by Cookie N Screen
Growing up in a British household during the nineties and early noughties means gathering around the television and watching some right proper English television shows. From The Bill to Casualty, Heartbeat to Bad Girls, the family used to gather around and watch some of the greatest shows, revelling in the spectacular action, heartfelt emotion and drama. Oh, so much drama. On the epic list of incredible series that we’d gather round as a family, enjoying the high octane thrills and chills, then 2002's Spooks (which premieres on May 13th) was definitely one of the best. As Spooks: The Greater Good lands in cinemas today, starring Kit Harrington, let’s visit the phenomenal television series.
Growing up in a British household during the nineties and early noughties means gathering around the television and watching some right proper English television shows. From The Bill to Casualty, Heartbeat to Bad Girls, the family used to gather around and watch some of the greatest shows, revelling in the spectacular action, heartfelt emotion and drama. Oh, so much drama. On the epic list of incredible series that we’d gather round as a family, enjoying the high octane thrills and chills, then 2002's Spooks (which premieres on May 13th) was definitely one of the best. As Spooks: The Greater Good lands in cinemas today, starring Kit Harrington, let’s visit the phenomenal television series.
Though looking back at it now, perhaps it wasn’t the most PC television show to watch when you were thirteen years old or younger. Maybe because it was ruthless in its violence - happily spilling blood in a high-tech brutal way. Nevertheless Mondays were completely changed when the spies invaded the BBC. Spooks, or MI-5 in other countries, revolved around a secret part of MI-5 known as The Grid. The series focused on Tom Quinn who is facing problems trying to balance his live as a spy and his girlfriend. All the while Tessa Phillips is trying to earn a profit whilst running phantom agents for money. This, of course, develops as characters are bumped off and the real life climate shifts and changes. However, the show lasted a phenomenal ten years.
Spooks boasted the best collection of actors that have been launched into cinematic and television greatness. Selma’s David Oyelowo, Anna Karenina’s Matthew Macfadyen and Ashes to Ashes’ Keeley Hawes pitted their wits alongside Peter Firth and Jenny Agutter in order to stop terrorism both home-grown and foreign. Later, Sherlock’s Lara Pulver, The Hobbit’s Richard Armitage and Wire In The Blood’s Hermione Norris amongst many others would join an already bustling team. The tantalising cast helped shape the legendary status that Spooks had created, with the aforementioned Firth leading the way as the no bullshit leader Harry. Together they mastered the element of espionage whilst still gifting the series for a human element that made the characters immediately engaging and unforgettable through their collective talents.
Spooks boasted the best collection of actors that have been launched into cinematic and television greatness. Selma’s David Oyelowo, Anna Karenina’s Matthew Macfadyen and Ashes to Ashes’ Keeley Hawes pitted their wits alongside Peter Firth and Jenny Agutter in order to stop terrorism both home-grown and foreign. Later, Sherlock’s Lara Pulver, The Hobbit’s Richard Armitage and Wire In The Blood’s Hermione Norris amongst many others would join an already bustling team. The tantalising cast helped shape the legendary status that Spooks had created, with the aforementioned Firth leading the way as the no bullshit leader Harry. Together they mastered the element of espionage whilst still gifting the series for a human element that made the characters immediately engaging and unforgettable through their collective talents.
And Spooks was never afraid to be shocking. Though by 2002, there were storylines that may have been done before - creator David Wolstencroft and the subsequent showrunners, writers and directors such as Bharat Nalluri, Rob Bailey, Charles Beeson, Neil Cross and more were adventurous with their story lines and pushing the characters to breaking point. They accrued a heap of complaints when they, very violently, killed off Helen Flynn, a supposed “Main Character” character, viciously in the second episode. They wouldn’t hold back though and over the course of ten seasons Spooks would take down fan favourites such as Danny (erm, this still breaks my heart) and followed a violent, dangerous route that was equally as tantalising and entertaining.
The series never suffered, and even survived the appalling Spooks: Code 9 BBC Three series and was shut down by its creators rather than the BBC - insisting that it’d rather leave during the prime of the television show instead of being taken outside and shot as a limp horse. Still, whilst Spooks will go down in history as one of the great innovative and daring British shows the 21st Century has seen - the release of a film seems somewhat paled against the much anticipated Spectre film. Nevertheless, Spooks has a rich tapestry of story lines and moments that will continue to be as legendary as its first conception.
If you are interested, I’d definitely watch it. It’ll be for the greater good (the greater good).
The series never suffered, and even survived the appalling Spooks: Code 9 BBC Three series and was shut down by its creators rather than the BBC - insisting that it’d rather leave during the prime of the television show instead of being taken outside and shot as a limp horse. Still, whilst Spooks will go down in history as one of the great innovative and daring British shows the 21st Century has seen - the release of a film seems somewhat paled against the much anticipated Spectre film. Nevertheless, Spooks has a rich tapestry of story lines and moments that will continue to be as legendary as its first conception.
If you are interested, I’d definitely watch it. It’ll be for the greater good (the greater good).
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