Battling Byzantium - Hunted Season 1 Episode 2

And so we discover that the name of the shadowy private organisation that employs super-spy Sam Hunter (the simply flawless Melissa George, best known for her roles in Alias, 30 Days of Night and In Treatment) is known as Byzantium - but who are the real players behind the scenes? And when are we going to find out who the hell tried to have Sam killed!?? 

For those of you who have missed the first two episodes, Hunted is BBC One's new spy drama in the vein of earlier successes such as Spooks (both series have been produced by UK company Kudos), created and written by wildly successful Hollywood screenwriter, Frank Spotnitz (who cut his teeth writing for none other than the legendary The X-Files).

So anticipation for this show was high.

We're a quarter of the way through its 8-episode first series run, and now the structure of the shadowy organisation that employs these spies is beginning to take shape. Sharing its name with the legendary Roman city that was an emblem of power in the Ancient world, it gives a nice, mythical edge to the show that I hope is more fully fleshed out in later episodes.

Who would ever want to harm Sam (Melissa George) and her luscious pout?

I personally felt really drawn to the idea of a privatized intelligence agency employed by the rich, powerful and elusive to do their dirty work - it hinted at compelling moral questions about right and wrong (a discussion/argument that is already on the table in episode 2). Whatever Byzantium's objective truly is (or whoever is running it) I doubt that their objectives are anything short of sinister.

I won't give too many spoilers away for episode 2, except that I will be watching episode 3 next week as though my life depends on it. If nothing else, I want to see exactly what the enigmatic Dr Goebels has planned for Sam (as if the name were not indication enough, the man looks like Benjamin Linus's half brother - run for the hills, people!). 

What did you think of 'Hunted' Episode 2? Any theories about the mole on the team? And what the hell is Byzantium's agenda?

Watch a clip of Sam having a less than enjoyable time in Tangier right here.