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State of Play (2003)

2003 · Crime,Drama,Mystery · political-drama, crime-detective-puzzle, workplace-prestige

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State of Play is a six-part BBC political thriller miniseries (2003) that weaves investigative journalism, parliamentary conspiracy, and police procedure into a densely plotted but emotionally grounded narrative. An ensemble of then-emerging British talent — John Simm, David Morrissey, Kelly Macdonald, Bill Nighy, James McAvoy — brings authentic texture to a story where journalists, politicians, and detectives circle each other as a seemingly simple murder expands into a systemic scandal. Paul Abbott's script is praised for being both intellectually rigorous and genuinely funny, while the London setting functions as a vivid atmospheric presence. The show rewards patient, attentive viewers with one of British television's most satisfying conspiratorial payoffs.

From the reviewers

The six episodes allow several characters to become rounded and interesting. High praise indeed for Paul Abbott, the writer. It gripped from start to finish.
Apart from the human characters the other character that is well portrayed is London itself. London has many faces and the series brought several of those out. From nights by the Thames , to the bleak housing estates, to the pretty suburban streets, to the formality of Parliament, to the sounds and almost the smells of eight million people jostling together. All photographed atmospherically.
Abbott has commented that he knew he would have failed if any of his (largely journalistic) heroes could be sumarised as "mavericks" - a simple lesson ignored by ninety percent of writers today. Instead we have real, three-dimensional portrayals.
What's especially impressive is how well the female characters are realised - neither passive decoration nor kick-ass post-feminists, but believable, not necessarily glamorous women - the contrast between the sexes has a low-key ring of truth.
a political drama needs to say something authentic about the current state of the world. If the final conclusion is that the Prime Minister has a prediliction for drinking the blood of teenage girls, then however plausible this is made to seem, an opportunity has been lost

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