Spooks - Im Visier des MI5

Spooks has been waiting to be made ever since Fleming's Bond started the wild-fantasy spy genre. This is an attempt at a realistic depiction of the activities and lives of MI5 agents, in the way that The Bill or Casualty depict those professions. Sometimes this gives an eerie feeling of the series having been commissioned by MI5 in order to get an influx of new, preferably ethnic-minority, recruits.. but the plots are always riveting, dangerous and violent so it makes for great TV.

Most of the main characters from the first series have now left in various ways... except the boss and of course Colin.. who has to be my favourite character who no-one ever mentions. He's the most realistic spook to me.

I've seen these on A&E in America and from the first I was hooked. The pressure cooker atmosphere and the modern day dot-com look puts this show about "counter intelligence" on another level than today's so called spy shows.

It's not the eye-candy of Alias and frankly its better than the flat delivery of the now canned Agency or Threat Matrix (both of which strive to be too PC in their "diverseness").

The writing is very well layered. It pulls the viewer in, and there's enough original material that many times you can't "skip ahead" to the fourth act in your mind. Meaning, you haven't figured out the end by the second break.

MI-5, or Spooks, puts enough plot twists in for any true fan of the genre. Well worth the time and effort to watch. Too bad American network television can't produce a show of this caliber.

(11/17/05 comment) Also, I was so intrigued by the UK version of Spooks, that I got into downloading the shows via the Internet, and I have to say it's an even better experience. I wish A&E would run the entire episode and not a chopped up version. The editing has to do with advert breaks more than content. If you only see this on A&E then I would suggest downloading it or renting/buying the DVD sets.

Spooks, is quite frankly, bloody excellent. It seems to have learnt all the tricks that the best of American thrillers (e.g. '24') have picked up, and uses them to the best of their abilities. The acting, especially from McFadden, is likewise excellent (unlike many other similar programs, Spooks doesn't attempt to make the characters whiter-than-white. They're likeable, just not perfect). It also has the bravery to use storylines that are shocking, but are what make it the best.

My only criticism is that the characters from 'the government' are a bit too stereotypically slimey.

Otherwise 10 out of 10

Mondays, 9:00pm, BBC 1

I absolutely LOVE this series. I got hooked with the episode involving the deep fryer and I've been hopelessly addicted ever since. This series is incredibly suspenseful and involving and I cannot wait to see what they come up with every week. The acting and writing is superb. I love this genre and I'm glad to see someone is doing something worthwhile with it. Highly recommended!!

Having only just registered, this review is rather late for the U.K viewers.

"Spooks" or `MI-5' in U.S listings is one of the best British drama series produced in a long time.

Whilst the plots may seem a little far fetched (sometimes!), I feel that the series puts a new spin onto the role of spies within today's society whilst maintaining a sense of the unbelievable demonstrated throughout James Bonds illustrious career, at the end of the day these characters are normal, flawed people who go home at night drink themselves into a stupor, and rarely get the warm satisfaction that goes hand in hand with 007 and his many girls.

So we have established that the portrayal of the characters is true to life.

The plots however are very Bond esque without most of the worldly travelling or white-cat stroking arch villains. These are gritty, real world narratives that could all feasibly be in the process of happening, pro-life activists, racism, the I.R.A, political slander and all this sprinkled with the inter/intra departmental politics that must surely exist within these offices and are blatantly obvious between MI-5 and MI-6, as well as a healthy dose of CIA - MI-5 competition.

Back to the characters or rather the actors.

Matthew MacFadyen's portrayal of Tom and his acting in general is top draw; he is a highly under-rated actor who would appear to have a bright future and deserves it much more than some of the current Hollywood 'thespians' who are nothing more than pretty faces.

Keeley Hawes is outstanding as the tough yet fragile (keenly highlighted in the episode 1.2) dominant femme Zoe. An outstanding character played with depth by an equally outstanding actress.

David Oyelowo puts in consistently solid performances as Danny the newer member of Tom's '5' team. Played with guile and grit, I feel series 3 will really give Danny more time and space to flourish into the high profile character that series 2 shows he has the potential to be.

Jenny Agutter and Peter Firth are both established actors having appear in films such as 'American Werewolf in London, and 'The Hunt for Red October/Pearl Harbour' respectively. They deliver everything we expect from the true thespian pedigree that they both have.

There is also a refreshing appearance of Anthony Stewart Head playing a dissident MI-5 agent. His performance shows that he is not just Giles in Buffy.

In short this series is a well worth watching, it has thrills, twists and a more natural approach to spying whilst maintaining the myth and romance surrounding the secret services.

99 Lives.