Episode 2 Discussion [rewatch]

[Silktie]

(04-04-2010 11:32 PM)lwhite53 Wrote:  This episode has everything that should make it riveting -- a terrorist organization in London, a staged bomb blast, red mercury, the manipulation of an MI5 sleeper and the destruction of his family life, the intro of Will North, everyone distrusting Tom -- but I just couldn't get into it. I think that's because I so disliked the character of Fred Roberts -- he was a blowhard, a windbag and very impressed with himself. I kept wanting to yell at Tom, "Don't destroy your career for this smug, self-satisfied son of a bitch!"

-Harry and Tom at the end, after he's been decommissioned:
Tom turns in all the boxes (the lies) that marked him as a spy -- now all he has is his real self. Harry says, "Good luck in the real world." I love Harry's smile at the very end, when Tom turns and waves. I think H really does envy Tom, to some extent; and, he's grateful Tom left before he had a total breakdown. I also think Harry's actions were those of both a boss and a friend -- he clearly couldn't let Tom continue to work but he also made a decision for Tom (one that it seems Tom was unwilling or unable to make) that it was time to leave before the job destroyed him (as Christine predicted last ep).

I agree with your views on Fred, but on some level I did feel very sorry for him. In the end he was forced into helping MI5 - after he initially refused they destroyed his life, leaving him no choice but to cooperate if he wanted to salvage anything of his life. Just imagine what that must have done to him. Also, they played on all his weak spots, as he says his file probably states that he is vain and susceptible to flattery. And it is exactly these things that they use to draw him in. Tom was as much a part of destroying this man's life than he is trying to save him at the end.

Good points about Tom and Harry. I agree that Harry envied Tom at the end. Earlier in the episode he seemed so wistful when Zoe came to him with that form to ask permission to date. Poor Harry probably can't remember the last time he filled in such a form, illustrating how isolated he has become with the spy world his only refuge. There is probably a small part of Harry that wishes he could leave it all behind and try to become a normal human being again, but his sense of duty won't let him. Or perhaps he is too afraid to leave, as he probably no longer knows how to lead a normal life...

(05-04-2010 03:38 PM)Beatriz Wrote:  I know the main storyline in the episode is Tom's breakdown, but I think it wasn't very clear what happened with the terrorists... Maybe I'm being a bit thick about it...
The student terrorist, apparently, was like a sleeper for the terrorist group, they caught him in the end but I don't think he will lead MI5 to the terrorists... Besides, if they wanted to capture him, they could have done it when the student left the University and Danny could have followed him...

That's a good point, although I imagine the student terrorist was probably subjected to MI5's best 'persuasion techniques' and they might well have gotten the information out of him.