‘The Ipcress File’ Recap: ‘Episode 6’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season finale of ‘The Ipcress File’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
​
Over the course of the past few weeks, the AMC+ series, The Ipcress File, has consistently found unique ways to surprise and delight its audience. In part by being a perfect recreation of the spy movies of the 1950s and 1960s, courtesy of its delightfully whimsical characters and dynamic storytelling, while at the same time… revolutionizing the genre. All by making the Americans the villain of the tale and by putting our heroes through the wringer emotionally and physically and well… this amazing contrast storytelling wise… definitely left all of us wondering as to how exactly this incredible story was going to come to a close. Because it had the potential to go all out and stun us with an ending unlike any in the genre or it could instead... offer up something quite traditional.

Well as it turns out, the season finale of this incredible show… opted to do a little bit of both and give us a bittersweet ending. One that was filled with traditional moments and unexpected ones, and it accomplished that feat… by returning Harry Palmer to the land of the living. Wherein he and Jean were reunited, and he was cared for and for a time… it appeared as though life was going to get back to normal. Especially when one considers that Paul gave Jean all the information, she needed regarding the brainwashing work that was conducted so that Harry could properly recover from this nightmare and well… that was that. But some surprise news from high up, left the team in a stunned and concerned place.

Because there was talk of cutting budgets and disbanding the unit, despite recovering an asset and a risk. And that… combined with the odd details of a potential joint information session with the Americans while President John F. Kennedy was in town, left Dalby and his team suspicious that more was at play. Which prompted them to dig deep with known players and well, what they uncovered was shocking. In that, nothing was what it seemed and corruption and lies were everywhere to be found and… the operation wasn’t over yet. In fact, the bad guys' plan was to lull everyone into a false sense of security so revenge could be paid for the Bay of Pigs invasion, through Harry Palmer, whom was still an asset waiting to be activated.

But thanks to Dalby’s fine work and the work of his team… evil was thwarted, and the players were seemingly out of commission. Saving the free world from disaster and giving Harry a new lease on life and giving the agency a second chance as well. Which is about as traditional an ending as it gets. But alas, what makes this ending so bittersweet and heavy and different, is that… the agency only delayed the inevitable. For we know how Kennedy’s life ends and… Harry wasn’t necessarily cured, just stopped from doing the worst. Making for a realistic ending of sorts, one that features the flaws and imperfections and chaos of the world and well… it worked here through and through.

Because that really is the perfect way to bring a spy drama that toyed with revolutionary ideas to a close and unrest in America in 1963, somehow adds commentary and parallel to modern America and really in the end, this was just a great finale. Since it found a way to bring together the best parts of the spy drama with something new, and of course… it was tense and surprising and fun and filled to the brim with epic moments and well… the only real complaint one can lobby against this finale, is that it is the end of the journey and there is no more story to tell. And that’s as shame because this was just a blast through and through and who knows, hopefully AMC+ decides to revisit this world down the line and if not, at least they brought one wild and dynamic ride to a proper conclusion.  

---

Powered by JustWatch