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Spooks
 

Spooks is a British television drama series, produced by the independent production company Kudos for the BBC One network. The title derives from a popular colloquialism for spies, as the series follows the work of a group of MI5 agents. The programme was created by writer David Wolstencroft. In the United States the show is aired under the title MI-5.

Storyline

Series 1

Starring Matthew Macfadyen, Keeley Hawes, David Oyelowo, Jenny Agutter and Peter Firth, the initial series of six one-hour episodes was screened in the spring of 2002.

The series was a critical and popular success, regularly drawing seven to eight million viewers, and combining glossy high production values with fast-paced action/adventure and spy intrigue storylines. *

  1. "Thou Shalt Not Kill"
  2. "Looking After Our Own" - remarkable for the violent killing-off of a character (played by Lisa Faulkner) who had been presented to the audience as a regular in the first two episodes, surprising viewers who would thus have expected her to have been rescued. It did, however, anger many viewers, who had BBC phone switchboards jammed with complaints.
  3. "One Last Dance"
  4. "Traitor's Gate"
  5. "The Rose Bed Memoirs"
  6. "Mean, Dirty, Nasty"

Series 2

A longer second series of ten episodes was screened in 2003, again drawing praise, particularly for the dramatic cliffhanger ending of the series finale.*

Series 3

A third series, again of ten episodes, was transmitted on BBC One in the autumn of 2004, concluding on December 13th. Over the course of the series, all three of the original leading trio, MacFadyen, Hawes and Oyelowo, left the programme, their departures staggered over the second, sixth and tenth episodes respectively. *

  1. "Project Friendly Fire", introduced Rupert Penry-Jones as Adam Carter, drafted in from MI6 to help investigate Tom's disappearance in the first episode which carried on directly from the Series 2 cliffhanger.
  2. "The Sleeper" - Used University College London as a set, Ian McDiarmid guest starred, MacFadyen character left, Adam joins team permanently as replacement.
  3. "Who Guards The Guards?"
  4. "A Prayer For My Daughter" - Featuring Harry's daughter, and guest starring Corin Redgrave and Anton Lesser
  5. "Love and Death"
  6. "Persephone" - Zoe taken to court for misconduct during an operation, and forced to leave MI5 and assume a new identity in South America, replaced by Adam's wife Fiona (Olga Sosnovska)
  7. "Outsiders"
  8. "Celebrity"
  9. "Frequently Asked Questions"
  10. "The Suffering of Strangers" - dramatic season finale, Fiona and Danny held hostage after an operation gone wrong, Fiona survives, Danny Hunter killed off.

Although fan response to the changes of leading cast was generally negative and the season garnered varied critical reactions, viewing figures remained steady and a fourth season was commissioned.

Series 4

The fourth series of Spooks began transmission on Monday 12th September 2005 on BBC One at 9pm with the first of a two-part story. The next day (13th September) the second episode was shown, before the following week Spooks assumed a 9pm Thursday slot, a break from the Monday 9pm slot the previous series had traditionally occupied.

  1. "Surreal World"
  2. "The Possibility of a Mole" - The opening two-parter provided the series with two new regulars in Zafar Younis (Raza Jaffrey, whose character had actually debuted in the final episode of series three) and Juliet Shaw (Anna Chancellor). However, it was also a controversial storyline, as it featured terrorists (albeit animal rights extremists rather than Al Quaeda) bombing central London, something that in reality had taken place two months earlier on July 7, after the episodes had already been shot. According to The Guardian newspaper the day the first episode aired, "The similarities were sufficient to cause head of drama Jane Tranter and new BBC1 controller Peter Fincham to agonise over whether to drop the episodes." The episodes eventually aired unedited, although before both installments of the two-parter the BBC One continuity announcer warned viewers that they featured scenes of terrorist bombing in London which some viewers might find disturbing.
  3. "Campaign of Terror" - Racism is growing in Britain and MI5 realise democracy is being threatened when a high-profile MP joins a far-right party.
  4. "Infiltration of a New Threat" - MI5 receive a tip-off from MI6 that a known terrorist intends to enter the UK via an illegal immigrant route. They know Mohammed Yazdi will join a truck starting from Istanbul, and believe that a playboy Prince, Prince Hakim, is involved in the organisation of the route. When questioning the Prince gives them no further leads, Adam decides to go undercover on the truck and attempt to talk Yazdi out of his terrorism.
  5. "A Journalist, a Minister and a Conservative Group" - Harry discovers an old MI5 officer has died in suspicious circumstances.
  6. "Beyond the Cell" - A terrorist is co-ordinating a bomb attack from the safety of his high-security prison cell, so Harry decides to release him.
  7. "Where Trouble Lies" - The departure of Fiona Carter, as actress Olga Sosnovska was pregnant during filming and elected to leave the programme. In a by-now traditional shocking exit, Carter was abducted and in a bid for captivity from her abductors, cut her wrists to make it appear to deranged ex-husband that she had taken her life. By creating this diversion she hoped to be able to escape. However her attempt was short lived when she was shot dead by the ex-husband she had thought had been hanged several years previously. Her character was replaced in the Spooks set-up by Miranda Raison as Jo Portman, a new arrival at MI5 who had been recruited by Adam in the previous episode.
  8. "Traitor in a Friend" - The son of a dead Russian spy wants to buy the NHS from the British Government, MI5 try to find out his motives. Guests - Ben Daniels and George Baker
  9. "The Sting" - When Harry takes a stand against the CIA, he gets the sack. A rogue CIA operative attempts to create a pretext for war with Iran.
  10. "Diana" - ended with what was by now a traditional seasonal cliffhanger, with Adam Carter shot and apparently badly wounded, and Harry Pearce facing the gun of the same assassin after they had fallen for an elaborate plot concocted by a vengeful ex-MI5 agent.

Series 5

The BBC has confirmed that a fifth series of Spooks will be shown in late 2006.

Its storylines will include a home-grown Al Qaeda cell planning an attack on London; the British government selling nuclear technology to Gulf states; environmental terrorists staging an attack on London to demonstrate the danger of Global Warming; and the US administration selling arms to African dictators.

It will also see Anna Chancellor and Tim McInnerny resuming their roles. But this time Mace and Harry are set to come to serious blows, with Mace using Harry's burgeoning friendship with Ruth to pressurise Harry into supporting a cover-up operation regarding the torture of suspected terrorists.

Plots by episode
  • Episode 1-MI5 supremo Harry Pearce (Peter Firth) and team leader Adam Carter (Rupert Penry-Jones) – who both survived the series 4 cliff-hanger which saw them become the target of an ex-MI5 sniper – soon begin to suspect that rogue members of the British 'Establishment' may themselves be sabotaging the very system they sought to uphold in order to bring about a radical change of government. The growing crisis necessitates that the team work closely with head-strong, high-flying MI6 agent Ros Myers, played by new cast member Hermione Norris (Wire in the Blood, Cold Feet), who soon makes her presence felt on The Grid and instantly generates an undeniable spark with Adam. With guest appearances from Robert Glenister as the Home Secretary, and John Castle as Jocelyn Myers, Ros' father – a wealthy and powerful industrialist who holds the key to the conspiracy.

  • Episode 8 sees Lennie James (Buried, Snatch) guest star as Bishop David Newman, a disillusioned government advisor on religious affairs who becomes involved with Christian extremism and a plot to assassinate known Islamic terrorists. In February 2006, the BBC denied claims in the media that they were dropping this plot..*

Series 6

Already commisioned, by Jane Tranter, Head of Drama Commissioning at the BBC, by the time series 5 was announced

Cast

The main characters include (*=continuing cast in series 5):

  • Harry Pearce, Head of counterterrorism department, MI5 - Peter Firth (2002-)*
  • Tom Quinn, senior case officer, Section B - Matthew Macfadyen (2002-2004)
  • Zoe Reynolds, junior case officer, Section B - Keeley Hawes (2002-2004)
  • Danny Hunter, junior case officer, Section B - David Oyelowo (2002-2004)
  • Tessa Phillips, senior case officer, Section K - Jenny Agutter (2002-2003)
  • Adam Carter, senior case officer, Section B - Rupert Penry-Jones (2004-)*
  • Fiona Carter, seconded to MI5 from MI6 - Olga Sosnovska (2004-2005)
  • Ruth Evershed, analyst seconded to MI5 from GCHQ - Nicola Walker (2003-)*
  • Sam Buxton, junior case officer, Section B - Shauna Macdonald (2003-2004)
  • Jo Portman, junior case officer, Section B - Miranda Raison (2005-)*
  • Oliver Mace, Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee - Tim McInnerny (2004-)*
  • Ros Myers, MI6 agent - Hermione Norris (2006-), who soon makes her presence felt on The Grid and instantly generates an undeniable spark with Adam.
  • Zafar Younis - Raza Jaffrey (2004-)*
  • Malcolm Wynn-Jones, technical genius - Hugh Simon (2002-) *
  • Colin Wells, technical genius - Rory McGregor (2002-)*

Guest stars

The programme regularly attracts popular actors, with performers such as Hugh Laurie, Andy Serkis, Anton Lesser and Anthony Stewart Head having appeared in episodes of the first three seasons. Robert Glenister as the Home Secretary, and John Castle as Jocelyn Myers, Ros' father, will guest in Series 5 Episode 1.

Episode guide

The series initially aired with no credits, to maintain an atmosphere of the anonymity of real-life spies, although later episodes have featured a very short credit sequence at the end. Individual episodes have no official titles, though there are internal working titles. The U.S. version airs with official titles that sometimes, but do not always, match the working titles. When different, American titles are in parentheses.

Series 1

  1. "Thou Shalt Not Kill" — Written by David Wolstencroft, directed by Bharat Nalluri.
  2. "Looking After Our Own" — Written by David Wolstencroft, directed by Bharat Nalluri.
  3. "One Last Dance" — Written by Simon Mirren, directed by Rob Bailey.
  4. "Traitor's Gate" — Written by Howard Brenton, directed by Rob Bailey.
  5. "The Rose Bed Memoirs" — Written by Howard Brenton, directed by Andy Wilson.
  6. "Mean, Dirty, Nasty" ("Lesser Of Two Evils") — Written by David Wolstencroft & Howard Brenton, directed by Andy Wilson.

Series 2

  1. "Legitimate Targets" — Written by David Wolstencroft, directed by Bharat Nalluri.
  2. "Nest of Angels" — Written by Howard Brenton, directed by Bharat Nalluri.
  3. "Spiders" ("Hackers") — Written by Matthew Graham, directed by Rob Bailey.
  4. "Blood & Money" — Written by Howard Brenton, directed by Rob Bailey.
  5. "I Spy Apocalypse" — Written by Howard Brenton, directed by Justin Chadwick.
  6. "Without Incident" ("President's Visit") — Written by David Wolstencroft, directed by Justin Chadwick.
  7. "Clean Skin" — Written by Simon Mirren, directed by Ciaran Donnelly.
  8. "Strike Force" ("Military Strikes") — Written by Steve Bailie, directed by Ciaran Donnelly.
  9. "The Seventh Division" ("A Very Corporate Coup") — Written by Ben Richards, directed by Sam Miller.
  10. "Smoke and Mirrors" ("Pit of Secrets") — Written by Howard Brenton, directed by Sam Miller.

Series 3

  1. "Project Friendly Fire" — Written by Howard Brenton, directed by Jonny Campbell.
  2. "The Sleeper" — Written by Howard Brenton, directed by Jonny Campbell.
  3. "Who Guards The Guards?" — Written by Rupert Walters & Howard Brenton, directed by Cilla Ware & Jonny Campbell.
  4. "A Prayer For My Daughter" — Written by Ben Richards, directed by Cilla Ware.
  5. "Love and Death" — Written by David Wolstencroft, directed by Justin Chadwick.
  6. "Persephone" — Written by Ben Richards, directed by Justin Chadwick.
  7. "Outsiders" — Written by Raymon Khoury, directed by Bill Anderson.
  8. "Celebrity" — Written by Howard Brenton, directed by Bill Anderson.
  9. "Frequently Asked Questions" — Written by Rupert Walters, directed by Alrick Riley.
  10. "The Suffering of Strangers" — Written by Ben Richards, directed by Alrick Riley.

Series 4

  1. "Surreal World" ("The Special": Part I) — Written by Ben Richards, directed by Antonia Bird.
  2. "The Possibility of a Mole" ("The Special": Part II) — Written by Ben Richards, directed by Antonia Bird.
  3. "Campaign of Terror" ("Divided They Fall") — Written by Ben Richards, directed by Alrick Riley.
  4. "Infiltration of a New Threat" ("Road Trip") — Written by Howard Brenton, directed by Alrick Riley.
  5. "A Journalist, a Minister and a Conservative Group" ("The Book") — Written by Raymond Khoury, directed by Jeremy Lovering.
  6. "Beyond the Cell" ("The Innocent") — Written by David Farr, directed by Jeremy Lovering.
  7. "Where Trouble Lies" ("Syria") — Written by Raymond Khoury, directed by Omar Madha.
  8. "Traitor in a Friend" ("The Russian") — Written by Howard Brenton, directed by Omar Madha.
  9. "The Sting" — Written by Rupert Walters, directed by Julian Simpson.
  10. "Diana" — Written by Howard Brenton, directed by Julian Simpson.

Foreign sales

In the United States, the series is screened on A&E, a specialty cable channel, under the title MI-5. This is partly due to the fact that the word 'spook' is an old racist slang term for African Americans, and the network did not wish to risk the possibility of causing offence, and partly because in the US, 'spook' is more generally associated with the CIA. Series 3 began in the U.S. immediately after the UK run ended and wrapped up with Episode 10 on March 12 2005. The first two series were shown on A&E as a single 16-episode season. Due to the need to insert commercial advertising breaks, the episodes shown on A&E are heavily edited versions, with each 59-minute installment being edited down to roughly 45 minutes for U.S. showings, often causing some narrative problems for American viewers. The full versions are, however, available on DVD in that country.

A&E has not yet officially announced whether it will show Series 4 to the U.S., unlike Series 3, it did not air immediately after it ended in the UK In what may be a sign that they are abandoning the show, reruns of all three prior Series can only be seen in random order on Mondays at 4am Eastern time. Also, one can no longer directly get to the MI-5 sub-site from the A&E main website. However, a December 1, 2005 article in the Akron Beacon-Journal says that Series 4 will be shown on A&E, but not until the fall of 2006, which is when Series 5 will be airing in the UK A January, 2006 TV Guide article said it will air in the summer, this was also quoted in a January 9, 2006 article in the San Jose Mercury News (June 1, 2006 the same San Jose paper said it will now air in September [http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2006/06/summertime_hust.html" target="_blank" >*.

In Canada, the series is also screened uncut and unedited on BBC Canada, a specialty digital cable channel, under its original BBC title Spooks. BBC also shows Spooks on their entertainment channel BBC Prime in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

The programme is also aired as Spooks in Australia and New Zealand on ABC and TVNZ respectively. In Sweden it airs as Spooks on SVT1, in France the programme is called MI-5 and broadcast on Canal Plus and Canal Jimmy and in Finland the show is called Erikoisjoukkue on YLE TV1, although the continuation of the show to Series 3 is not certain. In Belgium Spooks was broadcast on the Flemish public channel Canvas and on the French Belgian channel RTBF. In the Czech Republic as MI5 on ČT1. In Israel it was aired under two different names (MI-5 and Spooks) on the Arutz 2 Channel 2 and on cable. In Slovenia it was aired on Kanal A as Tajni agenti.

See also

References

Newspapers:
  1. Gibson, Owen. Spooky coincidences. "The Guardian". Monday September 12 2005 (requires registration).
  2. One of the reports was in The Sun, and can be found here.
  3. The BBC denied the accusations; a report of the issue can be found here.
  4. The BBC respond to that here *

External links

BBC television dramas | Espionage television series

MI-5 (série télévisée)

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Spooks".

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