Shows with spies in them
May. 27th, 2019 08:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shallownessThe Bletchley Circle San Francisco
2.4 (or episode 8 according to the ITVHub, so did ITV split it up into two, which makes my being impressed at the return of nearly all the characters less impressive?)
The show did play fair as to the black hats. Hayley had been warned her life was in danger, and while Jean continued to be smart and inventive, the other was naïve, if one’s feeling kind. Iris was pretty ingenuous in a spot, and we’ll put Millie’s performance as Russian Secretary down to her useful knowledge of the language. Meanwhile Archie helped a lot, and I was less sniffy about his motivations than the ambassador’s wife, who was all about covering stuff up. Millie mainly had the bit between her teeth.
At times there was a lot more talking than doing – particularly the beginning of the episode.
I finally got Olivia as part of ‘the circle’ helping to deduce. I spent a lot of the conversation where Iris and Hayley pleaded with Debra for information wondering what the gardener could hear, and also decided I’d been a smidge too harsh on her. So, yes, I too am a sucker.
Some of those ‘Russian’ accents wavered into Scottish ones, weirdly. Fortunately the Russian thugs took their time to kill Jean, giving our ladies time enough to rescue her fairly elaborately.
I liked the whole patent number and what they (koffHayley) did after being rejected being in plain sight and Iris’s husband being potentially endangered by their activity.
Lo and behold, Debra turned out to be dodgy. Iris had a moment of ‘that could have been me’ – it’s not the kind of show for her to shoot someone. Her arguments that maybe things were getting better for women were a little unsubstantiated, there were better arguments.
Jean was right to tell Hayley not to be too hard on herself. Her being nice is not a weakness – it was what she did over the machine that was the problem. AND IRIS PUT IT BACK IN A BOX IN HER HOUSE. When Millie deduced that there was someone on that committee who had told Debra about their invention, she should have been zipping off home and…I don’t know, tossing it off the Golden Gate bridge. That ruined the final moment for me – and also wondering if I am just imagining a love triangle where there is none. And I didn’t interpret Hayley’s declaration of love to Jean as romantic, but was a little confused as to whether I should have.
Berlin Station 2.2 Right Here, Right Now
It occurred to me since watching the previous episode that Daniel might want to check that guy really is working for Esther.
Nice place that Hector had got, and he might owe Danny, but I think he was owed more after the abrupt interruption to his retirement. He enjoyed playing senior partner, though – like Otto says, he’s interesting. And with the end of his abstinence, from spying and drinking, Hector is probably already spiralling.
This was quite an advert for ‘somewhere in southern Spain’ for a show that’s meant to be set in Berlin.
All we saw of Armando’s phone call was inconclusive. Lena’s abuse of the car made me wince. But the experienced agents’ assessment of Armando’s tradecraft and Lena’s smarts turned out to be right.
Really fun dynamics between Daniel (manipulative) and Hector – I was thinking he probably couldn’t have afforded the house, car AND artwork, when Daniel revealed he was living off a crush – and between Hector and Ganz, if a bit testosterone heavy.
Lena was a better driver than Armando, and that was an awful moment for Danny as Hector laid out the option, and ‘did him a favour’ i.e. killing Armando fast himself, before making Daniel’s life much more complicated, although possibly increasing the chances of the mission succeeding, the next morning. I don’t know if it was simply the shadow and firelight, but I was reminded of Armitage’s Thorin as he watched the car burn.
2.3 Right to the Heart
This was a return to normal, i.e. the show being about the whole station and the action in Berlin, with Valerie calling Josef and…finding someone willing to work with the CIA. Maybe? I also saw a touch of UST, so I was dubious on the ‘he’s gay’ front.
I liked how we saw Daniel’s phone call from the previous ep from Robert’s perspective, kind of – a neat way to link the two episodes.
We saw more of BB’s management style, trusting her agents (although I can DEFININTELY see where Robert is coming from on Hector. He might get the job done, but at what cost?) Esther didn’t know her agent would soon be killed, while we did.
Turned out Valerie pitched her look just right, as she still couldn’t get a read on Josef (wants to be in control, demanding, definitely flirty) so they played ‘no I’m the cat, you’re the mouse.’ Her scene with Stephen seemed like a sandwich, the filling being in the apology, although didn’t he just point her towards distrusting the ambassador he’s considering working for?
Neil Fisher blew off Stephen big time, and I wondered if Stephen truly had hopes of trailing a younger active chief of station. Meanwhile BB had to manage Robert’s and Ambassador Ultimate Power’s ego and April did some scary stuff through an NSA colleague (a case of challenge accepted, Valerie, I thought, until we got Valerie’s actual reaction).
I thought that it was well played by Valerie to leave Josef wanting more and to take the info and run. BB, on the other hand, ROBERT? A. it’s going to be awkward at work. B. Robert!?! Could do so much better. (Sorry, Robert. But not really.)
Stephen lied his way out of the encounter with Neil, but got bemusing info about Ambassador Very Untrustworthy. And then he had one of his dreams and decided to self-medicate with booze before breakfast. Good job Robert was in a tizzy over what the one-night stand had meant (and BB could have explained herself somehow before leaving his place). So, we had vulnerable!Robert putting work before his son and getting blackmailed by Hector for it.
Valerie pretended to be in control and professional, but that red jumpsuit may not be. Lots of questions left hanging at the end of this ep.
2.4 Do the Right Thing
In between BB’s backstory, stuff developed around with Ambassador Mind Games still trying to get Stephen on side and bossing BB around – didn’t blame her for being irked at the former HoS.
Esther and Daniel had UST as she tried to find out more information about Armando and the plot.
And Robert’s son is now going to school in Berlin? Huh. I thought he was just over for a visit.
I did not like BB’s red ‘pantsuit’, as she continued to be irked for most of the day, and Robert querying her about it as her deputy was a little tarnished by their past interaction.
Valerie’s feelings about Josef (sounds like Ioseva) were definitely raising questions as she avoided following orders to blackmail him to get him to do the job.
Esther got played by Hector, couldn’t back her threat up, and came the worst off her encounter with BB in a mood. Alas, poor Esther. I’d like for her to get a win.
Daniel and Hector worked well together and all the info came in in time for BB to tell Ambassador Annoying all and show her disdain for him. What she did for Robert was nice, and better for her humanity than not doing it. The evil eye graffiti cover-up? Didn’t quite work for me, it just felt that it was trying too hard to attain symbolic meeting.
I also didn’t buy that Josef would be free at home at this point in his campaign for Valerie to turn up and not be very sensible…
I guessed what was coming for BB’s poor fiancée, but still gasped when it happened.
My main thought for the episode was that they’ve got money to spend on this production, plus, again, the location work is excellent.
Obviously, I'm not caught up yet, but I'll be turning my attention to other shows - Agents of SHIELD has started airing here yet - and try and catch up with them. And listed as above, I can see what Berlin Station is doing with its episode title.s.
2.4 (or episode 8 according to the ITVHub, so did ITV split it up into two, which makes my being impressed at the return of nearly all the characters less impressive?)
The show did play fair as to the black hats. Hayley had been warned her life was in danger, and while Jean continued to be smart and inventive, the other was naïve, if one’s feeling kind. Iris was pretty ingenuous in a spot, and we’ll put Millie’s performance as Russian Secretary down to her useful knowledge of the language. Meanwhile Archie helped a lot, and I was less sniffy about his motivations than the ambassador’s wife, who was all about covering stuff up. Millie mainly had the bit between her teeth.
At times there was a lot more talking than doing – particularly the beginning of the episode.
I finally got Olivia as part of ‘the circle’ helping to deduce. I spent a lot of the conversation where Iris and Hayley pleaded with Debra for information wondering what the gardener could hear, and also decided I’d been a smidge too harsh on her. So, yes, I too am a sucker.
Some of those ‘Russian’ accents wavered into Scottish ones, weirdly. Fortunately the Russian thugs took their time to kill Jean, giving our ladies time enough to rescue her fairly elaborately.
I liked the whole patent number and what they (koffHayley) did after being rejected being in plain sight and Iris’s husband being potentially endangered by their activity.
Lo and behold, Debra turned out to be dodgy. Iris had a moment of ‘that could have been me’ – it’s not the kind of show for her to shoot someone. Her arguments that maybe things were getting better for women were a little unsubstantiated, there were better arguments.
Jean was right to tell Hayley not to be too hard on herself. Her being nice is not a weakness – it was what she did over the machine that was the problem. AND IRIS PUT IT BACK IN A BOX IN HER HOUSE. When Millie deduced that there was someone on that committee who had told Debra about their invention, she should have been zipping off home and…I don’t know, tossing it off the Golden Gate bridge. That ruined the final moment for me – and also wondering if I am just imagining a love triangle where there is none. And I didn’t interpret Hayley’s declaration of love to Jean as romantic, but was a little confused as to whether I should have.
Berlin Station 2.2 Right Here, Right Now
It occurred to me since watching the previous episode that Daniel might want to check that guy really is working for Esther.
Nice place that Hector had got, and he might owe Danny, but I think he was owed more after the abrupt interruption to his retirement. He enjoyed playing senior partner, though – like Otto says, he’s interesting. And with the end of his abstinence, from spying and drinking, Hector is probably already spiralling.
This was quite an advert for ‘somewhere in southern Spain’ for a show that’s meant to be set in Berlin.
All we saw of Armando’s phone call was inconclusive. Lena’s abuse of the car made me wince. But the experienced agents’ assessment of Armando’s tradecraft and Lena’s smarts turned out to be right.
Really fun dynamics between Daniel (manipulative) and Hector – I was thinking he probably couldn’t have afforded the house, car AND artwork, when Daniel revealed he was living off a crush – and between Hector and Ganz, if a bit testosterone heavy.
Lena was a better driver than Armando, and that was an awful moment for Danny as Hector laid out the option, and ‘did him a favour’ i.e. killing Armando fast himself, before making Daniel’s life much more complicated, although possibly increasing the chances of the mission succeeding, the next morning. I don’t know if it was simply the shadow and firelight, but I was reminded of Armitage’s Thorin as he watched the car burn.
2.3 Right to the Heart
This was a return to normal, i.e. the show being about the whole station and the action in Berlin, with Valerie calling Josef and…finding someone willing to work with the CIA. Maybe? I also saw a touch of UST, so I was dubious on the ‘he’s gay’ front.
I liked how we saw Daniel’s phone call from the previous ep from Robert’s perspective, kind of – a neat way to link the two episodes.
We saw more of BB’s management style, trusting her agents (although I can DEFININTELY see where Robert is coming from on Hector. He might get the job done, but at what cost?) Esther didn’t know her agent would soon be killed, while we did.
Turned out Valerie pitched her look just right, as she still couldn’t get a read on Josef (wants to be in control, demanding, definitely flirty) so they played ‘no I’m the cat, you’re the mouse.’ Her scene with Stephen seemed like a sandwich, the filling being in the apology, although didn’t he just point her towards distrusting the ambassador he’s considering working for?
Neil Fisher blew off Stephen big time, and I wondered if Stephen truly had hopes of trailing a younger active chief of station. Meanwhile BB had to manage Robert’s and Ambassador Ultimate Power’s ego and April did some scary stuff through an NSA colleague (a case of challenge accepted, Valerie, I thought, until we got Valerie’s actual reaction).
I thought that it was well played by Valerie to leave Josef wanting more and to take the info and run. BB, on the other hand, ROBERT? A. it’s going to be awkward at work. B. Robert!?! Could do so much better. (Sorry, Robert. But not really.)
Stephen lied his way out of the encounter with Neil, but got bemusing info about Ambassador Very Untrustworthy. And then he had one of his dreams and decided to self-medicate with booze before breakfast. Good job Robert was in a tizzy over what the one-night stand had meant (and BB could have explained herself somehow before leaving his place). So, we had vulnerable!Robert putting work before his son and getting blackmailed by Hector for it.
Valerie pretended to be in control and professional, but that red jumpsuit may not be. Lots of questions left hanging at the end of this ep.
2.4 Do the Right Thing
In between BB’s backstory, stuff developed around with Ambassador Mind Games still trying to get Stephen on side and bossing BB around – didn’t blame her for being irked at the former HoS.
Esther and Daniel had UST as she tried to find out more information about Armando and the plot.
And Robert’s son is now going to school in Berlin? Huh. I thought he was just over for a visit.
I did not like BB’s red ‘pantsuit’, as she continued to be irked for most of the day, and Robert querying her about it as her deputy was a little tarnished by their past interaction.
Valerie’s feelings about Josef (sounds like Ioseva) were definitely raising questions as she avoided following orders to blackmail him to get him to do the job.
Esther got played by Hector, couldn’t back her threat up, and came the worst off her encounter with BB in a mood. Alas, poor Esther. I’d like for her to get a win.
Daniel and Hector worked well together and all the info came in in time for BB to tell Ambassador Annoying all and show her disdain for him. What she did for Robert was nice, and better for her humanity than not doing it. The evil eye graffiti cover-up? Didn’t quite work for me, it just felt that it was trying too hard to attain symbolic meeting.
I also didn’t buy that Josef would be free at home at this point in his campaign for Valerie to turn up and not be very sensible…
I guessed what was coming for BB’s poor fiancée, but still gasped when it happened.
My main thought for the episode was that they’ve got money to spend on this production, plus, again, the location work is excellent.
Obviously, I'm not caught up yet, but I'll be turning my attention to other shows - Agents of SHIELD has started airing here yet - and try and catch up with them. And listed as above, I can see what Berlin Station is doing with its episode title.s.
