4.1 DVD Commentary

[lwhite53]

Info from 4.1 DVD commentary [Andrew Woodhead, Ben Richards, Katie Swindon -- script exec]:
-Difficulty between series -- tying old to new.
-Start of ep -- you always know there's something wrong when you see a white van!
-Funeral scene not in script until late in writing process -- had to mark Danny's passing in some way.
-Olga (Fiona) -- 6-7 months pregnant in this ep. Fiona carrying files or hides behind something throughout s4 to cover pregnancy.
-Hard in the writing process to convey the horror of a bombing without being gratuitous -- decided to focus on tiny human details (a shoe, the pink cell phone, people sitting on curb). Audience is left to imagine what it's really like at bomb site.
-Conscious decision made to move terrorists away from Al Qaeda types -- boring if same scenarion every time.
-Music in spooks always gives a good clue as to what's going to happen, what kind of scene it's going to be.
-Effort made at start of series to make grid look vibrant, busy -- lots of people all over the place.
-Juliet Shaw great character to write for. Anna Chancellor and PF worked really well together.
-RPJ and Raza Jaffrey tried to outdo each other as bad asses in interrogation scene with Mortimer.
-PF and RPJ great together throughout s4. Different relationship between Harry and Adam than Harry and Tom -- much more interesting interplay.
-HS -- a sympathetic politician, for once -- he looks incredibly reassuring.
-American flag on desk amidst American visitors to grid -- satiric touch.
-Continuity problem in train station scene -- terrorist comes in carrying very short, single ladder. When the guy climbs the ladder, it's miraculously tripled in length. Also, they walk away after planting the bomb and leave the ladder there.
-AC, when playing Juliet, very rarely blinks -- makes her very intimidating.
-Great scene between Ruth and Curtis in field -- once she gets what she needs, she breaks cover and twists the knife with her dialogue.
-Delphine character exists solely to move the plot along, then "suicide by cop."
-Special Forces guys backing up Adam and Zaf were real SF guys -- faces covered so they couldn't be identified.
-Train evacuation scene -- feels very real; editing between station, grid and terrorists builds tension.
-"They have to be lucky all the time" -- old IRA saying.
-Ruth and Prof. Curtis scenes -- take you away from the main action but are so well-acted that it doesn't present a problem. Also, scenes are used as tension breakers -- gives audience a breather before next bomb.
-"Those old chestnuts" originally written as "that old chestnut." PF changed the line and made the gag play much better.
-"Love, love, careless love" -- from a Robert Lowell poem.
-Fiona/Wes scene -- lots of discussion about whether to keep or not. Decided to keep in because it adds a lot to Adam's character. Continuity problem in scene -- sheets on Wes' bed are different at beginning and end of scene.
--RPJ and RJ were at school together.
-Tash leaves party very quickly with Adam with no real explanation why -- not important. She goes because that's what needs to happen for the ep.
-First two-parter for spooks.

[Aria]

As always fascinating stuff, thanks lwhite53.

[Tea Lady]

Great lwhite53. I never noticed AC and her blinking. Will have to watch out for that. I did like the Wes/Swan bedroom scene and glad they left it in. There is room in Spooks for scenes like that IMO.

[A Cousin]

(07-06-2010 10:21 AM)Tea Lady Wrote:  \I did like the Wes/Swan bedroom scene and glad they left it in. There is room in Spooks for scenes like that IMO.

I agree, Tea Lady. I like this scene too. Its says something about Fiona as well. I love that moment when Wes tells Adam that "Mummy told them off." Adam replies, "I bet she did." LOL! I fear for those boys.

Thanks lwhite53. I love the commentaries. Thanks for taking the time ot transcribe them.

[ausfan]

Those old chestnuts, was a great line. lol