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.

I don't think he needs to be a baddie but he does need to be a pivotal character.

What is odd is that he was clearly in Danny's life for a good while before Alex. Is it just coincidence that he is involved in some way? Did he maybe set Danny and Alex up together?

I love everything except the usual thing; the willingness of the next potential victim to follow complete strangers or suspect friends into deep dark forests or enormous, twisty, deserted buildings ...

I did think it was unusual how Danny knew to sellotape the little whatsit to his chest, notice and dodge the man who was following him on the Tube, steal a hat and coat disguise from a restaurant kitchen, and arrive at his secret lair unspotted. He's very skilled in this sort of thing for a bloke who works in a warehouse.

I'd be bumbling around like an idiot without any clue that someone was on my tail.

I'm completely assuming Alex taught him everything he needed to know in the months they were together before Danny introduced him to Scottie.

In the 1st episode I was sure Alex had a foreign accent. His English seemed just too precise for someone for whom it was their mother tongue.

He sounded Swiss I thought. His parents, scary Charlotte and silent dad, seemed sufficiently Euro for this to be true.

I did think when we saw Fake Parents that Alex was far too urbane to have come from them.

BBC drama is on bloody good form at the moment isn't it? I enjoyed this so much, Ben W is a fantastic actor and so watchable. I liked him in that journo thing as well, The Hour.

And Jim Broadbent, I'm not sure what to make of his character but he's well dodgy.

I'm also liking River ( Nicola Walker is bloody fab in everything ) and Cuffs (Holby City with police instead of medics, nice and pacey )

I assumed Alex was on the spectrum and the very precise speech was all part of that. The Charlotte Rampling character was absolutely terrifying. What an awful childhood Alex must have had.

Really enjoyed last night's ep. too, although desperately missing Danny and Alex together.

Mitzy as someone else cleverer than me pointed out upthread, the reason Danny's so good at all this seemingly spy-like behaviour is probably because he's had a colourful past and knows how to get himself in and out of trouble, and how to hide drugs, etc.

Shit, I haven't watched Ep 2 yet but couldn't resist reading this thread! Oh well, I'll just unremember all the comments before I watch it.

TBH, I kind of suspected that Charlotte Rampling turning up might not herald happenings of sweetness and light.

I watched Ep 1 again and I'm SURE Alex is meant to sound foreign, not just stilted well I hope so anyway, otherwise his acting teachers have a lot to answer for

That's a good point JustCallMeDory. I suppose he's well practised in dodging dodgy people.

only maybe it's a tongue-tie - he pronounces his 'th' as 'd' ? I don't care, I'm too busy swooning.

Hmmm, interesting theory. A tongue-tie on the part of the actor or the character?

I'm sure he'll turn out to be furrin.

I don't think he sounded like that when he was George Boleyn, but to be honest I can't remember.

No, good point, I don't think he did.

OK, have watched it now.

I agree it looks like the warehouse was somewhere Danny knew already, possibly from a dodgy aspect of his past.

I think the sweet might be a cyanide pill too, inside a pill capsule. I don't know how the guy knew to approach him though –was he ordered by Scottie? Is Scottie actually on Danny's side although nominally on MI6's? Is he trying to protect him but unable to tell him the truth straight out because of this? (I do think Scottie is involved although I don't currently think he's an out-and-out baddie).

Can't wait for next week!

When Danny first met Alex and they were picking his broken phone off the floor, Danny had some rain/sweat/water on his face and Alex leaned over and touched it with his finger. Would you do that to a stranger, esp when you're as 'innocent' as Alex? It's almost like he was drawing Danny in.

Also all that stuff the mum was saying about Alex, how would any mother know that, unless (a) he told her? but he left home to go to uni at 15 and his cold mother hardly seems the type he would reveal all to (b) she was into stuff like that too and they talked about it, which is why the maid told Danny to get away from them (c) she was lying so she could stop Danny making a 'fuss' and forget about Alex?

Also Danny knew that Alex was lying about his 'investment banker' job so what did he think his boyfriend actually did?

don't know how the guy knew to approach him though –was he ordered by Scottie?

I assumed it was because Danny went to the press, thus putting himself in the spotlight.

I think Alex was presented at that first meeting as just as 'struck' by Danny as Danny was by him. He just showed it differently. Touching Danny like that made him look very gauche and innocent, IMO.

It is still an open question whether it was genuine or whether it was all an act, mind you!

The mother – I think she was lying and had constructed all that fake background and character stuff for Alex to stop Danny continuing to investigate.

I think there may be more to be revealed about what Alex told or didn't tell Danny about his job.

Soup, yes, good point.

Actually, that raises. Question : f Danny is clever/paranoid enough to take all those precautions about hiding stuff and avoiding people tailing him, why was he stupid enough to go to the press?

I don't know, Soup. Is the idea that he's so desperate/in love/principled that he just desperately wants the world to hear 'the truth'?

Perhaps he's so convinced that he's right and (in his somewhat romantic, idealistic way) that the truth MUST out, that he put all his rather naive faith in the papers?

So, what do we all think? Is Alex actually dead? Or please, please will it turn out to be someone else? Danny's grief is real, I think.

I wish he were still alive but fear he's dead.

It would be a HELL of a twist though

Alex still being alive would be a good reason for his "family" and others to want news of his death kept under control and only their chosen story being in the public eye.

If for example he has been spirited away with his secret to avoid murder ...

Now I feel more hopeful!