Series 7
The seventh series of Spooks originally aired on BBC One from the 27th October 2008 to 8th December 2008. It comprised 10 episodes.
Episode 1: New Allegiences
Air date: 27 October 2008
Synopsis: Six months following "The School" it is revealed Jo Portman played dead and then killed her captor Boscard. Private Andy Sullivan is kidnapped by an Al-Qaeda cell, who demand Remembrance Sunday be cancelled or Sullivan will be executed. Harry Pearce finally secures the release of Lucas North, an MI5 officer who was imprisoned in Russia for eight years. He and Adam Carter work together to rescue Sullivan. Meanwhile, Ros Myers is stationed in Moscow and learns that a Chechen assassin codenamed "Tranquility" has planted a car bomb to be detonated at 11 am in a memorial service. With too little time to defuse it, Adam drives the rigged car to an unpopulated zone, but is killed when it explodes as he gets out. Realising FSB head of operations in London Arkardy Katchimov withheld this intelligence, Harry vows revenge, before visiting Wes at school to break the news of his father’s death.
Episode 2: Split Loyalties
Air date: 28th October 2008
Synopsis: Harry asks his superior, Richard Dolby to pursue Kachimov, but is denied. However, Harry proceeds to pursue Kachimov anyway. Malcolm Wynn-Jones believes there is a Russian submarine in British waters, and deduces its intention to carry out a cyber-attack via a submarine communications cable. Lucas meanwhile is revealed to be a double agent for the Russians and is being handled by Elizabeta Starkova, his ex-wife who works in the FSB. After learning of his involvement, Ros brings Lucas in; Lucas claims he is actually stopping Kachimov by earning his trust. Lucas forges evidence to make Kachimov appear to his bosses to be working for MI-5, which helps Lucas to convince him to identify the cable. With knowledge of the cable, Malcolm foils the cyber-attack, disabling the submarine's computer systems. The submarine would have sunk except for a rescue by the Royal Navy, which sends a message to Moscow. In revenge for Adam Carter's death, Harry murders Kachimov with a shot to the chest. Harry appoints Ros to succeed Adam as Chief of Section D and Lucas turns Elizabeta into an asset for MI5.
Episode 3: The Tip Off
Air date: 3rd November 2008
Synopsis: Ben Kaplan is on his first undercover assignment to infiltrate an Al-Qaeda cell that plans to launch suicide attacks after a dry run after making threats on the Internet. During the operation, Ben becomes close to fellow cell member Jawad. Later, Ben learns the attacks have been moved forward to take place during the dry run. MI5 and CO19 disarm three of the bombs, and a fourth detonates with no civilian casualties. Section D discover that the "Mr. Big" behind the operation is the same man who warned MI5 of the attacks, Marlin, who kills himself after admitting he was forced following the kidnap of his family. Meanwhile, Lucas recalls that during his imprisonment in Russia, he was tortured on information relating to "Sugarhorse", MI5's "best kept secret" that only five people know of. Fearing there is a high level mole working in MI5, Harry appoints retired spy-catcher Bernard Qualtrough to discover the mole's identity.
Episode 4: A Chance for Peace
Air date: 10th November 2008
Synopsis: Section D are stunned to learn that Mohammed Khordad, Al-Qaeda's number three, wants to talk with MI5, with intelligence on a planned attack in London in exchange that two Guantanamo Bay prisoners be released and have Home Secretary Nicholas Blake) announce this on live television. When this is carried out however, Kordad is arrested by a CIA team, much to Harry's frustration. After getting him released, Kordad discloses the location of the planned attack; a restaurant. However, Lucas learns from Elizabeta that the FSB is involved and have moved up the detonation time by ten minutes; if Lucas informs Harry and stops it earlier, the FSB will realise Lucas is not a double agent and will kill him. As a third option, Lucas disarms the bomb and plants a fake one to fool them. Before leaving, Khordad hands Harry intel on a new weapon being developed in Iran. After the meeting, Khordad's plane is shot down by the Americans over the Ural Mountains. Meanwhile, Qualtrough learns that Connie James may be the leak after learning that she had an affair with the late Hugo Prince, one of the few people who knows about Sugarhorse. Jo believes Boscard is still alive after seeing hallucinations of him.
Episode 5: On the Brink
Air date: 17th November 2008
Synopsis: Ros goes undercover to stop Alexis Meynell, who is trying to bankrupt the United Kingdom. He starts by ruining rival bank Highland Life. As the case unfolds the chairman of Highland Life commits suicide after it is revealed the bank owes £65 billion pounds to Salma, a Russian bank with Russian mafia connections. Meynell's right hand man, Asa Darlek wants the £65 billion paid back, or he will release a statement letting the country know the full extent of its debts. Ros presents a third option; have Chancellor of the Exchequer Gillian Calderwood announce the government's intention to back Highland Life, while Ros convinces Meynell to continue betting against the bank. The plan works and Meynell is ruined. Meanwhile, Ros proves to Jo that Boscard is dead. Harry has a team search Connie's home for evidence linking her as the mole, but later finds a tape from Hugo Prince who tells Harry that she is not the leak. Harry asks Lucas to recall what happened when he was questioned on Sugarhorse; Lucas recalls the word "Pilgrim," who is later revealed to be Qualtrough's codename.
Episode 6: Accidental Discovery
Air date: 24th November 2008
Synopsis: Lucas has to protect Dean Mitchell, a teenager in possession of a prototypical weapon that is capable of shutting down all electrical systems in a vehicle. Dean admits he witnessed somebody using the gun to assassinate a paparazzo and then stole it and a backpack. Furthermore, the team that are after Dean are MI6 lead by Michael Sands. The paparazzo unknowingly took pictures of a meeting between Sands and UN diplomat Claude Denizet. where Denizet was threatened to resign from peace talks between Israel and Gaza. To protect Dean and his mother, Lucas sends them to Spain; Dean refuses to leave, and is assassinated by Sands as a consequence. Meanwhile, Harry reveals to Lucas and Ros the nature of Sugarhorse; he recruited several pro-Western Russians in the final years of the Cold War to infiltrate its government. Harry meets "Asset K" during the peace talks about the identity of the mole, only to discover somebody is setting him up as the leak.
Episode 7: The Mole
Air date: 1st December 2008
Synopsis: Moments after realising he has been framed and before being arrested, Harry phones Lucas and instructs him to meet Sugarhorse asset Maria Korachevsky in Moscow, who should know who the mole is. Harry is tortured to divulge the names of his Sugarhorse assets; if he tells the names, the mole will relay them to the FSB and they will be killed, preventing MI5's chance to learn what Russia intends to do against an American defence base in Poland. Two assets are already dead, and Malcolm believes the mole is within Section D. Lucas gets the information he needs and discovers Connie is the mole; he calls Ben, but when Connie realises Ben knows, she garrottes him. When Harry coughs the names of his assets, the rest of the team learn of Connie's treachery, and she is arrested. After he is released, Harry reveals he gave out the wrong names. In the end, Ros learns that a Sugarhorse asset is warning Harry "Tiresias wakes 3 pm tomorrow."
Episode 8: Nuclear Strike
Air date: 8th December 2008
Synopsis: Section D learn that Tiresias is Russia's own version of Sugarhorse, but "bigger and better". Tiersias activates sleeper agent Walter Crane to detonate a nuclear suitcase bomb in Grosvenor Square at 3 pm. The team find themselves forced to turn to Connie for assistance, as she helped set up Tiresias. After Lucas, Ros and Harry break her out, they journey to a locker Connie owns containing everything on Tiresias. However, they find themselves hunted by an FSB kill squad assigned to assassinate Connie and her team, unaware of the threat. While Lucas, Ros and Connie try to outrun them through disused London Underground tunnels, Harry visits FSB head of London Viktor Sarkisiian and offers himself to the Russians if he’ll call off the kill squad. Harry explains to Sarkisiian that the entire FSB team and their families will die if the bomb goes off. The team is called off and ordered to aid Lucas. Connie finds the locker and Crane's location. The bomb is brought to Connie, who removes the nuclear material. However, a conventional booby trap bomb still detonates, killing Connie, who admits that she set Lucas up to the Russians eight years ago. In the end, Harry is seen bound and gagged in the boot of Sarkisiian's car.
Episode 1: New Allegiences
Air date: 27 October 2008
Synopsis: Six months following "The School" it is revealed Jo Portman played dead and then killed her captor Boscard. Private Andy Sullivan is kidnapped by an Al-Qaeda cell, who demand Remembrance Sunday be cancelled or Sullivan will be executed. Harry Pearce finally secures the release of Lucas North, an MI5 officer who was imprisoned in Russia for eight years. He and Adam Carter work together to rescue Sullivan. Meanwhile, Ros Myers is stationed in Moscow and learns that a Chechen assassin codenamed "Tranquility" has planted a car bomb to be detonated at 11 am in a memorial service. With too little time to defuse it, Adam drives the rigged car to an unpopulated zone, but is killed when it explodes as he gets out. Realising FSB head of operations in London Arkardy Katchimov withheld this intelligence, Harry vows revenge, before visiting Wes at school to break the news of his father’s death.
Episode 2: Split Loyalties
Air date: 28th October 2008
Synopsis: Harry asks his superior, Richard Dolby to pursue Kachimov, but is denied. However, Harry proceeds to pursue Kachimov anyway. Malcolm Wynn-Jones believes there is a Russian submarine in British waters, and deduces its intention to carry out a cyber-attack via a submarine communications cable. Lucas meanwhile is revealed to be a double agent for the Russians and is being handled by Elizabeta Starkova, his ex-wife who works in the FSB. After learning of his involvement, Ros brings Lucas in; Lucas claims he is actually stopping Kachimov by earning his trust. Lucas forges evidence to make Kachimov appear to his bosses to be working for MI-5, which helps Lucas to convince him to identify the cable. With knowledge of the cable, Malcolm foils the cyber-attack, disabling the submarine's computer systems. The submarine would have sunk except for a rescue by the Royal Navy, which sends a message to Moscow. In revenge for Adam Carter's death, Harry murders Kachimov with a shot to the chest. Harry appoints Ros to succeed Adam as Chief of Section D and Lucas turns Elizabeta into an asset for MI5.
Episode 3: The Tip Off
Air date: 3rd November 2008
Synopsis: Ben Kaplan is on his first undercover assignment to infiltrate an Al-Qaeda cell that plans to launch suicide attacks after a dry run after making threats on the Internet. During the operation, Ben becomes close to fellow cell member Jawad. Later, Ben learns the attacks have been moved forward to take place during the dry run. MI5 and CO19 disarm three of the bombs, and a fourth detonates with no civilian casualties. Section D discover that the "Mr. Big" behind the operation is the same man who warned MI5 of the attacks, Marlin, who kills himself after admitting he was forced following the kidnap of his family. Meanwhile, Lucas recalls that during his imprisonment in Russia, he was tortured on information relating to "Sugarhorse", MI5's "best kept secret" that only five people know of. Fearing there is a high level mole working in MI5, Harry appoints retired spy-catcher Bernard Qualtrough to discover the mole's identity.
Episode 4: A Chance for Peace
Air date: 10th November 2008
Synopsis: Section D are stunned to learn that Mohammed Khordad, Al-Qaeda's number three, wants to talk with MI5, with intelligence on a planned attack in London in exchange that two Guantanamo Bay prisoners be released and have Home Secretary Nicholas Blake) announce this on live television. When this is carried out however, Kordad is arrested by a CIA team, much to Harry's frustration. After getting him released, Kordad discloses the location of the planned attack; a restaurant. However, Lucas learns from Elizabeta that the FSB is involved and have moved up the detonation time by ten minutes; if Lucas informs Harry and stops it earlier, the FSB will realise Lucas is not a double agent and will kill him. As a third option, Lucas disarms the bomb and plants a fake one to fool them. Before leaving, Khordad hands Harry intel on a new weapon being developed in Iran. After the meeting, Khordad's plane is shot down by the Americans over the Ural Mountains. Meanwhile, Qualtrough learns that Connie James may be the leak after learning that she had an affair with the late Hugo Prince, one of the few people who knows about Sugarhorse. Jo believes Boscard is still alive after seeing hallucinations of him.
Episode 5: On the Brink
Air date: 17th November 2008
Synopsis: Ros goes undercover to stop Alexis Meynell, who is trying to bankrupt the United Kingdom. He starts by ruining rival bank Highland Life. As the case unfolds the chairman of Highland Life commits suicide after it is revealed the bank owes £65 billion pounds to Salma, a Russian bank with Russian mafia connections. Meynell's right hand man, Asa Darlek wants the £65 billion paid back, or he will release a statement letting the country know the full extent of its debts. Ros presents a third option; have Chancellor of the Exchequer Gillian Calderwood announce the government's intention to back Highland Life, while Ros convinces Meynell to continue betting against the bank. The plan works and Meynell is ruined. Meanwhile, Ros proves to Jo that Boscard is dead. Harry has a team search Connie's home for evidence linking her as the mole, but later finds a tape from Hugo Prince who tells Harry that she is not the leak. Harry asks Lucas to recall what happened when he was questioned on Sugarhorse; Lucas recalls the word "Pilgrim," who is later revealed to be Qualtrough's codename.
Episode 6: Accidental Discovery
Air date: 24th November 2008
Synopsis: Lucas has to protect Dean Mitchell, a teenager in possession of a prototypical weapon that is capable of shutting down all electrical systems in a vehicle. Dean admits he witnessed somebody using the gun to assassinate a paparazzo and then stole it and a backpack. Furthermore, the team that are after Dean are MI6 lead by Michael Sands. The paparazzo unknowingly took pictures of a meeting between Sands and UN diplomat Claude Denizet. where Denizet was threatened to resign from peace talks between Israel and Gaza. To protect Dean and his mother, Lucas sends them to Spain; Dean refuses to leave, and is assassinated by Sands as a consequence. Meanwhile, Harry reveals to Lucas and Ros the nature of Sugarhorse; he recruited several pro-Western Russians in the final years of the Cold War to infiltrate its government. Harry meets "Asset K" during the peace talks about the identity of the mole, only to discover somebody is setting him up as the leak.
Episode 7: The Mole
Air date: 1st December 2008
Synopsis: Moments after realising he has been framed and before being arrested, Harry phones Lucas and instructs him to meet Sugarhorse asset Maria Korachevsky in Moscow, who should know who the mole is. Harry is tortured to divulge the names of his Sugarhorse assets; if he tells the names, the mole will relay them to the FSB and they will be killed, preventing MI5's chance to learn what Russia intends to do against an American defence base in Poland. Two assets are already dead, and Malcolm believes the mole is within Section D. Lucas gets the information he needs and discovers Connie is the mole; he calls Ben, but when Connie realises Ben knows, she garrottes him. When Harry coughs the names of his assets, the rest of the team learn of Connie's treachery, and she is arrested. After he is released, Harry reveals he gave out the wrong names. In the end, Ros learns that a Sugarhorse asset is warning Harry "Tiresias wakes 3 pm tomorrow."
Episode 8: Nuclear Strike
Air date: 8th December 2008
Synopsis: Section D learn that Tiresias is Russia's own version of Sugarhorse, but "bigger and better". Tiersias activates sleeper agent Walter Crane to detonate a nuclear suitcase bomb in Grosvenor Square at 3 pm. The team find themselves forced to turn to Connie for assistance, as she helped set up Tiresias. After Lucas, Ros and Harry break her out, they journey to a locker Connie owns containing everything on Tiresias. However, they find themselves hunted by an FSB kill squad assigned to assassinate Connie and her team, unaware of the threat. While Lucas, Ros and Connie try to outrun them through disused London Underground tunnels, Harry visits FSB head of London Viktor Sarkisiian and offers himself to the Russians if he’ll call off the kill squad. Harry explains to Sarkisiian that the entire FSB team and their families will die if the bomb goes off. The team is called off and ordered to aid Lucas. Connie finds the locker and Crane's location. The bomb is brought to Connie, who removes the nuclear material. However, a conventional booby trap bomb still detonates, killing Connie, who admits that she set Lucas up to the Russians eight years ago. In the end, Harry is seen bound and gagged in the boot of Sarkisiian's car.