"State of Play" (2003) TV mini-series 2003-

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

18 May 2003 (UK)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

Sometimes you have to read between the lines

Plot:

A thriller set in London, in which a politician's life becomes increasingly complex as his research assistant is found dead on the London Underground and, in a seemingly unrelated incident, a teenage pickpocket is shot dead.

Plot Keywords:

Politician | Manchester | Deception | Friendship | Forbidden Love

Awards:

16 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

John Simm	...	Cal McCaffrey (6 episodes, 2003)
Kelly Macdonald	...	Della Smith (6 episodes, 2003)
Bill Nighy	...	Cameron Foster (6 episodes, 2003)
Philip Glenister	...	DCI William Bell (6 episodes, 2003)
David Morrissey	...	Stephen Collins (6 episodes, 2003)
James McAvoy	...	Dan Foster (6 episodes, 2003)
Amelia Bullmore	...	Helen Preger (6 episodes, 2003)
Benedict Wong	...	Pete Cheng (6 episodes, 2003)
Marc Warren	...	Dominic Foy (6 episodes, 2003)
Rebekah Staton	...	Liz (6 episodes, 2003)
Polly Walker	...	Anne Collins (6 episodes, 2003)
Michael Feast	...	Andrew Wilson (5 episodes, 2003)
Johann Myers	...	Sonny Stagg (5 episodes, 2003)
Tom Burke	...	Syd (4 episodes, 2003)
Maureen Hibbert	...	Olicia Stagg (4 episodes, 2003)
James Laurenson	...	George Fergus (4 episodes, 2003)
Deborah Findlay	...	Greer Thornton (4 episodes, 2003)
Christopher Simpson	...	Adam Greene (4 episodes, 2003)
Sean Gilder	...	Sergeant 'Chewy' Cheweski / ... (3 episodes, 2003)
Shauna Macdonald	...	Sonia Baker (3 episodes, 2003)
Rebecca Ryan	...	Karen Collins (3 episodes, 2003)
Charlie Ryan	...	Louis Collins (3 episodes, 2003)
Stuart Goodwin	...	Robert Bingham (3 episodes, 2003)
Patrick Brennan	...	Neil Woods (3 episodes, 2003)

Series Directed by
David Yates		(6 episodes, 2003)

Series Writing credits
Paul Abbott		(6 episodes, 2003)

Series Produced by
Hilary Bevan Jones	....	producer (6 episodes, 2003)
Gareth Neame	....	executive producer (6 episodes, 2003)
Paul Frift	....	line producer (5 episodes, 2003)
Laura Mackie	....	executive producer (3 episodes, 2003)

Series Original Music by
Nicholas Hooper		(5 episodes, 2003)

Series Cinematography by
Chris Seager		(5 episodes, 2003)

Series Film Editing by
Mark Day		(6 episodes, 2003)

Series Casting by
Wendy Brazington		(6 episodes, 2003)

Series Production Design by
Donal Woods		(5 episodes, 2003)

Series Art Direction by
Charmian Adams		(5 episodes, 2003)

Series Costume Design by
Claire Anderson		(5 episodes, 2003)

Series Makeup Department
Karen Edwards	....	hair stylist / makeup artist (5 episodes, 2003)
Nicola Mansell	....	hair stylist / makeup artist (5 episodes, 2003)
Anne Oldham	....	hair designer / makeup designer (5 episodes, 2003)

Series Production Management
Tom Crooke	....	unit manager (5 episodes, 2003)
Heidi Mount	....	post-production supervisor (4 episodes, 2003)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nicola Parfit	....	floor assistant director (6 episodes, 2003)
Stephen Woolfenden	....	first assistant director (6 episodes, 2003)
Paul Mason	....	third assistant director (5 episodes, 2003)
Beni Turkson	....	second assistant director (5 episodes, 2003)

Series Art Department
Mike Rawlings	....	props (6 episodes, 2003)
Jo Aitchison	....	stand-by art director (5 episodes, 2003)
Graham Bishop	....	production buyer (5 episodes, 2003)
Bunny Burton	....	painter (5 episodes, 2003)
Douglas Glen	....	stand-by props (5 episodes, 2003)
Matthew Power	....	dressing props (5 episodes, 2003)
Mike Power	....	property master / props master (5 episodes, 2003)
Tony Power	....	stand-by painter (5 episodes, 2003)
Charlie Redman	....	stand-by props (5 episodes, 2003)
Brian Rollands	....	dressing props (5 episodes, 2003)
Chris Sibley-Hale	....	carpenter (5 episodes, 2003)
Nick Slater	....	stand-by carpenter (5 episodes, 2003)
Kate Wicks	....	art department assistant (5 episodes, 2003)
Gareth Wilkins	....	carpenter (5 episodes, 2003)
Roger Wilkins	....	construction manager (5 episodes, 2003)
Joe Willmott	....	carpenter (5 episodes, 2003)
Charlie Macher	....	stand-by rigger (4 episodes, 2003)

Series Sound Department
Lee Walpole	....	foley editor (6 episodes, 2003)
Rowena Wilkinson	....	foley artist (6 episodes, 2003)
Stuart Hilliker	....	dubbing mixer (5 episodes, 2003)
Jeremy Lishman	....	boom operator (5 episodes, 2003)
Jamie McPhee	....	sound effects editor (5 episodes, 2003)
Simon Okin	....	sound mixer (5 episodes, 2003)
Adrienne Taylor	....	sound assistant (5 episodes, 2003)
Stan White	....	adr editor (5 episodes, 2003)
Pat Boxshall	....	dialogue editor (3 episodes, 2003)
Jennie Evans	....	dialogue editor (2 episodes, 2003)
Ian Wilkinson	....	foley recordist (2 episodes, 2003)

Series Visual Effects by
Colin Gorry	....	visual effects supervisor (4 episodes, 2003)

Series Stunts
Paul Weston	....	stunt coordinator (2 episodes, 2003)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Jeremy Hiles	....	camera operator (6 episodes, 2003)
Chris Williams	....	camera trainee (6 episodes, 2003)
Steve Anthony	....	best boy (5 episodes, 2003)
Dick Conway	....	electrician (5 episodes, 2003)
Steve Ellingworth	....	camera grip (5 episodes, 2003)
Guy Hammond	....	electrician (5 episodes, 2003)
Stuart King	....	gaffer (5 episodes, 2003)
Tom McFarling	....	clapper loader (5 episodes, 2003)
Kim Seber	....	camera focus puller (5 episodes, 2003)
David Wall	....	electrician (5 episodes, 2003)
Paul Worley	....	second grip (5 episodes, 2003)
Mark Funnell	....	electrician (4 episodes, 2003)
Joss Barratt	....	still photographer (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gilly Martin	....	wardrobe supervisor (5 episodes, 2003)
Marc Ridley	....	costume assistant (5 episodes, 2003)
Leonora Stabb	....	costume assistant (5 episodes, 2003)

Series Editorial Department
Chris Beeton	....	colorist (5 episodes, 2003)
Justin Eely	....	on-line editor (5 episodes, 2003)
Natasha Wilkinson	....	assistant editor (5 episodes, 2003)

Series Transportation Department
Guy Bostock	....	picture car coordinator (6 episodes, 2003)

Series Other crew
Jane Houston	....	script supervisor / continuity (6 episodes, 2003)
Dave Williams	....	catering crew (6 episodes, 2003)
Sue Affleck	....	unit publicist (5 episodes, 2003)
Janine Bennett	....	production secretary (5 episodes, 2003)
Heather Bownass	....	production secretary (5 episodes, 2003)
Finlay Bradbury	....	location assistant (5 episodes, 2003)
Susie Conklin	....	script editor (5 episodes, 2003)
Wim De Greef	....	production accountant (5 episodes, 2003)
Thomas Elgood	....	location manager (5 episodes, 2003)
Mark Galbraith	....	production executive: BBC (5 episodes, 2003)
Claire Kerrison	....	production coordinator (5 episodes, 2003)
Joann Steele	....	assistant production accountant (5 episodes, 2003)
Victoria Brooks	....	picture publicist (4 episodes, 2003)
Simon Hoggart	....	political advisor (4 episodes, 2003)
Norman Lane	....	journalist advisor (4 episodes, 2003)
Kevin Maguire	....	journalist advisor (4 episodes, 2003)
Guy Cowan	....	caterer (unknown episodes)
Oliver Kersey	....	additional set production assistant (unknown episodes)
Daigoro Tivers	....	production runner (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
• Endor Productions (in association with)

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2003) (UK) (TV) (BBC1)
• 2 Entertain Video (2005) (UK) (DVD)
• Arte (2008) (Germany) (TV)
• Atlantic Film (2009) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Polyband (2009) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Boom  sound post-production
• Compuhire  computer and video playback

Also Known As:

Runtime:

57 min (6 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:15 (5 episodes) | UK:12 (1 episode) | Australia:MA | Australia:M (some episodes) | Finland:K-15

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

A second season was commissioned by then-BBC Commissioner Greg Dyke before the first season had even been transmitted. The second season never materialized, however, because Paul Abbott felt he didn't know how to make the story work and he had already had tremendous success with "Shameless" (2004).

Quotes:

Stephen Collins:SPOILER:
[seated on the steps of Cal McCaffrey's house, as Cal is walking away]
Stephen Collins:You're no good to Anne now... Your name will be on the story... You'd know if you had them... Kids... They shoot the messenger... They just do

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "NCIS: Capitol Offense (#6.3)" (2008)

The BBC at its best

The BBC dramatic standards have been slipping, either trying to hard to compete with HBO (The Last Enemy), letting shows jump the shark (Spooks) or simply being too cheap and just make shows like Strictly Come Dancing. But when the BBC get it right it can be some of the best television available. With State of Play we get a brilliant written, deep show, with a great director and an fantastic cast. A show so good that Hollywood remade it into a film stating Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck.

The mini-series starts with brutal murder of a 15-year-old petty criminal and the suspected suicide of Sonia Baker, a researcher for Simon Collins MP (David Morrissey), the chairman of the Energy Select Committee. At first the two events seem unrelated until newspaper reporter Cal McAffrey (John Simms) starts looking into it. Both men, with the backing of the Heard newspaper, including junior reporter Della Smith (Kelly MacDonald), editor Cameron Foster (Bill Nighy) and free-lancer Dan Foster (James McAvoy). Slowly all parties discover a conspiracy involving big oil, political corruption and sexual scandals. Simon Collins himself was having an affair with the dead researcher and his marriage falls apart. Cal ends up getting close with Simon's wife Anne (Polly Walker) and has to balance his friendship with the two. Cameron has to balance his editorial responsibles and Della and Dan set out to prove themselves as journalists.

I am a politics nut, so this series easily appealed to me. Often programmes and films about British politics is treated as a comical subject. This series treats it seriously, much like the West Wing does with American politics (if a bit more far-fetched). The show follows the traditional British view of being cynical about politicians and ideology. However the show is wrong about how Select Committee Chairpersons are picked. The film also shows the underhanded way oil lobbyists world (oil is such a easy villains for us Brits). The show also looks at many aspects of the press, from its relationship with the government and politicians, journalistic ethics and Chinese walls between a paper's editorial staff and the ownership. The film looks at journalists and politicians as individuals and wanting to serve the public. The series has a great complex plot, you don't know where its going next and shows how hard journalists have to work. Peter Abbott does a wonder job.

David Yates has proved himself to be a good director. The State of Play and his other mini-series Sex Traffic was prove enough for him to a land a small feature film, Harry Potter. He makes the series look very cinematic, like an excellent thriller feature. He keeps the tension going, get the best out of his actions and has some wonderful shot, especially tracking shots. He is a skilled man.

There is a great cast, David Morrissey and John Sims are both very good actors and were excellent in the leads. Both character are very faulted but you take an interest in what happens to them. There is a great support cast, with actors like Kelly MacDonald, James McAvoy, Bill Nighy and Marc Warren. Bill Nighy was perfectly smiley but a cares about his people. Kelly MacDonald is excellent as the young idealist. There was no weak link and all the major characters are fully developed. Even the bad guys have reasons for what they are doing, and not just for money.

The series is cheap on amazon and play and it is worth having. Highly recommended.