Bad Dates

I think they have a stable start for the new season. The twisting emotions burst out in particular scenes, with the scheme undermined in the talk. Actors performed so well that you savored the trauma they've experienced instead of the espionage plot of the story. Expect to watch how the director balances the spotlights, divided between characters and plots.

British Reviewer.

Admittedly I'm a bit tired and wasn't necessarily in the mood for watching an episode. Also, just to clarify I've loved watching seasons one, two and three, four a little less so but at least it was faithful to the characters

This first episode of season five feels like it's been written by a completely different screenwriter. All the character performances felt flat, the usual synergy completely absent.

From the start, the premise that Shirley thinks that van was going for Ho when he'd galavanted into the road like a buffoon is such a weak, annoying plot device. The nightclub scene is farcical, since when do bouncers tolerate one of their own getting assaulted?

The last of my grumbles is are we really doing white supremacists again? Are they really implying Farage/Khan? That's really weak and predictable if so. I'm sure Mi5 spend, in the real world, thousands of man hours chasing and foiling Islamic terrorism here in the UK and I reckon it's pretty creatively cowardly to pretend that these agents would not have to fight against that in five seasons of a show depicting Mi5.

I hope it comes good, it's been such a joy to follow these characters around but yeah, this is a shaky start.

I wanted more Roddy Ho in this episode. In the book, his overconfidence and delusions collide with real danger and it is what's made the book interesting. Being inside his mind and hearing his thoughts is always hillarious. The beginning of the episode with the choreography...perfect, just perfect! But the dialogue missed the sassy Ho style.

Well worth a watch. If you've read the book you will easily understand the adaptation.

The storyline is pretty current and really well cast.

Lamb is actually improving as Oldman gets more comfortable with his persona.

A certain type of angry white bloke will struggle with this but everyone who enjoys intelligent insightful unpredictable stories will be happy enough.

The elephant in the room. Someone has to talk about this entire season, and this is the perfect spot. First, the series as a whole. Brilliant. Never read the books but, had I done so, I do not think anyone, including the author, could have imagined how great Oldman would be. Second, the first four seasons. Incredible that they managed to maintain that seriocomic vibe for four years straight. Finally, this season. Not even close. The writing for this season is what you do when you have a tired sitcom that has been on air for 8 or 9 years, and you know the viewers show up for the companionship not the story. There are entire episodes here that make no sense when you first view them; and, when you think of them later, only go downhill from there. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))