Series 1
The first series of Spooks originally aired on BBC Once from the 13th May 2002 to 17th of June 2002. It comprised 6 episodes.
Episode 1: Thou Shalt Not Kill
Air date: 13th May 2002
Synopsis: When a car bomb detonates in Liverpool, killing a family planning doctor and severely injuring her young daughter Section D of MI5 are on the case. Officer Danny Hunter learns that the group responsible have smuggled 20 bombs into the country. After following her, the team discover that the terrorist responsible is Mary Kane, an American pro-life extremist who has smuggled herself into the country under an assumed name and has been setting up cells across the UK. After they learn of their next target, officer Zoe Reynolds poses as the target, and the team are able to capture Kane, and return her to Florida where she was meant to be executed. Meanwhile, Section Chief Tom Quinn enters a relationship with a civilian, Ellie Simm after an unrelated operation.
Episode 2: Looking After Our Own
Air date: 20th May 2002
Synopsis: Tom and Helen Flynn go undercover to expose right-wing leader Robert Osbourne, who is planning a race war in the UK. The two befriend his abused wife, Claire. However, Osbourne is soon able to discover Tom and Helen's true identities, and has them both captured and interrogated to gather information on their operation. Tom is able to escape before giving anything away, but not before Osbourne brutally murders Helen, by dipping her hand and face into a deep fat fryer. In the end, Harry Pearce has Osborne assassinated.
Episode 3: One Last Dance
Air date: 27th May 2002
Synopsis: Kurdish rebels raid a Turkish consulate while Zoe's inside, and demand the release of their captured paramilitaries. While Tom and Danny Hunter find a way to take back the building, Tessa Phillips sees Johnny Marks, an MI5 agent, and lover who was thought to have died years ago. The Consulate raid was revealed to be a cover up to allow him to break into a nearby bank to obtain the identities of every MI5 and MI6 agent. Tom is shot and wounded while armed Police stop the raid. In the end, Marks sees Tessa, and after learning she was once pregnant with his child, decides not to give away the agents' locations.
Episode 4: Traitor's Gate
Air date: 4th June 2002
Synopsis: Danny and Zoe recognise Peter Salter, a senior MI5 agent and Tom's mentor taking part in an undercover operation during an anti-Bush rally, in order to stop a terrorist group. However, it is revealed that Salter has switched allegiances to the terrorists after he has fallen in love with one of the members, Andrea. They break into a university campus to tamper with an Air Traffic Control system to take down the President's plane coming to visit the UK. Salter is captured, but the group escape. Rather than give them away, Salter commits suicide. Meanwhile, Ellie discovers her Tom is a spy and Zoe learns that Tessa is corrupt; she is setting up false assets and keeping the money the MI5 is giving to them.
Episode 5: The Rose Bed Memoirs
Air date: 10th June 2002
Synopsis: Disgraced MP Hampton Wilder, is released from prison after serving a sentence for embezzlement, but his memoirs, which implicate MP Richard Maynard and a Russian agent, have been stolen. They are later revealed to have been stolen by Jools Siviter, an MI6 Section Head. At home, Zoe is struggling to come to terms with Tessa’s corruption, and Tom is having problems dealing with Maisie’s father, who has suddenly appeared on the scene. However, there is no time to deal with personal problems when the manuscript is mysteriously leaked to the press. Following the leak, Maynard announces his resignation from government, informing Tessa that he is leaving the country for the United States, where he intends to take a teaching job at Harvard University. Wilder confesses that his memoirs were a complete fabrication and Jools tells Harry that Maynard had to leave the government as he is a CIA asset.
Episode 6: The Lesser of Two Evils
Air date: 17th June 2002
Synopsis:Irish terrorist, Patrick McCann tells Tom that a Sudanese terrorist group is going to attack Sefton B nuclear power station. In exchange for the attack plan, he wants his group unwatched for 30 hours. When Tom complies, McCann's group plants a bomb in Broad Street Station. Though MI5 is able to prevent any casualties, McCann gives Tom a laptop containing the attack plan; Special Forces manage to stop the attack from happening. McCann calls Tom and reveals the laptop is rigged with C4. However, the laptop is in his house and he is locked out with Ellie and Maisie trapped inside. The episode ends in a cliff-hanger. Also in this episode, Zoe tells Harry about Tessa, and he promptly fires her.
Episode 1: Thou Shalt Not Kill
Air date: 13th May 2002
Synopsis: When a car bomb detonates in Liverpool, killing a family planning doctor and severely injuring her young daughter Section D of MI5 are on the case. Officer Danny Hunter learns that the group responsible have smuggled 20 bombs into the country. After following her, the team discover that the terrorist responsible is Mary Kane, an American pro-life extremist who has smuggled herself into the country under an assumed name and has been setting up cells across the UK. After they learn of their next target, officer Zoe Reynolds poses as the target, and the team are able to capture Kane, and return her to Florida where she was meant to be executed. Meanwhile, Section Chief Tom Quinn enters a relationship with a civilian, Ellie Simm after an unrelated operation.
Episode 2: Looking After Our Own
Air date: 20th May 2002
Synopsis: Tom and Helen Flynn go undercover to expose right-wing leader Robert Osbourne, who is planning a race war in the UK. The two befriend his abused wife, Claire. However, Osbourne is soon able to discover Tom and Helen's true identities, and has them both captured and interrogated to gather information on their operation. Tom is able to escape before giving anything away, but not before Osbourne brutally murders Helen, by dipping her hand and face into a deep fat fryer. In the end, Harry Pearce has Osborne assassinated.
Episode 3: One Last Dance
Air date: 27th May 2002
Synopsis: Kurdish rebels raid a Turkish consulate while Zoe's inside, and demand the release of their captured paramilitaries. While Tom and Danny Hunter find a way to take back the building, Tessa Phillips sees Johnny Marks, an MI5 agent, and lover who was thought to have died years ago. The Consulate raid was revealed to be a cover up to allow him to break into a nearby bank to obtain the identities of every MI5 and MI6 agent. Tom is shot and wounded while armed Police stop the raid. In the end, Marks sees Tessa, and after learning she was once pregnant with his child, decides not to give away the agents' locations.
Episode 4: Traitor's Gate
Air date: 4th June 2002
Synopsis: Danny and Zoe recognise Peter Salter, a senior MI5 agent and Tom's mentor taking part in an undercover operation during an anti-Bush rally, in order to stop a terrorist group. However, it is revealed that Salter has switched allegiances to the terrorists after he has fallen in love with one of the members, Andrea. They break into a university campus to tamper with an Air Traffic Control system to take down the President's plane coming to visit the UK. Salter is captured, but the group escape. Rather than give them away, Salter commits suicide. Meanwhile, Ellie discovers her Tom is a spy and Zoe learns that Tessa is corrupt; she is setting up false assets and keeping the money the MI5 is giving to them.
Episode 5: The Rose Bed Memoirs
Air date: 10th June 2002
Synopsis: Disgraced MP Hampton Wilder, is released from prison after serving a sentence for embezzlement, but his memoirs, which implicate MP Richard Maynard and a Russian agent, have been stolen. They are later revealed to have been stolen by Jools Siviter, an MI6 Section Head. At home, Zoe is struggling to come to terms with Tessa’s corruption, and Tom is having problems dealing with Maisie’s father, who has suddenly appeared on the scene. However, there is no time to deal with personal problems when the manuscript is mysteriously leaked to the press. Following the leak, Maynard announces his resignation from government, informing Tessa that he is leaving the country for the United States, where he intends to take a teaching job at Harvard University. Wilder confesses that his memoirs were a complete fabrication and Jools tells Harry that Maynard had to leave the government as he is a CIA asset.
Episode 6: The Lesser of Two Evils
Air date: 17th June 2002
Synopsis:Irish terrorist, Patrick McCann tells Tom that a Sudanese terrorist group is going to attack Sefton B nuclear power station. In exchange for the attack plan, he wants his group unwatched for 30 hours. When Tom complies, McCann's group plants a bomb in Broad Street Station. Though MI5 is able to prevent any casualties, McCann gives Tom a laptop containing the attack plan; Special Forces manage to stop the attack from happening. McCann calls Tom and reveals the laptop is rigged with C4. However, the laptop is in his house and he is locked out with Ellie and Maisie trapped inside. The episode ends in a cliff-hanger. Also in this episode, Zoe tells Harry about Tessa, and he promptly fires her.