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“ Spooks: Code 9 ”
'Spooks: Code 9': Season Finale
Published Sunday, Sep 7 2008, 21:46 BST | By Ben Rawson-Jones | 19 comments
A highly effective opening sequence took us back to the 2012 bombing, although such a flashback should have featured in an earlier episode. The focus on the ravaged London, particularly when Rob and Charlie tried to retrieve Dr Malik's camera, enable the episode to have a visual scope far above previous instalments. Was the budget being saved up for the grand finale? If so, that's a dodgy move indeed as ratings have shown that not many viewers have stuck around.
The prison breakout was exhilarating and tense, with Andrew Knott excelling in his role as Rob. The storyline also finally gave Vik some purpose in the series, albeit to pose as a terrorism suspect. Yet his reaction to the plan demonstrated the undeniably clunky nature of the interaction and dialogue between the young team. "Bloody hell, this is real isn't it?" he gasps. No Vik, it's all a dream and you'll step out of the shower as Bobby Ewing when you wake up.
Similarly, any scene involving Rachel is sapped of any drama, as it seems the character is fed an endless stream of bland dialogue. It seemed to transfer by osmosis to the traitorous Yates as the end approached. Her explanatory speech to the wounded Rachel was one of those contrived, painful scenes where the villain inexplicably stalls to reveal their motive and allows the heroes just enough time to arrive in the nick of time.
As if that didn't feel forced, there was also the groansome sequence in which Kylie tried to deploy 'honeytrap' tactics on the prison doctor. It transpired that the unsuspecting young man batted for the other side, but within mere seconds he revealed himself to be a drug-lover so Kylie got him seriously high instead. How convenient.
Nonetheless, the stark improvement in the latter half of the first season has been enough to show that the format of Spooks: Code 9 could work well with some major retooling in certain areas. Certainly, the finale leaves us wanting more...
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Spooks: Code 9 has the potential to be something really great, there's no denying it. Some of the actors on the show have real, true potential and given some decent dialouge could give one hell of a performance. Liam Boyle, who plays Charlie, is quite something, and I think he's done a great job. Vik is a different story. I think there is definite scope for a second series, tying up the loose threads of series 1 and adding some revoultionary and perhaps controversial story lines to give the series so extra flavour and action. The characters all need to be developed further, the story lines more thoguht out and better written but it is the dialouge that is the main downfall. With a better script, the actors would be able to excel further and the whole series would come across a great deal better. Episode 6 was certainly the best so far I think, it did have tension which was ongoing, could almost give it four stars but it isn't quite there.
Episode 6 was definitely the pick of the bunch for me. Whilst being fairly disappointed by the first three episodes, I felt the series began to pick itself up in the fourth episode, and improved steadily in the latter half. Episode 6 is my favourite, mainly because of the storyline. Although, I must come clean, the amazing cliffhanger at the end of this episode also contributed towards it shooting up into my favourites. However, I didn't think it was a bad episode, and I don't think the series was bad either - after all, most series' start off with a few poor episodes, because they need time to find their feet. I hope the BBC give 'Spooks: Code 9' a second series, just so the show can prove itself to be a hit. I certainly enjoyed the first run, but I feel some of the characters need to be worked on and thought over a little longer. Vik, Rob and Jez all need to be worked on as characters a bit more. Apart from that, I thought it was a mostly enjoyable show. Yeah, maybe a few wobbly episodes to start off with, but the show definitely picked itself up and found its bearings for the second half, so I think it deserves a second run.
amazing like the rest of the episodes
While Code 9 could do with a lot of improvement, I think it has a bit more potential than many reviews make out. I actually enjoyed the final episode, more for the prison-break out than anything else. It has to be said that the scripting etc needs a lot of work, but the potential is there, in both the base idea and the characters. The whole Yates/bomb thing was extremely over-typical and I especially felt Yates' final moments were quite weak. I also think, as do a few others, that reviewers have missed the point with the Kylie ensnaring the hospital doctor line - a man is more likely to stop and help a woman in trouble on her own, whether gay or straight. For both the viewers and the doctor, the going-back-for-fun ploy would be too typical and obvious, and the way that the crack is brought into it is sly and has the desired affect. I haven't seen Spooks so I can't compare, as I only started watching Code 9 on a friend's advice, and I think a new concept doesn't deserve to be overly compared. As a standalone series, it needs a lot of work, clunky messy scripting and continuity needs to be tidied it up, but it has potential, and I really like Charlie and Rob's characters especially - so I look forward to series 2. Hopefully, with most first series, they will learn from their mistakes.
I have to say that I really enjoyed the finale was genuinely gripped. The scenes in the hospital and the abandoned London had me on the edge of my seat! Although I have to admit that I am still not that taken with any of the characters, except maybe Charlie and Rob. I also felt that ending it in the way they did was a bad move. Obviously the whole of Spooks Code 9 is about the bomb and the conspiracy behind it, but I felt that there should have at least been a little bit of closure with something, instead we are getting all these loose ends, that may or may not be tied up, depending on the future of the show. Although I, for one, am hoping that it comes back, as I have enjoyed the series and felt that it ended on a near enough hight for me to enjoy it!
I found the finale to be disappointing, cliched and predictable. While Eps 4 & 5 represented a significant improvement, Ep6 was a let down. Vik, good grief! replace him with a hatstand and we'd never know. The wretched writing did not do the remaining cast any credit and the clumsy reveal was delivered poorly. Some good performances for Kylie & Jez, but again a very clumsy honey trap with a drugs vector that was telegraphed rather than crafted. All in all a poorly produced series that might have damaged otherwise promising acting careers punctuated with moments of clumsy dialog. 2/10 BBC, try again.
I think the reviewer missed the point of the "honeytrap". It was obviously the point all along to use the drugs as the lure to the doctor. Why else would they have it ready to be snorted? I think this was indeed one of the better episodes, and it'll be interesting to see if it recommissioned
I thought it got better as the series went on, it stuck to some traditional Spooks characteristics (not afraid to kill-off main characters and leaving a double cliff-hanger series ending). There were one or two hammy moments: the reveal by Yates and then finding the bomb with 55 seconds left on the clock. But overall, its definately something to build on. Similarly, series 1 of Spooks wasn't that great and had some dodgy episodes, but they produced a great series 2, lets hope it happens with Code 9
I think it would probably be best if that second bomb does go off. Sorry. There was promise but it failed to live up to expectations most of the time. A shame we didn't get to go to Thames House for the finale.
and what was it with all those crowd scenes of the 1yr anniversary in err...central London???
We both watched the series from start to end and thought it one of the best programmes especially the BBC has produced in years. The last two episodes where by far the best.
It Had Some Strong Moments! I Really Think It Could Work If The Writers Sit Back & Think, This Worked & This Didn't & It Could Be Good! I Liked The Whole Clif Hanger Ending! Hoping There A Series 2, Cause I Wanna No If The Bomb Goes Off, Is Rachel Alive & Who Killed That Guy In The Hospital! Maybe Rob Has A Murderous Side? Last Nights Finale Showed That It Has Some Specialness That Could Potentionally Make it Brillant!
I really enjoyed this episode. The improvement in the last three episodes in the series has been great and has certainly made the show more watchable. I really hope there is a second series because it was starting to get really good!
One of the best episodes of the series; exciting and it moved quite quickly. The only problem I had was there were several plot lines left open, hopefully this means there'll be a season 2 :)
I thought the "honey trap" was planned all along, they knew he was into drugs and maybe wouldn't stop for a good looking guy so played the drugs card... if I was wrong, what were the chances of her having some knock out drug lying around? Either way I would be happy to watch some more!
And another thing - where was the resolution to the hospital murder storyline?!?
This was shameful stuff from the BBC. The series finishes but does not concluded. Did the bomb go off? We don't know. Why, exactly did this MI5 officer (by herself?) want to nuke London? Some claptrap about someone opening her eyes or somesuch. eh? what? Really very poor. six episodes and the story is not resolved.
I was a bit disappointed, was hoping for something like the last two episodes, but it certainly was better than the first few, and I can't wait for a new season! (hopefully there'll be one)
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I thought spooks code 9 was one of those shows which deserves a second season to allow us to see what happens, will they be able to defuse the nuke? Will Rachael survive? These are questions we need the answer to and with the potential that the show has it could be one of the best bbc shows aroound, with Spooks Code 9 the bbc could have a show with the same status as Chuck with the team being younger, fitter, and more importantly cool.