"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 | Corruption | Murder | Investigative Reporter | Newspaper

Awards:

14 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

John Simm	...	Cal McCaffrey (6 episodes, 2003)
Kelly Macdonald	...	Della Smith (6 episodes, 2003)
David Morrissey	...	Stephen Collins (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)
Rebecca Ryan	...	Karen Collins (3 episodes, 2003)
Charlie Ryan	...	Louis Collins (3 episodes, 2003)
Patrick Brennan	...	Neil Woods (3 episodes, 2003)

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)

Brits have always been best at drama

I take issue with some of the people commenting on "State of Play" who declare that they believe it to be "as good as American TV" or some other such nonsense. That's ridiculous! Perhaps it's a generational thing, but I have always thought that British productions, particularly drama, are light years ahead of American TV and the actors are in a whole different galaxy. The original "State of Play" is brilliant, suspenseful and a pleasure to watch. I cannot believe that there is going to be a "remake"! I love Helen Mirren and Russell Crowe, but there is absolutely no need for this series to be remade. Why can't they write something original for Mirren and Crowe? The Brits are the best. Period!