Spooks-versary!

[thisbluespirit]

Today Spooks (aka MI-5) is 20! I must now be officially old as this was my first grown-up, moved away, fannish TV love. Although maybe I shouldn't celebrate till next year because I hadn't quite made up my mind over S1 - it was S2 where I fell in love. It happened about the time that Ruth Evershed walked in, dropped all her files and wanted to bugger the Home Office.

Anyway, happy 20th to the show that was so great at angst and pain and killing all our favourites! (Top Spooks Death Scenes is definitely a list I should get to sometimes. I know what number one is. I can never even so much as think "Look at all the lovely cake and presents" without having to blink back tears. Yep, doing it again now...)

And in all seriousness, it was great, and it changed UK TV and how it was made. If you liked a UK drama of any sort made in the following 10 years, you need to thank Spooks for it. It has the record currently for most nominations for a BAFTA for a drama series. Later series might have been more variable, but it was always a ride, scarily good at predicting the news right from the off (S1 pitching and early production pre-dated 9/11), and a great big snarky tragedy in disguise as a case of the week spy show with an amazing cast. <3

Plus, if you're in the UK, the BBC currently has the whole 10 series up for mainlining on the iPlayer here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b006mf4b/spooks (Warnings for, like, everything ever... XD)


Some celebratory gifs, which are just things I had hanging around, so mostly of Ruth, because Ruth.





Bench on the Embankment. It is not Spooks if there is not a bench by the Thames for chatting about state secrets on. London is also a major character.


How we all end up sooner or later. Also, early Spooks = green. Very green.


It all went much more blue later.


When Harry And Ruth Held Hands On A Bus (and we all died.)


Two people who could bring down the government but aren't good at workplace dating.


Not Ruth! Or Harry! Raza Jaffrey as Zaf Younis, another fave, and Miranda Raison as Jo Portman.

I shamefully do not even have any Tom gifs, which you'd think I might, but there you are.




Anyway, also sorry about not posting again. I was not that bad, I was just very blah and it was very weird last week generally for a few reasons.

Comments

[persiflage_1]

Spooks was my introduction to Nicola Walker - for which I thank you VERY MUCH! - even if it was tragic and broke my heart multiple times!

[thisbluespirit]

Aww, yes. It was worth it just for Nicola!! ♥

[persiflage_1]

It definitely was!

Oh and

🎶 Hippo bathday 2 ewes
Hippo bathday 2 ewes
Hippo bathday dear thisbluespirit
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[thisbluespirit]

Aww, thanks! <3

[lilalanor]

Oh the many memories and the PAIN etc (also I think the nerve gas episode is still one of the most terrifying things I have ever watched) :D (Also I am reminded how so many of the cast were so pretty)

[thisbluespirit]

Yes! 2.5, I loved it so much. <3

Also the cast were indeed probably the most ridiculously pretty cast of any British drama ever made.

[liadt]

Happy Birthday Spooks! I watched the Jan Chappell eps!

[thisbluespirit]

Ha, I had to go look that one up - I know Stephen Pacey is in one, I think it's the right-wing sting op which is great and includes Ruth's "Shall I hit him again, Adam?" and Zaf painting people's doors the wrong colours, but even now I have looked Jan's up I can't remember it, so, er, that must have been neither very good nor very bad!!! XD

(I think Josette is in it at some point as well, but then it is one of those shows that has everyone, even a wee pre-famous Benedict Cucumberpatch who turns up briefly as a civil servant who's done something he now regrets a lot.)

ETA: Oh, wait, wait, I DO remember, I think it must be Fiona's intro ep, so I didn't remember the plot! Because it was basically, Hey, meet Adam's Cool Wife, she'll be a regular the next time we carelessly break a current officer. :-)

[liadt]

I think Jan had a briefcase that's as far as my memories go:S

Josette's good at turning up in stuff, she was in 'Queens of Mystery' in an old band members get back together plot recently and the music for the fake band was quite good!

[thisbluespirit]

Yes, I saw that too!

[paranoidangel]

I can't believe it's 20 years old! I've been watching it a lot recently for my Unconventional Courtship fic. I worked out exactly when to set it when I realised I wanted Zaf and Jo in it. Danny's death was just as teary as it ever was.

I watched from the start, but missed episode 2 (the one where they set a precedent for 'anyone could die' and then don't really kill everyone off for a few series). As far as I was concerned it was all about Tom, Zoe and Danny and it took me a while to get over them leaving. But I know there were people who stopped watching when they left.

[thisbluespirit]

I know! 20 years! It shouldn't be allowed.

As far as I was concerned it was all about Tom, Zoe and Danny and it took me a while to get over them leaving. But I know there were people who stopped watching when they left.

The high turnover must mean there were a fair few people who came and left with specific teams, I suppose. I'm glad you stayed around - and I'll be v keen to see a Zaf/Jo fic from you. <3

[paranoidangel]

Currently Zaf and Jo only have a couple of lines in my Unconventional Courtship fic. But I also hate it, so I think I need to scrap it and start again.

[thisbluespirit]

Oh, dear! Oh, well, good luck...

[a_phoenixdragon]

*HUGS*

I SO need to check out this show!

[thisbluespirit]

Heh, well, it is very old now!