Review S02E01- AT ALL COSTS

michaellevenson

Member: Rank 8

A year on from the disaster in Berlin, Burnside arrives late into the office, causing Willie Caine to question his whereabouts.
Burnside " don't worry, I've not been to Berlin to lay flowers. We have two new sandbaggers now that need my undivided attention and support"
The new guys are Tom Elliot and Mike Wallace (Michael Cashman).
An unexpected offer to SIS comes from the head of the Bulgarian secret service, a man named Gulabov , who wants to meet sandbagger #2 Tom in a Sofia square with an offer for SIS.
Another new character, Edward Tyler, the Intelligence Director who works down the corridor to Neil, suggests the skids may be under Gulabov after a number of bungles and he might genuinely want to defect, or more likely hand SIS some top secret papers as a sign of good intentions, if he asks at a later date to be picked up.
Neil is unhappy with the risks involved but Wellingham has provided a positive assessment to the PM and it's approved.
In deputy chief Peele's office Burnside states,. " I've got the CIA checking Gulabov to see if he really is in trouble and not just setting up Tom, and if their assessment differs from Tyler's I'll abort the mission"
Peele " it's unlikely to differ, and our report takes precedence"
B " that's like denying you're standing in a blizzard because the weather report forecasts sun, anyway if they differ I'll abort"
Peele " you mean you'd like to abort it"
B: " no sir I have a private arrangement with our people in Sofia, that I won't divulge, a code I'll send to abort the mission"
P: " you DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ABORT"
B: " No but I have the means"
P: " Neil, you are very close to getting fired"
But as it turns out,the CIA agree with the assessment.
Tom is sent, and meets Gulabov in a dingy square at midnight. Suddenly floodlights come on, soldiers pounce, and arrest Gulabov, who was genuine, Tom runs for it and is hit in the back by gunfire but escapes and heads for a " safe house". The watching SIS Bulgarian agent reports to Burnside, and a rescue mission is discussed.
'C' and Wellingham categorically refuse Neil's request to go himself into Bulgaria.
C: " we can't have the director of operations, with all the knowledge you have in a live field of operations, if you get captured...."
Burnside" I'm going, as the director of Operations, or the former director."
Will they find Tom Elliot in time?


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https://www.imdforums.com/threads/s01e07-special-relationship.4857/
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michaellevenson

Member: Rank 8
Burnside's threat to quit does the job and he's allowed to go. Burnside is desperate not to lose another sandbagger, after talking Caine out of resigning, he realises that another death might just do it.
In Sofia, Burnside and Caine meet Ross, who is really a great ally to have, to collect weapons. Ross has drawn them from CIA Sofia ' station ', he hands them gratefully to the two of them.
Ross " I felt like Billy the Kid wandering around Sofia armed to the teeth"
Caine finds Tom in the safehouse, a bedsit, lying on the bed paralysed from the waist down, bleeding and in pain.
Tom " the bullet must have clipped the spine. I can't move. I've hidden the papers Galabov gave me under the mattress"
Caine gets them, " they look genuine".
Tom " yes I think he was buying insurance, and his masters were giving him enough rope to hang himself"
Caine" ok, lets get you cleaned up"
T: " no don't move me,I'm paralyzed except for my right arm..if you move me I'm dead. Leave the gun Willie, by my right side.
Caine " Don't be daft!! We'll get you home. Burnside and Ross are here. I'll be back"
Caine meets Burnside outside .
C: " it's hopeless boss, he can't move, he's lying in his own excrement and urine, begging for me to finish him off"
B: " I'm not leaving him. We can ask the Bulgarians for help"
C" what for? Even if they save him, he'll go through a show trial and be shot. Best we can do is end it quick and clean. And get these papers to the embassy diplomatic pouch and home"
Burnside goes to the flat, Tom has pulled himself off the bed, thereby killing himself instantly with the spine exposed. Neil searches the body removing any incriminating evidence, such as Tom's smart watch, indicating Western origin.
Burnside and Caine slowly sadly leave. Another sandbagger dead, and Willie will now seriously question his future as we'll see in the next episode.
8/10
 
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