London Spy starts on BBC Two - Monday 9 November - 9pm

[sadwidow28]

A new 5-part thriller is starting on BBC 2, 9th November at 9pm

A romance between an MI6 code genius and an ordinary man promises happiness. But tragedy strikes when the spy dies in suspicious circumstances, forcing his lover to pursue the truth behind his death.

Have a look at the trailers and write-ups and see if you fancy watching it and joining in this MN thread.

''You might be the most innocent person I know'' - This is a clip from episode 1: On a walk by the sea, Danny flirtatiously questions whether Alex did background checks on him before going on their date.

London Spy recap: episode five – the end of lying

The spy thriller came to a somewhat daft and implausible ending, but there was still much to enjoy, mostly from the brilliant Ben Whishaw

The Guardian 7th December 2015

I was confused by the conversation about the detective speaking to "him" but yeah I think they meant the blood sample when he was arrested. The person taking the swabs and blood sample had very hairy arms, so probably a bloke!

I thought that was quite a satisfying ending emotionally, if there were a few plot bunkers of weirdness. Didn't quite buy Frances suddenly changing her mind at the last minute. I also thought the Scottish "gamekeeper" (aka agent tasked with keeping an eye on them) was going to loom up behind them with a shotgun and spent the last couple of minutes wincing waiting for heads to get blown off. Or his car to blow up. Or snipers to fire.

I'm going to go to bed thinking about Alex in that box. That was so disturbing. I don't understand it. Why did they keep Alex alive? Why keep him in the box? I feel thick as a plank, I just don't get t.

I'm utterly baffled. I actually stopped watching the first episode because I couldn't understand it, but decided to watch the rest because everyone raved about it. But really what on earth was going on? Why were Danny's parents there? Was it just a load of pretentious rubbish or am I too dim/old for this sort of thing? I would have had more enjoyment watching Midsomer Murders on ITV3.

It's the kind of concept that will haunt my mind. Alex's discovery for the end to lying tested to the ultimate, tested over his love for Danny and when discovered to work, costs him his own life.

I got it right too about Frances also being a spy/spy master, even though the master role was off her own making.

After all that as well, despite Danny knowing the truth, no one will believe him.

Unless of course, Alex was let out after Frances had gone and he's some kind of establishment-Goldfinger figure, alone in a remote castle except for his computers and a cat.

So Alex isn't dead? Who was in the box?

It started off well and I am completely lost.

What is the truth?

Alex got killed because of his invention and by his invention. Proper tragedy.

The final line and Charlotte Rampling's smile were all wrong, but until then it was much better than I feared.

I think that was a twist that none of us saw coming - that Alex was caught out lying by his own invention.

Anyway, if anyone is looking for another drama to watch (Capital also finishes tonight) I have set up a new thread for PREY which starts on Wednesday night:

Mumsnet Chat Thread for PREY - starts 9th December

What was that scene when Danny lifted the sash window and went into an (empty? room)? Who was the woman with him?

She was his flatmate

Oh yes, the one who found the pill. I'd clean forgotten about her. Where was Danny when his parents came to visit?

Danny was at Scottie's house, which it appeared he'd been left in Scottie's will, along with his possessions, including the car.

Will take a look at Prey, thanks for the heads up SW.

I was quite baffled at first who the woman with the big hair and younger guy at the funeral were - then I remembered "ahh yes, the flatmates only seen up to this point in very dim light conditions!".

Thanks all, it's been, as they say, emotional!

Poor, poor Alex. Poor Alex. poor me and my broken heart sigh.

Hmmm, I'm not sure how I feel about the final episode. I know the anonymous dark and shadowy establishment forces controlling every aspect of Danny's life was supposed to feel creepy and sinister but by not showing any actual bad guys or gals I do feel it lacked a bit of punch in the tension stakes.

Do you think Frances hopping in the passenger seat beside Danny at the end is supposed to indicate the possibility of a second series?

Oh did she? I had switched off by that point. Found this episode severely tedious and severely distressing by turns. Don't think I would bother watching if they did do a second series.

What was the relevance (if any) of the photo of Danny and his parents that he cut up and rearranged?
Very sad ending, I'd been hoping all along that Alex was in hiding somewhere.

Ah well. All done.

I liked the fact that they tied up pretty much all the loose ends and used all the important characters last night. And that the female characters were given such prominence. The two fathers were mercilessly drawn!

Given how slowly this series moved I'm sure they could stretch a little bit of story into another series. Perhaps starting with the exhumation of Alex, just to be sure ...

Well I thought the last episode was nonsensical drivel. The series started so well.

Am behind by a couple of episodes and trying to post without reading!

Dying to know how it unfolds (I just watched Ep 3) but am nervous a) because Ben Whishaw's already broken my heart every episode and b) in case it turns out to be a huge let-down like so much telly yes I'm talking about you River/From Darkness/The Missing

By the time I'm up to date this thread will be a zombie, I suspect, so I'll say cheerio and hugs to you all now.

To all the people who seem to have understood it. Was this as a result of one viewing, or do you read, for instance, the Guardian synopsis and then watch each episode again?

I would never have the patience to watch anything twice. (I read the Guardian synopsis just to extend the experience I guess.)

Compared to, say, The Honourable Woman, I didn't find this complex so much as slow and intriguingly un-naturalistic.

(It's entirely possible that I've misunderstood whole chunks of plot - but I don't think I have ...)

I agree Gruach. I suspect that was why this was aired on a Monday night rather than the popular Thursday 9pm slot.

What was his invention?

The show may as well aired in Japanese for how much I understood.