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

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 drug dealer is shot dead.

Plot Keywords:

Politician | Adultery | TV Mini-Series | Journalism | London England

Awards:

14 wins & 9 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)
Sean Gilder	...	Sergeant 'Chewy' Cheweski / ... (3 episodes, 2003)
Shauna Macdonald	...	Sonia Baker (3 episodes, 2003)
James Laurenson	...	George Fergus (3 episodes, 2003)
Rebecca Ryan	...	Karen Collins (3 episodes, 2003)
Charlie Ryan	...	Louis Collins (3 episodes, 2003)
Deborah Findlay	...	Greer Thornton (3 episodes, 2003)
Christopher Simpson	...	Adam Greene (3 episodes, 2003)
Stuart Goodwin	...	Robert Bingham (3 episodes, 2003)

Series Directed by
David Yates		(6 episodes, 2003)

Series Writing credits
Paul Abbott		(6 episodes, 2003)

Series Produced by
Paul Frift	....	line producer (5 episodes, 2003)
Hilary Bevan Jones	....	producer (3 episodes, 2003)
Laura Mackie	....	executive producer (3 episodes, 2003)
Gareth Neame	....	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 Other crew
Jane Houston	....	script supervisor / continuity (6 episodes, 2003)
Sue Affleck	....	unit publicist (5 episodes, 2003)
Janine Bennett	....	production secretary (5 episodes, 2003)
Heather Bownass	....	production secretary (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)
Finlay Pile	....	location assistant (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

Runtime:

57 min (6 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

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

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.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Top Gear: (2006-05-21)" (2006)

State of Anarchy

Watched this on the recommendation of a Uni lecturer. I thought it was brilliantly acted, the story was paced perfectly, and understandable despite the complexities (political intrigue not usually my thing). That is at least until the last episode when gaping plot holes appeared and half the characters that had been set up in the last 5 episodes were just forgotten about. I didn't buy the resolution - it came out of nowhere and I wasn't convinced that the person taking the fall was really guilty. Not with what they were charged with anyway. There was no resolution for even some of the major characters (most notably Anne). I felt ripped off.

That said, I would watch this again just for the performances. David Morrissey was superb and Bill Nighy is always a great laugh.