrusted the system so does Lucas " ( or words to that effect )

Count me in on the Hugs For Lucas. He so needs them.

msjdarcy July 5 2009, 06:56:19 UTC

I can completely understanding being ridiculously pleased. I think that accurately describes what I was feeling as well!

An insight into Lucas and his liking for Blake "He mistrusted the system so does Lucas". I completely missed this bit - although I get the international version of the show which has about 6 minutes cut out of it. I really hate getting a shorter version. I would have loved to see parts like this.