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Episode 4 Discussion [rewatch]
26-06-2010, 07:34 PM
Post: #1
zzVideo Episode 4 Discussion [rewatch]
Watch and discuss!

Talking Points:

- Surely the road trip mission falls under MI6 duties?
- Yazdi was brilliantly cunning.
- Middle-east royalty involved in smuggling networks.

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26-06-2010, 10:28 PM
Post: #2
RE: Episode 4 Discussion [rewatch]
This is a favourite of mine but I think to enjoy I have to let go of my skeptical side and just enjoy the adventure! As you say Nitrus surely the task would fall into 6's territory and even so the whole cover that Adam has seems so unbelievable! Why not put Zaf in in his place? Surely more convincing?? I wonder if in real life the security services have used such a cover to put agents with fair colouring into situations such as that? Highly doubt it!
Anyway aside from that I am a major Adam fan and I love it when he goes into superhero reckless brave mode haha Wink I also love the interaction between him and Fi. The storyline of this ep is certainly original I think and different so it was nice to see, for me a standout ep of s4.

ros
Death by mascara. It was horrible to watch. Ruth's agonizing over the fact that there are no more horses in modern-day warfare and Adam's on a course learning how to lift his knuckles off the ground. So, you'll have to make do with me, I'm afraid.
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27-06-2010, 04:17 PM
Post: #3
RE: Episode 4 Discussion [rewatch]
For me, this episode only gets interesting once Yazdi is in England and the mind games begin. The first part, with Adam going undercover, I find very unbelievable. I cannot believe that in the whole of MI5 or MI6 they do not have anyone better suited to do so.

But once Yazdi starts to weave his magic, it becomes terrific and compelling viewing. It's clear from the outset that both Adam and Harry sense something is off, but that the Powers That Be, in the form of Juliet, is buying what he is selling hook, line and sinker. If Juliet had not intervened, things would have played out very differently indeed. Which begs the question: why is Harry so meek when it comes to opposing her position? The best he can come up with is "I'm unhappy" and "I protest", where just last episode we saw him very effectively persuading Juliet that her preferred course of action was not a good one. Puzzling.

The actor playing Yazdi was absolutely fantastic. He never went overboard with the fanaticism, which is what so often happens. I also like the fact that they did not let him betray his side. When people support a cause from a religious point of view, it is much, much harder to change their views than when it is purely based on ideology.

The episode sort of addresses an issue which, from books about intelligence services, seems to be one of the biggest problems they face, namely that sometimes officers tend to 'fall in love' with their assets. Not literally, but in the sense that they refuse to believe that the information the asset is giving them is wrong or deliberately false, therefore not bothering to verify before using it to make decisions. This is what happens here with Juliet, who is so blinded by the prospect of this big coup in getting one of the main players of the Al Garve terrorist organisation as a British asset, that she does not see the danger signs that Adam and Harry are picking up on.

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27-06-2010, 04:23 PM
Post: #4
RE: Episode 4 Discussion [rewatch]
adams accent is quite funny in this ep. i agree it dosent seem like a mi5 type mission but then it does set things up again dosent it! i liked this ep, i liked adam going off on his own believing Yazdi but he also noticed the change very quickly and tried to tell but of course the powers that be had the final say.

I also love adam when he is in his reckless mode, at times he works best this way. they could haev used zaf but i think adam was better suited, he thinks quicker on his feet at times.

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27-06-2010, 06:44 PM
Post: #5
RE: Episode 4 Discussion [rewatch]
Khalid Abdalla, who played Yazdi, was absolutely stunning in this ep -- another spooks coup in getting excellent guest actors. Out of the many moments where he truly shone, two of my favorites were, "Shall we drop our masks?" and "Danger is addictive, but we both know that." Very simple thematic beats but his intuitive, understated delivery was spellbinding.

I'm not convinced that MI5 officers would really have been sent overseas on this kind of mission -- clearly the purview of MI6, imo. That said, we got some good insight into Adam here -- his penchant for dangerous, exciting missions really sets up his character's development for future eps.

The psychological game between Adam and Yazdi was fascinating to watch. Adam is obsessively compelled to try to get into Yazdi's head and Yazdi uses that against him -- he becomes exactly what Adam wants him to be and proves to be a master manipulator. He plays MI5 wonderfully and has them all at odds with each other.

Loved Malcolm and Colin off the grid -- "Didn't we bug this suite when Bill Clinton used it?" Great image!

Interesting that in every group scene, Harry is always next to Ruth or looking over her shoulder.

The mind game being played between Adam and Yazdi is paralleled in the Harry/Juliet relationship. They are each still jockeying for position and Juliet, in her haste to be right (and maybe to one up Harry), bets all the marbles by overruling him, and loses that point to him. To his credit, Harry never says "I told you so" but instead "Neither of us ever, ever resigns. Let's make that a ground rule between us, ok?" He is loyal, bless him!

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27-06-2010, 07:30 PM
Post: #6
RE: Episode 4 Discussion [rewatch]
(27-06-2010 04:17 PM)Silktie Wrote:  Which begs the question: why is Harry so meek when it comes to opposing her position? The best he can come up with is "I'm unhappy" and "I protest", where just last episode we saw him very effectively persuading Juliet that her preferred course of action was not a good one. Puzzling.

I agree that this episode drags a little until they get back to London but why on earth put Adam in and not Zaf? It was just totally unbelievable also so was putting Yazdi and the Prince together. It just would not happen. I know this is fiction but there has to be some air of plausibility.

I too wondered what on earth Harry was playing at Silktie. It wasn't much of a bluster was it, when he was trying to stop Juliet putting the Prince in with Yazdi. Maybe it was because he didn't have any better ideas himself, which is totally unlike the character we know. Maybe Harry/Juliet just had their eyes on the bigger prize which was stopping a major attack and by doing that they lost sight of what was actually happening right in front of them.

I did notice though that when Harry was yelling at Juliet in that scene, he did seem to slip into a Yorkshire accent for a moment.

Didn't really see much else of the team so can't really comment on them other than the classic, all but brief scenes of Colin and Malcolm in the "Happy Days" scene and Harry in the "Giles Farmer" scene...

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28-06-2010, 04:34 PM
Post: #7
RE: Episode 4 Discussion [rewatch]
(27-06-2010 07:30 PM)Tea Lady Wrote:  I too wondered what on earth Harry was playing at Silktie. It wasn't much of a bluster was it, when he was trying to stop Juliet putting the Prince in with Yazdi. Maybe it was because he didn't have any better ideas himself, which is totally unlike the character we know.

I think you have hit the nail on the head here Tea Lady. Bluster is only bluster until you have proof or at the very least a plausible theory. Neither Harry nor Adam had anything at that moment but a hunch that something was wrong. Harry says that he needs a quiet moment to figure it out. Unfortunately, that quiet moment comes too late. To his credit Harry is the first one to "get it" the moment the Prince takes his glasses off. All of Juliet, Harry and Adam's cultural, professional and personal limitations and assumptions were working against them - just like Yazdi. Yazdi played them and they delivered the prince right into his hands. Its cautionary. This is what can happen when MI5 get in their own way. I like it when they get it wrong.

Loved Ruth's response to Zaf re: the ground diamonds enhancing potency. I can't tell if she is more annoyed or embarrassed. I think I detect an approving smirk on Harry's face after her response to Zaf. And I wonder how many takes it took NW to get the names of the prince and king correct? Boy, she does spit them out, doesn't she! That must have been a funny day on the set....

Now cracks a noble heart. Good-night, sweet [Spooks];
And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.

~Wm. Shakespeare, Hamlet
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28-06-2010, 05:13 PM
Post: #8
RE: Episode 4 Discussion [rewatch]
(28-06-2010 04:34 PM)A Cousin Wrote:  Loved Ruth's response to Zaf re: the ground diamonds enhancing potency. I can't tell if she is more annoyed or embarrassed. I think I detect an approving smirk on Harry's face after her response to Zaf. And I wonder how many takes it took NW to get the names of the prince and king correct? Boy, she does spit them out, doesn't she! That must have been a funny day on the set....

Ha ha, I too thought there was a smirk on Harry's face. Poor Ruth, sometimes she tries so hard she just walks straight into it. I think she is more embarrassed.

Going back to the point about Harry, they were racing against the clock here don't forget. They thought they were under attack so were trying to find solutions quickly. I guess Juliet made a judgement call and sometimes that is all you can do. Sitting on your hands was not an option.

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28-06-2010, 06:27 PM
Post: #9
RE: Episode 4 Discussion [rewatch]
(28-06-2010 05:13 PM)Tea Lady Wrote:  Going back to the point about Harry, they were racing against the clock here don't forget. They thought they were under attack so were trying to find solutions quickly. I guess Juliet made a judgement call and sometimes that is all you can do. Sitting on your hands was not an option.

Light bulb moment! Idea This is why Harry suggests that they agree to never resign. He completely understands the need to take the plunge and make an executive decision. Whether he likes it or not, the statement comes out of solidarity with Juliet.

Now cracks a noble heart. Good-night, sweet [Spooks];
And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.

~Wm. Shakespeare, Hamlet
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28-06-2010, 07:00 PM
Post: #10
RE: Episode 4 Discussion [rewatch]
(28-06-2010 06:27 PM)A Cousin Wrote:  
(28-06-2010 05:13 PM)Tea Lady Wrote:  Going back to the point about Harry, they were racing against the clock here don't forget. They thought they were under attack so were trying to find solutions quickly. I guess Juliet made a judgement call and sometimes that is all you can do. Sitting on your hands was not an option.

Light bulb moment! Idea This is why Harry suggests that they agree to never resign. He completely understands the need to take the plunge and make an executive decision. Whether he likes it or not, the statement comes out of solidarity with Juliet.

Yes and Juliet would be well advised to remember that Harry stood by her !!
TL
P.s. Love the new "brains" Signature A Cousin. It's my favourite. Smile

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