There's no recap as in most of the previous two-parter's, we just
get straight back to the Bureau as it comes under shocking attack by
Russell and his soldiers. Only once before has the Bureau been
violated like this, in `Fugitive', and then it was only a couple of
SSD agents - here a whole squad of soldiers violently intrudes, cue
much shouting and pushing. So the Bureau's closed down and Beckett
goes off in search of Ros and the gang, using the bug he planted on
Terry's vehicle last episode. The moment when Ros and Beckett
finally meet is heartening - initially Beckett is stern and cold,
resenting Ros for not trusting him, but her single-minded joy at
seeing him and regret at keeping him out (for his and the Bureau's
safety it transpires), soon melts his heart, and they share a tender
moment. This of course is rudely interrupted by Hawkes and Dawson,
Russell's right hand men, who had tracked Beckett. We get some
lovely explosions as they attack, the camera work fluidly plotting
their twin assault, and the first indication that this episode is
extremely well directed, coupled with some mistimed humour as
Beckett and Terry argue over the position of the base (Beckett did
have a point, although it's not the exposure of the area that's the
real problem, it's stacking up easily explodable crates just outside
the front door!). Sadly, Chris and Morag both get slaughtered as
they go out to settle the attack with only handguns against sniper
bullets and grenades! I was just starting to like them, too. At
least they die heroically, if needlessly, Morag even flipping
dramatically into the water! After the place explodes the baddies
think their work is done.
Then comes the most stylish and visually arresting montage in
possibly the whole series, as Ros, at the hospital, recounts the
true events of what happened that fateful night. Brian Grant really
pushes the directorial boat out, with moody black and white, high
contrast visuals, and echoey, slow-motion effects, creating a
nightmarish flashback sequence. Not only is the style very
impressive, but we get to find the answers to the big questions. Why
did Ros disappear? Who `kidnapped' her? Why was the flat smashed up
and Ros' picture taken? It was Terry, as we know, who came to her on
that dark and stormy night, pleading her aid for a top-level threat
that Sunstorm, their old group, had uncovered. Last time they met
they'd had a "blazing row" in Ros' words, which is why Terry used
Beckett's voiceprint to get in as he didn't think she'd hear him out
otherwise. Terry was being followed, and Russell's men are soon on
the scene, Ros and Terry escaping into the basement, and driving off
in the Cortina, the only car keys Ros had in her pocket at the time
(is that the famous yellow coat from Season One we see her
wearing?). The men smash up the flat and take the picture of her
(though it's a bit strange Hawkes scans the photo with a hand
scanner as well as taking the original!), for ID. A chase ensues;
shooting; loss of control. Ros cuts her hand on glass (which is
where her blood in the recovered car is from), and they swerve into
the river with a dramatic stunt. Ros and Terry manage to struggle
free and hide under the bank, and the men think they're dead.
Stunningly well-shot and well thought out, it is unique and almost
worth watching for that sequence alone. It's even more impressive
when you realise they probably came up with it after they created
the end of Season Three, not knowing there would be a fourth, rather
than setting it all up with this in mind.
Beckett's angry about it of course, but it does seem reasonable
for Ros to take advantage of her seeming demise to work behind the
scenes with no pressure - just allowing the enemy to let their guard
down. It would probably have been better to let her Bureau friends
know about it, but her excuse is that they knew someone high up was
involved so once the secret was transmitted to Jan and the gang,
there would be no knowing what someone above might find out, as
naturally the gang would want to help...
We get to see a rare out of office excursion for Jan (both out of
office and out of office, so what else could she do?), meeting her
friend Simon, an army psychiatrist, who gives her vital info on
Russell's mental stability - more from Si later in the season...
Talking of recurring characters we get to see the mysterious boss of
Jan, Mrs. Gardner again, complete with detachable head towel
(there's an action figure there, mark my words!), although Angela,
the operator of the Bureau, is credited, she doesn't actually appear
as far as I'm aware! It's quite weird seeing Jan in a pub, and
emphasises her department's closure, with the environment about as
far from high tech surveillance as can be! We also get a villain who
has redeeming qualities, and can become sympathetic through the
death of his family. Meanwhile Ed and Alex get to go off and do
stuff together (though it's slightly amusing that Russell does
everything important to their investigation, standing at the window
of his office as they watch! He probably ate his lunch standing
there...). It's just like the `old' days of Season Three, with the
two of them on a mission. Ed seems more Ed-like this time, perhaps
because the focus isn't on him for the episode, and so he's in it
less, and has less time to make any blunders. Anyway, the dynamic
duo are there when Russell's men attack Yerevenkian, an Armenian
scientist, stealing his suitcase...
There's a fun sequence when Ed, Beckett and Alex break into the
Bureau, harking back to their freelance days. When Beckett finds out
that Ed was made Chief in his absence I first realised (on original
reviewing of the DVD) that Ed really had been made Chief - I had
thought it was just some sort of joke, or at least I hadn't fully
assimilated it! So they delve into the files and find out about the
Russell tragedy, and that it was Yerevenkian's fault. At the same
time at Felton Down, Russell's men `convince' Corcoran to make the
virus for the scientist, bonding it to his DNA, just like
in `Assassin's Inc.' Just when you think "oh, so we're supposed to
care about some foreign scientist popping his clogs" Karen, the
assistant informs Ros that Corcoran only pretended to do the job,
and actually the virus will kill anyone in the vicinity of it's
release! Typical `BUGS' twist - escalate the odds and danger!
So Ed, Beckett and Alex worm there way in at the Commission on
Ethics in Science (with another quite amusing gag), but Hawkes and
co are already there, dressed as workmen (and waving guns around -
why was the conference not stopped when they saw these gun-wielding
lunatics charging around???). We get the old-style build-up of
events, as each part of the team does their thing, and the device
with the virus is stopped just in time! It's good to see Ed doing
his martial arts stuff and having a royal rumble with Dawson, whose
fate is to join Hex and Kristo in the ranks of those electrocuted by
the team... But the danger isn't over and a big bust-up commences
with the result being Terry getting shot to death! The montage that
plays over the end of that sequence is even more powerful than the
earlier flashback scene, as all the various emotions burst out. Ros'
anguish is terrible and echoes round the huge arena. Indeed, the
whole sequence preceding this, with Yerevenkian wanting to admit his
disaster to the Commission just as Russell arrives to make him pay.
His calm, humble equanimity shows in great contrast to the General's
bitter hatred. The huge screen behind them, acts out each
character's intimate emotions, blown out of perspective in both a
real and figurative sense.
And it's over: the episode, the happiness, the love. Quashed in a
vat of pride and bitterness between the two leads. Surely not a good
thing for a TV series that has always been so light and fun. A cloud
descends as Beckett is forced to leave Ros' place. But both of them
are being stuck up fools, not talking through what happened, and
when heroes behave in this way, the result is so much more palpable.
Looking again at that tragic moment, upon which the fulcrum of
Season Four (and possibly the future of the series - if they'd
continued doing happy, fun, exciting stories, would there have been
a Season Five?), depends, I can now understand what, before
seemingly out of nowhere, the reaction of Ros comes from. Beckett
was fighting Russell and was thrown to the ground. We don't see how
quickly he gets up or whether he could have tried harder to stop the
General before he shoots Terry. It could be so easy in the split
second madness, for Beckett's jealousy to get the better of him, and
not get up as quick as he could. We don't see this, but Ros
certainly thinks he should have. Perhaps we'll never know?
The episode is probably one of the last that could be
called `classic' with the incredibly well-directed design, the money
in evidence again (just check out the huge sets, and the numbers of
extras), and it's certainly the last to have any good feelings
reining. Surely the next episode couldn't be as good as this?
Rob
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robugs
16 years ago
'Girl Power'
Oh where to begin? At the beginning I suppose, where you could be fooled into thinking this was another exciting episode of 'BUGS'. "Hive? Hive? Did he say Hive?Ó" It starts with a gleeful realisation that the opening two-parter wasn't the end for nostalgia fans - in comes the reintroduction of one of the iconic organisations of the series' first year. First episode, even, since it hadn't made a comeback since it's first appearance, which is perhaps surprising since those other greats the Bureau and SSD made several appearances. But get over the initial glee of seeing the old place, and you soon feel a bit disappointed, when the intruder turns out to be a fourteen year old girl. Not the greatest of pre-credits cliffhangerage (though it's a fun nod to the past when one of the guards says the Hive has only been broken into once in fifteen years - and we know who by!).
The Bureau and specifically Ros get called in to deal with the miscreant nipper, and it's quite amusing to see her face when Dent dumps the problem on her. Did I say Dent? Yes! One of the original and best should-be recurring characters makes his return, and not before time. It's just a shame Beckett wasn't there to meet up with his old boss! So far so pretty good - old stuff from the first episode is always welcome, and you begin to wonder what else will be pulled out of the hat in the coming episodes - but back to this one, and we get to witness teen angst, whoopee. At last we can see what the series has been missing all these years. And if only it was still missing. The only good to come out of these scenes is we get a nice story of a wayward young Ros, deepening the character. Unfortunately it's at the expense of a fast-paced, involved storyline. There is a B story, with an important mask coming into the country which the Bureau must protect, and the first echo of the previous episode's tragedy as Ros and Beckett are conciously put on separate assignments. We get to see his new flat though, which was once a Bureau of Weapons safe house, though why that particular department needed safehouses I don't know. Maybe to save the employees from any boss that should turn nasty...
A clever (the only clever) bit comes with a triple bluff as Ed and Beckett dupe some would-be mask thieves by first sending a security van on it's way to look like a decoy, then pretending to carry the real mask along, only for an attack to take place (a fault in the direction here shows the poorest angle for the aftermath as the villains run away down a corridor, and Ed and Beckett don't bother to chase them. Because of the angle it looks like they're not far away, whereas, running like that they must have been off in the distance. Nitpicking? Not really, since you can see how much difference a good director makes from the last episode). So then they unveil the real case with the mask - good work.
Ed does some testing and we get to see more old-style Ed-ishness as he does his hanging around to try and get the mask. Filsinger, a pleasant Hive agent (and here the warning bells should ring), offers to take Carly, the whizzkid, off Ros' hands. He actually takes her to meet his mates (his partner Lisa Nightingale, and Dan, a rather stupid and rubbish muscle. We're talking Sean Driscoll level, here). This 'bright' girl is then fooled into stealing the mask to impress Ros.
I suppose I should mention the other sub-plot involving Alex meeting Adam Mosby (whadda name, whadda guy), but I'd rather not. She is immediately attracted to the pale-faced, slick black haired, vacant-eyed Adam and they team up to find missing files. Makes you cringe. Is this the moment 'BUGS' started to fall? Probably. So anyway, Carly twigs the Hive agent isn't on the level (the third in two episodes that feature the Hive, to have bad eggs in the organisation, joining Cottrell and Moore, one to jump ship - Beckett - and one to be killed - Ballantyne. Not a great record, yet Dent's still in command!), so she hides the mask in an electrical shop in a shopping mall. Museum? Not particularly 'BUGS' territory, but good for sneaking around in; bird magazine? Pushing it; shopping mall and electrical shop? What's going on? The series used to be about high-tech buildings and futuristic gadgets, and now it's all taking place in the real world. And you can forget Adam's housing estate (the car he drives looks susiciously like one in Ros' garage in the earlier episode). Just takes you out of the world that's been established over three years - not a good thing. Anyway, Ros and Carly get captured, and the baddies turn out to be not so bad (though that Lisa doesn't even seem real - everything she says is false sounding), seeing as they don't want to kill and they don't even resort to harm. Just lock her up and she'll tell them when she gets hungry. Makes them seem rather ineffectual and amateurish. Funny to see Dan playing on an ancient Game Boy, especially as the Game Boy Color was out by then - it makes noises that the real machine is incapable of!
I forgot to mention the ongoing saga of Ros and Beckett's rift. Except it's odd, because in this episode they actually talk together on the radio and think the other one's avoiding them, so it takes the bitterness out of the equation. And after seeing the end scene, with them all laughing about Ros you could be fooled into thinking the bad feelings are over...
Back to the 'story' then. Ransom is demanded (there's a funny line when Minister Quayle talks to Jan and finds the mask's been stolen by a teenage girl: "I don't care if her whole school's involved!"). Beckett and Jan organise the drop-off and the baddies take the money - but it's in a briefcase fitted with an electrical shock device (just like in 'Identity Crisis'). There's a poor scene where Lisa goes off after Jan with a gun, Jan hides behind a pillar, Lisa runs past, Jan walks out and trips her up. It's good that they're making a conscious descision to get her in on the action, but that particular stunt looked incredibly fake. I blame the director (and I don't mean DOIC). One good action scene is that which has Ed tracking down Ros and Carly and getting into a fight with Dan - there's some classically unbelievably close calls here, with the diamond laser cutter blazing into life and pointing directly at the lift cable under which Ros is trapped, Carly having squeezed out through it before. And the fact that the lift keeps precariously shunting down! But then Carly saves the day with her awful deus ex machina 'power sucker' maguffin, which miraculously takes power from all systems around it. How? Who knows. I suppose it's vain to point that out when so many of Ros' gadgets saved the day. Somehow her stuff always seemed more believable though. The lift crashing down as Ed and Ros fling themselves away is undoubtedly the most exciting part. They do like to smash up lifts in this programme! So then it's happy-happy ending time as they laugh at a report of Ros as a teen. And Alex and Adam are off for a dinner date. It would have been better if Alex had been part of Beckett's flat-warming.
To sum up, this is the only episode that I can say is truly average where all others are at least compelling. One good thing you can say about this episode is that at least there's no female version of Adam. If they had that too it would just be a disaster!
Rob
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robugs
16 years ago
'The Two Becketts'
Another unique story for the series, showing an attempt to
further the characters and their world and fill in some of the
myriad mysteries of the series. The last vestiges of the writers
original mission to bring something to TV which focussed on
undeveloped characters with almost zero backstory is finally
stripped away: an episode where the main plot is firmly centred on
the past and family. That old buttress of keeping the characters
simple and undefined obviously can't still be in place since they've
been through so much; have grown and developed despite their
creators intentions. So here it's kicked away and the whole concept
doesn't come crashing down. Season Four had already been brave
enough to introduce Ros' Mum, but here we get to see the man who
made Beckett, ironically through not being around. It's truly
fascinating to see the traits and identity of such a well-known
character as Beckett mirrored in his Father and you can go through
the episode just pointing out the moments that show how similar they
are.
The teaser is typically fast and dramatic with the break-in and
break-out flashing by. The only slight nitpick is that the balaclava-
clad man clearly had no chance of getting over that fence, even
before he got an electric shock! But then Beckett's response makes
up for it as he says "You!" and smacks him one in the chops! His Dad
reveals his identity with a "Hello son" and we're left wondering if
this man is a crook and a thief and what could he have done to make
Beckett so violent towards him? It's fun and confusing and
intriguing in equal measure and the story proceeds more with the
intrigue and fun than confusion. Turns out Matt Beckett was just
after the details of where his colleagues Khalif and Zealander are
being held in safehouses, in preparation for the trial of Vladimir
Rokov a dangerous criminal that has become the white whale to Matt's
Ahab. The reason why this is the case provides the rare example of
real heart at the core of the story, and makes it more than just a
typical man hunts villain with shades of 'Les Miserables'. For Matt
has a much better reason for catching Rokov than for stealing a loaf
of bread. We eventually learn that Rokov was responsible for the
death in a car crash of Elizabeth Beckett, Nick's Mum. And
subsequently for the reason his Dad has been out of contact for ten
years as he pursued him. A great moment is when the two of them
finally sit down to talk about it, forced to, by Jan's orders for
Beckett to guard his Dad and stop him from interfering as the rest
of the Bureau go about recapturing Rokov. Matt's life was destroyed
by his wife's murder - they couldn't get him so they went after her -
and he didn't ever tell his son about it because he didn't want his
life ruined too. That they overcome their differences and fight on
as the two Beckett's is quite special and it's their combined force,
along with Beckett's friends that finally stops the villain and his
minions. They did it for Mum.
The episode has another interesting side to it with various
trivia and past references cropping up. Did you know that Nick
Brimble who played Rokov is the brother of Vincent Brimble who was
the airline magnate Tyson Strate in Season Two's 'Whirling Dervish'?
Or that the scenes where Matt and Jan appear together isn't limited
to 'BUGS' - they've appeared in several productions together, most
notably their starring roles in 'Howard's Way'. Probably because
they're married! Also, in one scene on the bank of the Thames you
can see the Millennium Dome under construction (it went on to appear
in various productions such as the film 'The World Is Not Enough'
featuring Bond sliding down it!), so the series is now a historical
record...
This episode sees the return of the days where gadgetry ruled,
the main contributor being a rather fancy sound device that can
blast through solid walls (though why the guards didn't get
suspicious when this van drove up to the fence and started this
build-up of noise I'm not sure). There's some really good direction
again (from the director who brought us 'Sacrifice To Science' and
it's brilliant flashbacks) especially the shot of the basketball,
spinning through the air in slow-motion to score three points just
as the wall gets blasted in. Rokov certainly has a sense of style!
(Not sure about his men though - one of them is instantly
forgettable, (well can you remember him?), the other is a bit
creepy. At first he seems a mere musclehead, but later he dons thick
spectacles to sort the computer side out. There's something scary
about a big bloke who can smash people about, but who also has
intelligence (maybe that's why Jean-Daniel worked so well). So then
Rokes gets sped out of the prison on a motorbike (a rare sight this
season since Craig left) which I felt could have been filmed better.
A good moment is when Ros chases the van when they kidnap Khalif and
we see a shot of the camera following along with them. It cuts to
the van and then the car and back again, but makes it look like it's
one continual shot by using the viaduct to wipe each shot - I do
wish the widescreen format had been preserved for the DVD though as
it would have seemed a lot better. It seems a bit fortuitous for the
baddies that the disc they need is stored right next to a glass
window and there doesn't seem all that much to stop them when they
go around getting the stuff they need.
Again, Ed isn't featured prominently and this would probably have
worked as a first story if there hadn't been a cliffhanger to tie up
from last season. Jan seems quite proud of his organisation and cool
head amid the passion and temper of having two Becketts at the
Bureau. Even more so when he wishes to relinquish command back to
Beckett. It shows that Jan has come to accept Ed, as before she
tended to think of him as the funny man (let's face it he hasn't
really been very funny lately) of the team. It would have been very
interesting to see how Craig's interpretation would have tackled all
this.
Matt mentions that Ros' death is on file. I wonder if that means
she's working officially as a deceased agent like in 'Knight
Rider': "...a woman who does not exist!" Or maybe they just didn't
get round to changing the file. Perhaps Alex should get her old job
back as file clerk as they clearly haven't got anyone to fill it, or
they're totally incompetent.
Furthering the continuing story of Ros and Beckett's ongoing semi-
feud is the most annoying moment so far. They seemed to be getting
back slowly into some kind of cool and detached friendship, Ros even
revealing her sympathy and understanding how Beckett felt comparing
her apparent death to his Mother's. But Beckett just won't let her
in. This time it's his turn to be pig-headed though he does have the
excuse of all that's going on with his Dad, making him not his usual
self. But he does say what should never be said, quoting his Dad
that two agents getting hitched is a recipe for disaster. With an
indirect, but so obvious rebuff like that Ros isn't going to be
amenable to his friendship now! And in fact for the rest of the
episode she is mostly alone, doing her computer genius stuff from a
distance as of old. The shot of them, Beckett standing a way behind
her, a composition like an old painting, seems to say everything. So
close and yet so far. The sentiment is repeated by Zealander, a
foreshadowing of what's to come maybe, this time to Alex who is
warned to dump Adam; one moment when I almost shouted "Yes, do!" out
loud. Khalif and Zealander seemed to be talking about themselves in
that context. They certainly seem quite close, and had to be to go
deep into Rokov's organisation, but we never find out how they came
to this conclusion.
The episode is far from perfect, with some of the fight scenes
seeming not quite right and just little niggles that the story
wasn't completely taken as far as it could have gone. And the
explosions were mostly lacklustre, like they couldn't afford to make
big, pretty ones any more. But as a whole I liked it, and enjoyed
it. (Bring back Matt!) There is one very good thing in all this: no
Adam. Hopefully he's just someone that Alex mentions from time to
time. For a moment there I thought he might become a recurring
character...
Rob
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robugs
16 years ago
Hell and High Water
As usual the teaser is a good place to start and a good start it
is, with the very competent patrolman filling in very well for the
team as two (unmasked) figures steal an ancient 1970's computer. He
does a lot better than most security guards in the series, but
obviously doesn't manage to stop the thieves and place them under
arrest or the episode would be a bit short. Instead he gets to throw
himself out of the path of the baddies vehicle as it smashes through
a glass entrance. Nice.
Cue the man in the sea cap as he's known round these parts, who
sends the team off on a mission to check up on an oilrig that's used
to control satellites, before Warbird Alpha, a part of Starshield,
comes crashing down on a European city. Might not be such a bad
thing. Oh, sorry, of course it is! Another link to the past for
Season Four, for those that have been paying attention: Way back at
the start of Season Two Starshield was part of the first two
episode's, used by Zito to destroy the Kituman geological satellite
RX-44. It's fun to see the team look knowingly at each other as the
name Starshield is mentioned. A funny moment is when Ed asks Beckett
how he and Ros are getting on and he says they're up and down at the
moment, just as Ros comes in. She asks him if the sea's choppy! So
they're off (just the Gizmo's team for a change), to provide a
surprise inspection. Unfortunately they forgot to check what the
crew actually look like, as when they land it takes them a while to
work out this isn't the actual crew. Meanwhile Alex gets to show
what a big girl she is now, and does some agenting of her own (after
meeting up with the awful Adam Mosby and sharing an embarrassing
meal with him (embarrassing for us that is, as we can't understand
what a bright young lady like Alex sees in him), but thankfully he's
only in it briefly. She gets to meet a succession of odd people
(beginning with Adam), especially the secretary of the place where
the computer that was stolen came from. "To think, I used to babysit
his children" she says of villain McKormac. It's really nice to see
Alex off doing her own thing, a long way from the file clerk of
Season Three's initial episodes. She's now a fully-fledged agent and
takes an equal role. A familiar role of undercover operative as she
pretends to be investigating a gas leak. It's also quite a rare
opportunity for the original trio to be completely dependent on each
other in this remote location, no contact out, "just like old times"
as Beckett says at one point. The setting is a brave one, and the
set-up is very convincing; you believe they really are at an oilrig,
though most of it is filmed elsewhere. I have to admit, even now I'm
not sure if some scenes were shot on location as the clever cutting
makes it very real and we're constantly reminded with shots of the
sea crashing against it and the sound of creaks and groans.
Atmosphere is the name of the game, and it's not just a rare episode
from the point of view of the set-up, but also from the use of
tension in a different way to the norm. Most of the series is
threats and danger, split-second rescues and all-action chases, but
here it's more like horror tension with dark corners, unknown
villains and mysterious circumstances. You even get the classic
character-bumping-into-dead-bodies moment as the real Nordstrom
hangs down! The tension could've been increased to make it genuinely
scary, but they pull back in favour of more traditional 'BUGS'
antics. Credit for trying something different, though. The main
oilrig set looks very much like the circular tower area used in
several episodes such as 'Manna From Heaven' (the water facility
where mad Sally falls to her death) and 'Blackout' (the location of
the nuclear triggers), but it's well disguised. There's much
creeping around once the team know the crew are not the real crew,
and there's some nice shots such as lackeys Grant and Ryan silently
tracking down Ros and Beckett, their guns appearing in profile in an
opening of light, then disappearing back into the blackness. The
real shock comes when Ros is violently attacked by an unknown man,
stamping on her hands as she tries to grip the rail and avoid
falling. It's rare to have such sudden and terrifying moments and is
most effective. That it turns out to be one of the real crewmembers
is quite interesting, and a logical motive for his attack. Grey goes
from being sinister and scary in his dark hood, to becoming an ally,
and then you get his real self as he locks up Ros and Beckett and
leaves them to die. It's unclear how early he formulated a plan to
take over the controls of Warbird, but he isn't working with
McKormac's group that's for sure. It gives the episode a twist.
Saying that, he later attacks Beckett with an axe and you get the
feeling he's not very stable, so maybe it was he who killed his
colleagues and it was the new people arriving that interrupted his
plan (he's not very handy with an axe is he? - he creeps up behind
Beckett and slams the axe down next to him!). Ros and Beckett get
put through the mill in this one (come on Ros don't get conned into
going into an airtight room again!), but it's nice to see them being
friendly and getting along as they used to. At one point Beckett
almost opens a conversation to mend the gap between them, but Ros
stops him, saying he'll have time later. It's a shame things weren't
all patched up between them so they could get back to normal,
especially events in the last few episodes. But for now it's enough
to have them being together and you could almost believe it was a
story from an earlier season. Apart from Houghton being there,
obviously. Ed seems a bit subdued, perhaps because there's less call
for action, although there was one uncharacteristic moment for him:
he shoves the fake Nordstrom hard into the cell. With her being so
petite and a little bit sympathetic (because although she's in
charge she doesn't seem the hardbitten unpleasant type that some of
the gang are), it seems a bit callous and over the top to push her
so hard. Admittedly it does look like she tripped and made it look
worse. I originally assumed it was Grey that had thrown her in (a
foreshadowing of his violent and dangerous character), but it was
Ed. Another mark against the new Ed then, but generally he was fine
in this episode. Jan is another one we got to see more of, out of
the office and blowing up McKormac's car was fun, and it's also nice
to see her working with Alex, as peers, trying to solve the circuit
board problem. That it turns out to be a simple map is another
unique take on an old-fashioned treasure-hunt type story, with a
more technological slant to suit the series. The final location of
the bonds was a bit lacklustre. Very grey and brown, dusty and old,
and not in keeping with the usual ethos of the series. Likewise the
way Alex and Ed take on Liam and Sarah - it could have been a fast-
paced finale with some excellent stunt moves, but the villains
merely run at them and they sort of pull them to the ground. Not to
mention the unlikelihood of them sacrificing themselves so that
McKormac could escape. It just seemed like a wasted opportunity, and
an episode that could have ended well, kind of fizzled out. Then
again McKormac really did get fizzled out and the explosion was a
good one, it's just a shame the preceding sequence couldn't have had
more effort put into it. It would also have been good to see the
other two baddies landing their helicopter and being captured by SSD
(since I don't believe we ever get to have SSD in the episodes, I
could be wrong). A good reference though, showing the organisations
do work together sometimes instead of just being corrupt or annoyed.
The way the episode ends is rather abrupt, and has no real fun or
charm or sense to it. Probably because Adam bookends it! You see Ros
and Beckett on the oilrig after they've destroyed Warbird, and they
look pleased and... then we leave them. Jan stops McKormac, looks
pleased and... we cut away. Was the sequence with Adam and Alex
really necessary? It just shows she cares for him and we know that.
Much better would have been the team meeting up a few hours later
and maybe laughing about something, or even Ros and Beckett making
it clear to each other that they're good friends again. That would
have left the episode on an emotional high and restored faith in the
series, but no, we get a half-hearted joke between Alex and Adam,
and then it ends. Let's just hope that nothing comes between R and
B's happiness from now on. But I fear that may not be the case. I
fear the imminence of 'C'.
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robugs
16 years ago
Pandora's Box
Here's a fact for you: this episode has the highest number of
credited actors, since Season Two's 'Bugged Wheat' and 'Whirling
Dervish' first set the precedent of having fifteen credited. This
may not sound like anything, but Season Four regularly gets close to
this figure, and the number of characters is cited as one of the
reasons this season lost viewers. It was just too hard to keep track
of everybody. But for me, this episode was a nice surprise. Despite
the number of characters and sub-plots it's juggled quite
effectively in almost epic proportions. Not only are there many
named characters, you get the feeling there are hundreds of
background extras. The vastness of the central premise lives up to
the sets - the discovery of King Arthur's tomb. Seldom, if ever,
has 'BUGS' addressed historical details; it's usually considered out
of it's remit, but not this time. Futuristic spiel is reduced in
favour of the distant past, and the modern dangers that can be
unleashed. For the series it is quite a bold move and shows how much
the format can be tweaked to tell varietal tales. Unforunately it
does tend to turn into the usual S4 stereotype of trying to be as
exciting as the past seasons, but failing. And the ongoing soap
stuff is still in evidence. But I said I was surprised, and I was. I
remembered it as being a knockabout story with too much focus on the
real and everyday world which plagues this season (a bike shop, a
school, can you imagine these places turning up in Season Two?), but
when you forget to compare it to previous episodes it turns into a
humourous, fairly action-filled tale, with a hint of quality not
always seen. To start with, the sets: you get some nice automatic,
machine-driven factory views. Empty, vast, mechanical spaces that
retains the traditional series feel, while on the other hand, is a
large and muddy works site, deep underground. The setting up of the
place where the tomb is located is well done, and the camera work as
we view the dig from above is quite impressive. The tomb itself is
even deeper in, and it's very effective when Beckett and Cameron
suddenly plummet into this dark cavern filled with skeletons, like
something out of Indiana Jones. It could have done with being a bit
scarier, but the series has always tried to stay in the realms of
reality, no matter how far-fetched some of the gadgets are. Cameron
himself is an appealing villain, kind of like a mad version of Tony
Robinson. Or maybe just the usual version of Tony Robinson... He's
too obsessed with the actual finds than with money and safety, while
you have the typical co-conspirator who's just in it for the money.
Then it starts to get a bit confusing because you've got various
workmates on the dig site which Beckett infiltrates (a fun and rare
chance for him to go undercover), and other people under Cameron's
pay, as well as the people in the chain that take the sword (and
amusingly keep putting the price up for the next bidder!), and the
guy at the hospital helping Ros. It's all very far removed from the
barren streets and empty buildings of the old episodes. But as I
said the large empty waste site gives scenes a bit of balance people-
wise.
The characters are all used well, although Alex's scenes with
Adam are still a bit cringe-worthy. You keep wishing he'd just go
away. It does provide a way of integrating him into the main plot
for a change, perhaps the only intelligent thing they've done with
Adam so far (the only thing that would be a bigger improvement is if
they killed him off...), also meaning the Hive is back again, this
time giving Bureau Two some assistance. It would have been a good
opportunity for Dent to come in and rattle a few cages, but perhaps
that would have just confused the plot. It's also nice to see Jan
can call in an Armed Response Unit which charge around, shouting and
waving their guns threateningly. Why they wear balaclava's is
unclear, perhaps their division can't afford riot helmets, but
anyway, they add an extra depth to the proceedings. Look out for the
scene where they all leap out of the vans and charge off - behind
Jan you can see one guy running back as if he forgot his stuff! It
would have been even nicer if they could have used SSD like
in 'Renegades'. Perhaps they felt having two organisations was
enough. (Which raises the question where did this squad come from?
Are they kept in a cupboard at the Bureau, allowed out only when
it's absolutely necessary? And why haven't we seen them before?
Maybe they're only allowed out on certain days.)
Ed has come into his own. It probably started back in 'The Two
Becketts' where he was allowed to go off alone a bit, but by this
episode he does seem like a real person. Not the Ed from before, but
at least a character in his own right. It's like Houghton finally
relaxed and didn't try to be liked so hard, and his interpretation
is realised at last. And he does do some Ed-like things, such as
going back for the soil sample even though he could be affected by
the plague (and it's odd that he never is. Maybe he's not blond
enough...), and double-teaming with Beckett in a tomb-side rumble. A
funny bit is where Beckett comes to release him from a cell and Ed
almost smacks his friend with a stick - thankfully he missed!). This
is mostly Beckett's show, with the boss getting the good lines
("She's always been a bright spark." - They pretend to be
electricians to fool Chista: hilarious), the good action and the
good... Christa? Urk. Who is this person? She just waltzes in and
helps Beckett with his decorating. Trouble is he can never say no to
people like that, and doesn't think about Ros' view of things. Or
maybe he likes making her jealous for a change. Whatever, it wasn't
a good move. Hopefully, Christa will fall downstairs and have to
spend three months in traction. That way Ros and Beckett can get
back to their almost-a-married-couple status. Christa isn't too
annoying, just odd, but you can sense the way this is going. On the
other side of the coin, you get to actually feel a smidgen of
sympathy for Adam when he realises what's happened to Alex. And the
Ed/Alex thing is addressed. Apparently it just didn't work out, but
I'm sure at the end of Season Three they were still together? Well,
there's too much of this going on. One disjointed non-couple is
enough for a series. Jan fares well too, commanding the armed squad,
Hive agents and rushing to Alex's aid when she realises the poor
girl has collapsed. So they all get to shine. Does seem a bit of a
stretch to believe Ros' theory that they can find an antidote for
the plague simply by using a pestle and mortar! And Dr. Hemmings
tends to just frown a lot, when you'd think he'd be taking the
initiative, him being an actual doctor and all. Still, these are
minor complaints for a 'BUGS' episode. It's generally a lot of fun.
The ending tries to be a trademark rollercoaster as they race to
find the sword (from a boy played by Tom Felton, now more famous for
his role in the Harry Potter films), which bizarrely his Mum allowed
him to pick up off the ground and take off with his friend. That's a
real sword with a large point. Now I know parenting isn't what it
was, but still, that seems a little bit careless. While this is
happening Ed and Beckett are trying to get out of the dig site
before the place goes up thanks to a bash with a spade starting the
timer for some dynamite (they're supposed to be experts at defusing
bombs. Couldn't they have had a go at the timer?), while showing
true heroic nature by not abandoning the baddies that attacked them,
but making sure they get them out too. How many people always think
the four of them are going leap into the water pool in front of them
as they escape the blast in the shaft? Show of hands. Quite a lot
then. A good bang it was too, one of the bigger explosions of the
season. Perhaps the last big boom.
At least we get more of an ending this time, with most of the
team meeting up. Unfortunately it's let down a bit because of
Christa giggling in the corner, but take it as a whole, and despite
the over reliance on multiple characters, real world locations and
Adam and Christa, it comes out quite well. Those two characters
aren't too terrible, the soapy bits have lightened up a bit, and the
grumps have been toned down. So there's nothing really that could
get in the way of a good build-up to the end of the season. Is there?
Rob
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robugs
16 years ago
Jewel Control
Season Two, episode seven: a foreign country, dusty and deserted.
Season Three, episode seven: a bride is married by a conman for
nefarious reasons to get to her Father. Season Four, episode seven:
I like to think of this as a tribute as it seems more than
coincidence that the seventh episodes of the previous two seasons
shared similar themes. There do not seem to be any particular links
to find for 'Manna From Heaven', but believe me, I tried! So, as
noted, we get an atmospheric teaser, with the feel of Colombia,
which is rare for the series (despite Colin Brake's wish to do more
stories set in other countries), and this is good as it gives us a
different angle on familiar circumstances. After this the story is a
bit slow to get going, with the team straggling in as they sometimes
do. Compare this to a previous season and they'd have had their
briefing and be on the way to some action by the time they get
together in this one, but maybe it's because Jan's not around.
Throughout, Ros seems more receptive to Beckett, suggesting they go
to Sorrel's party together, but Beckett seems more distant, almost
like he's getting closer to the dreaded Christa and further from his
best friend. More fool him. It does give us some humour as Alex
tries to bug Sorrel's husband, the conman Blenco, only, because
she's been out partying with Adam all night, she's got her head in
the clouds and the man sees her, assuming the bug is an earring. He
offers to attach it, but is called away just in time. He's not the
brightest of villains, as people are keen to keep reminding him,
particularly his wife when later captured, telling him he's not even
a successful conman. And he really isn't, which somehow makes Diaz
look just as stupid and heavy-handed. A good example of this is when
Ed breaks in (following information from SSD. Annoyingly we still
don't get to see them!), using his trademark climbing skills to get
to Diaz and his henchmen's rooms. Just when it threatens to get
exciting - Ed's on a countdown from Beckett to get out of there as
Diaz is approaching - it somehow fails. Instead of Ed having to
abseil to safety while the goons fire at him, he just hangs over the
balcony. Beckett, several floors down, tells him it's all clear, but
how could he possibly know that since we get his viewpoint and he
can't see anything up there. You can just imagine Ed climbing back
up again only to find Diaz waiting there. Beckett: 'Oops, sorry Ed.
I couldn't really see. You were closer, you should have told me it
was clear.' I suppose it would have blown Diaz' cover if he'd opened
fire in a hotel, but it would have been nice to have something to
get the heart pounding. Season Four rarely gets to that level; the
story seems to be the thing. Unfortunately for this one, it had
already been done better before. I like the villains despite their
general uselessness. Diaz has a strangely expressive face, and his
cronies are the complete opposite, never showing a hint of emotion.
That's contrast.
While this is happening, the subplot is Jan's training review
where she's put through her paces in various physical and mental
exercises. Since she's the oldest, and most experienced by a long
way she doesn't take kindly to being treated like a trainee ("In
twenty-five years of covert ops, I have never been asked to row for
my country"), exacerbated by the fit, bright, young Melissa, a
constant reminder of Jan's age (played by Naoko Mori, now best known
for her role in 'Torchwood'). Melissa, at the beginning so confident
and full of herself, is the main source of humour, as she eventually
has to learn from the older woman in a most gratifying way! It does
seem ever so slightly impossible odds that someone should want to
break into Harding House and the RSG (Regional Seat of Government)
below during the exact period when Jan is there, but this is hardly
a major coincidence compared to other episodes in the series!
Sorrel's Dad Owen Mandrake is the target for Blenco and Diaz, and
they attempt a kidnap at Sorrel's party (Sorrel seems so bitter and
unfriendly for an aid worker. I suppose you could blame that on
Blenco). There is unintentional humour in spades, not seen since Ros
leapt on a baddies' back in 'Sacrifice To Science', when Ros and
Alex follow Blenco and Owen outside. They fail to drag him into
Diaz' car, and the look on Diaz' face when the Bureau agents run
towards him is priceless! He looks absolutely terrified of these two
women. As Ros bangs on his car window he's almost apoplectic with
terror, which is hilarious considering he's supposed to be a Mr. Big
in his own country. He's exposed as the sorry coward he really is,
and you can't take him seriously from that point on. A shame, as his
order to beat up Blenco in the teaser makes him seem a real nasty.
His repuation isn't assisted by the way he and his men break into
Harding House and, instead of murdering all the trainees, he's
thoughtfully brought enough sedative with him to put them to sleep!
He must be a real humanitarian. I suppose from a pre-watershed point
of view, they couldn't really have him burst in and mow down a room
full of people, but there are ways of doing it without having to
show the event, and would have made him seem a far bigger threat. A
taste of what that might have been like is the very effective moment
when Jan crawls through the aircon and hears a burst of gunfire
echoing in the distance. She doesn't know if they've all been killed
or not. The whole escapade does give us the chance for the classic
sequence where Melissa faints in front of the needle, the moment we
realise she's not all she's cracked up to be.
Meanwhile Owen is snatched from Beckett's flat thanks to the
dopey Christa who wants him to see a suit he's to wear to the work
do she's invited him to. Beckett must be a real sucker for someone
with pigtails because she's so drippy and a widdle bit coy. Of her
three appearances in the episode this is the bit where you
think "Why, Beckett? Why, why, why?" The only fun from Christa is
how she continues to believe Beckett's an electrician.
One slightly shocking sequence is before Diaz and co. take over
the RSG - they smash into Sorrel's place (which looks quite a fancy
pad as Ed might once have said), just crashing straight through the
glass. Ros heroically stands in their way, paralysing one of the
goons with a kick to the privates, but succumbing to the second. So
Ros, Sorrel and Owen are captured and forced to make the RSG
activate. It's all a ploy to activate another RSG which is
underneath the vault of an emerald company. Except it doesn't
exactly go to plan when Ros sabotages the controls. It has the side-
effect that she and the others are stuck in a sealed area with a
bomb. This is much more like the series of old, with a desperate
situation as they must find a way to escape.
Back above their heads, Jan, with the 'aid' of Melissa knocks out
Carlos, the guy who was left to hold the fort (a note here: Diaz has
three henchman. One is unnamed, the other two are called Carlos and
Markos, but they aren't credited, but two other names are there
instead: Jeff and Sonny. So who are these people? They could be the
same guys, but they changed the names from the original script and
forgot to alter the credits...). The best bit is where, after making
mistake after mistake, Melissa creeps up behind a baddie who is
backing towards her. She gathers all her courage, lifts her heavy
wirecutters up to take a swing... and clonks it into the light.
Bong! Seriously funny. If they ever did a new series, they should
bring Melissa on as a regular, purely for humour's sake! So the good
old escape ensues as they all dash to the surface to get away from
the impending blast. It was a good explosion, but it looked like
they used some elements from previous blasts which seemed a bit
lazy. Perhaps they were trying to cut costs?
The ending is just depressing - Beckett lies about going out to
the dinner with Christa, saying it's a naval gathering, men only.
But then Ros checks out the security cameras and sees him leave with
her. Why Beckett didn't just tell the truth I really can't fathom,
but it ends an episode which you can't help feeling lacked
something. Alex and Ed weren't included very strongly, although Jan
made up for it. Jan Harvey (as she told me personally!) enjoyed the
action sequences, so I bet she loved making this one. And it didn't
have Adam. But even so, it's not one of the best, and with only
three to go, you'd hope the next one, pulled itself together a
little more. Oh, and on another note, this marked the proper
breaking in of the second Jeep as this was it's tenth episode. So
why did the episode fail to push all the buttons? Because it lacked
threat. Just do what everyone else does: blame it on Blenco.
Rob
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robugs
16 years ago
Bizarrely this episode and the subsequent two were held over by
the BBC for transmission a full year after the majority of Season
Four. All those who thought this was the start of Season Five raise
a hand. Just me then...
Despite having both Christa and Adam, for me this is one of the
best episodes of the season, and one that gets back to the
excitement levels of previous years. To balance it out and make it
fit with the slightly lacklustre feel of Season Four however, the
teaser succeeds in fooling you into thinking it won't be so good.
The trouble comes with the poor 'explosion' barely registering on
the Richter scale with it's pitiful shower of sparks, for which the
entire building was evacuated, while simultaneously showing us a
location ripe for blowing up - they should have blasted out that
entire glass foyer, instead of which, viewers assume the brothers
are going to be as ineffectual as last week's (or last year's)
Blenco and Diaz. Wrong! They turn out to be a good match for the
Bureau team even with their eccentric behaviour, lack of modesty and
foresight, and penchant for explaining themselves.
It is the subplot that raises the episode above merely repeating
a theme, with the fascinating discovery that Ros' dealings with
Channing are not quite over, as she's informed he has sold her
company Ros Henderson Designs and she now works for a Mr. Tachibana,
representing the Haichiku Corporation. Only if she pays £3million
will she be able to buy back her rights. This instigates the return
of two recurring characters making their second appearance; Coral
Henderson, Ros' Mum, who is happy to go through the legal paperwork
when her lawyers are engaged, and Graham Hurry. No surprise if you
don't remember that name! This must have been included for
the 'BUGS' faithful who have been watching from the start, since he
wasn't a particularly memorable character in Season One's 'Down
Among The Dead Men'. It does add another layer of depth to the
series and shows the writers were paying attention and taking pains
to uphold some level of continuity/mythology, so it is appreciated.
Shame they had to hire a different actor for the role which, even if
you knew the name you'd be confused by the face. Plus he's got
roughly 90% more hair than the original Hurry. It is interesting to
find out he's now on the board of city investment bank Kamen & Ross
which the team saved from financial ruin in that previous episode.
And now he's in a position to help the woman who helped him, while
also taking advantage of the situation to ask her to dinner. But
she's still not interested, even with a loan of such massive
proportions. Never mind, Hurry. It seems a little strange that
Channing doesn't make an appearance, seeing as his business dealings
so affect Ros, but what would happen? He'd say it was business and
he was sorry, Ros would shout him out of the building and the plot
wouldn't move along. And with a grand total of four recurring
characters I expect the producers thought it would be a bit much.
Much of the humour in the episode comes from the twin's
overactive brains (besides some good lines, like when Alex asks Ros
where the twins might have hidden the bomb and Jan quips "Are you
asking her as a genius or a bomber?" And when Ros tells Tachibana
she's consulted her Mo... monetary advisor, a quick recovery from
admitting she's only been assisted by her Mother!). The very
eccentric English sight of one of them setting out a stool from
which to watch the explosion, as if he's sitting down for a cricket
match, the excellent synchronisation in actions when they swing
their telescopes or turn to the camera together, and the moment when
they're relaxing with a game of draughts and one brother looks away -
the other one switches a position on the board and proceeds to jump
every counter in one move. It's the little touches in these things
that add up. But Director Brian Grant (again proving his grasp of
the series) also does the big things well too. The van blowing up as
Ed and Beckett escape is easily on a par with previous form in the
series, as is the car explosion at the end, very reminiscent of
Kitty McHaig's own exploding vehicle, but with slightly higher
stakes. No less than £5million in cash and bonds, resulting in
Tachibana's takeover of Kamen & Ross, Ros becoming the penniless
inventor again, with a cast-iron contract that all she creates will
now be owned by Tachibana, and the loss of another car to boot. At
least Graham Hurry didn't have to go to jail... The car blowing up
(thanks to the brilliant reverse proximity device, that is as
imaginative as the best gadgets of the past) reinforces the 'Ros'
Curse' joke that runs through the series, beginning with the first
episode where her car was crushed, and more recently with the
Cortina dropping in the drink at start of season. Only this time
it's hard to laugh when you see the impact it has on her. Beckett
always knows what to say: "Sorry about your car, Ros." For once the
car is not what matters.
Beckett has his own problems in the story, getting gassed from a
device hidden in his car by the twins, and Christa basically barging
into the Bureau to find out where he is. She really must be a bit
dim, because only a couple of episodes ago, Ros was telling a Mum
and her son she was from the Bureau and they seemed to accept that.
This means the Bureau isn't a secret, so Christa not knowing about
it seems odd. Why didn't Beckett just tell her about it? It seems
he's taking his Dad's advice about getting too close to those you
work with in the services, as Ros has warmed up a lot, not even
mentioning Terry anymore, but he continues to be swayed by Christa's
gawky charm, if you can call it that. When Ros and Christa talk in
the carpark it's the first time she realises Ros is rather attached
to Beckett.
At least there's still one couple who seem likely to live happily
ever after. No, not Jan and Sir Athony Fairchild; Alex and Adam.
After their 'whirlwind' romance Adam has proposed and Alex accepted
marriage. But all is not well. Ed is too professional to be jealous
(well maybe just a bit), but carrying out his professional duty (and
carrying out Alex and Adam from a cold store - every action series
has to have a character trapped in a cold store at some point, 'tis
law.), he stumbles across a bank statement that dropped from Adam's
pocket, showing large amounts of money being dumped there... Dah dah
daaaaah! A question: how did he find time to get a photocopy of the
statement during the rescue? Did he just pop down the nearest newsie
or was there a dumped photocopier at the place to be hotwired into
action? If the series is becoming overly soapy at least the action
has hotted up a bit. As long as a better balance is achieved
compared to the early episodes it's not too bad.
On a side note, the twins become proud members of the BSBSG
(Baddies Surviving BUGS Support Group) when they bail out of Ros'
car in the nick of time, but we're not told if they were recaptured
or got away... One minor nitpick though - the bomb in the van is a
naval clock isn't it, yet Beckett still has this after the
detonation, meaning he can track down their HQ. Was it another bomb
they hadn't set, and we don't see the one that takes out the van, or
is it a massive oversight? Whatever it is, the episode itself proved
to be a joy, with it's crowd-pleasing attention to detail,
continuity and character. One thing that sticks out is how much the
twins remind you of a certain French super-villain. Now that's one
character they should bring back!
Rob
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robugs
16 years ago
Money Spiders
Strangely, this has become my third favourite of the season,
after 'Sacrifice To Science' and 'Absent Friends'. It was
unexpectedly engaging, by turns frightening, fascinating and
exciting. But first the obligatory bit:
That blue face on Michaelson's computer. With the minutiae of
past season details in many of these episodes they must surely have
known that many viewers would immediately equate this blue,
computerised visage with it's coolly distant voice, to the greatest
threat the team had ever faced. I'm talking about Cyberax of course.
So if they remembered Cyberax there are only two reasons for
including that face. Either they were teasing us, which chalks up a
big, black mark against the writers because if you're going to
remind viewers of some of the best stories of the series you'd
better deliver an episode to top them, and as good as this is, it
can't touch Season Two and Three's finest. Or it was included to act
as a visual reference for the future (more on that in the next
review I expect...). Either way it is too similar to the super-virus
to be ignored, and confuses for a while as you expect Jean-Daniel or
some aspect of the past to be cropping up. The past does indeed crop
up, but it's nothing to do with Cyberax. Good old Mr. Dent, marking
his third appearance (though somehow it feels like he's been in a
lot more), and Simon the psychiatrist his second, returning to hear
Jan's 'confessional'. Dent's comeback is welcome as he's such a good
character with his ironic attitude, especially in evidence when he
meets Beckett again. After four years it's one of those things that
regular viewers probably always wanted to see, much like Beckett
going for Channing, or Roland Blatty returning. We get to see Dent
in his element too, walking round The Hive (it seems it's a much
bigger facility than we ever guessed, with it's maze of underground
tunnels and carpark). It's nice to see the man's mettle, as he
realises his security card is gone. He doesn't fret and panic, but
calmly cancels the card without a moment's hesitation, ignoring
Beckett and Alex's reactions. It's only a little thing, but it
really highlights his character.
The episode is well directed by John Stroud. In one scene Jan,
Dent and Michaelson, the man who has been threatened, meet to
discuss the situation. They could have had it take place in a stuffy
office in The Hive or Bureau, but a roof garden with a panoramic
view of the city is used instead, to great effect. If you look
carefully you can see Tower Bridge in the background, and just about
make out HMS Belfast which of course played host to a diplomatic
function in 'Assassin's Inc.' Another aspect of the well-directed
scenes is use of lighting - there are lots of bright colours,
something the series was known for, but which was a little less
pronounced in some of this season's episodes. Particular favourites
are the scene where Wymark appears in the background when Beckett
goes undercover into the HQ of his internet business. He pops up as
a silhouette in an area bathed in yellow light. And when Adam is
blackmailed in The Hive's carpark and the camera follows Wymark and
Zephyr as they circle him, the red and blue lights cast a menacing
glow over their faces. And the neon yellow security beams protecting
the core are very nice.
The story has a surprising level of character moments, as if the
makers realised they might only have two episodes left with these
people and decided to get to know them a bit more. Originally I
found these normal-life moments to be in direct opposition to what
the series was about. Normal life in 'BUGS' was usually
extraordinary, escaping death on a regular basis, racing through
streets, risking all. But if the life of ordinary people is done in
the right way it goes from being boring soap to deepening the
characters, so that when they become threatened it means more. There
was also humour to be had, mainly in the disagreements between Alex
and Adam as they plan their wedding - for once I can agree with Adam
about something: Alex's taste in cutlery really is disgusting! The
angst of earlier episodes has also settled down a bit, becoming
resigned pining from Ros and Ed as the ones they love are pulled
further from them. Unrequited love is apparently a lot more
palatable than grumpiness, evidence backed up by Season Three. And
those two perennial favourites (not!), Adam and Christa, two reasons
many would give for the series being axed, are used much more
efficiently and less annoyingly than before. Christa's still dumb
and silly, but the scene where she and Beckett go shopping gives us
the realisation through Beckett that he never did anything like this
with Ros. A real contrast between the fantasy world and everyday
reality. And the deepening plot involving Adam is a dark streak
running through the impending wedding preparations.
It's good to have all the characters awarded equal importance
(though maybe Ed doesn't get to do much that's substantial until the
latter part). Beckett and Ros teaming up to go undercover in Wymark
International is especially enjoyable ("You be the bureaucrat, I'll
be the courier."), as Ros breaks into a computer, Beckett has to be
the diversion, taking it right down to the wire as he tries to stop
Wymark and Zephyr from entering the room Ros is in, only just
succeeding - she goes out one door as they come in another: the kind
of precision tension that works so well.
The baddies hark back to the staple of the series: a male and
female partnership that dates to the very first episode and has been
seen numerous times to good effect. As often is the case, it's the
woman, Zephyr who appears to pull most of the strings. She's like
those popular girls at school, the ones who were really nasty pieces
of work, would kick you in the shins or spit in your face as soon as
look at you. Hair pulled rigidly back, eyes glinting malice, she
even seems to have some martial arts training. A wicked combination.
Wymark, in comparison, seems a bit soft (and to be honest a bit
monkey-like, especially when he puffs out his cheeks in a huffy
sigh). Yes he gets his gun out towards the end, and earlier
threatens Adam, but he seems second banana to his partner.
Something that I don't believe had been done in the series before
is looking at the consequences of the Bureau's operations.
Michaelson insists he take part in an operation to catch the
villains, and Jan agrees against her better judgement (which turns
out to be correct). When the drop takes place the masked villain
escapes on a motorbike, bursting from the van (just like the girls
in Season One's 'Stealth'), and when Michaelson against orders,
intervenes, he ends up dead. Jan has to explain to his widow who
doesn't take the news well, unsurprisingly. The guilt wells up in
Jan and she loses all confidence in herself. The poignant thought
that she might end up telling Adam that Alex is never coming home
again is one of the series' hardest moments. Before, the characters
were always practically invincible, but now Jan acknowledges the
real risk of their job, and it makes compelling drama. If only this
kind of thing could have been incorporated earlier it could have
become a lot more grown up and maybe lasted longer.
The final two-parter of the series has one of the best
cliffhangers, another reason it has raised my expectations for what
a Season Four episode could deliver. Ed and Ros, with the guilt-
ridden Jan along for the ride, trying in some way to atone for what
she sees as her mistake, break into Wymark's place again, this time
so Ros can wipe all their data. After getting in and doing the
business (and a fun bit of mime as they creep through the beams),
the baddies are onto them, resulting in a short fight in which Ros
and Ed manage to best them (with a chance to see Ros' legendary
right hook again!), then are chased to the roof with guns drawn.
Speeding away they hold up their enemies with a blocked door, giving
them time to abseil down the building, at least that's the plan.
Until Ros gets her glove stuck in the figure of eight and Wymark
takes aim from above! Thankfully he's out of ammo, but then Zephyr
is there, takes aim and fires. Ros is hit and drops into the arms of
Ed. It would probably have worked best if they had left it there,
but the line from Jan saying she doesn't think Ros is going to make
it, slows the pace a little. But even so, what a shock! The next
episode is the last one. Will she survive or will she actually die?
That is the real cliffhanger, and one that could genuinely mean the
end for a much-loved character.
Rob
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robugs
16 years ago
The Enemy Within
Nine long years since Season Four was chopped up? It's about time
they brought out a new DVD version (preferably widescreen and with
extras), but I suspect this won't happen. Still, here's my last
review, you can breathe a sigh of relief because I won't need to be
doing any more.
We arrive at the end at last. Through death, through adventure,
through explosive excitement. The end of the series. But first we
have the final episode to travel through, the ends of part one and
the rest of the season to tie up. Part Two's are rarely as good as
Part One's. This is because the story is set up and full of slam-
bang action getting to the set up, that the conclusion has a lot to
live up to while also resolving the threads mentioned before. Having
said that, I have to point out that this episode has possibly the
best teaser since the first ever episode and it's helicopter chase.
The things that Adam can do with a mini! He should have taken up
rally driving. It would have been safer. Safer than confronting Alex
once she's realised what's going on, that is! But rally, I mean
really, the stunts are brilliant, giving us some action we've not
seen in a 'BUGS' episode before. And after thirty-nine episodes
that's quite an achievement. As always it's the small details that
make it more than just standard action fare - the humour of seeing
the poor delivery man getting pushed about is typical of the series.
Even in a moment of excitement and plot they squeeze in the humour.
But the rest of the story has little of it.
At the start you wonder where the characters will end up. Alex
has realised Adam stole the DVD; Jan leaves the Bureau because of
her guilt over what happened top Ros; Ros herself is in a critical
condition, her fate uncertain; Ed keeps watch over her; Beckett is
bent on finding Wymark and Zephyr; Adam is in hot water; Christa is
thankfully absent. The precarious position of this episode (last)
means that we are unsure if extreme changes will be in order or
whether everything will return to normal. Bit of both, I'd say. Dent
is once again present, marking a circle for the series, he being the
only character aside from the main cast to be in both first and last
episodes of the series, and he once again takes power, this time as
acting-DOIC when Jan quits. Beckett's not too happy about this, and
neither is Ed, who both plan to quit if this is the way things are
going. What will happen to the Bureau? They can't survive with only
Alex as an agent. But Alex has her own problems. Tracking down Adam
to his drop-point with the villains (and borrowing a Jeep from the
Bureau's pool - an interesting detail that is new to viewers. She
also talks to Angela, as seen in 'Absent Friends' who is the
Bureau's co-ordinator.). Her emotional involvement with Adam
compromises her judgement and she is easily captured by Zephyr. At
least this gives her the chance to talk it out with Adam who comes
clean about some things... Things only get worse when the pair of
villains mention the phony trust fund that Adam used to embezzle
money from The Hive. All so he could impress Alex. Will there be a
wedding after all?
Ros has more to worry about than wedding plans (and not just the
question of how she got a bullet in the back of the head when she
was facing upwards!), as she fights for her life in hospital.
Fortunately for her it's her Mother and friends who have to worry as
she's still out of it. This is the main contention for me. With the
knowledge that this is the last ever episode it's really sad that
Jaye Griffiths doesn't get more to do than lie in a coma. It brings
to mind Craig McLachlan's last turn as Ed in 'Renegades' - it was
not known then that it would be his last appearance and he was
underused. Similarly, Houghton's Ed is almost a background figure,
mainly because there is a whole lot more conversation and a little
less action than we're used to. He does get to be heroic when Ros'
operation is put in jeopardy by the fact that the new G5 processor
is being used and the baddies select it as an easy target (although
Dent does post guards at all the sites that are using G5 - or are
they SSD? It's unclear because he does mention SSD). The baddies
need G5 to run the CATflap program and scoop millions into their
account. Ed and Beckett chase them, and this might be one time when
they regret their decision not to carry guns: Wymark just blasts at
them as they chase, Ed having to roll and duck (much like the
character did in the first episode 'Out of The Hive' when he was
chasing Elena, only that time he was only up against a pistol and
now it's an automatic!) The operation is saved giving Dr. Halifax a
chance to explain the process in gruesome detail to the patient's
Mother as she watches in terror! Halifax clearly never passed any
kind of social or ethical studies as she's constantly expressing
dismay that the operation is tricky and dangerous, in a way that
seems enthusiastically gleeful, but at the same time is like a
scientist watching an experiment. Coral Henderson doesn't find
this 'experiment' very exciting seeing as it's her daughter!
Alex and Adam escape, the villains go to a disreputable banking
establishment to secure their illegal funds, run by jolly old
Chichester, the most evilly smiley non-baddie for a long while. The
details become a little irrelevant as the episode degenerates or
builds up to (depending on your age), a fast and furious chase
through the good old sights. Yes that's Technopolis, you never
thought you'd be going back there again did you? And you can see the
Millennium Dome in the final stages of completion, marking the time
difference between this and 'The Two Becketts' when it was nothing
but a shell. A frantic chase by Jan (who's reinstated herself at the
crucial moment), Alex, Adam, Beckett and Ed proves to be fairly
exciting, but you know they'll catch them. Zephyr gets to show off
her fighting skills although Alex is too much for her. But she grabs
a gun! But Adam has saved Alex's life by removing the bullets. So
the wedding's on, yes? Wymark fares a lot less well as he tries to
escape in a futile attempt at speeding down the building on a
cleaning carriage. Did I say they caught the villains? I was wrong,
no one catches Wymark!
So every operation is successful, and the wedding goes ahead,
true love winning through. And for those that thought 'BUGS'
couldn't do fairytale endings, they were... Wait, hang on. The, by
turns, most intriguing, frustrating and downright unfair ending is
still to come. After the wedding ceremony (in which it looks like
Beckett is having second thoughts about bringing Christa along),
Adam is marched off by Stefano, an old friend of his from
university, and when Beckett and Ros intervene two shots ring out.
Ed speeds over to discover Adam's dead body, and Alex weeps for her
husband as Ed and Jan look on. A truly heart-wrenching scene, no
matter what you thought of Adam. But then Ros and Beckett are in the
back of a limo with a gun pointing and the disguised words of a
chauffeur echoing in their mind. Something about unfinished business.
I hesitate to state the obvious, but let's see: Two episodes ago
we had a couple of bald geniuses that brought to mind a certain
supervillain, then last episode we had a blue computer face that was
very reminiscent of that villain's tool, then in this episode we
have subliminal visions of Technopolis Tower (ie: it's in the
background), and finally a chauffeur who has unfinished business and
that Beckett definitely recognises. Whether it was Jean-Daniel, the
series' best villain or not, the production seemingly wanted to jog
viewers' memories and make them think it was him, of that I'm
certain. As Stephen Gallagher, writer of the best episodes of
Seasons 1-3 guessed, they probably didn't know what they were going
to do if a Season Five was commissioned. So we may never know. There
was so much to be explored. Not only Ros and Beckett's
disappearance, but whether Dent would relinquish control of the
Bureau back to Jan. How would Alex be affected by losing Adam, and
how would Ed proceed? Would he choose to comfort her or track down
his friends?
Gallagher pointed out that the series had become something very
different to what it started out as, and Season Four is a definite
step into more traditional drama. It still held the uniqueness of
itself I think, and while I still consider Season Four to be the
overall weakest season, and suspect that had Gallagher stayed it
would have been a lot better, I have come to regard it in a better
light, noticing more details, understanding production decisions and
finding more to like in it for itself. In a way my opinion has come
full circle from when I originally saw it on TV almost ten years
ago. Back then my tastes were simpler and I knew what I liked. And I
certainly liked 'BUGS', and still do. But watching the season in the
cold light of day I became more critical, fuelled by online
opinions. As I always say, more 'BUGS' is more 'BUGS'. And I could
just do with Season 5 right about now.
Rob
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tenement-funster
16 years ago
Rob, Colin Brake, one of the show's writers, is a member of internet forum Outpost Gallifrey, and has discussed the season four cliffhanger. No resolution to it was ever written. We talked about the possibility of it being Jean-Daniel who kidnapped Beckett and Ros, but that theory was thrown out. Whoever it was, was recognised by Beckett, but not by Ros. Whoever it was clearly knew Beckett, but had no interest in Ros. Some old associate from the Hive, perhaps? At any rate, it has to remain a matter of speculation, since the writers themselves hadn't decided who it was at the time - and of course season five never materialised.
http://www.46664.com/
The World Is Quiet Here
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robugs
16 years ago
It does seem a little tenuous I agree, but as the writers never fully decided who it was I think it's fair to speculate, especially as they never concluded the story. If they ever did clear up the story (maybe Colin Brake should write a 'BUGS' novel?), they should make it JD as he was the best villain in the series in many people's eyes. If they had done another season then no doubt they would have come up with some fiendish plot that would have made us surprised, whether old faces were brought back or not. I like that idea of The Hive operative you mentioned, and it makes sense with the agency's chequered history - much like the 'Mission: Impossible' films there is always a double agent at the bottom of any stories in which they appear! An interesting theory (I'm not sure if it occurred to me or if it was someone else's idea) is that Ballantyne was responsible. Remember him? The first guy we see in the very first episode. He gets shot by Elena, the villianess, but she just walks off afterwards, and when the Gizmo's team arrive there is mysteriously no body. Maybe I read too much into this series...
Rob
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