Life Advice from Adam Carter: Sometimes You Have to Just Let Things Crinkle Out

In life and in Spooks, sometimes the best little nuggets show up with the least amount of work. I found a gem that the writers have snuck into the character of Adam. It has to do with things "crinkling out" and is something I wouldn't have found had I sought, but simply appeared in front of me effortlessly.

I guess it's meant to be a hidden prize for the biggest Rupert Penry-Jones fans or the geekiest of Spooks fans. . . .  I'd like to believe that I am neither  :)  but I did get lucky in that I happened to watch episodes 3.1 and 7.1 back to back.

3.1 I re-watched because I remembered a scene from it that I thought Netflix had cut out. So I checked out the dvd and found I was right. The scene where Ruth pretends to be Harry's lover in order to get in to see him at the hospital is in that episode. But even aside from that scene, 3.1 is fabulous for a lot of reasons -- notably Matthew MacFadyen's acting performance as Tom Quinn wrestling with demons and the introduction of Adam Carter (played by Penry-Jones).

When Adam's character is first introduced, there's a nice little part where he tells Danny "don't plan too much, Danny.  Let things just . . . crinkle out." I didn't give the exchange any mind, I just enjoyed the rest of this episode which ends with this lovely shot of our two leading men: the outgoing star Tom and the incoming one, Adam.

Cinematographically (yes, I'm coining a word for this purpose), this is a beautifully shot scene which does an excellent job of showing the viewer a transition in progress -- a "changing of the guard" moment.

Naturally my mind went to Adam's exit, years later, when he overlaps so briefly with the new lead guy, Lucas North.  I thought I might be able to find a similar screen-shot for a post about the leading men, which would serve as a changing of the guard, phase II . . .  (wait. . . . . I'm not really making a great case for myself not being the most obsessed of fans am I? hahah). This one is the best I could do.

. . . But the point is, that while scanning though Lucas and Adam's scenes together in 7.1, I came across a moment where, on the way to save a hostage and being warned of the extreme danger to them both of approaching this situation without a plan, Adam says with the briefest of twinkles in his eye: "yeah, well, lets give it a go, eh? . . . see how it crinkles out."

It was the meaningful delivery that caught my attention. "Crinkles out"? I'm sure I just heard that. Sure enough, I went back and found that bit of dialog with Danny in 3.1. It was certainly intentional.

What a fun little hidden gem and a nice reprise for Adam as he left the show.

Thanks guys!