Spooks Series 4 (15) Review

Overall Rating

Some absolutely outstanding plots. And Anna Chancellor joins as a regular cast member.

The feel of this series is "darker" than previously, which may make some feel uncomfortable. And why was Martine McCutcheon only limited to a guest appearance in the opening two-parter?

The series begins with Danny Hunter's funeral. Fiona Carter is still guilty about surviving when Danny died, and Adam is not faring much better. But, when a terrorist group seeking some sort of bizarre apocalypse begins planting bombs in London, Section D roar back into "Super-Charged-Spooks" mode, taking on corrupt CIA agents and mad Professors in a twisting opening two-part story.
The series takes on some daring plots, such as Middle-Eastern double agents (which is something very close to Adam & Fiona Carter's past lives), spies writing books for which they are killed by other UK intelligence departments, a Russian businessman who wants to buy the National Health Service, and the conspiracy theories surrounding the death of the "People's Princess".
The feel of this series is very different. Obviously, the writers and directors are more confident with the characters, and they make reference to real life terrorism/politics even more. Interestingly, a new member of the team is introduced mid-series. However, since young journalist Jo only seems to sit by a computer or follow Fiona Carter around, it remains to be seen if her character has been introduced to please male fans of the show.
And, to keep shocks up, Adam Carter becomes a widower, when Fiona goes off-piste to clear her name in the death of her ex-husband. Sadly, this episode, while nail-biting, seems rushed towards the end, and perhaps should have been spread over two hour-long instalments. However, this gives the writers the opportunity to change the bright-eyed Adam Carter into a very dark spy, who pushes the line between stopping bad guys and becoming one himself (his handling of a suspect in the second episode is quite shocking).
And, suffice it to say, the final episode gives us a thrilling cliffhanger. I don't want to say too much, but involves weapons outside the main entrance of Thames House and the possibility of losing another two main characters.