Spooks



I miss the original Spooks
Crew!

If you aren't a fan of British TV you may or may not be familiar with this great program. Spooks (also known as MI-5 in the states) is probably one of the most addictive shows I have ever gotten sucked into watching.

Fans of shows like 24 should be kicking down doors, or at least running to the store, to get their hands on the DVD's of this show.

The show follows the exploits of the British secret service department (MI-5) that is tasked with keeping Britain, and the rest of the world, safe from terrorism and other threats. The threats are real world types. Situations that you can believe will/have happened. But, most importantly, the outcome isn't always a positive one.

Like in the real world...sometimes the terrorists win the battle. Sometimes the innocent do suffer. Sometimes those tasked with protecting us do lose their lives in service of the greater good. That is what makes this show such a must watch in my book.

Between the rotating cast and the up-to-date political intrigue you still get moments of tenderness and light hearted fun. Granted the fun is few and far between when you have to live in and protect a country where suicide bombers are a possibility.

The heart and soul of the show is the relationship between the head of MI-5 Harry Pearce (Peter Firth) and Spy/information analyst/all around amazing gal Ruth Evershed (played by the amazing Nicola Walker). The dance that those two do on the will they won't they relationship front is fantastic drama in and of itself.

When I found this show through reruns on A&E back in the day I only remember it as the show that I got to see Anthony Stewart Head play a bad ass who wasn't Giles from Buffy. When I revisited it just about a year and a half ago I got pulled in with a gusto that had only previously been reserved for jumping on the Lost bandwagon a few seasons late.

At the time I started with series one Spooks was airing series 8. As a BBC drama series I didn't have the usual 150+ episodes to catch up to the current. Plus, since it wasn't airing in the US I had to resort to DVD and eventually (psst...don't tell) *other* sources to get my fix. At the time I was only 64episodes behind.

That started as, "Oh, I'll watch an episode over lunch each day at work!" Quickly changed into, "Okay so I can watch one episode at work....then another three or four when I get home!!" The next thing I know I am waiting for new episodes to appear "online" after they air. I truly wish that American TV was this good. At times it can be...but for the most part I prefer British television any day of the week.

Spooks, Robin Hood, Ashes to Ashes, Life on Mars, Dr. Who, Torchwood, Cracker just to name a few.

I was left in shock at the end of last season of Spooks. Not by the events of the show (granted that was epic too) but by the fact that there was no word on the fate of the show being picked up for a 10th series. Lucky for me, and everyone else, a new six episode series 10 is set to air this year in the autumn. Crisis averted!

Now that the BBC iPlayer is a subscription app for the iPad....and available to users in the US I may finally have a reason to pick up an iPad!!