Just when you thought that British television had forgotten how to make good dramas, along comes Spooks and shows that there is more to television than trash like Footballers' Wives and Big Brother. Spooks was, and constantly remains to be, a surprise of the highest order. I'll admit to not having high expectations of what I thought was going to nothing more but a poor British man's attempt at doing the type of thriller series that the Americans had been doing for so long, like 24 and CSI, but what makes this show so good is that creator David Wolstencroft and fellow writers like Howard Brenton, have taken what they have learned from shows like that, but twist it into a series that is quintessentially British. They don't forget that they aren't American, the show is basically set in a recognizable British country with British characters, only with the pace and production values one would expect to see from a series like 24.
Initially, from the opening moments of the very first episode, one cannot help but think that what they are about to watch is essentially 24:London style. There's a moody synth music score, there's split screen, there are photogenic but believable actors and flowing and constantly moving camera work, but the show goes beyond that and instead of fashioning a single plotted terrorist thriller like its American equivalent does, admittedly very well, Spooks, as far as it's storytelling goes, is more along the lines of CSI, with more often than not, the episodes are made up of stand alone tales, with the personal lives of the characters taking up any on going plot lines within the show's universe. The show over the course of its four (soon to be five) years on the air, has developed into a superb piece of British television, recalling a time when show's like this would have littered the airwaves thanks to the likes of Sir Lew Grade and his company ITC. Unlike those shows with their quasi fantasy plots, Spooks isn't afraid to be dark and at times gritty and realistic. The show has dealt with political extremists, a very near the knuckle plot line of London being bombed (filmed months in advance of the July 7th attacks), hostage taking, IRA splinter groups and the internal politics of British intelligence. Not only that, but many characters have come and gone, with some having been killed off (it's most famous example being in the show's second episode of its freshman season, which I won't spoil for anyone who hasn't seen it).
A lot has changed with Spooks over the course of four years. It's original leading trio have gone and have been replaced, although this hasn't done anything to affect the show in my opinion. As much as I loved Matthew McFadyen, Keeley Hawes and David Oyelowo in the show, Rupert Penry Jones has more than made the show his own, and as a by product of such a cast loss from the show's third season, many of the show's fantastic supporting cast have made the grade to much more active parts in the show's stories, especially Peter Firth as the team's boss Harry Pearce, who truly deserves an BAFTA for his work on the show.
A show like this should be embraced by the British public. With the advent of video games, DVD and now digital television, the days of a television show (outside of soap operas anyway) garnering ratings above ten million viewers are now gone, and Spooks is only ever seen by around six to seven million. This is the type of show that should be a phenomenon instead of a well respected hit for the BBC. With the likes of CSI and 24 becoming more recognised internationally, at least the BBC have a homegrown show that they can hold up and be proud of.
Initially, from the opening moments of the very first episode, one cannot help but think that what they are about to watch is essentially 24:London style. There's a moody synth music score, there's split screen, there are photogenic but believable actors and flowing and constantly moving camera work, but the show goes beyond that and instead of fashioning a single plotted terrorist thriller like its American equivalent does, admittedly very well, Spooks, as far as it's storytelling goes, is more along the lines of CSI, with more often than not, the episodes are made up of stand alone tales, with the personal lives of the characters taking up any on going plot lines within the show's universe. The show over the course of its four (soon to be five) years on the air, has developed into a superb piece of British television, recalling a time when show's like this would have littered the airwaves thanks to the likes of Sir Lew Grade and his company ITC. Unlike those shows with their quasi fantasy plots, Spooks isn't afraid to be dark and at times gritty and realistic. The show has dealt with political extremists, a very near the knuckle plot line of London being bombed (filmed months in advance of the July 7th attacks), hostage taking, IRA splinter groups and the internal politics of British intelligence. Not only that, but many characters have come and gone, with some having been killed off (it's most famous example being in the show's second episode of its freshman season, which I won't spoil for anyone who hasn't seen it).
A lot has changed with Spooks over the course of four years. It's original leading trio have gone and have been replaced, although this hasn't done anything to affect the show in my opinion. As much as I loved Matthew McFadyen, Keeley Hawes and David Oyelowo in the show, Rupert Penry Jones has more than made the show his own, and as a by product of such a cast loss from the show's third season, many of the show's fantastic supporting cast have made the grade to much more active parts in the show's stories, especially Peter Firth as the team's boss Harry Pearce, who truly deserves an BAFTA for his work on the show.
A show like this should be embraced by the British public. With the advent of video games, DVD and now digital television, the days of a television show (outside of soap operas anyway) garnering ratings above ten million viewers are now gone, and Spooks is only ever seen by around six to seven million. This is the type of show that should be a phenomenon instead of a well respected hit for the BBC. With the likes of CSI and 24 becoming more recognised internationally, at least the BBC have a homegrown show that they can hold up and be proud of.