Episode 2 Discussion [Rewatch]

[lwhite53]

This ep is one of my all-time favorites. I love the story (split in the Muslim community, the ambiguous morality of using a young, inexperienced asset), the sense of helplessness of the "official powers" in dealing with the issue (true in all Western countries), and the incredible portrayals of the guest actors (Johnny, Rashid, Azzum, Khaldun). And, of course, we meet Ruth Evershed.

I know many people cringed at Ruth's intro scene and the "lamp" scene, but I loved them. She is a truly unique character in the grid environment and giving her a totally different personna to the rest of the inhabitants made her stand out, imo, as opposed to Sam, who was absorbed into the grid without much ado. You just know Ruth is someone to pay attention to, especially after her "Bugger the Home Office" line; "bonkers but brilliant."

I loved the cultural disparities portrayed in this ep, between Western ideas and the unfathomable East:
Rashid: MI5, what a sad apology for an intelligence service. Secret policemen in other countries can arrest, beat, electric shock, kill -- but what can you do? A smear in the press, a meaningless threat. The world I come from must seem utterly uncontrollable to you. And very dangerous.
. . . .
Tom: We have to gain evidence against Rashid.
Khaldun: If he's guilty, kill him -- I see, do we have a clash of cultures here.
Rashid and Khaldun are on opposite sides of the Islamic debate, but they do agree on how to solve problems. Tom is the outsider here, and he knows it.

Having to go to Tessa for help and then being refused -- humiliating for both Tom and Harry, but showed their desperation. And it's Ruth who rescues them, finding Khaldun, an experienced agent and "clean skin." Her first coup.

I loved the scene with Rashid showing Abu Hassan the vest: "Think of this as a martyr's shroud. Wearing this, he enters heaven." Rashid knows exactly how to play the boy -- using the allure of danger, he plays on Hassan's fascination with the forbidden. But Rashid's goal is purely expedient: "It is a sad thing to say, but the best martyrs are dispensible. We have chosen the boy." Rashid manipulates Hassan just as MI5 manipulated Johnny -- both fighting for an end they passionately believe in.

I also loved the tension set up throughout the ep with Khaldun -- who's side is he really on? We're kept guessing almost until the end, when K tries to save Hassan: "Do not interfere with a man who is going to Paradise." K gets the boys attention by acknowledging him as a man who needs to be reckoned with. He recalls him to the moment with talk of football (looking for commonalities) but he can't quite reach him. Tom's assessment of Khaldun is the ep's point: "Actually, he was a hero."

Also, a change of tone in this ep -- first time the on-going drama of Tom's personal life hasn't overshadowed everything.