"This episode was bound to be controversial because it marks the first episode without Tom in it. The writers seem to have noticed this, so instead of handing the reigns straight over to Adam, they make all the characters have roughly the same amount of screen time. The episode itself is very good, despite falling prey to the fact that it used to be realistic, and now seems to be more of a glorified action series. It is a pity because Spooks' appeal was its realism. The plot is average and not particuarly enthralling, but it works nonetheless. On the whole, distinctly average"

Edward, Cambridge

"I love this show, never miss it. But my opinion is being slowly changed by the English bias the writers seem to have. The show is about the British secret service but all I hear is England this and England that. Just in tonight's episode I was dismayed to hear the remark: "it's not like it's a row of English redcoats at the battle of Waterloo" - the British army at Waterloo was made up of mostly Scottish regiments..."

J.Fannan, Glasgow

"This episode gave us our first 'Adam as leader' taster. While he does not have the commanding personality that Tom had, Adam makes up for it with a gentle confidence in his abilities that allows him to easily slide into the team. Don't think he's all pussycat though, we see some real tiger's teeth in that final run to save Harakat. This episode features some of the best 'follow that spy' scenes in the entire series."

John Patterson, Lancashire

"Fantastic episode, didn't miss Tom at all. Can't say I like Zoe's new boyfriend, and should she really be telling him so much? He seems too interested...

Danny seems to be treading water a bit at the moment. His belief in Tom was total and his leaving has shaken him. Taking Harakat to Lords without backup was a tactical error and he'll pay for it - mentally, if not professionally.

The surveillance operation was fantastic. Anyone who has read Le Carré's 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy' will have revelled in the sheer poetry of it. Great switches, clever use of check-points, brilliant hi-tech tracking and communications. But surely it was the low tech messages like the '6' on the menu that were the hallmark of genius.

This was Spooks back to its tantalising best. Hi-tech, Hi-Brow and Hi-Drama. Bring It On!!!!"

CP, Safe House (Northern England)

"Series 3 started off with a bang - gripping and pulsating stuff. However, will it be the same without Tom? Time will tell, but early signs are that Adam is not quite as exciting. Could Tom return against his old colleagues? - it sure will be a good twist."

Mark, London

"I watched Spooks and enjoyed it, but I miss Tom. He has a certain something that the series misses now! Adam's OK - but he's nowhere near Tom - keep him though! Please write Tom back in again - like maybe he went undercover somewhere."

L. Boumans, Netherlands

"It seems as if there's a subtle decline in original thought as of this moment. Each episode has stepped into the path of where no one wanted it to: violence surrounded by the superfluous use of weaponary. Spooks was not born successful, but ended up so through its intelligence, but once success has been gained, it appears that the route it's decided to take is more Hollywood than British.

And, yes, added to this, we now find Danny going in the same route as Tom, to which ultimately a repetition of series 2 is found, yet with a character whom lacks all the strength of Tom. The episode last night clearly displayed the series' requirement of Tom, for no more is there empathy with the team leader, or true care for the tasks that MI5 are now been given that involves them carrying weapons."

Tom, Suffolk

"What a fantastic episode - so much action and Adam is a great character. I was hooked from start to finish. This was the best episode so far. Well done!!!"

Angela Blanchard, Bude

"An excellent convoluted plot, with some outstanding counter-surveillance tradecraft... and the kind of deviousness in high places that makes one ponder just why anyone would play the Great Game... do you play for money, for the Game itself or for ideology?"

Megan Robertson, Crewe, Cheshire

"Episode 3 obviously sowed more seeds of doubt for Zoe and Danny. Will we see a deepening crisis of conscious for them? Will it end in another exit from the team? Tom's absence is still very evident. I suppose the 'believability' of Tom’s character made it inevitable he’d leave. But the script writers have missed an opportunity. I’d like to have seen Tom remain on the fringes for series 3. Perhaps as the team’s new bogeyman, like Blake in Blake’s 7. (Of course he would have to come good though!) I hope he returns, I am sure his country will need him!"

JJM, UK

"Although still enjoyable, I think that Spooks is losing its edge. What was refreshing in series 1 was that this was a drama series about professional MI5 people. They were there to do the job and do it well. Personal feelings do not come into it. In series 2 suddenly characters start developing moral positions and this has got worse in series 3. If they were really this emotionally fragile then they would have not got into MI5 in the first place.

Similarly with Zoe's new relationship. A key feature in series 1 was that the 'spooks' had fictional normal lives to cover their MI5 careers. Even those closest to them did not know who they really were. Now we have Zoe talking all the time about her role in MI5 with her new boyfriend. A shame really, it is turning into just another formula TV series."

Paul Barnett, Burgess Hill

"I thought that last night's episode started very slowly. For the first 40 minutes or so I was bored. It didn't live up the expectations of previous episodes. Having said that, the scene where Adam was trying to lose his tail was simply fantastic, probably the best scene since the series began. From then on the rest of the programme was as good as any other."

Daveshane, Manchester

"I enjoyed this episode - action-packed and dramatic yet easing us into life without Tom. You could see the death of Harakat coming, but that added to the suspense and intrigue of what was happening. Ruth's treatment of Adam was interesting - does she hate him or fancy him?"

Hayley Read, Coventry