Spooks (series 3)
Encyclopedia
The third series of the BBC
espionage television series Spooks
(known as MI-5 in the United States) began broadcasting on 11 October 2004 on BBC One
, before ending on 13 December 2004. It consists of ten episodes. The series continues to follow the actions of Section D, a counter-terrorism
division of the British Security Services
(MI5). It also sees the departure of three principal characters: Tom Quinn is decommissioned in the second episode, Zoe Reynolds
is exiled to Chile
in the sixth episode, and Danny Hunter
is killed in the series finale. Matthew Macfadyen
, Keeley Hawes
, David Oyelowo
, Peter Firth
, Rupert Penry-Jones
, Nicola Walker
, Hugh Simon
, Shauna Macdonald
and Rory MacGregor
are listed as the main cast.
Though the producers were sure Macfadyen, who played Tom, would leave the series, they were unsure whether or not he would return in the first two episodes, so they were initially written without him. In any case, the producers created a new character, Adam Carter
. In addition, the writers heavily researched the episodes; many of the story lines are based on truth. The producers also took information from advisors who are ex-MI5 officers. The series was directed in five blocks of two episodes in each. Filming started in January 2004 and took place up to seven months. Shooting took place almost entirely in London
, England
, with some scenes shot in a cross-English Channel
ferry
in the fifth episode.
The third series was seen by an average of 5.77 million viewers, which saw a general decline in ratings from the second series, with viewership going below five million at one point; however the BBC still renewed Spooks for a fourth series
before the third even began broadcasting. Critical reaction was generally positive, though reviewers believed it did not perform as well as its preceding seasons. It was nominated for seven British Academy Television Awards
(BAFTA), winning one. The third series was released on DVD
on 23 May 2005 in Australia, 5 September 2005 in the United Kingdom, and 31 January 2006 in the United States.
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, Walker felt more like the "new girl," but felt more experienced upon her return to the third. Shauna Macdonald
also returns as Sam Buxton. The five-month filming gap between series two and three left Macdonald "a bit de-Spookified" as she was more focused on her film career. Hugh Simon
returns as Malcolm Wynn-Jones
, and Rory MacGregor
returns as Colin Wells
.
When the producers knew Macfadyen would leave, the producers decided to introduce new cast members, one of which was Rupert Penry-Jones as Adam Carter, the new protagonist. Early on in the creation of Adam, the producers had an interest in casting Penry-Jones for the role, however it took the actor three auditions until the producers finally decided to cast him. Unlike Tom, Adam would have a different character dynamic; he has an MI6 background, and is married. A change from the girlfriend/boyfriend storyline for Tom and Ellie Simm in the first series
, the producers noted it is common for secret service officers to be in a relationship with others in the same field of work. This lead to the introduction of Fiona Carter, portrayed by Olga Sosnovska. Sosnovska was previously approached to appear in the second series, but was unavailable. She later auditioned for Fiona, and was later told she won the part when she was in New York City
. The actress was only given a brief on her character—a ball breaker, ultimate professional, cold and calculated—which did not give her much to work with. Sosnovska initially found Fiona irritating in the fourth episode, but later opened up to the character after her return in the seventh.
The third series also sees a number of recurring characters and guest appearances. Megan Dodds returns as CIA liaison Christine Dale in the first episode. Tim McInnirny recurs as JIC chairman Oliver Mace. McInnerny was better known as a comedic actor, particularly for his role in Blackadder
, but the producers felt that quality made Mace a more menacing character. Richard Harrington plays Will North, Zoe's boyfriend turned fiancé. Ian McDiarmid guest stars as Fred Roberts. The producers noted that McDiarmid played Roberts with the right amount of vulnerability, strength and stubbornness. Indian actor Anupam Kher appears as Harakat in "Who Guards the Guards?" Oyelowo stated that Kher had an "intant quality of likeness," which can make the audience sympathise with Danny after Harakat is killed in the episode.
"Love and Death" sees two guest stars who were personally involved with the cast and crew. Dermot Crowley, portrayer of Eric Newland, was the husband of one of the series' casting directors, though Crowley still had to earn his role. Barnaby Kay
plays Ruth's potential love interest; Kay was Nicola Walker's real-life boyfriend, now her husband. Andy Sirkis guest stars as Riff in "Celebrity". Created as an eccentric character, the producers believed it would fit in with Sirkis' acting. Owen Teale appears as Robert Morgan in "Frequently Asked Questions". Producer Andrew Woodhead stated that Teale has a "strong physicality" that would make him a suitable equal for Adam. The series finale "The Suffering of Strangers" saw the introduction of two new characters that would receive expanded roles in the fourth series
. Raza Jaffrey
portrays Zafar Younis
. Jaffrey's first day of filming required him to tell a difficult speech he had to "launch into." In addition James Dicker portrays Wes Carter, Adam and Fiona's seven-year old son. The producers held discussions whether to introduce Wes in the finale, or in the fourth series; they eventually chose the former.
was produced by Kudos Film and Television
for the BBC
. Much of the production crew from the first two series returned. New crew members are brought in with the requirement that they are fans of the series, and have ambition, so that they can understand Spooks. Andrew Woodhead is the series producer, with Jane Featherstone, Simon Crawford Collins and Gareth Neame as executive producers. Collins, who was the producer for the first two series, had to step back to executive producer, as he was overcommitted producing Kudos crime series Hustle
. Woodhead replaced him as he is accustomed to the show, but also to add more vitality to the show. Christopher Aird is the assistant producer. The third series includes five writers. Howard Brenton
wrote the first, second and eighth episodes. Rupert Walters wrote the third and ninth episodes. Ben Richards
wrote the fourth, sixth and tenth episodes. Richards previously wrote the ninth episode of series two, and accepted the offer to return. His script in the second series was his first script for television, he found writing easier as time went by. Raymond Khoury
wrote the seventh episode. Series creator David Wolstencroft
wrote the fifth episode. Wolstencroft was poised to write the next episode, but found himself committed to other projects.
There are five directors, each directing two episodes; Jonny Campbell
, Cilla Ware, Justin Chadwick
, Bill Anderson, and Alrick Riley. Featherstone wanted Campbell to direct for Spooks after they worked together producing the television series Glasgow Kiss. He was drawn to directing the first two episodes because of Brenton's writing and the fact he would give Tom a send off. Faith Penhale is the series script executive. Simon Chaudoir, Jake Polonsky, Kieran McGuigan, Sue Gibson and Baz Irvine are the directors of photography. Barney Pilling and Paul Knight are the series editors. Stevie Herbert and Robert Foster are production designers. Jennie Muskett and Sheridan Tongue
compose the original music. David Myers is the make-up designer, while Iain Macauley is the costume designer. Mark Doman designs the on-screen computer graphics, films surveillance shots and television footage from the series' point of view. On occasion, crew members appear as extras. For instance, pictures of every crew member were used as students and faculty for a university database in "The Sleeper". In "Love and Death", the crew members present on the ferry appear as extras in a bar scene. Collins also voices a florist
on a telephone
message at the end of the same episode.
" ended on a cliffhanger
which left Tom's fate open. The producers were unsure whether Macfadyen would return at the time they began storylining. Brenton had already written the first two episodes as if he was not coming back. When Macfadyen announced his return for those episodes, they had to be rewritten. The writer went through a "nightmare" writing the first episode as he "dug this enormous hole, and I had no idea how to get out of it." It became a long process of growing the story where Tom turns the tables against Joyce. To make a suitable send off to the character, Brenton did not want Tom to be disillusioned, but "sort of becomes a human being," as there have been real life instances where spies are attracted to the idea that "the world's a stage to them all the time," but later on they start to unravel.
Following Tom's exit, it allowed the writers to pull the focus on the other characters, namely Danny and Zoe, to give the show more of an ensemble feel. Overall, the series is more character driven. Raymond Khoury felt that because the length of a Spooks episode is one and half times longer than the average American television series, the writers could use the extra time to flesh out the characters. Another difference with American television is that each season usually consists of 22 episodes and much of those episodes are more plot driven, while Spooks only has 10 and hence all of them contain some character development. The main character developments include Zoe's relationship with Will, which Danny did not like because he was in love with her. The writers initially wanted to expand on the potential Danny and Sam relationship which began in the second series, but the idea was dropped in favour of his affection towards Zoe, as the producers believed that was delivering more. Harry was given more depth by introducing his estranged daughter in "Who Guards the Guards?". Through the daughter's introduction, it would make Harry appear more human as opposed to the boss who "barks orders" to his officers. When Hawes announced she wanted to leave, Richards decided to write a "big episode" to give Zoe a descent send off. Richards did not want to kill off the character, as he deemed it predictable. By the time the series began filming, Oyelowo eventually decided to leave the series as well between filming episodes four and five; by then the finale was not yet written. The actor wanted Danny to be killed off, reasoning that since Tom and Zoe left as disgraced officers, having Danny leave a disgraced officer also would be "one time too many" for a series that is meant to second guess the audience. In addition, Oyelowo did not want the "lingering thought" of a possible return. The producers wanted to use Danny's death as a powerful end to the series.
Writing "The Sleeper" sees the characters in a different light. Although they are the protagonists who work to prevent terrorist threats, the episode sees the team going to great lengths to get the sleeper agent, Fred Roberts, to do what they want him to do so that the audience sympathises with the character, but also to make them somewhat despise the main characters for their methods. Another example of the characters going to great lengths is Adam's interrogation methods in "Frequently Asked Questions". "Love and Death" sees Danny and Zoe ordered to carry out an assassination. Wolstencroft did not want to do it lightly, as he wanted somebody like Danny going through "something dreadful." He previously did it before with the death of Helen Flynn
in "Looking After Our Own", but do it in the point of view of the killer, not the victim. "Celebrity" introduces a new plot style, which does not involve terror threats. Brenton wrote it as a more light-hearted episode that saw the characters emmeshed in a world they cannot handle. Despite this, Collins stated that MI5 do other duties other than fighting terrorism, though they would not gain as much media attention. Penhale also stated MI5 in the episode are in a way protecting the country, as if a national icon is under threat, the country's morale could drop. "Who Guards the Guards?" and "Frequently Asked Questions" were considered for the second series, but because there was not roome for them, the producers bumped the episodes back to the third series.
. One example includes the two powers aiding the Afghan Mujahideen
in 1989 before pulling out of the country; this ultimately lead to the rise of Al-Qaeda.
Brenton modelled Fred Roberts in "The Sleeper" after the weapons scientist David Kelly, who committed suicide in July 2003 after he was outed as the source of BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan
's story alleging the British government "sexed up" the September Dossier
about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq
. "Who Guards the Guards?" sees a rivalry between MI5 and MI6. According to the producers, there have been documented rivalries between the two organisations. The episode also based a true story of a man joining a militant group and was paid with a Russian army helicopter, as the group could not afford to pay him in cash. "A Prayer for My Daughter" deals with the Israeli–Palestinian conflict
. Because the topic is controversial, it was a difficult area to work with without offending people from both sides. The producers made the episode as neutral as possible by consulting with experts from both sides of the conflict. Richards also wanted to fairly represent it by addressing the issue as political and not religious.
The producers learned from an ex-MI5 officer that it is common for intelligence gatherers who spend most of their work listening in to other people, to fall in love with civilians through just their voices. This story was the basis of Ruth wanting to go out with John in "Love and Death". For "Outsiders" Khoury based an episode on Internet security
. He already became intoned with the area, as he once worked with an internet company. Although the story is dramatised, Khoury did research on what was feasible, such as if one man and a laptop
could theoretically bring Britain to its knees. Also in the episode, the G&J algorithm is based on an actual computer programme. "Frequently Asked Questions" deals with interrogation and torture
. Walters realised that torture is counterproductive as the suspects can say anything the interrogators want to hear, but rationalises that Adam is an expert in that field. To get the interrogation as true as possible, the producers consulted with ex-Army advisors who were trained in questioning terror suspects. As the episode was first broadcast, a prison abuse scandal in Iraq
was put on the news. In response to this, Kudos director Stephen Garrett stated "Spooks is really well researched and sometimes we look like we're ahead of the game. It's just we know stuff that's happening, and it'll come out in the news a bit later on." In the same episode, the weapons caches came from a true story that the Russians hid weapons in Britain during the Cold War, according to Collins.
es, fisheye lens
es, and swing and tilt lenses
. The first two series was shot with a fujifilm
stock
. The third series saw a switch to a new type of Kodak stock, becoming the first television series to use this model.
Filming began in the middle of winter, which presented problems for the cast and filming crew. Some scenes were delayed because of bad weather, even snow
ing at one point, and as a result scheduling became tighter. Another problem was the cold temperatures. The beginning scene in "Who Guards the Guards?", where Mace and Khordad meet in Hebron, was filmed on a roof garden
in below zero temperatures; McInnerny and Paul Bhattacharjee wore summer clothes. To prevent hypothermia
a heater was placed near them. The cameras used light-coloured filters to make the environment look warmer. However, winter does have an advantage of longer nights, making night scenes easier; summer nights would last as little as five hours. The producers hired real news presenter
s from Sky News
and the programme London Tonight
to present the news of the events from some episodes. All episodes begin with a recap from past episodes, which the producers regard as "an art in themselves" in terms of editing them. The opening title sequence went through three changes over the course of the series. More split screen sequences were also added to add tension to the audience. Overall, each episode took approximately six weeks to prepare, and would take approximately six weeks to edit.
, the director of the first two episodes of series one and two, who utilised London and the River Thames
as characters in themselves. The exterior and interior of Freemasons' Hall
continued to be a stand-in for Thames House
, the headquarters of MI5. However, the Grid, the base of operations of Section D, was a set constructed at the fifth floor in another building. Danny's apartment is also filmed in the same building. Another constructed set is the back of mobile surveillance vans, which is housed near the Grid set.
Director Jonny Campbell helped search for several "interesting locations" for the first block to draw the audience with interesting visuals. This included a church in Smithfield
and the Natural History Museum
; in the latter's case, Campbell believed the location was "harking back" to traditional spy film
s. Filming there was expensive and management of the museum only allowed the crew to film for a few hours. The club Mace frequents was filmed at the Royal Automobile Club
in Pall Mall
. "The Sleeper" included scenes filmed at the University College London
; a lecture room in the college was where the third series started filming. The explosion scene at the beginning of the episode was filmed at a council estate in Peckham
. The estate was condemned for demolition, which proved to be a suitable location for a big explosion. The crew returned there again a month later to gather footage of the demolition work. Several exterior shots where Harry meets with government officials and his officers were filmed on walkways outside the Houses of Parliament
. The upper class home of Riff and B in "Celebrity" was filmed in a house in Kensington
that was for sale for approximately £27 million at the time. Filming in public locations often took place on weekends, when they are closed off to the public. However, there were exceptions. Some scenes in "The Suffering of Strangers" were filmed outside the National Film Theatre
in South Bank
, a popular tourist destinations. Shooting there became difficult as the crew had no control over the tourists. Other known London landmarks that were filmed included Lord's Cricket Ground
, St Martin-in-the-Fields
, Tate Modern
, the Old Bailey
criminal court, Waterloo station, Empress State Building
, and 30 St Mary Axe
(the Gherkin).
"Love and Death" was filmed in an actual Stena Line
ferry that travelled from Harwich
to the Hook of Holland, Netherlands
; Stena allowed the producers to film in the ferry, thought the cabins were filmed in a constructed studio set. The two actors present, Hawes and Oyelowo took precautions to avoid seasickness before boarding. After filming on board concluded, both actors had to re-record some of the dialogue that was overshadowed by noises of the waves and engines.
In "Outsiders" a scene required a lorry crashing into a car in front of Danny. Oyelowo had to stand ten feet away from the crash. The production crew considered having Oyelowo wearing sunglasses to shield his eyes from any possible glass shards. There were scenes where some of the characters snorted cocaine. The "cocaine" was in actuality glucose
powder that the actors did have to snort. Elsewhere, the crew used vegetable soup
as vomit. The alcohol
used in the series were made from non-alcoholic drinks; the production crew used fruit juices as wine
, ginger ale
as brandy
, and cold tea
as beer
.
during the 9 to 10 pm timeslot, and continued on every Monday night until 13 December 2004. The second to ninth episodes were pre-empted on Saturday nights, starting 16 October 2004, on digital channel BBC Three
. In the United States the series began broadcast on the A&E Network
, where it is known as MI-5, from the start of 2005. However because each episode last approximately an hour, 15 minutes had to be edited out on each to accommodate for advert breaks
. However, the DVD release of the series in the United States would include the episodes unedited.
The third series faced a decline in viewership from the second series. The season premiere received an overnight figure of six million viewers and a 25 per cent audience share. It was down almost two million from the series two premiere in June 2003, which was seen by 7.8 million. Ratings declines further as the series continues. The fifth episode dropped to five million. The penultimate episode dropped further to 4.5 million, though the finale risen slightly back to five million. However, it was also down from the seven million who saw the series two finale in August 2003. With consolodated figures factored in, the third series was seen by an average of 5.77 million viewers.See the ratings on the episode table above. Look up the top 30 weekly programmes from weeks ending 17 October to 19 December 2004 from the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board website. Despite the ratings decline, the BBC already commissioned a fourth series
of Spooks before the third series even began broadcasting.
David Blackwell of Enterline Media has said; "MI-5 really impressed me with the first two seasons. The third season does start out for the first three episodes before it reaches some highs and lows until it stabilizes with the last two episodes of season 3." He felt that Tom Quinn's exit was his favourite moment in the first two episodes, and that Adam is "just [as] cold" as Tom. He also praised the character development, stating "character development is excellent in this season. Danny receives great moments as he is brought into the spotlight from his feelings for Zoe to his conflicted feelings about things he does in the name of Queen and Country), but Danny doesn't break and let his emotions become a crutch like Tom did (when Tom wanted a sleeper agent not to the job MI-5 wanted the sleeper to do)." Blackwell concluded by saying "sometime MI-5 fails as a show this season, but it still reaches levels of greatness. It will be interesting to see what they have in store for season 4."
(BAFTAs). It was nominated for Best Drama Series, but lost out to the Channel 4
comedy-drama series Shameless
. It was nominated for four BAFTA Craft Awards
, for Original Television Music, Photography & Lighting: Fiction/Entertainment, Production Design, and Graphic Design, none of these resulted in a win for Spooks. In addition it was nominated for two BAFTA Interactive Awards
, with Spooks Interactive winning one of them.
The series was generally well received by fans; the BBC released a "Best of" viewer polls at the end of 2004. Spooks was voted the second best drama, beaten only by the period drama series North and South. However it was also voted number eight in the "Worst Drama" category. Peter Firth, David Oyelowo, Matthew Macfadyen and Rupert Penry-Jones were listed in the "Best Actor" category, being voted tenth, seventh, fifth, and third, respectively. Meanwhile Nicola Walker, Olga Sosnovska and Keeley Hawes were voted ninth, fifth and fourth, respectively, in the "Best Acress" category. Also, Hawes, Macfadyen, Sosnovska and Penry-Jones were voted a respective seventh, sixth, fifth and third most desirable stars". Oliver Mace was voted the fifth best villain. The scene in which Danny is killed in the finale was voted the third "Favourite Moment".
box set. It was first released in Australia
(Region 4
) on 28 May 2005. It was later released in the United Kingdom (Region 2) on 5 September 2005, and in the United States (Region 1, where it is known as MI-5: Volume 3) on 31 January 2006. The box set consists of all 10 episodes of the third series on a five-disc set (three in region 4) and 1.78:1 Anamorphic PAL
screen format. The box set includes an array of special features. Each episode has its own audio commentary
and behind the scenes featurette. In addition there are numerous interviews with the cast and crew of the series, including separate featurettes on Adam and Fiona Carter, as well as their portrayers. There are also deleted scene
s, a featurette on the fourth series, image galleries, series credits (Spooks is a programme that does not include credits in its episodes), and scripts of the episode, the latter of which are found on DVD-ROM. In the United Kingdom, the box set is released with a "15" British Board of Film Classification
(BBFC) certificate (unsuitable for viewers under the age of 15 years).
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
espionage television series Spooks
Spooks
Spooks is a British television drama series that originally aired on BBC One from 13 May 2002 – 23 October 2011, consisting of 10 series. The title is a popular colloquialism for spies, as the series follows the work of a group of MI5 officers based at the service's Thames House headquarters, in a...
(known as MI-5 in the United States) began broadcasting on 11 October 2004 on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
, before ending on 13 December 2004. It consists of ten episodes. The series continues to follow the actions of Section D, a counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
division of the British Security Services
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
(MI5). It also sees the departure of three principal characters: Tom Quinn is decommissioned in the second episode, Zoe Reynolds
Zoe Reynolds
Zoe Reynolds is a fictional case officer in the counterterrorism department of MI5, featured in the British television series, Spooks, also known as MI5 in the United States. The character was played by Keeley Hawes...
is exiled to Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
in the sixth episode, and Danny Hunter
Danny Hunter
Danny Hunter is a fictional character appearing in the first three seasons of the BBC television series Spooks, known as MI5 in the United States. The character, played by British actor David Oyelowo, is a Junior Case Officer in Section D, the counter-terrorism department of MI5...
is killed in the series finale. Matthew Macfadyen
Matthew Macfadyen
David Matthew Macfadyen is an English actor, known for his role as MI5 intelligence officer Tom Quinn in the BBC television drama series Spooks and for starring as Fitzwilliam Darcy in Pride and Prejudice.In June, 2010 Macfadyen won a British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting...
, Keeley Hawes
Keeley Hawes
Keeley Hawes is an English actress and model, known for many television roles. She is best known for her roles as Zoe Reynolds in Spooks and Alex Drake in Ashes to Ashes and Lady Agnes in the remake of Upstairs, Downstairs...
, David Oyelowo
David Oyelowo
- Background :Oyelowo was born in Oxford, England of Nigerian descent. He is married to actress Jessica Oyelowo and they have three sons.Oyelowo first attended a youth theatre after being invited by a girl to whom he was attracted. He then studied Theatre Studies for A level and his teacher...
, Peter Firth
Peter Firth
Peter Firth is an English actor. He is best known for his role as Sir Harry Pearce in the BBC show Spooks, of which he is the only actor to have starred in every episode of the show's 10 series lifespan...
, Rupert Penry-Jones
Rupert Penry-Jones
Rupert William Penry-Jones is an English actor, best known for his role as Adam Carter in the British television series Spooks, also broadcast under the title MI-5.-Family life:Penry-Jones was born in London on September 22, 1970...
, Nicola Walker
Nicola Walker
Nicola Walker is an English actress, best known for her starring roles in various British television programmes from the 1990s onwards, particularly as Ruth Evershed in the spy drama Spooks. She has also worked in theatre, radio and film....
, Hugh Simon
Hugh Simon
Hugh Simon is a British actor, best known for his portrayal of the character Malcolm Wynn-Jones in the television series Spooks. His other TV credits include Shackleton, Attachments, Cold Feet, North Square, Big Bad World, and "Unusual Suspects" .He has also appeared onstage, as in the 2005 London...
, Shauna Macdonald
Shauna Macdonald
Shauna Macdonald is a Scottish television and film actress.-Biography:Shauna Macdonald was born in Malaysia and shortly after moved back to her family's native Edinburgh, Scotland, before moving to Glasgow to train at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.She and her husband, the actor Cal...
and Rory MacGregor
Rory MacGregor
Rory MacGregor is a British actor, who has played a variety of roles on television, generally in the 2000s. He is best known as Colin Wells in the BBC television series Spooks, a part he performed from 2002-2006.He trained at Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama, graduating in 1999.-External...
are listed as the main cast.
Though the producers were sure Macfadyen, who played Tom, would leave the series, they were unsure whether or not he would return in the first two episodes, so they were initially written without him. In any case, the producers created a new character, Adam Carter
Adam Carter
Adam Henry Carter is a fictional character from the BBC espionage television series Spooks, which follows the exploits of Section D, a counter-terrorism division of MI5. He is portrayed by British actor Rupert Penry-Jones...
. In addition, the writers heavily researched the episodes; many of the story lines are based on truth. The producers also took information from advisors who are ex-MI5 officers. The series was directed in five blocks of two episodes in each. Filming started in January 2004 and took place up to seven months. Shooting took place almost entirely in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, with some scenes shot in a cross-English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
in the fifth episode.
The third series was seen by an average of 5.77 million viewers, which saw a general decline in ratings from the second series, with viewership going below five million at one point; however the BBC still renewed Spooks for a fourth series
Spooks (series 4)
The fourth series of the BBC espionage television series Spooks began broadcasting on 12 September 2005 before ending on 10 November 2005...
before the third even began broadcasting. Critical reaction was generally positive, though reviewers believed it did not perform as well as its preceding seasons. It was nominated for seven British Academy Television Awards
British Academy Television Awards
The British Academy Television Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts . They have been awarded annually since 1954, and are analogous to the Emmy Awards in the United States.-Background:...
(BAFTA), winning one. The third series was released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
on 23 May 2005 in Australia, 5 September 2005 in the United Kingdom, and 31 January 2006 in the United States.
Episodes
In this table, the number in the first column refers to the episode's number within the entire series, whereas the number in the second column indicates the episode's number within the third series. "UK viewers in millions" refers to how many Britons watched the episode on BBC One.|-
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! style="background-color: #21421E; color: #FFFFFF;" | Title
! style="background-color: #21421E; color: #FFFFFF;" | Directed by
! style="background-color: #21421E; color: #FFFFFF;" | Written by
! style="background-color: #21421E; color: #FFFFFF;" | Original air date
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(million)
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Cast
The third series includes nine main cast members. Matthew Macfadyen returns as Tom Quinn in the first two episodes. Macfadyen intended to leave the series as he felt "your senses get dull doing a long-running TV show." As the producers were storylining the third series, they were "99 per cent sure" Macfadyen would not return, until they heard he wanted to come back for two episodes, as he did not want to leave the series so soon. Keeley Hawes returns as Zoe Reynolds. Hawes wanted to leave the series also after the first six episodes. David Oyelowo returns as Danny Hunter. After Tom's, this allowed Danny's character to develop further. Oyelowo also announced his intention to leave the series, after the finale episode. Peter Firth returns as superior Harry Pearce. After two seasons, Firth's mother suggested he "smile more." Although Spooks is a serious show, Firth responded and lightened Harry up "a little bit." Nicola Walker returns as Ruth Evershed. First appearing in the second seriesSpooks (series 2)
The second series of the BBC espionage television series Spooks began broadcasting on 2 June 2003 before ending on 11 August 2003. The series consists of ten episodes.-Cast:Main*Matthew Macfadyen as Tom Quinn*Keeley Hawes as Zoe Reynolds...
, Walker felt more like the "new girl," but felt more experienced upon her return to the third. Shauna Macdonald
Shauna Macdonald
Shauna Macdonald is a Scottish television and film actress.-Biography:Shauna Macdonald was born in Malaysia and shortly after moved back to her family's native Edinburgh, Scotland, before moving to Glasgow to train at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.She and her husband, the actor Cal...
also returns as Sam Buxton. The five-month filming gap between series two and three left Macdonald "a bit de-Spookified" as she was more focused on her film career. Hugh Simon
Hugh Simon
Hugh Simon is a British actor, best known for his portrayal of the character Malcolm Wynn-Jones in the television series Spooks. His other TV credits include Shackleton, Attachments, Cold Feet, North Square, Big Bad World, and "Unusual Suspects" .He has also appeared onstage, as in the 2005 London...
returns as Malcolm Wynn-Jones
Malcolm Wynn-Jones
Malcolm Wynn-Jones was the fictional MI5 analyst, featured in the British television series Spooks, also known as MI5 in the United States. Malcolm was played by Hugh Simon from the start of Spooks in 2002 until the character was retired at the start of Series 8 in 2009...
, and Rory MacGregor
Rory MacGregor
Rory MacGregor is a British actor, who has played a variety of roles on television, generally in the 2000s. He is best known as Colin Wells in the BBC television series Spooks, a part he performed from 2002-2006.He trained at Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama, graduating in 1999.-External...
returns as Colin Wells
Colin Wells (Spooks)
Colin Wells is a fictional character appearing in the BBC spy drama Spooks, known in the United States as MI-5. He is a technical officer of Section D, the counterterrorism unit of MI5, and appears regularly from the second episode of series 1 until the first episode of series 5, when he is...
.
When the producers knew Macfadyen would leave, the producers decided to introduce new cast members, one of which was Rupert Penry-Jones as Adam Carter, the new protagonist. Early on in the creation of Adam, the producers had an interest in casting Penry-Jones for the role, however it took the actor three auditions until the producers finally decided to cast him. Unlike Tom, Adam would have a different character dynamic; he has an MI6 background, and is married. A change from the girlfriend/boyfriend storyline for Tom and Ellie Simm in the first series
Spooks (series 1)
The first series of the BBC espionage television series Spooks began broadcasting on 13 May 2002 before ending on 17 June 2002. The series consists of six episodes.-Cast:Main*Matthew Macfadyen as Tom Quinn*Keeley Hawes as Zoe Reynolds...
, the producers noted it is common for secret service officers to be in a relationship with others in the same field of work. This lead to the introduction of Fiona Carter, portrayed by Olga Sosnovska. Sosnovska was previously approached to appear in the second series, but was unavailable. She later auditioned for Fiona, and was later told she won the part when she was in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The actress was only given a brief on her character—a ball breaker, ultimate professional, cold and calculated—which did not give her much to work with. Sosnovska initially found Fiona irritating in the fourth episode, but later opened up to the character after her return in the seventh.
Blackadder
Blackadder is the name that encompassed four series of a BBC1 historical sitcom, along with several one-off instalments. All television programme episodes starred Rowan Atkinson as anti-hero Edmund Blackadder and Tony Robinson as Blackadder's dogsbody, Baldrick...
, but the producers felt that quality made Mace a more menacing character. Richard Harrington plays Will North, Zoe's boyfriend turned fiancé. Ian McDiarmid guest stars as Fred Roberts. The producers noted that McDiarmid played Roberts with the right amount of vulnerability, strength and stubbornness. Indian actor Anupam Kher appears as Harakat in "Who Guards the Guards?" Oyelowo stated that Kher had an "intant quality of likeness," which can make the audience sympathise with Danny after Harakat is killed in the episode.
"Love and Death" sees two guest stars who were personally involved with the cast and crew. Dermot Crowley, portrayer of Eric Newland, was the husband of one of the series' casting directors, though Crowley still had to earn his role. Barnaby Kay
Barnaby Kay
Barnaby Kay is a British actor noted for his roles in television, stage and film, and as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company.Kay is the son of the actor Richard Kay , and the grandson of entertainer Arthur Kay...
plays Ruth's potential love interest; Kay was Nicola Walker's real-life boyfriend, now her husband. Andy Sirkis guest stars as Riff in "Celebrity". Created as an eccentric character, the producers believed it would fit in with Sirkis' acting. Owen Teale appears as Robert Morgan in "Frequently Asked Questions". Producer Andrew Woodhead stated that Teale has a "strong physicality" that would make him a suitable equal for Adam. The series finale "The Suffering of Strangers" saw the introduction of two new characters that would receive expanded roles in the fourth series
Spooks (series 4)
The fourth series of the BBC espionage television series Spooks began broadcasting on 12 September 2005 before ending on 10 November 2005...
. Raza Jaffrey
Raza Jaffrey
Raza Jaffrey is a British actor, most notable for playing the character of Zafar Younis in the BBC1 television spy drama Spooks / MI-5.-Early life:...
portrays Zafar Younis
Zafar Younis
Zafar Younis is a fictional character in the popular BBC espionage drama Spooks, known in the United States as MI-5. The show follows the exploits of MI5's counter-terrorism group, Section D. The character is played by British actor Raza Jaffrey. Zafar is introduced in the last episode of series...
. Jaffrey's first day of filming required him to tell a difficult speech he had to "launch into." In addition James Dicker portrays Wes Carter, Adam and Fiona's seven-year old son. The producers held discussions whether to introduce Wes in the finale, or in the fourth series; they eventually chose the former.
Crew
The third series of SpooksSpooks
Spooks is a British television drama series that originally aired on BBC One from 13 May 2002 – 23 October 2011, consisting of 10 series. The title is a popular colloquialism for spies, as the series follows the work of a group of MI5 officers based at the service's Thames House headquarters, in a...
was produced by Kudos Film and Television
Kudos (production company)
Kudos Film and Television is a British independent film and television production company. It has produced television series for the BBC, ITV and Channel 4, and its productions include Spooks , Hustle, Life on Mars and its spin-off Ashes to Ashes, The Amazing Mrs Pritchard and M.I. High...
for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. Much of the production crew from the first two series returned. New crew members are brought in with the requirement that they are fans of the series, and have ambition, so that they can understand Spooks. Andrew Woodhead is the series producer, with Jane Featherstone, Simon Crawford Collins and Gareth Neame as executive producers. Collins, who was the producer for the first two series, had to step back to executive producer, as he was overcommitted producing Kudos crime series Hustle
Hustle (TV series)
Hustle is a British television drama series made by Kudos Film and Television for BBC One in the United Kingdom. Created by Tony Jordan and first broadcast in 2004, the series follows a group of con artists who specialise in "long cons" – extended deceptions which require greater commitment, but...
. Woodhead replaced him as he is accustomed to the show, but also to add more vitality to the show. Christopher Aird is the assistant producer. The third series includes five writers. Howard Brenton
Howard Brenton
-Early years:Brenton was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, son of Methodist minister Donald Henry Brenton and his wife Rose Lilian . He was educated at Chichester High School For Boys and read English Literature at St Catharine's College, Cambridge. In 1964 he was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal...
wrote the first, second and eighth episodes. Rupert Walters wrote the third and ninth episodes. Ben Richards
Ben Richards (writer)
Ben Richards is an English writer, born in 1964. Before writing novels and TV dramas, he worked for three years as a housing officer in Newham and Islington, London...
wrote the fourth, sixth and tenth episodes. Richards previously wrote the ninth episode of series two, and accepted the offer to return. His script in the second series was his first script for television, he found writing easier as time went by. Raymond Khoury
Raymond Khoury
Raymond Khoury is a screenwriter and novelist, best known as the author of the 2006 New York Times Bestseller The Last Templar.-Early years:...
wrote the seventh episode. Series creator David Wolstencroft
David Wolstencroft
David Wolstencroft is a Scottish television writer and author. He is best known as creator of the BAFTA award-winning TV spy drama Spooks and its spin-off series, Spooks: Code 9. Wolstencroft was born in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1969 and grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland, later going on to read history at...
wrote the fifth episode. Wolstencroft was poised to write the next episode, but found himself committed to other projects.
There are five directors, each directing two episodes; Jonny Campbell
Jonny Campbell
Jonny Campbell is a British television director.-TV:* Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights 2 Episodes * Spooks * Ashes to Ashes * Doctor Who...
, Cilla Ware, Justin Chadwick
Justin Chadwick
Justin Chadwick is an English actor and television and film director.Chadwick began acting at the age of eleven. He graduated from the University of Leicester and in 1991 made his screen debut in London Kills Me...
, Bill Anderson, and Alrick Riley. Featherstone wanted Campbell to direct for Spooks after they worked together producing the television series Glasgow Kiss. He was drawn to directing the first two episodes because of Brenton's writing and the fact he would give Tom a send off. Faith Penhale is the series script executive. Simon Chaudoir, Jake Polonsky, Kieran McGuigan, Sue Gibson and Baz Irvine are the directors of photography. Barney Pilling and Paul Knight are the series editors. Stevie Herbert and Robert Foster are production designers. Jennie Muskett and Sheridan Tongue
Sheridan Tongue
Sheridan Tongue is a BAFTA-nominated British television and film music composer. He has written and produced music for many television shows including the BBC's Wonders of the Universe and Wonders of the Solar System, Silent Witness and Spooks , the score for which achieved a BAFTA Television...
compose the original music. David Myers is the make-up designer, while Iain Macauley is the costume designer. Mark Doman designs the on-screen computer graphics, films surveillance shots and television footage from the series' point of view. On occasion, crew members appear as extras. For instance, pictures of every crew member were used as students and faculty for a university database in "The Sleeper". In "Love and Death", the crew members present on the ferry appear as extras in a bar scene. Collins also voices a florist
Floristry
Floristry is the general term used to describe production, commerce and trade in flowers. It encompasses flower care and handling, floral design or flower arranging, merchandising, and display and flower delivery. Wholesale florists sell bulk flowers and related supplies to professionals in the trade...
on a telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
message at the end of the same episode.
Writing
In producing the third series, the goal was to "raise the bar" higher to satisfy and surprise the audience. The second series finale "Smoke and MirrorsSmoke and Mirrors (Spooks)
"Smoke and Mirrors", known as "Pit of Secrets" in the United States, is the tenth and final episode of the second series, and the 16th episode overall of the British television series Spooks. It first aired on BBC One on 11 August 2003. The episode was written by Howard Brenton, and directed by Sam...
" ended on a cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
which left Tom's fate open. The producers were unsure whether Macfadyen would return at the time they began storylining. Brenton had already written the first two episodes as if he was not coming back. When Macfadyen announced his return for those episodes, they had to be rewritten. The writer went through a "nightmare" writing the first episode as he "dug this enormous hole, and I had no idea how to get out of it." It became a long process of growing the story where Tom turns the tables against Joyce. To make a suitable send off to the character, Brenton did not want Tom to be disillusioned, but "sort of becomes a human being," as there have been real life instances where spies are attracted to the idea that "the world's a stage to them all the time," but later on they start to unravel.
Following Tom's exit, it allowed the writers to pull the focus on the other characters, namely Danny and Zoe, to give the show more of an ensemble feel. Overall, the series is more character driven. Raymond Khoury felt that because the length of a Spooks episode is one and half times longer than the average American television series, the writers could use the extra time to flesh out the characters. Another difference with American television is that each season usually consists of 22 episodes and much of those episodes are more plot driven, while Spooks only has 10 and hence all of them contain some character development. The main character developments include Zoe's relationship with Will, which Danny did not like because he was in love with her. The writers initially wanted to expand on the potential Danny and Sam relationship which began in the second series, but the idea was dropped in favour of his affection towards Zoe, as the producers believed that was delivering more. Harry was given more depth by introducing his estranged daughter in "Who Guards the Guards?". Through the daughter's introduction, it would make Harry appear more human as opposed to the boss who "barks orders" to his officers. When Hawes announced she wanted to leave, Richards decided to write a "big episode" to give Zoe a descent send off. Richards did not want to kill off the character, as he deemed it predictable. By the time the series began filming, Oyelowo eventually decided to leave the series as well between filming episodes four and five; by then the finale was not yet written. The actor wanted Danny to be killed off, reasoning that since Tom and Zoe left as disgraced officers, having Danny leave a disgraced officer also would be "one time too many" for a series that is meant to second guess the audience. In addition, Oyelowo did not want the "lingering thought" of a possible return. The producers wanted to use Danny's death as a powerful end to the series.
Writing "The Sleeper" sees the characters in a different light. Although they are the protagonists who work to prevent terrorist threats, the episode sees the team going to great lengths to get the sleeper agent, Fred Roberts, to do what they want him to do so that the audience sympathises with the character, but also to make them somewhat despise the main characters for their methods. Another example of the characters going to great lengths is Adam's interrogation methods in "Frequently Asked Questions". "Love and Death" sees Danny and Zoe ordered to carry out an assassination. Wolstencroft did not want to do it lightly, as he wanted somebody like Danny going through "something dreadful." He previously did it before with the death of Helen Flynn
Helen Flynn
Helen Flynn , played by Lisa Faulkner, is a fictional administrative officer appearing in the first two episodes of the BBC spy drama Spooks, known in the United States as MI-5...
in "Looking After Our Own", but do it in the point of view of the killer, not the victim. "Celebrity" introduces a new plot style, which does not involve terror threats. Brenton wrote it as a more light-hearted episode that saw the characters emmeshed in a world they cannot handle. Despite this, Collins stated that MI5 do other duties other than fighting terrorism, though they would not gain as much media attention. Penhale also stated MI5 in the episode are in a way protecting the country, as if a national icon is under threat, the country's morale could drop. "Who Guards the Guards?" and "Frequently Asked Questions" were considered for the second series, but because there was not roome for them, the producers bumped the episodes back to the third series.
Research and realism
Although the series fictionalises the world of MI5, several storylines are based on truth. The series have advisors who were ex-MI5 officers. The writers also research heavily on each episode. The producers were keen in world events that Britain and America were directly or indirectly responsible for, where the consequences of an operation are worse than what they intended to resolve in the first place, known as blowbackBlowback (intelligence)
Blowback is the espionage term for the violent, unintended consequences of a covert operation that are suffered by the civil population of the aggressor government...
. One example includes the two powers aiding the Afghan Mujahideen
Mujahideen
Mujahideen are Muslims who struggle in the path of God. The word is from the same Arabic triliteral as jihad .Mujahideen is also transliterated from Arabic as mujahedin, mujahedeen, mudžahedin, mudžahidin, mujahidīn, mujaheddīn and more.-Origin of the concept:The beginnings of Jihad are traced...
in 1989 before pulling out of the country; this ultimately lead to the rise of Al-Qaeda.
Brenton modelled Fred Roberts in "The Sleeper" after the weapons scientist David Kelly, who committed suicide in July 2003 after he was outed as the source of BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan
Andrew Gilligan
Andrew Paul Gilligan is a British journalist best known for a 2003 report on BBC Radio 4's The Today Programme in which he said a British government briefing paper on Iraq and weapons of mass destruction had been 'sexed up', a claim that ultimately led to a public inquiry that criticised Gilligan...
's story alleging the British government "sexed up" the September Dossier
September Dossier
Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction: The Assessment of the British Government, also known as the September Dossier, was a document published by the British government on 24 September 2002 on the same day of a recall of Parliament to discuss the contents of the document...
about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq
Iraq and weapons of mass destruction
During the regime of Saddam Hussein, the nation of Iraq used, possessed, and made efforts to acquire weapons of mass destruction . Hussein was internationally known for his use of chemical weapons in the 1980s against Iranian and Kurdish civilians during and after the Iran–Iraq War...
. "Who Guards the Guards?" sees a rivalry between MI5 and MI6. According to the producers, there have been documented rivalries between the two organisations. The episode also based a true story of a man joining a militant group and was paid with a Russian army helicopter, as the group could not afford to pay him in cash. "A Prayer for My Daughter" deals with the Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. The conflict is wide-ranging, and the term is also used in reference to the earlier phases of the same conflict, between Jewish and Zionist yishuv and the Arab population living in Palestine under Ottoman or...
. Because the topic is controversial, it was a difficult area to work with without offending people from both sides. The producers made the episode as neutral as possible by consulting with experts from both sides of the conflict. Richards also wanted to fairly represent it by addressing the issue as political and not religious.
The producers learned from an ex-MI5 officer that it is common for intelligence gatherers who spend most of their work listening in to other people, to fall in love with civilians through just their voices. This story was the basis of Ruth wanting to go out with John in "Love and Death". For "Outsiders" Khoury based an episode on Internet security
Internet security
Internet security is a branch of computer security specifically related to the Internet. Its objective is to establish rules and measures to use against attacks over the Internet. The Internet represents an insecure channel for exchanging information leading to a high risk of intrusion or fraud,...
. He already became intoned with the area, as he once worked with an internet company. Although the story is dramatised, Khoury did research on what was feasible, such as if one man and a laptop
Laptop
A laptop, also called a notebook, is a personal computer for mobile use. A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device and speakers into a single unit...
could theoretically bring Britain to its knees. Also in the episode, the G&J algorithm is based on an actual computer programme. "Frequently Asked Questions" deals with interrogation and torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
. Walters realised that torture is counterproductive as the suspects can say anything the interrogators want to hear, but rationalises that Adam is an expert in that field. To get the interrogation as true as possible, the producers consulted with ex-Army advisors who were trained in questioning terror suspects. As the episode was first broadcast, a prison abuse scandal in Iraq
Iraq prison abuse scandals
About six months after the invasion of Iraq rumors of Iraq prison abuse scandals started to emerge.The best known abuse incidents occurred at the large Abu Ghraib prison. Graphic pictures of some of those abuse incidents were made public. Less well-known abuse incidents have been documented at...
was put on the news. In response to this, Kudos director Stephen Garrett stated "Spooks is really well researched and sometimes we look like we're ahead of the game. It's just we know stuff that's happening, and it'll come out in the news a bit later on." In the same episode, the weapons caches came from a true story that the Russians hid weapons in Britain during the Cold War, according to Collins.
Filming and editing
The third series was filmed across five blocks of two episode, with a director in each block. Filming began in Lonon in January 2004, and took up to 140 days spanning across six to seven months. Each filming day usually lasts eleven hours. Scheduling is often tight throughout the shoot; sometimes the production crew had to "double up" on locations, and the cast often had to learn six pages of dialogue a day. The majority of cameras were handheld, and the filming crew used a variety of lenses, including long-focus lensLong-focus lens
In photography, a long-focus lens is a camera lens which has a focal length that is longer than the diagonal measure of the film or sensor that receives its image....
es, fisheye lens
Fisheye lens
In photography, a fisheye lens is a wide-angle lens that takes in a broad, panoramic and hemispherical image. Originally developed for use in meteorology to study cloud formation and called "whole-sky lenses", fisheye lenses quickly became popular in general photography for their unique, distorted...
es, and swing and tilt lenses
Tilt-shift photography
"Tilt-shift photography" refers to the use of camera movements on small- and medium-format cameras, and sometimes specifically refers to the use of tilt for selective focus, often for simulating a miniature scene...
. The first two series was shot with a fujifilm
Fujifilm
is a multinational photography and imaging company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.Fujifilm's principal activities are the development, production, sale and servicing of color photographic film, digital cameras, photofinishing equipment, color paper, photofinishing chemicals, medical imaging...
stock
Film stock
Film stock is photographic film on which filmmaking of motion pictures are shot and reproduced. The equivalent in television production is video tape.-1889–1899:...
. The third series saw a switch to a new type of Kodak stock, becoming the first television series to use this model.
Filming began in the middle of winter, which presented problems for the cast and filming crew. Some scenes were delayed because of bad weather, even snow
Snow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
ing at one point, and as a result scheduling became tighter. Another problem was the cold temperatures. The beginning scene in "Who Guards the Guards?", where Mace and Khordad meet in Hebron, was filmed on a roof garden
Roof garden
A roof garden is any garden on the roof of a building. Besides the decorative benefit, roof plantings may provide food, temperature control, hydrological benefits, architectural enhancement, habitats or corridors for wildlife, and recreational opportunities....
in below zero temperatures; McInnerny and Paul Bhattacharjee wore summer clothes. To prevent hypothermia
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is a condition in which core temperature drops below the required temperature for normal metabolism and body functions which is defined as . Body temperature is usually maintained near a constant level of through biologic homeostasis or thermoregulation...
a heater was placed near them. The cameras used light-coloured filters to make the environment look warmer. However, winter does have an advantage of longer nights, making night scenes easier; summer nights would last as little as five hours. The producers hired real news presenter
News presenter
A news presenter is a person who presents news during a news program in the format of a television show, on the radio or the Internet.News presenters can work in a radio studio, television studio and from remote broadcasts in the field especially weather...
s from Sky News
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
and the programme London Tonight
London Tonight
London Tonight is a regional news programme broadcast on ITV London . Produced by ITN, the programme is broadcast at 6pm every weeknight, also including local sports news and local features of interest.Like all regional news programmes on ITV in England and Wales and Channel Television, it uses...
to present the news of the events from some episodes. All episodes begin with a recap from past episodes, which the producers regard as "an art in themselves" in terms of editing them. The opening title sequence went through three changes over the course of the series. More split screen sequences were also added to add tension to the audience. Overall, each episode took approximately six weeks to prepare, and would take approximately six weeks to edit.
Sets and locations
Shooting took place almost entirely in London. The directors somewhat followed the filming style of Bharat NalluriBharat Nalluri
Bharat Nalluri is a British television director, best known for his work with the independent production company Kudos Film & Television in the 2000s and early 2010s. For Kudos, he has directed episodes of Spooks, Life on Mars, Hustle , and Outcasts: all for transmission on BBC One...
, the director of the first two episodes of series one and two, who utilised London and the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
as characters in themselves. The exterior and interior of Freemasons' Hall
Freemasons' Hall, London
Freemasons' Hall in London is the headquarters of the United Grand Lodge of England and a meeting place for the Masonic Lodges in the London area. It is in Great Queen Street between Holborn and Covent Garden and has been a Masonic meeting place since 1775...
continued to be a stand-in for Thames House
Thames House
Thames House is an office development in Millbank, London, on the north bank of the River Thames adjacent to Lambeth Bridge, designed originally as commercial head offices...
, the headquarters of MI5. However, the Grid, the base of operations of Section D, was a set constructed at the fifth floor in another building. Danny's apartment is also filmed in the same building. Another constructed set is the back of mobile surveillance vans, which is housed near the Grid set.
Director Jonny Campbell helped search for several "interesting locations" for the first block to draw the audience with interesting visuals. This included a church in Smithfield
Smithfield, London
Smithfield is an area of the City of London, in the ward of Farringdon Without. It is located in the north-west part of the City, and is mostly known for its centuries-old meat market, today the last surviving historical wholesale market in Central London...
and the Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
; in the latter's case, Campbell believed the location was "harking back" to traditional spy film
Spy film
The spy film genre deals with the subject of fictional espionage, either in a realistic way or as a basis for fantasy . Many novels in the spy fiction genre have been adapted as films, including works by John Buchan, John Le Carré, Ian Fleming and Len Deighton...
s. Filming there was expensive and management of the museum only allowed the crew to film for a few hours. The club Mace frequents was filmed at the Royal Automobile Club
Royal Automobile Club
The Royal Automobile Club is a private club and is not to be confused with RAC plc, a motorists' organisation, which it formerly owned.It has two club houses, one in London at 89-91 Pall Mall, and the other in the countryside at Woodcote Park, Surrey, next to the City of London Freemen's School...
in Pall Mall
Pall Mall, London
Pall Mall is a street in the City of Westminster, London, and parallel to The Mall, from St. James's Street across Waterloo Place to the Haymarket; while Pall Mall East continues into Trafalgar Square. The street is a major thoroughfare in the St James's area of London, and a section of the...
. "The Sleeper" included scenes filmed at the University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
; a lecture room in the college was where the third series started filming. The explosion scene at the beginning of the episode was filmed at a council estate in Peckham
Peckham
Peckham is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Southwark. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
. The estate was condemned for demolition, which proved to be a suitable location for a big explosion. The crew returned there again a month later to gather footage of the demolition work. Several exterior shots where Harry meets with government officials and his officers were filmed on walkways outside the Houses of Parliament
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
. The upper class home of Riff and B in "Celebrity" was filmed in a house in Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
that was for sale for approximately £27 million at the time. Filming in public locations often took place on weekends, when they are closed off to the public. However, there were exceptions. Some scenes in "The Suffering of Strangers" were filmed outside the National Film Theatre
BFI Southbank
BFI Southbank is the leading repertory cinema in the UK specialising in seasons of classic, independent and non-English language films and is operated by the British Film Institute.-History:...
in South Bank
South Bank
South Bank is an area of London, England located immediately adjacent to the south side of the River Thames. It forms a long and narrow section of riverside development that is within the London Borough of Lambeth to the border with the London Borough of Southwark and was formerly simply known as...
, a popular tourist destinations. Shooting there became difficult as the crew had no control over the tourists. Other known London landmarks that were filmed included Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
, St Martin-in-the-Fields
St Martin-in-the-Fields
St Martin-in-the-Fields is an Anglican church at the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, London. Its patron is Saint Martin of Tours.-Roman era:Excavations at the site in 2006 led to the discovery of a grave dated about 410...
, Tate Modern
Tate Modern
Tate Modern is a modern art gallery located in London, England. It is Britain's national gallery of international modern art and forms part of the Tate group . It is the most-visited modern art gallery in the world, with around 4.7 million visitors per year...
, the Old Bailey
Old Bailey
The Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court...
criminal court, Waterloo station, Empress State Building
Empress State Building
The Empress State Building is a skyscraper in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. It was built in 1961 and was tall with 28 floors, designed by Stone, Toms & Partners. It was renovated in 2003 to a design by Wilkinson Eyre Architects. Three floors and were added to its height...
, and 30 St Mary Axe
30 St Mary Axe
30 St Mary Axe, the Swiss Re Building , is a skyscraper in London's main financial district, the City of London, completed in December 2003 and opened at the end of May 2004...
(the Gherkin).
"Love and Death" was filmed in an actual Stena Line
Stena Line
Stena Line is one of the world's largest ferry operators, with ferry services serving Scotland, Sweden, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Norway, England, Wales, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland. Stena Line is a major unit of Stena AB, itself a part of the Stena Sphere, a grouping of Stena AB,...
ferry that travelled from Harwich
Harwich
Harwich is a town in Essex, England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea to the east. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the northeast, Ipswich to the northwest, Colchester to the southwest and Clacton-on-Sea to the south...
to the Hook of Holland, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
; Stena allowed the producers to film in the ferry, thought the cabins were filmed in a constructed studio set. The two actors present, Hawes and Oyelowo took precautions to avoid seasickness before boarding. After filming on board concluded, both actors had to re-record some of the dialogue that was overshadowed by noises of the waves and engines.
Stunts and effects
The series' stunts were coordinated by Andy Bradford. Several cast members participated in stunt work. The first scene Penry-Jones filmed was a fight scene between three of Mace's men, which the actor performed himself. Macfadyen held a special driving license allowing him to perform some stunt driving, such as skidding a car outside the Freemasons' Hall to drop off Joyce's body in "Project Friendly Fire". The sequence was considered for rescheduling due to snowfall before filming it, but the producers felt the icy road would become an advantage, and went ahead with it anyway. Several actors have handled firearms during the shoot. One of scenes included Oyelowo and McGregor spent up to five hours firing guns at a shooting range for the beginning of "Love and Death", which Oyelowo stated was "the most fun" he ever had in the series. Despite this, Penry-Jones was disappointed he was not given a gun at all throughout the third series.In "Outsiders" a scene required a lorry crashing into a car in front of Danny. Oyelowo had to stand ten feet away from the crash. The production crew considered having Oyelowo wearing sunglasses to shield his eyes from any possible glass shards. There were scenes where some of the characters snorted cocaine. The "cocaine" was in actuality glucose
Glucose
Glucose is a simple sugar and an important carbohydrate in biology. Cells use it as the primary source of energy and a metabolic intermediate...
powder that the actors did have to snort. Elsewhere, the crew used vegetable soup
Soup
Soup is a generally warm food that is made by combining ingredients such as meat and vegetables with stock, juice, water, or another liquid. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingredients in liquids in a pot until the flavors are extracted, forming a broth.Traditionally,...
as vomit. The alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
used in the series were made from non-alcoholic drinks; the production crew used fruit juices as wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
, ginger ale
Ginger ale
Ginger ale is a carbonated soft drink flavored with ginger. Dr. Thomas Cantrell, an American apothecary and surgeon, claimed to have invented ginger ale and marketed it with beverage manufacturer Grattan and Company. Grattan embossed the slogan "The Original Makers of Ginger Ale" on its bottles...
as brandy
Brandy
Brandy is a spirit produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35%–60% alcohol by volume and is typically taken as an after-dinner drink...
, and cold tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
as beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
.
Broadcast and ratings
The series began broadcasting on 11 October 2004 on BBC OneBBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
during the 9 to 10 pm timeslot, and continued on every Monday night until 13 December 2004. The second to ninth episodes were pre-empted on Saturday nights, starting 16 October 2004, on digital channel BBC Three
BBC Three
BBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
. In the United States the series began broadcast on the A&E Network
A&E Network
The A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
, where it is known as MI-5, from the start of 2005. However because each episode last approximately an hour, 15 minutes had to be edited out on each to accommodate for advert breaks
Television advertisement
A television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product...
. However, the DVD release of the series in the United States would include the episodes unedited.
The third series faced a decline in viewership from the second series. The season premiere received an overnight figure of six million viewers and a 25 per cent audience share. It was down almost two million from the series two premiere in June 2003, which was seen by 7.8 million. Ratings declines further as the series continues. The fifth episode dropped to five million. The penultimate episode dropped further to 4.5 million, though the finale risen slightly back to five million. However, it was also down from the seven million who saw the series two finale in August 2003. With consolodated figures factored in, the third series was seen by an average of 5.77 million viewers.See the ratings on the episode table above. Look up the top 30 weekly programmes from weeks ending 17 October to 19 December 2004 from the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board website. Despite the ratings decline, the BBC already commissioned a fourth series
Spooks (series 4)
The fourth series of the BBC espionage television series Spooks began broadcasting on 12 September 2005 before ending on 10 November 2005...
of Spooks before the third series even began broadcasting.
Critical reception
The third series received generally favourable reviews. In review of the DVD release of the series, Michael Mackenzie of Home Cinema was disappointed of the "complete decimation of the group around which the show effectively revolved," and had reservations for the introductions of the new characters, stating "despite ardent protests from both cast and crew, Tom and Adam are almost exactly the same character. The same goes for his wife Fiona, who more or less steps into Zoe's shoes (they even look similar!), and in the final episode, it becomes abundantly clear that, in the next season, Zafar Younis (Raza Jaffrey) will be taking Danny's place while ensuring that the "minority" checkbox remains ticked." However, at the same time, Mackenzie thought "the psychology surrounding cast changes like these is extremely interesting." In terms of the storylines, the reviewer stated "Spooks third season [...] is something of a step down from both its predecessors," although the series "has a number of fine moments." Mackenzie ended up rating the series eight stars out of ten.David Blackwell of Enterline Media has said; "MI-5 really impressed me with the first two seasons. The third season does start out for the first three episodes before it reaches some highs and lows until it stabilizes with the last two episodes of season 3." He felt that Tom Quinn's exit was his favourite moment in the first two episodes, and that Adam is "just [as] cold" as Tom. He also praised the character development, stating "character development is excellent in this season. Danny receives great moments as he is brought into the spotlight from his feelings for Zoe to his conflicted feelings about things he does in the name of Queen and Country), but Danny doesn't break and let his emotions become a crutch like Tom did (when Tom wanted a sleeper agent not to the job MI-5 wanted the sleeper to do)." Blackwell concluded by saying "sometime MI-5 fails as a show this season, but it still reaches levels of greatness. It will be interesting to see what they have in store for season 4."
Accolades and viewer polls
The third series was nominated for a total of seven British Academy Television AwardsBritish Academy Television Awards
The British Academy Television Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts . They have been awarded annually since 1954, and are analogous to the Emmy Awards in the United States.-Background:...
(BAFTAs). It was nominated for Best Drama Series, but lost out to the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
comedy-drama series Shameless
Shameless
Shameless is a British television drama series set in Manchester on the fictional Chatsworth council estate. Produced by Company Pictures for Channel 4, the first seven-episode series aired weekly on Tuesday nights at 10pm from 13 January 2004...
. It was nominated for four BAFTA Craft Awards
British Academy Television Craft Awards
The British Academy Television Craft Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts . They have been awarded annually since 1999.-External links:*...
, for Original Television Music, Photography & Lighting: Fiction/Entertainment, Production Design, and Graphic Design, none of these resulted in a win for Spooks. In addition it was nominated for two BAFTA Interactive Awards
BAFTA Interactive Awards
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts annually hosted the BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Awards for multimedia entertainment between 1998 and 2003....
, with Spooks Interactive winning one of them.
The series was generally well received by fans; the BBC released a "Best of" viewer polls at the end of 2004. Spooks was voted the second best drama, beaten only by the period drama series North and South. However it was also voted number eight in the "Worst Drama" category. Peter Firth, David Oyelowo, Matthew Macfadyen and Rupert Penry-Jones were listed in the "Best Actor" category, being voted tenth, seventh, fifth, and third, respectively. Meanwhile Nicola Walker, Olga Sosnovska and Keeley Hawes were voted ninth, fifth and fourth, respectively, in the "Best Acress" category. Also, Hawes, Macfadyen, Sosnovska and Penry-Jones were voted a respective seventh, sixth, fifth and third most desirable stars". Oliver Mace was voted the fifth best villain. The scene in which Danny is killed in the finale was voted the third "Favourite Moment".
Home video release
The series is available on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
box set. It was first released in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(Region 4
DVD region code
DVD region codes are a digital-rights management technique designed to allow film distributors to control aspects of a release, including content, release date, and price, according to the region...
) on 28 May 2005. It was later released in the United Kingdom (Region 2) on 5 September 2005, and in the United States (Region 1, where it is known as MI-5: Volume 3) on 31 January 2006. The box set consists of all 10 episodes of the third series on a five-disc set (three in region 4) and 1.78:1 Anamorphic PAL
Anamorphic widescreen
Anamorphic widescreen, when applied to DVD manufacture, is a video process that horizontally squeezes a widescreen image so that it can be stored in a standard 4:3 aspect ratio DVD image frame. Compatible playback equipment can then re-expand the horizontal dimension to show the original widescreen...
screen format. The box set includes an array of special features. Each episode has its own audio commentary
Audio commentary
On disc-based video formats, an audio commentary is an additional audio track consisting of a lecture or comments by one or more speakers, that plays in real time with video...
and behind the scenes featurette. In addition there are numerous interviews with the cast and crew of the series, including separate featurettes on Adam and Fiona Carter, as well as their portrayers. There are also deleted scene
Deleted scene
In Entertainment, especially the film and television industry, Deleted scenes are parts of a film removed or censored from or replaced by another scene in the final "cut", or version, of a film...
s, a featurette on the fourth series, image galleries, series credits (Spooks is a programme that does not include credits in its episodes), and scripts of the episode, the latter of which are found on DVD-ROM. In the United Kingdom, the box set is released with a "15" British Board of Film Classification
British Board of Film Classification
The British Board of Film Classification , originally British Board of Film Censors, is a non-governmental organisation, funded by the film industry and responsible for the national classification of films within the United Kingdom...
(BBFC) certificate (unsuitable for viewers under the age of 15 years).