RA FRIDAY - TOO GOOD, PARANOID OR ... JUST DESPERATE?

I'd give him a Bafta! What about you?

I saw this week’s episode at my friend’s house on Tuesday evening. It was a special occasion but I was so anxious that I missed a lot  of what was said. I  had to re-watch it for a second time at home, on  my computer and with headphones on not to miss one word and I realized I really had missed much! Richard Armitage was impeccable in each frame.  Well done,  Richard! I bit all my nails but it was worth it. This is not what I wanted for Lucas but … such a gripping episode! After seeing it for the second time I wrote down some of my thoughts. I’m not back  home yet and didn’t have the possibility  to read other comments  or reviews so, maybe, you’ve already read similar things somewhere else. Anyway, I warn you. These are just my impressions in no special order , not on every detail in the episode and, mind you, there are several spoilers!!! So if you want to avoid them, just avoid reading.

That is a spiteful look! He's ready to kill him ...

“Either he is too good or he is paranoid”, American Mr Beecher says of Lucas .  "Maybe both" , Harry . None of them, actually. He is just and simply desperate. “He is in trouble”, Ruth says. And Ruth,  as usual, is right. Lucas /John is definitely  in trouble.

In the first scene his look is a mixture of desperation and sorrow (see the first picture above) His voice, whispered and broken, is perfect to convey helplessness. This is how Richard opens this episode . An unforgettable,  touching opening scene. As we are carried away into the whirlpool of emotions,  Lucas becomes more and more crossed: Vaughn has been using his love for Maya to hit him, to blackmail him.

“This was between you and me. Why are you doing this to me?”

“You can’t blackmail someone whose life has no value”, he answers.

This is something terrible to say, but it must be terribly true: Lucas/John would have risked his own life to oppose Vaughn . It would have been useless to blackmail him. But now it’s different, he is totally in Vaughn’s  power because of Maya. He wants nothing to happen to Maya. He will do anything, ANYTHING, to protect her.

Surprise, surprise! Look who's back!

 Richard’s expressions , his use of every single facial feature and of his incredible voice, are awesome, excellent, brilliant. 

Music? Sometimes you just stop hearing it ...

As you can see, I’m first of all trying to convince myself that what is going to happen to “our” Lucas doesn’t matter. My attempt is to rationalize my anxiety  and disappointment. I’m honest I won’t be calm and relaxed while watching the next two episodes for what I’ve seen and heard  I’m sure I’ll be sitting on the edge of the chair and nail biting all the time. Just as it happened while watching this episode However,  I decided that from now on I’ll let the story, the plot, to carry me completely away. I want to fully enjoy the emotions the whole cast,, but especially Richard, are going to give us .They are all at their best and this season has been  terrific so far!

With a blond girl, in a wood but ... nothing romantic

Back to this week's adventures. Danielle Ortiz. I pitied her, poor girl. Her chit chat was amusing, she is smart and sensitive and immediately feels something is wrong with the James Bond who should protect her. She doesn’t trust him at all. And she’s right.  But the sequence of scenes with Lucas and Danielle together are important to have a glimpse at John fragile humanity. He is not a cold killer, this is what we can perceive. Once he is given the order to kill an unarmed civilian he does whatever is in his power to disobey the order.

But when he understands that girl alive and what she has discovered about him will be too dangerous to him , he calls for an ambulance  after turning off the mobile and wait for her to die, whispering sweet consoling words in her ear and taking her in his arms. OMG, what a thrilling scene!

Thrilling and touching

 In the sequence Lucas/Danielle, there’s also a quotation of the Hobbit. Danielle says to Lucas: “So what’s your big secret, James (she goes on calling him James – Bond - till things turn very badly for her, then she calls him Lucas) . Or shall I just tell your bosses about our pit-stop here at Hobbit country?”

Better to start thinking about future gratifications: The Hobbit will be a great occasion to enjoy of Richard's huge talent. Meanwhile, the next two episodes of Spooks will be both suffering and excitement for all of us. Little space for hope but we can bet on a cliffhanger.

Have you seen the trailer of 0907? I can’t stop thinking about Harry’s words  and Lucas/John's desperation in those few minutes: “Betrayal is a cancer. Let it eat your soul, not mine”. Are you sure Harry?

Have a great weekend, friends! Monday is not far... ready for whatever  is expecting us and,  especially, Lucas / John? Cheers! MG

Stills from www.richardarmitagenet.com