fictional character bbc espionage television series called united_states follows exploits counter terrorism division portrayed british actor series tom chief section character second episode series decommissioned result operation series creator believed writing tom fun hardest work second series producers unsure return tom originally killed second series finale decided appear episodes series series writer reaction character fans positive critics mixed portrayal later appear cameo final episode brief return met generally positive reactions role character arc joined section eventually head section following imprisonment predecessor operation russia series tom engages relationship knows civil servant second episode tom performed undercover operation fellow officer recruit wife right wing businessman believed race riots country operation discovers spies attempts hands information operations tom fails cooperate tortured deep killing tom able escape works harry assassinated retribution tom shot turkish raid episode tom forced admit true identity profession temporarily puts strain relationship series finale tom home protected order ellie daughter safe end finale inadvertently brings home rigged ellie trapped house bomb bomb fails detonate end second series premiere ellie leaves tom claiming choose job later second series tom starts brief relationship ends behaviour fifth episode following episode posting phone number telephone boxes clubs garnering unwanted attention tom find destroy cia liaison makes stop harassment end episode starts relationship superior demanding end later episodes shift consciousness starts interfere tom work goes undercover stop british_army major series finale learns american assassin visiting later revealed actually killed entire operation orchestrated supposedly dead cia agent seeking revenge tom daughter life tom recruited frames tom chief defence staff tom attempts prove innocence harry corners forcing tom wound harry escape north_sea end episode team assumes drowned series premiere episode tom survives poses order find church tom kills leaves body outside attempt prove innocence tracks wife makes confess plan frame tom clearing charges tom reinstated head section episode undergoes conscience explosion operation lure terrorist cell buying red mercury like scientist order attempt create includes gambling debt prompting man wife leave develops severe alcohol problem result tom decommissioned takes early retirement book personnel files tom revealed married following retirement founded private security company called mentioned season episode asks harry work tom briefly returns final episode hired outside contractor eliminate head conspiracy russian nationalists tried closer russian relationship brief scene makes clear tom involved characteristics depicted focused popular team deeply intelligent instincts series tom relationship episodes tom deals keeping true identity secret ellie eating away ultimately tom tells truth later leaves beginning second series consequence second series tom journey evolved slowly attitude work changed conscience kicked finding questioning world tom final episode writer described tom disillusioned sort human conceptual history series creator believed writing tom fun hardest work compared characters primary protagonist chose job information technology cover story tom relationship ellie felt real life people reluctant ask questions work portray character actor followed scripts want believe useful keen explore parts tom influence production series stars wary playing lead characters mid twenties felt earned right series production episodes series burst blood vessel eyes compensated wearing sunglasses order hide halfway filming series got carry gun time series disappointed carrying series enjoyed working series began feel sluggish fed playing character years producers knew planned leave know appear beginning series wrote series finale originally killed tom drowning trying escape north_sea impression return producers continued series tom heard actor prepared return episodes series rewritten include character tom seven year absence october announced cameo appearance final episode series insider stated scene bring memories tom character endured series reception character gained recognition tenure departure stated notices fan reaction character proved positive best drama viewer polls bbc online voted fifth best actor category ahead star voted 21st later voted fourth fifth star voted category furthermore scene entitled tom death cliffhanger series voted second favourite moment category beaten return dirty den critical reaction character generally mixed dvd review series home cinema thought good actor believed sort contest long maintain facial expression thought character particularly personal life worked continues standard soap opera review second series praised drama intensity builds character noting tom somewhat haunted soul minutes episode powerful affected felt couple days kept thinking character tragic events happened series praised episode tom tries clear thought exit particularly satisfying thought farewell scene best moments episode addition way tom acts opening episode critical reaction tom cameo appearance met generally positive reviews metro opined return hired assassin final seconds nice nod early series den geek noted tom return final minutes welcome return old friend reviewer called nice touch reflecting nailed home central moral escapes horror especially guy written attack conscience dirty work guardian felt cameo sense obviously super cheesy obviously completely loved despite knowing coming
Tom Quinn (Spooks)