Spooks

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I watched Spooks due to it being like 24.

So far the first three seasons of Spooks has already been shown on the Australian ABC and the fourth is expected to be shown next year.

In the meantime, BBC3 has announced a spinoff of Spooks tentatively titled Rogue Spooks:
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds40786.html

"BBC Three will make a new spin-off show from the popular action-drama Spooks, it was announced today.

Speaking at the launch of their winter and spring schedule, the channel's controller Julian Bellamy outlined the plans for the tentatively titled Rogue Spooks, featuring raw MI5 recruits who "follow a different rule book".

Bellamy added: "Spooks is a known and popular brand, so Rogue Spooks seems like a common sense thing to do." It is believed that the series will be filmed for broadcast late in 2007."

 

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Found from TV WEEK that the ABC will finally show season 4 from Friday March 16 at 9:25pm and the season premiere comes second place in TV WEEK's highlights of the day.

 

[Theta Sigma]

Found from TV WEEK that the ABC will finally show season 4 from Friday March 16 at 9:25pm and the season premiere comes second place in TV WEEK's highlights of the day.

The tv guide from the Sydney Sunday Telegraph says the time is actually five minutes earlier at 9:20pm. Better safe to tune in at 9:20 instead of 9:25.

 

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Article of Spooks' return on the ABC in The Age:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/tv--r...1173722475513.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
Here are a couple of paragraphs from the article that people maybe particularly interested in:
"As to why the ABC waited so long to screen this [fourth] series (it went to air in the UK in September 2005), a statement from the programming department reads: "We have been waiting so that we could program it with another one-hour drama series to make it a double bill."

Will the ABC run series four and five back-to-back to catch up to the UK? The statement continues: "Scheduling plans don't allow this, so not at this stage.""

 

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The Special Part 1:
A solid start to season 4 and it was worth the wait.

 

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Spooks on Australian TV

The Special Part II:
A neat conclusion.
I found Curtis to be annoying.
I like Martine McCutcheon's performance as Tash and it was quite a tense moment when she was attached to the bomb towards the end of the episode.
I also like how Tash responded to Harry's answer of what the country ever did for her.

 

[Theta Sigma]

Spooks on Australian TV

Divided They Fall:
Featuring a very fine performance from Blake's 7 star Steven Pacey. In fact a company Blake & Research got mentioned. Wonder if that is a coincidence.
A well handled episode about a racist MP and MI5's attempt to stop him from gaining further influence on the people.

Spooks on April 13 is TV WEEK's Pick of the Day.

 

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Spooks on Australian TV

Road Trip:
The female MI5 agent with the Prince is a knockout.
Just before the terrorist physician revealed what the target was, I thought Parliament, and then he said the House of Commons. That was a lucky guess.
A very intense episode. Well done.

 

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Spooks on Australian TV

The Book:
The episode begins on what happened sometime ago before fast forwarding to the present day. Coincidentally this was how the Charmed episode 12 Angry Zen which was on 10 earlier in the day, began.
Jo Portman (Miranda Raison, who has recently appeared in Doctor Who) is very pretty.
It's fun that Adam took the name Roger Thornhill, the lead character in North By Northwest.
The sequence of the unsuccessful hit on Gary along with Ruth and Zaf were served really well with the music.
Very surprising to see where the book of the title eventually turned up.

 

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Spooks on Australian ABC

The Innocent:
This episode looks at the impact of imprisoning an innocent man. The message that is trying to convey is well delivered and certainly no one wants to be arrested for something they did not do.

 

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Spooks on Australian ABC

Syria:
A very very good look at Fiona past which sadly ends tragically.

I had a narrow escape watching this episode as there was a short blackout just a few minutes after this episode had finished!

 

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Spooks on Australian ABC

The next episode on May 4 is TV WEEK's Pick of the Day.

 

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Spooks on Australian ABC

The Russian:
Adam dealing with the aftermath of Fiona's death. Coincidentally just a day before I finished watching this episode I saw the Callan episode Where Else Could I Go? which also had the leading character having to deal with the aftermath of a traumatic experience as well.
George Baker as the Russian of the title delivers a very good performance. Quite a shame what happens to his character in the end.

The season 4 finale on May 18 is TV WEEK's Pick of the Day.

 

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Spooks on Australian ABC

The Sting:
As penultimate episodes of a season. This is pretty enjoyable for what I would expect to be a big one in next week's season finale.

Funny how there is a Cardassia Financial Service since Cardassia is the name of a planet in Star Trek. This plus the mention (of the real-life) USS Enterprise.

 

[Theta Sigma]

Spooks on Australian ABC

Diana:
The title refers to Princess Diana and her death in 1997. This was originally broadcast in 2005 but the ABC showing it last night is timely since the 10th anniversary of her death is now three months from now. The plot here is about allegations from a disgruntled agent that the Security Service assassinated the Princess.
Guest star Lindsay Duncan excelled as the disgruntled agent.
All this leads to an excellent cliffhanger as season 4 ends.

 

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To Australian viewers:
Spooks was a special subject on The Einstein Factor on Sunday September 30 but contestant Alice Clarke lost out in the end as she came last in the game.

 

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As well as continuing to play Guy of Gisbourne in Robin Hood, Richard Armitage has joined the cast of Spooks for its seventh season as stated in a press release last month (warning for Australian viewers it includes details of episodes not yet shown on the ABC. Spooks has only been shown on the ABC for the first four seasons so far):
BBC - Press Office - Richard Armitage joins the cast of hit BBC One drama Spooks

 

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To Australian viewers:
Season 5 begins on ABC1 on Friday May 16 9:20pm.

 

[Theta Sigma]

Season 5 began last week on Australian TV.

Gas and Oil, Part One:
Surprise to see playing the Home Secretary is Robert Glenister. Probably due to the fact that he's a regular on fellow Kudos series Hustle.

Spoiler

What a shock that Colin is killed off and quite a tense scene in the aftermath of his death with Adam telling Malcolm to smile.

Wow what a cliffhanger.

Also there was a review of the season 5 DVD which was recently released despite the fact it only started on ABC1 last Friday. Reviewer Samantha Amjadali in yesterday's Sydney Sunday Telegraph gave it four and a half stars saying that each of the ten episodes is to be savoured.

 

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Bought the season 5 DVD release recently as a result of having missed seeing episode 3 on ABC1.

Seen up to Episode 7 (which will be on ABC1 tomorrow night), all excellent episodes.

 

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Finished season 5 on DVD ahead of the ABC1 broadcast. It is the best season of the series so far.

 

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To Australian viewers:
Found out from the Sydney Sunday Telegraph that season 6 is now available on DVD even though it has not yet been shown on the ABC. I have just emailed the ABC on when they will be showing it.

In her review of season 6 the Sunday Telegraph's Samantha Amjadali gave it four stars saying it's brilliant stuff.

 

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To Australian viewers:
Finally got a response from the ABC about Spooks season 6 & Spooks: Code 9:
"Unfortunately at present the ABC does not own the rights to screen series six of the program or the spin-off series Spooks: Code 9. I am sorry to not have better news on this occasion. Please be assured that I noted your request and made it available to Television programming so that they are aware of audience interest in these programs.

Thank you for your interest in the ABC.

Yours sincerely

Emma Callaghan
ABC Audience and Consumer Affairs"

 

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To Australian viewers:
TV Tonight reports that season 6 will start on ABC1 on Monday April 6 9:35pm.

 

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The ABC Spooks site:
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/spooks/

 

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The Virus Part 1:
Season 6, Episode 1.
Nice haircut for Hermione Norris and Miranda Raison.
Pretty good with the train explosion.
Pretty shocking when Ros presented Ronson's finger to Malcolm.
A very good beginning to season 6.

Meanwhile there was a review of the season 7 DVD release in the Sydney Sunday Telegraph by Samantha Amjadali who says that season 7 pushes the boundaries even further.

 

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The Virus Part 2:
Season 6, Episode 2.
What a pleasant surprise seeing Lisa Bowerman appearing briefly as the secretary of the Home Secretary.
Agonising seeing Jo being punched.
Wow what a cliffhanger of Ros being transquilized.

 

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The Kidnap:
Season 6, Episode 3.
Quite interesting turn of events with Ros joining Yalta to spy on the Grid.
Also pretty good storyline about the mystery of a plane crash.

 

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The Extremist:
Season 6, Episode 4.
This episode sees the return of Michael Johnson who had first appeared in the previous season.
Very intense when Anna accidentally killed an aide of her husband.
Very good the immediate reaction of Jo seeing a bomb in a car.

 

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The Courier:
Season 6, Episode 6.
Surprised that Anna is still alive.
Pretty good episode on a plane as Adam and Ros tries to find the courier of the title. Very good when the plane was forced to land.