Series 9 Episode 8 discussion

[Chocolatepony]

(10-11-2010 01:29 AM)Quill Wrote:  Coming a little late to the party, but anyway...

I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the Spooks finale. I think it was gripping, ambitious and clever to a fault. I was at the edge of my seat for most of the season. I never theorized so much over its storyline and I have watched Spooks from the beginning. The running theme of trust and betrayal was a great idea and a very clever way to set up a possible last season of the show. Having Harry betraying his own moral code to save Ruth feels a bit like the death of Section D.

But the argument for Lucas double life wasn't completely persuasive. To me, the stone on its path was Lucas time in the Russian prison. If he hadn't been tested this way, I could buy that he longed for a time when his life was simpler and that is what Maya would represent. Or if he was turned by another agency or used to bring Harry's downfall by someone dropping hints that Harry actually let him rot on that place, that would be plausible.

So, that's when the writers got away too clever. Spooks fans are used to what seems like plot holes that are neatly wrapped by a fantastic twist at the end. And theorize we all did. And they surprised us with a very simple, linear storyline, no plot holes explained. I can rationalize a bunch of little gaps, like the Chinese agents having Lucas photo at the end of episode 4 (they were told Lucas was a potential asset and had orders to not kill him; the photo was for identification), but I can't buy him being duplicitous BEFORE his stint in Russia. There is no way he would be able to keep his lie that long.

The acting was superb and held the whole thing together, no doubt. It was a great showcase for RA and NW. But this story arc could had been soooo much better. I feel a bit betrayed, to be honest.

My feelings exactly! This season had me conjuring all manner of possible outcomes and explanations for the many unsolved questions. But in the end a very linear plot. So after Dacca John spent ?5 years as Lucas North married to Elisabeta, then 8 years in a Russian prison without revealing his true identity, followed by ?2 years at Thames House before the whole Albany affair. That adds up to the 15 years he'd been away from Maya. A chronic lier he may have been but he was undoubtedly a brilliant spook for it!

RIP Lucas North