| Spooks | |
|---|---|
| Season 3 | |
![A DVD boxset cover in a dark green background with the logo "[ spooks ]3. At the top half there are four people standing. From left to right, a short blonde-haired woman, a black British man, and two Caucasian males wearing a shirt and jacket.](view_image.php?q=Spooks_series_3&sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:Spooks_3_DVD.jpg) DVD cover art of Spooks series three | |
| No. of episodes | 10 |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC One BBC Three |
| Original release | 11 October – 13 December 2004 |
| Series chronology | |
The third series of the British spy drama television series Spooks (known as MI-5 in the United States) began broadcasting on 11 October 2004 on BBC One, and ended on 13 December 2004. It consists of ten episodes which continue to follow the actions of Section D, a counter-terrorism division of the British Security Service (MI5). It also sees the departure of three principal characters: Tom Quinn (Matthew Macfadyen) is decommissioned in the second episode, Zoe Reynolds (Keeley Hawes) is exiled to Chile in the sixth episode, and Danny Hunter (David Oyelowo) is killed in the series finale. In addition to Macfadyen, Hawes and Oyelowo, Peter Firth, Rupert Penry-Jones, Nicola Walker, Hugh Simon, Shauna Macdonald and Rory MacGregor are listed as the main cast.
The producers knew that Macfayden was leaving, and were "99% sure" that he would not appear at all in Series 3. The first two episodes were therefore initially written without him, but the producers later heard he wanted to appear in them and he was written back in. Because of his departure, the producers created a new character, Adam Carter. The producers took information from advisors who were ex-MI5 officers during their detailed research, and many of the story lines are based on fact. The series was directed in five blocks of two episodes in each. Filming started in January 2004 and took place over six to seven months. Shooting took place almost entirely in London, England, with some scenes shot on a North Sea ferry in the fifth episode.
The third series was seen by an average of 5.77 million viewers, a decline in ratings from the second series with viewership dropping below five million at one point. However the BBC had renewed Spooks for a fourth series before the third had begun broadcasting. Critical reaction was generally positive, though reviewers believed it did not perform as well as its preceding seasons. It was nominated for seven British Academy Television Awards (BAFTA), winning one. The third series was released on DVD on 23 May 2005 in Region 4, 5 September 2005 in Region 2, and 31 January 2006 in Region 1.