The Russian

Actor George Baker was known for playing establishment types. Detectives, army officers, noblemen. Baker was the son of a diplomat.

Baker once mentioned people were shocked when they discovered just how left wing he actually was.

In this episode Baker plays Hugo Ross, a man who has spent years in jail when he was caught spying for the Russians.

Ross is a man who believes in Mother Russia, a communist of the old school.

Harry Pearce has a role for Ross. The target is oligarch Oleg Korsakov. The new robber baron from Russia. He is doing a deal with the British government to inject money to the NHS. MI5 are worried that it is just an attempt to asset strip the NHS. Oleg will eventually sell the land for profit.

Oleg's father is someone who Ross knew and it is a way for Ross to be an inside man. Ross hates what has occurred in modern capitalist Russia.

This is an episode where Harry has little use for Adam who is still grieving over the loss of his wife. He has not even told Fiona's parents about her fate. Adam however does not want to be left off this assignment.

Baker seems to be in his element in this one, he relishes playing Hugo Ross. The plot of selling the NHS to businessmen looked far fetched back then. This is what has been happening in the last few decades. Private businesses getting a piece of the valuable health action. Almost a licence to print money.