Bodyguard continues to enthrall in heretofore completely unexpected ways, I got spoiled for the fourth episode on Twitter (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE) so it put me off for a bit. But back! Rolling S1:E03 after the break!
So, to recap, war veteran David Budd (Richard Madden in a star turn that’s made Game of Thrones a distant memory for me) stopped a terrorist bombing and was given the plum assignment of protecting Home Secretary Julia Montague who just happened to be responsible for sending himself to war. Somehow David ended up protecting Julia with his privates, leaving none of us sure where to look. Let’s find out what happens this time!
Julia and David enjoy some post-coital chitchat, he managed to at least get his shirt off this time so she’s asking about his scar and past. He’d wanted to be a doctor.
They’re adorable together, I’m glad they found the humanity in their bonding.
*Is she his boss, though?
So right after I waxed poetic about how lovely and open they seem together, David’s up recording her meeting with Security Services lead Stephen Hunter-Dunn (Stuart Bowman). See, there was another terrorist attack after the first attempt, and it was aimed at the school David’s kids go to so everyone’s wondering if there was a police leak. After that, Julia herself was attacked, but we know that was David’s war buddy, who was struggling with the same PTSD David is dealing with, not related to a terrorist cell.
HOWEVER, Julia thinks the head of the police Anne Sampson (Gina McKee) has it in for her and deliberately didn’t send help when she was under attack because Julia has been giving preferential treatment in handling terrorism to Security Services.
Anne has asked David to record any private Security Services meetings Julia has, since Anne also told David that she thinks Julia knew his kids’ school was going to be bombed and didn’t tell the police: he agrees.
Sorry, those sentences are PAINFUL. You get the gist. Upshot is: Julia is expecting a shipment of material from Security Services that she doesn’t want near her office.
David calls his estranged wife Vicky (Sophie Rundle), he is a mess of contradictions.
Julia is ready to go, a professional greeting from her personal protection officer and they’re off to work. Oh but just with a quick stop at the loo. David is delighted that she’s being sexually forward, right until he realises how manipulative she is.
I am not victim-shaming here, but you knew she was a politician when you first drew your gun, officer.
David’s off to give his report to his boss Lorraine Craddock (Pippa Hayward), but holds back the recording he made of Stephen and Julia’s meeting that morning. Why? I mean, he used a microphone and everything! Lorraine carefully explains (with a warm smile) that unless he comes up with the goods next time, his family will be kicked out of the safehouse they’re currently staying in because the police leaked David’s information.
David has a lot of conflicting responsibilities, including his own desire for revenge against those who sent him to war and effectively destroyed his life and marriage as he knew it. That would be Julia, with whom he just shared bodily fluids.
He has to give another interview about the attack on Julia carried out by his friend Andy, DCI Sharma (Ash Tandon) and Louise Rayburn (Nina Toussaint-White) will be asking the same questions he’s already answered.
Hopefully it won’t come up that David knew this guy, that would be a problem for sure. They don’t know that yet, but I’m sure they will and they know something hinky is up with David and his lengthy verbal exchange with the shooter.
Back at the hotel after work, Julia has sensed that something is off with David. She offers to extend his family’s safehouse stay but when he presses to know how she knew the name of his son’s school, she calls it a night and dismisses him summarily.
I do not think he will be smoldering by the adjoining door tonight.
He is recording, however, as a member of Security Services drops off an encrypted electronic device for Julia, like a Kindle Of Destiny. David stops him in the hallway, whatever disguy’s name is, I doubt it’s Richard Longcross (Michael Schaeffer) as he appears to make it up on the spot.
Julia reads private security information on her new fancy device while David records the adjoining door. You can still feel the electricity between them, it’s just mixed with suspicion and anger now. Who is she reading up on that has been committing assaults?
The police have found CCTV showing the shooter setting up the night before, he clearly knew where Julia was going to be.
David runs the name Richard Longcross in the computer while I contemplate the fact that he’s only charming when he’s lying.
Another day, another tense meeting between the Home Secretary, the police and Security Services. Julia and Stephen split off for a private meeting that David can’t record.
Ahhh okay, the information Julia was reading is probably regarding a political opponent, Stephen will advise her of the most apposite time to leak it. Interesting.
On the way home, Julia apologizes in the elevator for her abrupt end to the evening, perhaps David could come over when she gives him a knock. “Like I’m Room Service” made me snort-laugh in admiration. He’s totally a snack.
David drinks a beer in his room, totally not staring at the adjoining door. Julia knocks then opens the door to Not Quite Apologize. She hopes he’s not another one of those blokes that can’t take her having more power? Me and David:
This is the problem with the old paradigm of power, there’s no different to what Julia is doing than scores of (mostly) men before her. Which is to say: you can Yay Women all you like, but if they’re doing exactly the same, yay what?
She’s got him wrapped around her finger, walking away from the open door and casually unzipping her pants before sliding a hand inside for his viewing pleasure. He asks if this is her way of kidding him that he’s more in control? “You see right through me” *big eyes and pivot to bed*
That was sexy but hella gross.
He doesn’t spend the night, rather he gets up int the middle of the night, showing us his adorably muscled bum and retrieves the device that Julia was reading into late in the night.
Is that his way of taking back control?
He takes this information to his bosses, but not what he read on the device, interesting.
Ahhh Julia’s flame Rob MacDonald (Paul Ready) is ruthless to Tahir Mahmood (Shubham Saraf) who was silly enough to believe that he was hired for his work, not his skin colour and ethnic makeup. Tahir is furious and embarrassed that his drubbing was witnessed by David.
We’re in the House of Commons now (just guessing), everyone excitedly debating the new bill and using Security Services to counter terrorism. Julia stands her ground, giving the Official Opposition good as she gets as her police colleague Mike Travis (Vincent Franklin) tells Julia’s in-house opposition what she’s been up to with the Security Services. Roger Penhaligon (Nicholas Gleaves) has the ear of the Prime Minister, I wonder how long until we meet the Big Fella.
Tahir counsels Julia to keep her upcoming engagement at Sir Mathew’s, seems security wasn’t briefed on that. Why are David and Tahir so firmly at odds now? The embarrassment of being called a Optic Hire? Julia warns David to not get too attached publicly, he wouldn’t want people to think he’s being TOO protective.
Emotionally.manipulative.
David calls Vicky, who can’t talk because she’s shagging someone else, which he knew, honestly.
The police have found out some more news about the sniper, they found his rental car. They haven’t found anything serious yet but there is no way his identity will remain a secret. And once they do, David is in a world of trouble.
Julia calls David with a request for a trip away, no security or driver, just them two. Is this so she can do clandestine stuff for SS, or is it so she can get away with her boytoy? I guess two things can be true, Julia is a magic multi-tasker!
David protests, but she throws in a “Please, David. You’re the only one I trust” and he’s in.
They proceed to a huge mansion where none of this is happening, and if she doesn’t come back, he’s to return to the Death Star. This is the Prime Ministerial residence? Noooo, we already went there, didn’t we?
*Man, I should really know this kind of stuff for recapping.
Security Services also wasn’t briefed on this trip, Stephen is incensed. Who does Julia think she is??
I told you Julia was a magic multi-tasker! Able to play fourteen sides at once, just like David.
Roger and Mike meet at Somewhere Else Vaguely Familiar That Might Be Important, it was the Prime Minister (David Westland) that Julia was visiting and she’s making an end run with the information she received from SS.
David and Julia have an energetic humping session after but she wakes up alone in the middle of the night and goes looking for him. She makes the mistake of waking him up and almost gets choked to death for her trouble, I had a roommate like that, but much less murdery.
He snaps out of it before she is too badly hurt, just terrified and shocked. They talk through a door. “Whatever your training has made you, it’s out of control.” Does she want him replaced? She doesn’t know, but he needs help so badly. He won’t do it. Ah life and relationships are so complicated.
Rob tells Julia the final fact checks have to be done on her speech, then hands it over to Tahir saying it’s all done, why? Something hinky there, says the suddenly ominous music.
Every once in a while I remember how gloriously handsome Richard Madden is, this would be one of those times.
The lighting is brilliant, perhaps call over to The Deuce, will you?
I’m on to you, Bodyguard, I know we’re in for some raggedy shite right before the end of the episode so I’m watching closely.
Both David and Julia are locking in thinking about their relationship, so much so that he’s got his eyes closed while the car is moving, open up those peepers, Sargent!
At the venue, David consults with Kim Knowles (Claire-Louise Cordwell) then escorts Julia through St. Mathews leaving Tahir dumbfounded and panicky. He receives a call that freaks him out, the music tells us it was a bad one.
Was…David calling? He has his phone out.
David collects Julia for her speech, she decides to come clean about knowing about his kid’s school. Also: she doesn’t want him as her security protection any more, she wants him next to her as his choice, not his job.
David has quite a lot on his emotional plate.
David watches the audience as Julia makes her entrance, her speech interrupted by shouting student protestors. Julia rolls with it and continues her speech. She’s not after freedom of speech or your porn searches, just the B-O-M-B-related ones.
A late joiner bursts in and freaks David and I out, don’t do that! We only have 9 minutes left!
Julia talks about the disenfranchised as David spots a person moving in the hallway and heads out. It’s Tahir with the briefcase of fact checked documents, or is it? He could easily be the disenfranchised person Julia’s been describing.
Kim checks on David and I mentally wave goodbye to her. They return inside to see Tahir approach stage right (or left) and both run to the podium, too late. An explosion rocks the theatre.
David wakes to find himself covered in blood, ears ringing and several dead people around him. He checks for pulses then spots Julia, lying on her back covered in blood. What?
So who sent Tahir to do that? Rob who handed off The Briefcase of Doom to him? Who called him right before the bomb went off? The protestors or Roger and his faction that wanted to shut Julia down? Anne Sampson?
David watches the news at the hospital, approached aggressively by Roger, who’s pretending he cares if Julia lives or dies.
Deepak briefs Anne on what they know about the sniper, they’re sooo close to David we can smell it. David himself walks out of the hospital and hopefully hides somewhere dark. We’re out!
Lots of intrigue to keep us busy this week, mostly I only care about what’s happening with David and Julia. I like how they showed the messiness of trying to keep a relationship compartmentalized, feelings and people never do stay in that box, do they? Until next time, cheers!
