Episode 1 Discussion [Rewatch]

[BravoNine]

(24-01-2011 06:16 PM)Byatil Wrote:  I was surprised that Harry doesn't have a particularly 'big' role in this episode. He has a few hilarious lines which introduce his character well, but he didn't seem to have much screen-time. Should be interesting to see how his character matures

Harry is one of those characters whose role in the series changed greatly between the first few years and the more recent years. It's always weird for me to watch Spooks now to think of Harry as sort of the cornerstone or foundation of the Spooks team and then compare it to where it was in those first few years where Harry is just the normal typical desk-riding boss who isn't a very important central character.

I don't think the writers ever intended for Harry to become as important as he is now, but in their neglect of focus on Harry as a character, they allowed him to survive on when others died or left to the point that Harry slowly became the central heart and constant of the show, much like Martin Sheen's President Bartlett on the West Wing who went from just a few supporting moments to being one of the most important.

It's always an interesting thing to watch Harry's character progress and mature through the nine series from the very beginning. A lot of things have changed.