[spoilers] Recurring Themes in Season 8

[JHyde]

You need not use spoiler tags in this thread unless specifically referring to confirmed spoilers for ensuing episodes of Spooks. Everything up to and including the most recently aired episode on *BBC3* is considered fair game.


Because the forum is so new, this is the first time we've been able to comment on a series as it's airing and anticipating stories as they come. I thought it would be interesting to discuss the ongoing issues and themes of season 8. I think the feel of this season is a little different, in that there has been a season trend away from the nationalist cause, but rather Britain as part of a global community. The show has dealt with this before, but not on such a grand scale over a complete season.

Social inequality has also cropped up a lot this season. Think the MI5 asset in the crack house in 8.4, the motivation behind the terrorists of 8.3 (that made them somewhat sympathetic, despite their despicable methods) and in 8.2, the discussion as to who might really suffer from the threatened power cuts.

Spoiler: show

This looks set to continue in episode 6, given the subject matter.

What's really been foremost in this season is the focus on international justice and human rights. It was briefly touched upon in 8.1, as the uranium at stake was smuggled originally to justify the Iraq war. But from 8.2 onwards, it has been at the top of every episode. Urazov planned a genocide in his own country, and BiBi was part of the movement against his brutality. 8.2 and 8.5 also questioned the morality of sacrificing one life to save hundreds of thousands (there have been different answers provided), and how far the Service should prostitute itself in serving a higher purpose. (The show has not consistently examined these issues since series 3.) Even the bad guys Nightingale are a global organization, and not in the way Yalta was in season 6. We're still not even clear what their aims are.

So what do you think? Are there other issues at play that I have left out? How do you think these issues will be discussed in future episodes and resolved as we head into the last 3 episodes of the season? And how rich is this as subject matter in season 8 - are you buying it?