you've been looking for someone you can trust
The LJ homepage tells me that I haven't updated in 5 weeks. Oops. I swear it hasn't been that long.
In any case, on to the reason for posting...
I was unfortunate enough to miss episodes 1 and 2 when they first aired and then unfortunate enough to have to watch them with jet lag. But that didn't matter. Because Spooks is back and utterly fantastic. I knew there was a reason that I spent over a year waiting eagerly for it.
Ros is just fantastic. Anyone who can dispatch an intruder with a dinner fork is just to cool to be real. I mean, seriously, a fork. I wouldn't want to mess with her. And how fantastic does she look this year? They've given her a seriously nice wardrobe, probably to show her elevated status or something - get a promotion, get better clothes. I really think that she is the natural choice for team leader and that she's doing a very good job. I'm glad that she got the chance to express how much she wanted it too - 'give me Section D'- because I think that shows just how much it means to her. She wants more than just the promotion - her job is her life and her need to excel and her need for a reward reflects that. On a similar note, I like that even though she is more the majestic ice queen than the Ros of Series 6, we still see plenty of very human moments. Her grief scene was violent and short and just perfect for her (and that effect that dragged her back to reality was very cool) and the quivering of her lip is episode three as she asked Jo to respond was a really nice character moment. She is, easily, the high point of Series 7 for me and the high point in a series that's shaping up to be pretty damn good. She also gets the best lines and delivers them beautifully. Especially in her drinking scenes with Harry (how good are they, btw?) Yes, there are some inconsistencies in her return storyline, I mean are they seriously asking me to believe that even though Bob Hogan is gone, no one else in American security cares about their 'betrayer' and than none of the remaining Yalta operatives have twigged that she's suddenly alive again? But I'd better quit this line of thinking because I'm sure no one wants to hear my rant on how they wrecked the character of Juliet completely...
I also really like Lucas North and am impressed with how different from Adam (more of him later) he seems. I was slightly annoyed when they started to play the double agent thing - didn't we go through all this last year? But I like the rough edges to Lucas and that he was part of the team before we ever met them (it might have been nice to have heard of him before - but then I do accept that this is a TV show and the producers didn't know that they were casting a new agent until RPJ decided to leave), I find that his knowledge of the section really helps him to settle in and avoids the tedious learning process that newer agents go through. Also, he can speak Russian. That's very cool. Can we please have him and Connie speaking in Russian in the same scene? That would be fabulous. Also, his ex-wife isn't as annoying as I expected (I had expected a kind of Ana Bakshi clone), so that's a plus. His tattoos are also quite something and whilst he may well be conspicuous in Russia without them (you're telling me everyone in Russia has tattoos? Or just the criminals and terrorists that he had to deal with), but surely they won't help when it comes to covert ops elsewhere. They're quite an identity marker. Also, he offered Adam a chip - I'm not sure why I like that scene, but I do.
Adam is nicely PTSD free now. Or should I saw was. It's quite unfortunate that he had to go really - he was becoming the Adam of Series 3 again. I liked that he died a good guy, but whilst it might have been a really cool explosion (fire pretty) I found myself wanting a bit more drama. But that just be my extreme tiredness at the time - I plan on watching it again soon to see if I understand it a bit better. Thank you, also, Kudos and writers of Spooks for giving us some closure on the Adam/Ros thing. It was one of the things I wanted most for Series 7 - if it was to end, it had to end with some kind of final nod to the past. And it was perfectly done - there was no sickly, soppy reunion and no uncharacteristic soppiness, just a nice scene in which both HN and RPJ do a wonderful job of expressing without words a million things unsaid and not acted upon.
Harry is as reliable a leader as ever and he and Ros have the most wonderful chemistry (of the non-romantic kind, before you all start to worry). It's really nice to see that he meant all he said in 6x08 and that at least he hasn't forgotten as Adam often appeared to that, oh yes, Adam Carter has a child. I'm a bit concerned about Harry being seemingly taken in by this mentor of his - never trust people you think you know, Harry, have you not been watching the past six series? Still, I have faith that all will work out in time.
I'm not sure what to think about Jo. I'm glad she's alive because her character improved so much in Series 6, but she seems to be teetering dangerously close to having a serious episode of PTSD. Which, might I remind you Kudos, we didn't like much the first time round. On the other hand, it would be foolish to think she's come out of something like that and there not be mental consequences. And MR is acting well, doing the big-eyed thing she does so nicely. Her hair is much better this year too and if they'd stop dressing her in sweaters two sizes too big then she might be looking really good. She's certainly not having much luck elsewhere, she deserves some better fitting clothes (though her ep3 coat was rather nice).
Ben is marginally less irritating that last year but he does seem to have suddenly acquired super spy abilities from somewhere. Not sure where, though. Connie and Malcolm are also fabulous and should have more screen time. Lots more. Preferably screen time in which they speak Russian (I'm not sure why I have such an obsession with this). I love the idea of Connie running Ros in Moscow too, that was a nice touch. And the Home Secretary is back! Yay! Can I just say how much I loved that last bit in episode three - the whole 'you were right' bit. It was honest and slightly amusing and proof that he is still a good guy.
They're certainly going all out on the explosions front too this year (fire pretty) and the episodes look as good as ever. I think that the dialogue is really sharp this year and can really feel the tension as far as this 'Sugarhorse' plot is concerned (even if it does sound like the lastest accessory for Barbie). Even though I'm as spoiled as I can be about what's coming up I can't wait for the next episode - even if it does look as though the American will be annoying (I'm talking abut episode 4, I don't watch it on BBC3). Bring on Monday! And if more people are being killed with forks, so much the better...
Also (and I'm sorry it's a bit late), Happy Birthday, themoooly ! I hope you had a wonderful day. :)