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

User Rating:

8.7/10   

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 | Corruption | Murder | Investigative Reporter | Newspaper

Awards:

14 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

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

(more)

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)

Extraordinary

Not since The Lakes have the Brits delivered such impeccable, classy drama, (incidentally the fabulous and just a tad sexy John Simm was in that too! Coincidence? Nah, he's one of the best young English actors around who seems to choose his roles very well)

Where UK drama of late has tended to resemble cheap rip offs of American drama, this brings the Poms back to the very top of the tree. The script is superlative as is the acting. Tight, riveting, believable, gripping and at times just downright funny.

The gems that come from Bill Nighy's mouth! He is such a brilliant actor, proof that Love Actually wasn't a fluke for him, he's so on the money in the characterisation of the editor, a joy to watch.

Please, please more of this sort of stuff England, it's what you do best when it comes to television.