Series 9 Episode 1 discussion

[JHyde]

Fantastic opening episode. Lots of hark backs to earlier seasons with various things. I think moving most of the action onto the boat was a great move, it really opened up the episode and made it less claustrophobic.

Beth and Dimitri both got great write ins, very happy about that. As Silktie said, it feels like a team this year. I totally dug Beth, my favourite bit being how she bluffed her way into Thames House with Lucas' passwords. Dimitri has a real strength and integrity to him that I like.

How great was Tariq? Loved his outfit and his 'harnessing the power' line sounded like he was straight out of a Doctor Who script.


Laughed at Harry offering Ruth 'a turn about the garden'. How very Austen of him! I actually laughed a lot in this episode, more than I would usually, especially for a season opener.

And Skully might be right about Lucas being an anarchist after all! Skully, I'd link to your blog here, but for the life of me I can't find that damn post about Blake! Lucas story is promising.

I actually loved the HR in this episode. Ruth's speech felt very honest to me, possibly the most honest thing that has been said on the show since Harry telling the HS that 'we can never win the war on terror. Ever.' This had the same ring of truth, although I notice it seems to be bothering most of you. What she decided makes sense to me, she is not the same person she was three years ago. I had tipped that Ruth would say no, and I actually like how they played it out. I also loved that she said 'I will' to Harry asking her to tell Beth - she says 'I will' to work, doesn't she?! Still hoping there might be a happier resolution for them, but there was movement. There was no undercurrent of sexual tension, it was balls out. As Harry said, 'we move on from this'.

Peter was outstanding, even more than usual. Understated elegance, all the way.

The most interesting thing for me in this episode was what Nicholas Blake said to Harry about affecting change. It has always been a sore point with Harry that he can't really make much of a difference - it's one of the reasons he hands in his resignation. Remember Harry bemoaning that Five's motto is to preserve the status quo and nothing more? I have a feeling this is the backbone of Harry's storyline this season, how much of a change can one man or woman make? (Of course, we know he makes a tremendous difference.)

Also, his monologue about watching the bodies fall is pretty much what I've been saying for months about why keeping Harry alive on the show is smart and not just to keep Peter around. It is more affecting to have him alone, as time passes, losing his younger fellows to their respective ends.