In episode 3, the team finds a potential spy, who happens to have connections to the United State’s military. With access to United State’s military bases, are the team in over their heads? Daddy also attempts to help a Chinese dancer defect safely. Will a mistake from Wendy Straw (Chloe Pirrie) allow Bobby Waterhouse (Paul Ritter) to gain the upper hand on Daddy (Brian Cox)?

As the show opens, Yulia (Zana Marjanovic) and Joe Lambe (Tom Hughes) share a moment in Joe’s apartment. Surprisingly, Joe breaks the golden rule and reveals his true name. Daddy and Joe questions whether or not the Soviets still trust Arkady (Marcel Iures). Arkady gives the team their next target.

The team followed the target to a motel, where she met with an American, Hank Chambers. Chambers is responsible for all US activity on UK soil. Katie and Hank argue, on Friday night. Daddy suggests the team needs to find out what is so important about Saturday night. Sarah Montag (Victoria Hamilton) and Alan (Jonathan Aris) sneak into their apartment and plant a bug. Meanwhile, Joe and Jim Frenchurch (Shaun Dooley) spy on Katie from a distance. They discover that she has booked a return trip to Cambridge.

Daddy discloses the Americans have nuclear weapons on British soil. Joe and Jim rush to get on the train. Bobby questions whether or not the team should make contact with the Americans. They decide against letting them know they’re aware of their actions. On the train, Joe makes contact with Katie. They discuss Katie’s reading materials.

Katie seems to notice that Joe is an agent and rushes off. Jim follows her, with Joe close behind. Katie has escaped the bathroom and is on the run. She breaks off a bottle, before disappearing. She corners Joe and puts the bottle up to his neck. He quickly turns the tides and the woman reveals that she is MI6.

Daddy returns to the theater and has a run in with Chen Mei (Gemma Chan), who says they’re being sent back to Hong Kong. Chen suggests Daddy can help her stay in Britain. Daddy returns to headquarters and gives Wendy a letter to send to the Chinese.

Meanwhile, Joe interrogates the female MI6 agent. He questions her reasons for using the Russian language. It is revealed that she is indeed an agent and is free to leave. Bobby discovers Daddy’s plan to help Chen defect. Bobby says he will handle the situation and gains control over the paperwork. Bobby and Wendy discuss Bobby’s mother, Hester Waterhouse (Judy Parfitt), and her impression of their relationship. Bobby questions Daddy’s involvement in the defection of Chen. It seems Bobby is going to use the information to his advantage.

Alan and Sarah discuss the situation. Alan attempts to comfort Sarah, by saying the worst that could happen is the pair could be left alone. Wendy enters and disrupts their chat, before being tasked with putting a bug into Chen’s dressing room.

Meanwhile, Kate is beginning to grow more worried, as she is seen smoking heavily. Daddy is scolded for the team’s investigation of Kate. Daddy is told to back off or the team will be reported to the Prime Minister. Despite the warning, Daddy insists the team continue following Kate. Katie receives a call from Kasimir (Yuri Klimov).

As Daddy visits Chen, Wendy listens in. When Daddy returns, Wendy comes clean to Daddy. He suggests Chen isn’t red and simply fled China in fear of her life. Daddy suggests a better life in the future with his wife.

Joe and Jim hear the recording of Kate and agree that she is meeting her handler. The team discover that her handler is Kasimir. Daddy suggests the team turn her into a double agent. If they’re unable to turn her tonight, the operation could very well be over. Daddy tasks Joe with the assignment.

Joe and Yulia discuss Joe’s reasonings for revealing his name. He suggests their relationship has nothing to do with his spying. Yulia insists she trusts Joe. Brazenly, Joe plays a visit to Kate. Joe uses the name John and begins to work his charm on Katherine. Alan and Sarah spy on Kasimir. As soon as they leave, they enter his place.

Joe questions what gave him away. Kate suggests it was the book and Joe’s body language. She says Joe forgot to crack the spine of the book, before using it. She begins explaining her relationship with Kasimir, who is supposedly not KGB. Joe and Kate question the role of sex in their jobs. Kate says she is not a Soviet agent and Joe will not reveal his reasons for believing so.

Inside Kasimir’s place, Sarah and Alan find something behind a painting, before Kasimir returns and interrupts their search. Joe suggests Kate turn double agent and give up Odin. Kate seems unfamiliar with the name. Instead, Joe insists she gives up everything. Kate knows Joe has no proof on her and threatens Daddy. Jim lures Kasimir out of his house, which gives Sarah and Alan time to work.

They discover a number for Kate’s place. Sarah calls and asks for Joe. She gives Joe the task of searching for a specific book. Despite finding the book, Joe cannot find anything linking Kate to the KGB. Kate begins to call to report Joe, until he discovers the key to Kate’s KGB ties.

Back with the team, they begin to investigate Kate’s documents. Joe doesn’t believe Chambers is the source. He questions who Kate was really getting her access from. Daddy discovers that Chen will be married which will help her stay. Joe prepares to interrogate Kate. He says he will not stop, until she begins to talk about Glass.

Joe begins his interview with Kate. She suggests the message in the restaurant was nothing and the intel in her apartment was planted. Joe reveals they’re not looking for Kasimir and that they’ve lost him. Kate is distraught and is willing to help the team find Kasimir. Meanwhile, Daddy watches Chen from a distance. She is with a man. Hester begins grilling her son, Bobby. She suggests Bobby needs to get a wife around his arm, in order to improve his public perception. Bobby insists Wendy bring all of the surveillance to his office tomorrow, but Wendy says she’s already destroyed it. Bobby suggests Chen’s fate has been sealed. Meanwhile, Wendy says she wishes to stay with Bobby, as long it stays as a work relationship.

When the show returns, Joe and Jim are spying on Kasimir’s potential location. The men enter the build, with flashlights, before splitting up. Joe is hit and falls to the ground. Once he recovers, he  rushes out of the shadows and attacks Jim. They find Kasimir laying in a bathtub full of blood. He has been stabbed and left for dead. Kasimir is questioned whether or not he is KGB. Kasimir says he was told he could go home, if he did what he was told. Kasimir says Kate lied to him for ten years.

Joe returns and tells Sarah about Kasimir’s confession. Alan drops Sarah’s purse and finds birth control pills. It is revealed the Kate isn’t KGB and has been setup. Alan discovers that 60% of the documentation of the KGB is correct, but the other 40% if complete fabrication. Joe suggests whatever the KGB is planning is potentially more dangerous than anything they’ve suspected this far.

Review


This is definitely a slow progressing show. If you want to check it out, you’re going to have to work to pick out the fine details. If you’re willing to put effort into it, this is an intriguing spy thriller, with Tom Hughes at the helm. And Hughes should be credited for keeping the series fresh. His performance each week is impressive.

This episode showed us each of the character’s relationships. Daddy and his attempt to woo Chen. Bobby and Wendy continue to flirt with disaster. Of course, the biggest reveal was Sarah’s birth control pills, despite Alan’s desire to have kids. It was also fun to see Joe Lambe break rank and reveal his true name to Yulia. While Joe is somewhat of a flawed agent, Tom Hughes is by far the star of the show. This episode deserves an 8.5 out of 10.