There's Nothing Like Harry and Ruth on a Park Bench

Warning! Spoilers for Series 10, Episode 4. No major plot spoilers, but still, please don't read if you haven't been following the show this Season.

Series 10 had been a bit disappointing in the Harry/Ruth department, but this last episode set things to rights. Harry's been so restrained and distracted recently that these two have hardly connected at all. But Episode 4 has caused me to know that they've just been holding it in. Nothing massive moved their relationship forward, but there was an awesome park bench scene full of emotion for both.

...There's just something about the way that man loves Ruth that tears me up. I can't get enough of it.  

... Well, wait ... I say that, but honestly, this is starting to remind me of a time when I used to watch soap operas in the 1980s and I would rush home from school every day so I wouldn't miss anything. But I never missed anything. Because the action moved forward at such a snail's pace that you'd have to miss a whole week (or two) to escape any important plot development. Seriously, Harry and Ruth have been in a holding pattern for too long -- they need to just do SOMETHING, or they risk living perpetually in a soap opera.

But, anyway... overall, Episode 4 was fierce for many reasons:

• I love it when Harry Pearce makes threats. Especially when he's threatening CIA bosses.
• The central plot was excellent and tension-filled! And formed a great threat of the week counterpoint to mix up the developing backstories.
• Loved the scenes of Dimitri tearing down the street in his car rushing to save the day (which harkened back to the days of Adam).
• There is a nice little burgeoning friendship now between Dimitri and Erin. --Better still, they actually have great chemistry.
• Erin gets better and better every week -- which is a great treat, since I didn't expect to like her.
• Calum is still an ass. But that's OK. Not every Spooks character has to be likable, and at least he got a really funny line ("OK, so its the 5 of us against the CIA").
• I got to enjoy Harry's fine reaction to Elena throwing herself into his arms after the failed field-operation where she was almost harmed. Don't care what anyone else reads into this, but I saw: unpleasantness, responsibility, and history on his face -- no active passion or interest.
• Brilliant Ruth, out in the field and ahead of the game. Don't know what she's up to with her bridge talk with CIA-man, but you can bet its good.
• Wonderful exchange between Harry and Ruth, when she asks if she would have ever learned about Sacha and Elena had they not come back into his life right now. The ability of Peter Firth to convey Harry's emotions is nothing short of spectacular. There simply aren't enough adjectives to assign to the plethora of emotions he expresses in that moment. To call them all "love" is the best I can do. Ruth says to him: "Do you know what it's like to feel something for someone and then one day realize you don't even know them?" He lets out all those bottled 'adjectives' when he almost moans: "you DO know me!"
• Favorite line of all time comes next, from Ruth: "Stupid man. People don't love each other on a need to know basis." Great line. Great delivery. Love Ruth and am elated that she got to call Harry a "stupid man".  I think I can die happy now : )

. . . thoughts on the next episode, Episode 5 (Series 10) 
Or, if you want to go back in time, try my thoughts on the previous episodes.