Has 'Spooks' jumped the shark?

March 14, 2005 10:06 AM

WTF is happening to the tv show known as MI-5 here in the States and as Spooks in the UK? Spoilers inside if you haven't yet seen season 3, especially episode 10 'The Suffering of Strangers'.

Why would a TV show spend all of its third season getting rid of all three of the central characters from its first two seasons? At least there was some long lead-up to the idea that Tom might want to get out of the service, but the whole thing with Zoe being exposed was out of the blue, and then the way they finished off Danny (just as he was getting really interesting) was totally senseless and gratuitious. Has there been some kind of behind-the-scenes dispute between the producers and the actors? Has the show jumped the shark? I don't really know where to go to read media gossip, especially not for a UK-produced show. In my opinion, this is one of the best shows around (what 24 would be if it were actually good), and I'd hate to think of it being stolen out from under me.

posted by matildaben to media & arts (8 comments total)

'Spooks' stars quit

The Custard has a big section on upcoming productions which makes no mention of a new series.

(NB I don't watch the show, it being 24 without the guns and random explosions and Jack Bauer)
posted by cillit bang at 10:16 AM on March 14, 2005

The fourth series of spooks is on UK tv at the end of this year, according to the spooks official BBC website. It doesn't give much away about the main characters though, presumably it will give greater emphasis to Adam and his wife (name escapes me), possibly also to Ruth, who became more significant in series 3 I think, and their is always potential for just introducing new people. They've never been too reticent to kill off their major characters though. Claire in episode 1.2 was killed of specifically to emphasise this (don't know if you're aware but the actress was fairly big name by UK tv standards and was clearly brought in so killing off would come as a surprise to the UK audience), plus the Jenny Agutter character, Tessa, left in series 2 after being caught embezzling.
posted by biffa at 11:05 AM on March 14, 2005

From halfway down the BBC official site comes this little gem: Spooks returns for a 4th series in late 2005

Keeley Dawes (Zoe) is pregnant and so had to be written out. The door has been left firmly open for her to return. Danny was coming to the realisation that MI5 wasn't the picnic he thought it was, and throughout Season 3 we were treated to tantalising glimpses of his own slide into despair. When Zoe left, he pushed those feelings down, becoming more automaton than man, and only became the Danny of old when making his final sacrifice. Superb.

Worry not. Spooks is coming back. And rejoice upon that!

On Preview: biffa, Adam's wife is called Fiona.
posted by Ridge at 11:06 AM on March 14, 2005

You must know about televisionwithoutpity.com? Isn't there a forum for the show on the board there? I'd be very surprised if there were not.
posted by jokeefe at 11:52 AM on March 14, 2005

Kathleen, try this, which takes you to the most recent page of discussion in the TWP forum for MI5/Spooks.

Though as I say, I'd be surprised if you didn't know this already.
posted by jokeefe at 11:59 AM on March 14, 2005

Thanks, I have been reading TWoP for tacky shows, but haven't attempted to read it for a good show.

Anyway, it appears the answer to my original question is that all three actors had decided on their own to quit.
posted by matildaben at 12:35 PM on March 14, 2005

and here i thought some plague was descending upon my favourite programs given that mel in waking the dead took a header off a balcony and annie stabbed in murphy's law. enough with the quitting. lock these actors into iron clad endless contracts!
posted by heather at 8:06 PM on March 14, 2005

Just be thankful that Spooks on its worst day still kicks nine types of shit out of 24.
posted by Savvas at 2:06 AM on March 15, 2005