New Allegiances

"New Allegiances" is the series seven premiere and 57th episode of the British espionage television series Spooks. It was originally broadcast on BBC One on 27 October 2008. The episode was written by Neil Cross, with additional writing by Ben Richards, and directed by Colm McCarthy. The episode is considered the first of a two-part story, which concludes with following episode "Split Loyalties".

In the episode, Private Andy Sullivan (Ian Virgo) is kidnapped by an Al-Qaeda cell, who demand Remembrance Sunday be cancelled or he will be executed. Adam Carter (Rupert Penry-Jones) and recently returned Lucas North (Richard Armitage), who spent the past eight years in a Russian prison, work together to find him, only to realise the kidnapping was a diversion to bomb a Remembrance ceremony. Adam drives the rigged car to safety, but dies in the explosion. Knowing FSB head of operation in London Arkady Kachimov (Stuart Wilson) withheld the bomb plot, Harry Pearce (Peter Firth) plots revenge.

Before the episode was broadcast, it was announced that Rupert Penry-Jones would leave the series after playing Adam Carter for four years, while afterwards, another announcement was made introducing a new lead character, Lucas North. Inspiration towards the plot for the episode, and the remainder of the series, came from the resurgence of Russia, which the producers felt would in subtle ways threaten the security of the West. The episode was partially filmed on location in Moscow, the first time in series history where filming took place outside the United Kingdom.

After its original broadcast, the episode attracted almost six million viewers; although it won its time slot, the episode was down by over one million viewers from the last series premiere. The episode received generally positive reactions for its plot, as well as the introduction of Lucas and death of Adam.