Oliver Mace
Date of Birth: Unknown
First episode: Series 3, Episode 1 Last episode: Series 5, Episode 5 Job: JIC Chairman Status: Alive (decommissioned) Portrayed by: Tim McInnerny Oliver Mace is Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee, a position that gives him authority over all aspects of British intelligence gathering. As such he is frequently called in to resolve disputes between services or to investigate alleged improprieties. Prior to being promoted to the Chairman's position he was an MI6 officer. |
Despite being Harry's superior he treats the MI5 officer with a measure of respect, speaking to him as an equal even when expressing contempt for his convictions. It is implied but not explicitly stated that they have previously worked together. Despite this Mace is generally portrayed as being a classic upper class snob, enjoying fine wine, exclusive clubs and other leisure pursuits of the wealthy.
Ruthless, arrogant and amoral, Mace is presented as a 'bad guy' despite his reassurances to Harry Pearce that they are 'on the same side'. Sometimes he is simply a bureaucratic obstruction to Pearce's activities but on several other occasions he actively colludes with terrorists, criminals or hostile intelligence services, such as his assisting a group of Pakistani Islamists in assassinating a Pakistani dissident under MI5 protection in exchange for their collusion in economic development in Kashmir.
He takes over Section D when Tom Quinn shot Harry Pearce, the Head of Section D and went rogue. He tries to get the JIC to revoke Harrys place on the JIC Committee to force through a crucial vote.
He held the position of JIC Chairman until being forced to resign in the 5th episode of the 5th series, over the covert transfer of seven terror suspects from a prison in England to a location in Egypt where they could be illegally tortured. His actions in this episode force Ruth Evershed to go into exile and it is implied that he went after her because he felt he could exploit the developing feelings Harry had for her.
Ruthless, arrogant and amoral, Mace is presented as a 'bad guy' despite his reassurances to Harry Pearce that they are 'on the same side'. Sometimes he is simply a bureaucratic obstruction to Pearce's activities but on several other occasions he actively colludes with terrorists, criminals or hostile intelligence services, such as his assisting a group of Pakistani Islamists in assassinating a Pakistani dissident under MI5 protection in exchange for their collusion in economic development in Kashmir.
He takes over Section D when Tom Quinn shot Harry Pearce, the Head of Section D and went rogue. He tries to get the JIC to revoke Harrys place on the JIC Committee to force through a crucial vote.
He held the position of JIC Chairman until being forced to resign in the 5th episode of the 5th series, over the covert transfer of seven terror suspects from a prison in England to a location in Egypt where they could be illegally tortured. His actions in this episode force Ruth Evershed to go into exile and it is implied that he went after her because he felt he could exploit the developing feelings Harry had for her.