bbc iplayer spooks series 2

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Spooks: Series 2

• 10 episodes

Tense drama series about the different challenges faced by the British Security Service as they work against the clock to safeguard the nation. The title is a popular colloquialism for spies, and the series follows the work of a group of MI5 officers based at the service's Thames House headquarters, in a highly secure suite of offices known as The Grid.

Where to watch Spooks: Series 2

BBC iPlayer

Spooks: Series 2 episodes

Legitimate targets.

With Tom's family trapped in his house with a bomb, ... More and nothing Tom or the other spooks can do but watch on. There is a huge explosion and the credits begin. However, there is no time to focus on these events as a Serbian warlord has been seen entering the UK vowing revenge for the death of his sons in a NATO bombing raid. Zoe is sent undercover to track him down, and stop any more deaths.

The Nest of Angels

A fellow agent informs Tom that young boys and men ... More from a mosque in Birmingham are being trained as suicide bombers. They need an undercover spook, but who should or can go?

MI5's mainframe has been hacked into. But Tom and his ... More team think they have found a lead in the form of an I.T. teacher, so Zoe is sent undercover to get close to him and find out his secrets. Will they be able to stop the culprit before the inner sanctum is breached and every agents' identity revealed?

Blood and Money

After stealing a large amount of money from a bank, ... More a man is found crucified on the moors. The Treasury call in the team to investigate, but when Harry decides to take the mission further Danny's life is put in danger.

I Spy Apocalypse

Tom's skills as leader are tested to their extremes when ... More they take part in an Extreme Emergency Response Initiative Exercise (EERIE) to test their response to nuclear, chemical or biological act in central London, but when the power in the grid is cut and Harry starts to feel ill, they soon begin to suspect it's for real.

Without Incident

The president of the USA makes an unexpected stop in ... More London. Tom and his team are forced to work with the CIA. A power struggle between the two secret organizations begins, but will they stop fighting before a terrible mistake is made? And will Tom ex-girlfriend leave well alone or will she have to be taught a lesson?

A French scientist has gone renegade and taken a top ... More secret weapon called Firestorm with him, which he is threatening to sell to the highest bidder. Now he has ended up in the UK, and MI5 is forced to work with French Intelligence. But the British want the technology. They have to steal the technology without the French finding out, using an agent that if caught has no affiliation to Five. But there is a burglary at Harry's flat which puts the operation in jeopardy. Or does it?

Strike Force

A new series of strikes prompted by the unions has ... More the team worried. And when news of a 'strike' by the army arise, Tom is sent undercover to investigate. Meanwhile Zoe takes charge back at the Grid, and is tasked with moving spent uranium cells across the country after rail strikes prevent it taking it's usual route. Will it get to Dover on time? Or will it fall into the wrong hands?

The Seventh Division

Tom is undercover with Customs, but when he goes off ... More to phone in, the rest of the crew are murdered. A Colombian drugs cartel are suspected. Zoe and Tom are sent undercover to 'turn' the girlfriend of the head of the cartel. Tonight also sees the re-appearance of Tessa and she wants revenge on Harry and MI5. Will she endanger Tom and Zoe's life? Will the mole be found before it's too late? Or will Tessa get her revenge and allow someone to die?

Smoke and Mirrors

Tom ignores Harry's demands to end his relationship with CIA ... More officer Christine Dale. Christine hands Tom a secure communication which she has accidentally received from high up in the CIA. It says that an American assassin has come to the UK for a hit and that the CIA are going to take him out, without informing Five or any of the security services. Tom can't tell Harry what he knows so enlists Danny and Zoe to help him. However, things start to go wrong and tonight's episode is all 'Smoke and Mirrors'. Will the truth be uncovered before something goes terribly wrong? Has Tom gone bad?

Spooks: Series 2 | Details

Other seasons.

Spooks: Series 1

Spooks: Series 10

Spooks: Series 3

Spooks: Series 4

Spooks: Series 5

Spooks: Series 6

Spooks: Series 7

Spooks: Series 8

Spooks: Series 9

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Series 2 is the second series of Spooks which aired weekly on BBC One from the 6th of February 2003 to the 11th of August 2003 for a total of ten episodes.

• 4 Program history

Premise [ ]

The second series of the television drama series centring on a team of counter-terrorist spies collectively known as "Spooks" because of the shadowy nature of their existence. Technically speaking, Spooks don't even exist--they have no names, identities, or known locations.

Yet these secret agents are all that stand between the nation and the terrorists who try to undermine national security. This collection contains all 10 episodes from the second series about the secret world of this most covert of government agencies.

Series 2 explored several contemporary issues that the UK faced at the time: Including the rise of Cyberterrorism, the resurgence of Russia, an MI5 emergency exercise, Islamic terror cells and the setup against Tom by old foe Herman Joyce . Series 2 also explores the breakdown of Tom's relationship with London restaurant owner, Ellie Simm . and how he overcomes that.

• Matthew Macfadyen as Tom Quinn
• Keeley Hawes as Zoe Reynolds
• David Oyelowo as Danny Hunter
• Peter Firth as Harry Pearce
• Hugh Simon as Malcolm Wynn-Jones
• Shauna Macdonald as Sam Buxton
• Rory MacGregor as Colin Wells
• Nicola Walker as Ruth Evershed (introduced ep 2)
• Megan Dodds as Christine Dale
• Jenny Agutter as Tessa Phillips (ep 2 & 9)

Episodes [ ]

• Legitimate Targets
• Nest of Angels
• Blood and Money
• I Spy Apocalypse
• Without Incident
• Strike Force
• The Seventh Division
• Smoke and Mirrors

Program history [ ]

With the success of the first series, a second longer series of ten episodes was commissioned and subsequently aired in 2003. This series saw the introduction of new main character Ruth Evershed in the second episode.

It again drew praise, particularly for the fifth episode and the dramatic cliffhanger ending of the series finale. The series averaged 7.1 million viewers (Exact figure: 7.097, calculated from BARB figures for week ending 08/06/2003 and all subsequent weeks until 17/08/2003).

Response [ ]

With the success of the first series, a second, longer series of ten episodes was commissioned and subsequently aired in 2003. New regular characters Sam Buxton (Shauna Macdonald) and Ruth Evershed (Nicola Walker), were introduced in the first and second episodes respectively, while the series finale ended with a dramatic cliffhanger.[5] The series averaged 7.1 million viewers.

Gallery [ ]

• 1 Ros Myers
• 2 Tom Quinn
• 3 Lucas North

BBC iPlayer will add classic boxsets to help with isolation - including Spooks!

There'll plenty of entertainment to enjoy at home...

BBC iPlayer will be adding some of their classic shows during "unprecedented times".

As of today, fans will be able to watch all ten seasons of Spooks via the streaming service.

Spooks follows a team of agents in the British security intelligence service who work to protect the UK.

Its stars over the series included Keeley Hawes, Matthew Macfayden, Nicola Walker, David Oyelow, Peter Firth, Miranda Raison and Rupert Penry-Jones.

Spooks first aired in 2002 and turned into a huge success for the Beeb.

But that's not all, as there's plenty more shows to look forward to over the coming days.

The BBC have also confirmed they'll be adding all episodes of Waking the Dead and French and Saunders on 26th March.

So whether you fancy binging a crime procedural drama or some laugh out loud comedy, it'll all be there on demand.

If you can't get enough of Dawn French, her newest series The Trouble with Maggie Cole is also available on ITV Hub.

Other shows arriving later in the month include Kenneth Branagh detective series Wallander and political spy thriller The Honourable Woman on 30th March.

This is followed by missing person drama The Missing and it's spin-off series Baptiste (above) on the 31st.

Finally, drama The A-Word arrives on 9 th April which follows a family learning to cope when a five year old boy is diagnosed with autism.

Dan McGolpin, controller of programming and BBC iPlayer, says: “BBC iPlayer is playing a vital role in these unprecedented times, not only allowing people to catch up on the latest news but also giving them a place to escape into a great series of their choice.

"We’re delighted to add to the rich mix that is already on offer with the complete series of Spooks, French and Saunders, The Honourable Woman, Wallander and more."

He adds, "This complements other recent additions like Line of Duty, Torchwood, Years and Years and The Cry.”

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Lucy joined the WhatToWatch.com team in 2021, where she writes series guides for must-watch programmes, reviews and the latest TV news. Originally from Northumberland, she graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a degree in Film Studies and moved to London to begin a career writing about entertainment.

She is a Rotten Tomatoes approved film critic and has a huge passion for cinema. She especially loves horror, thriller and anything crime-related. Her favourite TV programmes include Inside No 9, American Horror Story , Stranger Things and Black Mirror but she is also partial to a quiz show or a bit of Say Yes to the Dress ! 

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Best TV shows to watch on BBC iPlayer, from Spooks to Blue Planet

There are plenty of TV shows to keep us busy during quiet evenings in quarantine, these are the best on BBC iPlayer

The trailblazer of all the TV streaming services, the BBC's iPlayer has all its recent shows, plus an ever-growing list of boxsets to get us through lockdown . 

In its bid to keep pace with streaming behemoths like Netflix and Amazon, the BBC have taken to loading entire box sets onto the iPlayer. The most recent season of Line of Duty , about Anti-Corruption Unit 12’s hunt for crooked cops, received widespread acclaim when it aired in 2018. The labyrinthine twists and turns can now be untangled in full, with all 29 episodes available.

Cult spy drama series Spooks , which ran from 2002 to 2011 over 10 seasons, is also on iPlayer. The show plumbs the dark world of British espionage, from double agents to terrorist plots, with a thrilling, Game of Thrones-esque proclivity for killing off its main characters. Doctor Who has been a BBC staple since its return in 2005 and fans can watch all 12 seasons of the modern era in full on the iPlayer, although the classics are yet to be revived from cellulose. 

Read more: Best British TV shows of all time

BBC comedies are a bit thin on the ground at the moment, but This Country , featuring siblings Daisy May and Charlie Cooper is a rare triumph. The mockumentary follows two bored young people living in the Cotswolds, capturing the charm, mundanity, and absurdity of life in Britain’s rural corners. Like most great comedies, it blends humour with tragedy, poking fun at their trivial gripes and disputes while laying their humanity bare.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag and Killing Eve also brilliantly straddle the boundary between comedy and tragedy. Both bring fascinating female characters to life, whether they’re struggling with loneliness or chasing a killer psychopath. 

For those looking for something from previous decades, classics such as Porridge , Goodness Gracious Me  and French and Saunders are there, along with beloved noughties series Gavin and Stacey and Outnumbered . 

• Read more: Best TV series to watch on Netflix

Documentaries 

With David Attenborough and Louis Theroux to call upon, it’s no surprise the BBC has a treasure trove of great documentaries. Attenborough’s most recent series Seven Worlds, One Planet from earlier this year is a masterclass in visual storytelling, as are his past series including Blue Planet and Planet Earth . There’s even some of his 1960s series such as Zoo Quest and Zambezi available.

Theroux’s catalogue of gonzo-style special-interest films offer a more human angle. Fans of the Netflix series Tiger King will enjoy his 2011 film America’s Most Dangerous Pets featuring Joe Exotic himself. Elsewhere, Critical: Inside Intensive Care , filmed last year well before the current crisis, follows the medical staff keeping our intensive care units running under extreme pressure, with limited resources.

• Read more: Best TV shows to watch on Britbox

The iPlayer’s massive collection of kids TV can tide youngsters over for an hour or two this Easter. Although when it comes to shows like Tracy Beaker , which ran from 2002 to 2005, it’s just as likely to be bored twentysomethings who take advantage of the noughties cult classic about a group of children growing up in a care home.

One of the best programmes from CBBC in recent years, and a great way to get unruly young people thinking about the real world, is Show Me What You’re Made Of , which follows a group of spoilt kids as they meet and work alongside the low-wage workers who keep the country going across primary industries. 

What TV shows on BBC iPlayer would you recommend? Tell us in the comments section below

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Spooks makes comeback on iPlayer - but where are the cast now?

The high tension spy drama following the counter-terrorism division within MI5 launched the careers of countless British stars - some of which went on to enjoy huge careers and two even tied the knot!

• 14:46, 19 Mar 2020
• Updated 15:01, 19 Mar 2020

Spooks launched on the BBC in 2002 and was an instant hit with viewers.

The spy drama followed the counter-terrorism division within MI5 and launched the careers of countless British stars - some of which still appear on our screens to this day.

The hugely-successful show ran for 10 series up until 2011, followed by a movie Spooks: The Greater Good in 2015.

This week the BBC announced they were bringing the classic show back to iPlayer to keep viewers currently self-isolating over the coronavirus entertained.

Ahead of the return, we take a look at where the main cast members are nine years since the cameras stopped rolling.

Peter Firth (Harry Pearce)

Peter Firth was the main star of Spooks and played the role of Sir Harry Pearce.

Since the show, 66-year-old Peter went on to star in a string of popular TV dramas including Jacob Marley in the BBC's drama Dickensian.

He also appeared in several episodes of World Without End, however the TV show was axed after just one series in 2012.

The veteran actor jumped at the chance to his revive his Spooks character in the 2015 film Spooks: The Greater Good.

Most recently the father-of-four was seen in IT's Victoria playing the Duke of Cumberland.

Hugh Simon (Malcolm Wynn-Jones)

After Hugh Simon’s successful stint as Malcolm Wynn-Jones in Spooks, he’s been keeping himself with a variety different acting jobs.

He’s appeared in TV shows such as Shackleton, Attachments, Cold Feet, North Square, Big Bad World, and "Unusual Suspects”.

More recently, he starred in Maigret from 2016-2017, and even had a spin off film Maigret Sets A Trap in 2016.

Hugh’s personal life is very much a private one, as he tends to shun the showbiz circuit outside of his working commitments.

Rupert Penry-Jones (Adam Carter)

After becoming the lead star of Spooks from series 4, Rupert’s character Adam Carter was the new chief in town.

However, his role was axed after he was dramatically killed off in a huge car explosion in series 7.

Since then, the father-of-two has dipped his feet into various projects.

He starred in ITV crime drama Whitechapel from 2009 to 2013, before appearing in BBC drama Silk for some time.

Most recently Rupert also starred in US horror The Strain, which ran from 2014 until 2017. He also appeared in the series Black Sails.

Keeley Hawes (Zoe Reynolds)

Keeley Hawes, 44, starred as junior officer Zoe Reynolds in Spooks.

She left the show in series 3 after her character had to leave for Chile to avoid jail time.

Since her stint on the show she has immersed herself in an array of TV roles.

She famously starred as Alex Drake in Ashes to Ashes, before going on to play Lady Agnes in the 2010 reboot of Upstairs, Downstairs.

She also took on a role of Detective Inspector Lindsay Denton in cop drama Line of Duty, before starring in ITV drama The Durrells.

The mum-of-three ended up tying the knot with her Spooks co-star Matthew MacFadyen in 2004, and the pair have been happily married ever since.

Nicola Walker (Ruth Evershed)

Known as the OG cast member of Spooks, Nicola Walker’s role as Ruth Evershed was one of the longest-running in the show.

She joined the series in 2003 before being killed off in series 10.

And since her successful stint on Spooks, she’s secured some very impressive roles in a whole host of British TV dramas.

She starred in Last Tango in Halifax before taking on a role in Prisoners' Wives.

Nicola then appeared in projects such as Scott & Bailey, Babylon, Unforgotten and River.

More recently, the mum-of-one starred in TV series The Split since 2018.

Matthew MacFadyen (Tom Quinn)

Matthew was another original cast member of Spooks, appearing as Tom Quinn in series one to three as the lead character.

However, his role on the show was axed after series 3, before he returned to the show in a cameo for the finale in 2011.

After leaving the MI5 drama, Matthew had a very colourful acting career which saw him appear in many successful projects.

His most notable roles include Fitzwilliam Darcy in the 2005 film of Pride & Prejudice, as well as his role as Daniel in the Frank Oz comedy Death at a Funeral.

He also appeared as Detective Inspector Edmund Reid in the BBC series Ripper Street, before starring in the Sky Living series The Enfield Haunting in 2015.

He’s been happily married to Spooks co-star Keeley Hawes since 2004, and the pair share two children together and one from Keeley’s previous marriage.

Richard Armitage (Lucas North)

Richard had a successful two year stint on Spooks after joining in series 7.

Prior to starring in the TV show, he was already a prominent name in the acting world, and thanks to Spooks, his status grew even further.

Since the show, he most notably starred as dwarf prince Thorin Oakenshield in Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy.

Richard, 48, recently appeared in Hannibal, before going on to star as King Oleron in Alice Through the Looking Glass, and Daniel Miller in US drama Berlin Station.

David Oyelowo (Danny Hunter)

David Oyelowo starred as Danny Hunter - a junior officer who died sacrificing himself at the end of series 3.

Since his days on Spooks, the 43-year-old has become a local in Hollywood after his critically acclaimed role as Martin Luther King Jr in Selma, which earned him a Golden Globe nomination and put his name in a lot of conversations.

The dad-of-two, who has been happily married since 1998, also appeared on our screens in films Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Jack Reacher, Middle of Nowhere, Lincoln and The Butler, in which he secured supporting roles.

David also starred in A United Kingdom, a film that proved to be very much successful.

More recently, he starred in the blockbuster Don’t Let Go, however the film didn’t turn out to be as big of a hit as hoped, after it flopped at the box office.

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Spooks watch along, series one, episode two: Lisa Faulkner takes centre stage

Our weekly series continues with a pre-Quiz era Matthew Macfadyen and one of the biggest shocks in TV history

• Spooks series one, episode two is on BBC iPlayer

Welcome back to the second of our weekly Spooks watch alongs. Let’s emphasise straight away that some people might be seeing BBC1’s banging 2002 counter-terrorism drama for the first time, so no spoilers. But yes, it’s series one, episode two. It’s THAT episode.

Last time, despite it only being week one there was already a good gang of like-minded Spooks fans, reminiscing about watching the show back in the day as well as finding new things to enjoy. Clever people, watching telly together – or an “intelligence community”, if you will.

Unfortunately Sarah Hughes is unwell so can’t make it tonight (she should be back with you next week). But with luck we will once again be joined by David Wolstencroft, who as well as creating the show was directly responsible for unleashing this instalment on an innocent, unsuspecting public. While you wait, why not refresh your mind about episode one with some great behind the scenes tidbits from David.

Get ready to hit play on the episode at 7pm UK time precisely.

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Spooks - Series 6: Episode 2

Drama series about the British Security Service. A contagious virus unleashed by the Tehran blast is on the streets of London and a wounded, infected Zaf has been captured.   More

• Duration 59 mins
• First shown 16 Oct 2007
• Available for over a year

Series 6 Episodes