SPOOKS - PENULTIMATE EPISODE

Spooks: A Tortoise In The Garden

by IAN WYLIE

Going to the end of the line.

“WHAT do you have to show for all these years?

“I have a house and a wife and a son.

“And a tortoise in the garden.”

Ilya Gavrik is talking to Harry Pearce about finding love.

Spooks final series, last but one episode.

Where the long road nears its end with one last press on the accelerator pedal.

Starting with this penultimate 60 minutes.

Ilya has arrived on Sir Harry’s doorstep carrying a bottle of vodka.

Leading to another rare glimpse inside the home of the knighted one.

With a stash of vinyl albums in one corner.

Including, I like to believe, a copy of this, given to him by Ruth.


The best you can do is forgive

Episode 10.5 begins with Sasha also posing a few questions for Harry.

The CIA’s Jim Coaver is heading for the 11am flight to Rotterdam.

And Ruth is sitting at a new desk:

“Harry, I’m a civil servant now. I have a PA called Margot.”

Those waiting for Harry and Ruth to take centre stage may be pacified in these final two hours.

Harry: “I’m not exactly known for my tact. This is a man who proposed to you at a funeral, remember?”

Ruth: “Yeah, that’s true. You do have the most awful timing.”

Although there is plenty of other Spookstastic stuff going on as we await their fate.

Leading up to an emotional series finale which – at least for me – provides a fitting conclusion.

Done with considerable style by all involved.


Harry and Jim.
It’s fascinating to watch Peter Firth play Harry in the latter stages of this series, by which time he knew for certain Spooks was coming to an end.

This week our hero sets out on an extreme course of action to uncover the truth about who is behind the attacks on MI5.

While Ruth has property plans on the Suffolk coast.

Ms Evershed seeing action out in the field – at the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square.

Back at that Russian Delegation Hotel, Elena tells her husband: “I think there are some shops in London I have yet to see.”

But we all know who she’s going to meet, don’t we?

There are the usual plot loopholes and quibbles that you could drive Harry’s Audi through if you wanted to.

But Spooks has always been about the suspension of disbelief – an entertainment, not a documentary.

As the episode nears its end, Harry prepares to leave his home.

Stopping in the kitchen to do something rather mundane but oh, so telling.

Another moment of Spooks’ brilliance, with no words of explanation required.

“This can’t be the end?” pleads Ruth.

With one episode to go, we know it’s not.

But my advice is to avert your eyes and ears when the “Next week” teaser pops up.

Wait seven days.

And enjoy what I believe will be regarded by many as Spooks’ finest hour.

Spooks continues on BBC1 at 9pm on Sunday.