When the finale begins, Danny (Ben Whishaw) attends Scottie’s (Jim Broadbent) funeral. During the funeral, Danny speaks about Scottie, while we see flashbacks from previous episodes. Danny questions how they’re supposed to go on living, without the ones we love. He admits he doesn’t want to do that. Instead, he wants to continue feeling the sadness. After the speech, he is comforted by Claire (Harriet Walter), before Marcus (Adrian Lester) enters and reveals he has destroyed his copy of Alex’s report. He encourages the others to do so the same, before making his exit. The next day, Danny breaks into the nearby apartment, which is now abandoned. He finds tape still stuck to the wall, but nothing else of interest.
Danny is interrupted and whisked away by Sara (Zrinka Cvitesic). He finishes packing up his belongings and says his goodbyes, before heading to Scottie’s house. He drops off his belongings, before meeting up with Detective Taylor (Samantha Spiro). She talks about her conversation with the nurse, who took Danny’s blood sample. She admits it wasn’t procedure and that the man was afraid. She also reveals she received a phone call asking about her actions immediately after the conversation. The detective attempts to leave it at that and walks away, but Danny isn’t satisfied. Next, he meets with Claire and admits he wants to proceed forward.
Claire insists they’re out of luck, without Scottie. She attempts to convince Danny that it won’t work, before handing Danny his old notebook back. She takes Danny into the library and confirms she’ll be here, when he is ready. That night, Danny prints out Alex’s report numerous times and prepares them to be sent to various press agencies. He drops the reports in several different mailboxes the next day. That night, he hears a strange noise outside and finds himself in the garbage. There, he discovers several boxes, which contain the press packets he prepared. The pages are all blank. Next, he attempts to send out the information through e-mail. The next day, Danny’s mother (Lizzy McInnerny) and father (David Meyer) pay him an unexpected visit.
Danny asks why they would pay him a visit after 11 years. After a brief argument, Danny’s mother insists her husband, who has a tracheal tube, only has a short time left to live. Despite some initial hesitance, Danny agrees to travel with them. He is transported to his parent’s house. Inside of the home, a picture is snapped of the trio. Danny comes to the realization that the scene is rigged. He admits he wishes it could be true, before pulling some potted plants out of their holes. He insists his father isn’t dying and it is eventually confirmed by his mother. She reveals that those commanding her are scary and fearfully asks Danny what he has done.
Danny questions why he is even here, before he smashes the camera and asks if it would’ve just been easier to have loved him. He makes his exit and discovers that his phone’s battery has died. He also examines Alex’s USB drive and freaks out believing the camera deleted the data. When he returns home, it is confirmed. He also checks his email and discovers that the files were never sent. Instead, he has a picture of himself and his family, but nothing more. He prints it out and runs it through a paper shredder. Next, he heads to an HIV support group. The group’s new member, Ryan (Deon Lee-Williams), is too shy to speak, so Danny takes his place.
Danny tells the group about Alex and his harassment, by the MI6. Once it is over, Danny watches Ryan get escorted out by his colleagues. He returns home an tapes together the picture of himself and his family. He goes for a drive and eventually finds himself at Frances’ (Charlotte Rampling) place. Inside Danny manages to convince Frances to answer a single question. Charles (Nicolas Chagrin) seems interested in harming Danny, but Frances doesn’t allow it. They pair sits beside of a fireplace and chats for a bit, before Danny asks why Frances blames him for Alex’s death, unless she hows how he died. Danny also provides her with a copy of Alex’s work, which she burns.
Frances speaks about Danny’s sacrifices, but admits he has nothing to show for them. In return, he asks her to show him Alex’s real room. The pair proceed up the stairs and Frances unlocks a room. Inside, mathematical equations are strewn all over the wall and ceiling. Danny loses it and begins wiping away the information, before France admits she made Alex a spy. She tells Danny about Charles’ recruitment to the MI5 and the recruiter, who overlooked her skills. She admits to sleeping with others and stirring up a scandal, before using Alex to step back into the spy fold. Danny asks why Alex was so lonely and Frances admits she put too much pressure on him. Danny admits it is hard to connect to people, when you’re not sure how they’re connect to you.
Danny hands over the picture of his family and admits he wished his real parents were his real parents for an hour or so. He rushes to the kitchen and confronts Mrs. Turner (Lorraine Ashbourne). Mrs. Turner admits she was in a state and didn’t deserve to be Alex’s mother. Frances joins them and both admit Alex likely knew on some level. Frances tells about finding Alex and discovering his genius, which Mrs. Turner thought was damage, due to her drug and alcohol abuse. France admits she only wanted Alex for a few years and would allow him to do whatever he wanted. When asks about his project to end all lies, she reveals that she tried to warn him.
We flashback to the night that Danny attempts to meet up with Alex. Once he leaves, Frances enters the home and encounters a large number of spies inside. She makes her way up to the attic and puts on some protective gear. We see that Alex is stuffed inside of the box, but is given air. France speaks to her son and attempts to convince him to give up the project. Eventually, she succeeds and Alex agrees to leave his current life behind, never see Danny again and travel to America for a few years. Frances prompts the other agents to open the box, but they pull her aside and show her a workstation, which utilizes Alex’s work to analyze his speech.
Alex’s work confirms that he is lying about everything. Frances attempts to convince the other agents to let him go, but they refuse. She is injected with some medication and sent to her current home. Frances tells Danny that knowing the truth is irrelevant and that nobody will ever investigate. Still, Danny attempts to convince her to help. When Mrs. Turner heads the truth, she heads outside and burns down the maze. Frances tells Danny it is time he heaves. Once the way outside, the pair discover Mrs. Turner’s fire. Danny insists it is the only thing she could do for her son. Afterwards, Danny heads out into his car and turns it on. Moments later, Frances joins him. She insists the should go and burn them down for real. As the car begins to drive away, Frances admits they don’t stand a chance.
London Spy Finale Review
Well, London Spy has finally wrapped up and the finale was entirely satisfying, but it could be thoroughly disappointing, if the show is not renewed for a second season. Observing Alex’s death and events surrounding his murder was brutal and very clever. Again, the entire season was incredibly bleak. I truly believe the sexuality of the main characters enhanced the bleakness of the show, since the characters likely already felt like outsiders and up against the world.
Of course, the best aspect of the series was undoubtedly the immaculate acting. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Ben Whishaw and Jim Broadbent win some type of award for their performances. Now, the series definitely deserves a second season. Will the BBC do the right thing and give it to us? We can only hope. Until then, the finale deserves an 8.5 out of 10. Be sure to catch up with previous recaps of London Spy right now!
Jay Skelton is a fan of all television shows and movies. He tries his best to keep up with the latest foreign television shows and movies. Jay loves skinny dipping in the dark too.
