New Allegiances
"New Allegiances" | |
---|---|
Spooks episode | |
Episode no. | Series 7 Episode 1 |
Directed by | Colm McCarthy |
Written by | Neil Cross & Ben Richards |
Produced by | Katie Swinden |
Original air date | 27 October 2008 |
Running time | 59 minutes |
Guest appearances | |
| |
"New Allegiances" is the series seven premiere and 57th episode of the
In the episode, Private Andy Sullivan (Ian Virgo) is kidnapped by an Al-Qaeda cell, who demand Remembrance Sunday be cancelled or he will be executed. Adam Carter (Rupert Penry-Jones) and recently returned Lucas North (Richard Armitage), who spent the past eight years in a Russian prison, work together to find him, only to realise the kidnapping was a diversion to bomb a Remembrance ceremony. Adam drives the rigged car to safety, but dies in the explosion. Knowing FSB head of operation in London Arkady Kachimov (Stuart Wilson) withheld the bomb plot, Harry Pearce (Peter Firth) plots revenge.
Before the episode was broadcast, it was announced that Rupert Penry-Jones would leave the series after playing Adam Carter for four years, while afterwards, another announcement was made introducing a new lead character, Lucas North. Inspiration towards the plot for the episode, and the remainder of the series, came from the resurgence of Russia, which the producers felt would in subtle ways threaten the security of the West. The episode was partially filmed on location in Moscow, the first time in series history where filming took place outside the United Kingdom.
After its original broadcast, the episode attracted almost six million viewers; although it won its time slot, the episode was down by over one million viewers from the last series premiere. The episode received generally positive reactions for its plot, as well as the introduction of Lucas and death of Adam.
Plot
The episode is set six months after the series six finale, where Jo Portman (Miranda Raison) and Adam Carter were kidnapped by the Redbacks, a mercenary group known for kidnapping intelligence officers and selling them to be tortured. At the end of the episode, Jo appears to have been killed by Adam to spare her from the torture before they could be rescued. However, in a flashback it is revealed Jo played dead before rescue teams arrived, and later beats her kidnapper, Boscard (Gus Gallagher), to death. At first undecided, towards the end of the episode Jo returns to duty. In the meantime, Sir Harry Pearce secures the release of MI5 officer Lucas North, who was imprisoned in Russia for eight years.
In the main plot,
As this transpires, Ros Myers (Hermione Norris) is stationed in Moscow under the codename "Rangefinder". There she finds intelligence on Tranquility, a codename of a Chechen assassin working with Al-Qaeda. After arriving back in London, Ros discovers Sullivan's kidnapping was a diversion; Tranquility is going to bomb a St. Augustus War Memorial ceremony at 11 am. Adam and Lucas arrive at the ceremony; while Lucas follows Tranquility, Adam discovers the bomb in her car that can only be defused by a code. When Tranquility kills herself, Adam must drive the car to an unpopulated zone. Adam makes it, but the car explodes just as he exits, killing him.
Harry realised earlier that
Production
After portraying Adam Carter for four years, Rupert Penry-Jones felt his character had run its course over the series and wanted to explore other venues, stating he was "getting to the point where I needed to move on."[1] In December 2007, before the sixth series finale was shown, Penry-Jones announced he would leave the series sometime during its seventh year, and revealed the character would leave in what he believed to be "one of the best" Spooks exits.[2] To keep the series in general fresh, the producers wanted to tease the audience into thinking whether or not Adam would escape his fate in time, and even after he is killed, wanted to surprise them and make them think "Oh my God, I can't believe they just did that."[3] Penry-Jones found that his last days on Spooks was generally upsetting and "welled up" on his final day.[4]
Afterwards in March 2008, another announcement was made, where a new character was revealed to be in development; Lucas North.
With regards to the plot, the producers wanted to repeat the same style as the previous sixth series and include another story-arc in the seventh. The writers and producers got together to think about what is to become a big political story that will affect the United Kingdom in twelve to eighteen months time. They decided on using the resurgence of power in Russia following the end of the Cold War, which the producers felt in subtle ways, is threatening the security of the West. The new storyline would allow the series to return to the world of spying, truth, and who the character should trust.[3] The episode was written by Neil Cross. It was also additionally written by Ben Richards.[9]
Filming in London commenced at the start of March 2008.[5] The car explosion was filmed at Finsbury Square. Because it was a large explosion, much of the filming crew present recorded the shot on their mobile phones for the cast to view. Miranda Raison believed the explosion was the "biggest bang" on British television.[3] In August of the same year, production moved to Moscow to film scenes for this episode, as well as the penultimate episode of the seventh series. It was the first time in series history where filming took place outside the United Kingdom; filming Spooks took place in London, and producer Katie Swinden noted the filming the series was very "London-orientated," and do not usually film outside the M25 motorway, which circles the city. On that occasion however, the producers were able to afford a shoot in another country.[10] Only Armitage and Hermione Norris, along with a small crew including director Sam Miller and Swinden, could film in Moscow.[10][11] One of the troubles of filming the scenes in Moscow was because the episode was set in November, Norris had to wear a winter coat during 32 degree heat.[10]
Broadcast and reception
The episode was originally broadcast on
The episode received generally positive reviews from television critics. The Guardian published three separate reviews. Gareth McLean stated "rare is the returning British drama that gets you giddy but, back for its seventh series and resolving last year's big cliffhanger, Spooks returns triumphant," adding "it's no secret that Ros is back, Adam is leaving and new boy Lucas North has been rescued from a Russian prison, but how it all plays out is a delight."[17] Vicky Frost from the media blog Organgrinder felt that although the storyline was decent, "it did seem to be about three different episodes stuffed into one." She also noted that it was generally "ridiculous, but it isn't nearly as ridiculous - or ridiculously bad - as its spin-off [Spooks: Code 9] was."[18] Leigh Holmwood however, believed "it was good to see the spy drama return for a seventh series with a high octane episode mixing Islamic terrorism and Russian counter espionage, even if it did overdo the 'for Queen and country' bit." Holmwood also stated he was "tempted to watch the second episode," which was broadcast a day after the first episode on BBC One.[19]
Wayne Storr of On the Box stated the series premiere is "another cracking episode," and "truly wonderful that Spooks still pulls it together to be one of the best British shows on telly." Storr also stated the episode is an "absolute must watch for anyone who has ever been a fan. For those who aren't, now is a good time to start."[20] Whilst also reviewing the second episode, as both episodes are considered a two-parter, Greg O'Keefe of the Liverpool Echo stated it was "packed with great action sequences, razor-sharp writing and the usual quota of twists and turns. We were also treated to some excellent scenes, shot in Moscow, as the pesky Russians were established as the villains of the series."[21] John Beresford of TV Scoop stated that although he found "two dodgy moments" in the episode, it "didn't mar what was otherwise an excellent opener to the new series."[22]
Lucas North's introduction was met with general praise.
References
- Sky TV. Archived from the originalon 16 July 2011. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
- ^ Hirons, Paul (9 October 2008). "Coming soon... Spooks, series seven and Rupert Penry-Jones interview". TV Scoop. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
- ^ a b c d e Neil Cross, Hermione Norris, Miranda Raison, Katie Swinden, Andrew Woodhead (2009). Spooks: Making of Documentary (Spooks, Series 7 (DVD) Disc 4). Contender Entertainment Group.
- Trinity Mirror. Archived from the originalon 10 June 2011. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
- ^ a b "From Sherwood Forest to Thames House ... Richard Armitage joins the cast of hit BBC One drama Spooks". BBC Press Office. BBC. 17 March 2008. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
- ^ Cronin, Frances (27 October 2008). "Spooks new boy plays jailed agent". Newsbeat, BBC Radio 1. BBC. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
- ^ a b "Richard Armitage: Joining the secret world of Spooks". Bromsgrove Advertiser. 25 October 2008. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
- Trinity Mirror. Archived from the originalon 12 November 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
- ^ "BBC – Spooks – Credits – Series 7, Episode 1". BBC Online. Retrieved 13 February 2011.
- ^ a b c Hermione Norris, Katie Swinden (2009). Spooks in Russia (Spooks, Series 7 (DVD) Disc 2). Contender Entertainment Group.
- BBC Magazines: 10–12.
- ^ "BBC – BBC One Programmes – Spooks – Episodes from 2008". BBC Online. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
- ^ O'Donovan, Gerard (27 October 2008). "Monday's TV & radio choices". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
- ^ Dowell, Ben (28 October 2008). "TV ratings: Dead Set has a killer debut". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 February 2010.
- ^ Wilkes, Neil (28 October 2008). "E4's 'Dead Set' brings in 1.2m". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi UK. Retrieved 10 February 2008.
- Broadcasters' Audience Research Board. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
- ^ McLean, Gareth (27 October 2008). "Watch this: Spooks; Prescott: The Class System and Me; Embarrassing Teenage Bodies; The Dark Side of Fame with Piers Morgan". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
- ^ Frost, Vicky (28 October 2008). "Spooks returned last night and Dave's new John Seargent panel show, Argumental, launched". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
- ^ Holmwood, Leigh (28 October 2008). "First night: Dead Set, Prescott - The Class System and Me". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
- ^ Storr, Wayne (27 October 2008). "Review: Spooks starts with a bang". On the Box. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
- Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
- ^ Beresford, John (28 October 2008). "TV Review: Spooks, BBC One, Monday 27 October, 9pm". TV Scoop. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
- British Sky Broadcasting. 27 October 2008. Archived from the originalon 16 July 2011. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
- ^ "Spooks – Most Shocking Death Scene". LastBroadcast. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
- BBC Magazines: 14–15.
- News Corporation. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
External links
- Series 7, Episode 1 at bbc.co.uk
- "New Allegiances" at IMDb