this has been on my mind and i don’t think i’ve ever seen a post about it since the first episode aired in the UK. if someone knows of meta or a discussion thread to link me, please do.
it’s no secret that it took me a long time to understand and appreciate alex. i didn’t trust him at first. i thought his behavior at the restaurant was condescending and his whole demeanor was strange.
of course the show is called “london spy” and it was being billed as a mystery and a thriller and i figured that alex was the first guy we shouldn’t trust.
nothing made me more certain this guy was shady than the line “did you look through my clothes?” with the smirk on his face. it was creepy as fuck, and danny was squirming, and the scene ended before we heard him say anything - if he said anything at all.
it’s been more than a year and i can’t quite figure out the meaning of that line. alex speaks so infrequently that every single thing he says has some great symbolism or foreshadowing. but this line? i’m not sure.
do other men look through alex’s clothes? is the way the apartment is designed supposed to be a test of sorts? did he want to know if danny has a keen eye? does he want to make sure this kid is thorough before pursuing the relationship further, considering his secret project? did he really mean i hope you looked through my clothes because i need a curious, intrusive person in my life right now?
i really need this explored further. was alex planning to find that “someone” who can carry forward his research if he is killed? because we know he suspected shit would go down. he knew he was being followed. did he take advantage of danny? i can’t shake the feeling that in a way he did. danny is this hapless kid with nothing to his name. he can barely defend himself, physically or verbally. he was screwed. alex gave him no protection whatsoever.
did alex not plan to fall in love? was he blindsided by how he felt for danny? he knew they were both being watched. how could he do this to someone?
