Sunday, December 20, 2009

Spooked again

The current series of the ever excellent Spooks reaches the grand finale this week. It's been another belter, despite more plot holes than the roads of Blackburn, Lancashire. But the identity of the bad guys has once again caused scorn.

Nick Cohen makes some very good points in this piece here that the real MI5 is tracking Islamist terrorists pretty much all the time. On the grid meanwhile Sir Harry, Roz and Lucas are battling international cabals, Isrealis, greens, Russkis and private bankers. He traces this as a trend through James Bond and the Bourne series. Even detecting political cowardice and a fear of offending muslims.

First the Greens, then the Jews, then the Hindus-baffled viewers will be expecting the English Quakers and Burmese Buddhists next. Maybe the BBC will get round to them, but as the eighth series of Spooks draws to its conclusion, we know that for the time being at least, the scriptwriters have identified the real enemy. Episode by episode, Harry and his team have learned about a conspiracy of awesome power. As with Bourne and Bond, it is a cabal that has established itself at the highest levels of Western intelligence services. Once again, the good guys must fight the real menace that comes from the enemy within.

We have been at war since 9/11. To judge from popular drama, we have been at war with ourselves.

I think he's overdoing it, personally. AQ is always there in Spooks, but this is daft telly with a need for twists and turns.

And character wise, Roz has had all the best lines in this series. I hope she isn't killed off, you just know that one of them will be.

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