Episode 7 Discussion

[Silktie]

Another great episode! You've all covered most of what I wanted to say already on the good perfomrance by the guy playing Ashok, and how well the India/Pakistan issue and Britain's historic role in it was portrayed.

I have one gripe though; to me the fact that Ashok is only 17 makes that speech he gave the guy at the end really unbelievable. Such tremendous political and human insight is highly unlikely to come from someone so young. And also, I thought they wimped out of killing the bad guy at the end. It was more the type of ending you get on American shows - where everyone miraculously survives. It would've been more in Spooks tradition if he did set himself alight after Ashok got the girl away from him.

Lovely Harry/Ruth moments, though. Almh, I didn't feel that Harry was suddenly too open towards Ruth. I suspect they actually went for that drink after the last episode, we just didn't get to see it. There was a mutual concern for each other in this episode which was lovely to see and perhaps indicates that they've progressed further with each other behind the scenes. I'm not saying they're dating or anything, but it seems as though they have at least talked about some things. It was just nice to see someone comforting poor Harry, after so many seasons of making the hard decisions. I think that touch of the hand from Ruth was the first comforting human contact we've seen him receive since...well, since Ruth left in season 5 actually!

Felt sorry for Smart Boy, he's finally seen the ugly side of the job first-hand. Welcome to Spooks, mate!

And it's lovely to have Ruth back as the conscience of the Grid, they do need her human touch to remind them all of the human cost of their actions.