As a seasoned intelligence operative with years of experience under my belt, I must admit that “Identity Theft” is a masterful opener that delivers both suspense and intrigue in equal measure. It seems to me that these characters are indeed built different, as they shrug off the harsh realities of death with stoic resilience.
In Jackson Lamb, the gruff head of Slough House, there’s a tough exterior that hides a bond with his subordinates he rarely shows. When River Cartwright, one of his best agents, is believed to have perished, Lamb reacts with the same casual exhaustion as when eating Jaffa Cakes without Alka-Seltzer. Despite his seemingly unfazed demeanor, we can’t help but suspect that this loss has left a void in him, much like how eating Jaffa Cakes without Alka-Seltzer would feel incomplete. However, it’s essential for the story to maintain some humanity in Lamb, otherwise, it might as well be centered around Roddy, who lacks such depth
As events unfolded, or maybe they didn’t given the possibility that the series hadn’t started its fourth season with the death of a significant character, I find myself in a scene where Lamb, his characteristic sourness intact, enters the picture. It seems he’s about to stumble upon the grim sight of David Cartwright, who allegedly reduced his grandson to pieces with a shotgun blast
After Lamb completes his investigation at the scene and heads back to his car on his own, his enigmatic expression suggests that Gary Oldman’s portrayal is more than just grief over his agent’s death but a profound shock from the events witnessed, and deep thought. Although Lamb eventually uncovers some truths – like River not being deceased and his grandfather hiding in Catherine Standish’s apartment – the intrigue of “Identity Theft,” the initial episode of the new season (titled “Spook Street” from Mick Herron’s 2017 novel), lies in how Lamb keeps a straight face, and so does the show, until the climactic revelation about River’s survival near the end. In fact, most characters act as if River had indeed perished, providing many humorous insights into their feelings. It would be ironic for River to learn that some of his colleagues don’t seem overly saddened by his supposed death
Even though this event doesn’t mark the beginning of the series of events, it’s significant enough. As Roddy finishes enjoying a variety of dishes at Chickado, under the false impression of a corporate Christmas party, a car bomb explodes in the London sky behind him (he didn’t notice it right away because he was listening to Montell Jordan’s “This is How We Do It” on his headphones). The explosion occurred inside the Westacres shopping center, supposedly driven by Robert Winters, a 28-year-old freelance IT consultant. However, he doesn’t seem to fit the profile of a suicide attacker, and there’s a video found with typical “lone wolf” terrorist language. From the start, there are signs that this incident might be more extensive than just Winters, as the address he provided to the car rental company was vacant, and his supposed neighbors claim they’ve never seen or heard of him
In the grand scheme of things, an occurrence as extensive isn’t typically within Slough House’s jurisdiction… yet. However, the pivotal figure, Diana Taverner, takes center stage in this instance. Although a fresh face, Claude Whelan (James Callis), ascended to the position of Director General of MI5 or “First Desk”, Taverner remains the dominant force within the organization. It seems that whenever an opportunity presents itself, Claude deferentially steps aside for her guidance
And so we have a common thread here: Professionals shrugging in the face of death. Taverner wants to make sure Claude informs the families of the dead before they find out from the news, but she treats it as mere protocol, the sort of thing MI5 leaders are expected to do when events like these happen. Taverner now looks like Lamb did in the back of the car after seeing River’s allegedly pulverized body: She sees a situation that she’ll have to figure out, not a colleague or colleagues that she needs to mourn. Granted, her actions are not nearly as inhuman as Roddy, the only Slough House member who knows about River’s death, casually disconnecting his computer. But these people are, as they say, built different.
Among all, it’s Louisa who seems most affected by the River news, as she was the one offering guidance to him about his grandfather just before the shooting incident. River shares with Louisa his troubles with David, whose increasing memory loss hints at dementia. At times, David doesn’t even remember River. This ambiguity in David’s behavior might mislead viewers into thinking that a dementia-afflicted David could have killed his grandson with a shotgun, assuming him to be an enemy. However, the fact that River appears in the French countryside at the end of the episode suggests that he may have orchestrated this scenario to make Louisa’s belief in his “murder” more convincing. We are yet unaware of why River has vanished or what he’s doing in France, but such drastic actions seem necessary for him. If deceiving Louisa is the price to pay, so be it
The term “Identity Theft” serves as an intriguing start because it combines significant events and unanswered queries. The plot in the third season was significantly more compact and engaging compared to the first two, and the stage is set just as quickly here. Could there be a link between Westacres and the Cartwright house shooting? It seems plausible, but for now, it’s great to have the group reunited once again
Shots
Roddy might not be quite up-to-date or experienced enough to convincingly appear unruffled when Lamb led him to a non-existent Christmas party; he could say, “You’ve got to be part of the action to get tricked.”
Upon a second glance at the gunfire incident, there’s David brandishing a shotgun, asserting “You’re not my grandson,” before taking the alleged intruder’s life. His subsequent exclamation of “Oh my God, what have I done?” implies that he may have indeed killed River, but we know differently. This suggests that he recognized the victim, whoever they were, and felt a sense of regret or remorse. Stay tuned for further developments
• Funny back-and-forth between Emma and Lamb over Slough House: “So you’re in charge of the rejects?” she asks. “They don’t like to be called that,” he replies. “So what do you call them?” “The rejects.”
Marcus forcing Shirley to undergo waterboarding in the office as part of a wager about paperclips serves as an engaging means to introduce two secondary characters who wouldn’t otherwise significantly impact this particular episode
In the latest addition to Slough House, we meet J.K. Coe, portrayed by Tom Brooke. He’s a quiet, brooding character who keeps his thoughts largely to himself. His first significant utterance is a forceful “fuck” towards the climax of the episode, setting an intriguing tone for his character development
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2024-09-04 17:58