Episode 1 Discussion [rewatch]

[lwhite53]

I liked this ep -- it introduces Oliver Mace and Adam Carter, both of whom will come to play important roles in the series. Also, it's a great ep for Harry -- we learn the lengths he'll go to to protect his organization and people, and by his matching wits with Mace, we get real insight into the differing philosophies of methodology in the intelligence world. I love that one of H's nemeses is someone on the same side. (Also loved H's longer hair -- he looks great!)

This is a Brenton script, with some of the best lines he has written for the series:
Mace: "This is going to be something of a bloodbath."
"The whole culture at Thames House is rotten and we are clearing the stables."
"I don't let people not do what I want them to do."
Harry: "I like the niceties, they protect us from tyranny."
"So we lure a United States citizen to this country and force a confession out of her. That is a totally illegal, madcap scheme -- I like it."
Adam: "Don't plan too much, Danny. Just let things crinkle out."
In each instance, the dialogue tells us an enormous amount about each of these men and defines their characters better than whole scenes could have.

There are so many great moments in the ep, it's had to single them out:
-Adam's intro as the bum/guardian angel.
-Ruth's look of concern at Harry as he leaves the conference room.
-Tom and Herman Joyce in the church.
-Tom in Zoe and Danny's flat -- "I need the dirt."
-Mace slapping Christine Dale.
-Mace and Belling in the taxi.
-Ruth's spook taxis.
-Adam pulling Carmen Joyce's story out of her.
-Tom discovering Christine's treachery.

I loved Adam moving Carmen Joyce toward suicide, "Never be taken," and Tom telling Christine, "No one resigns from what we do." So prophetic!

And the actor playing Jason Belling is great -- he does smarmy really well.