The Undeclared War - C4 (+ All 4) [spoilers]
Discussion
This was released today after what seemed like a significant amount of advertising including a fake PM announcement which apparently got a load of complaints because it wasn’t clear that Adrian Lester and Simon Pegg don’t work from the government…
Premise;
“Set in 2024, The Undeclared War tracks a leading team of analysts buried in the heart of GCHQ, secretly working to ward off a series of cyber-attacks on the UK in the run up to a general election.
When a routine stress test of internet infrastructure goes awry 21-year-old GCHQ intern Saara Parvinsuddenly finds herself operating on the invisible frontier of high-stakes cyber warfare. The series is a result of meticulous research by BAFTA award-winning creator Peter Kosminsky, lifting the veil on the most urgent battle of our time.
In a thrilling cat and mouse game, Saara and the team at GCHQ must try to stay one step ahead and anticipate their opponents every hidden move. The clock is ticking as a battle with high stakes and unpredictable enemies takes place entirely online, with very real consequences.
But how do you win a war most of the public don’t know you’re fighting?”
First episode on C4 tonight or all of them available on demand already.
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It’s SO bad. during the first episode, which follows the lead character’s first day, somehow she is the one who finds something hidden in the code which nobody who wasn’t completely green at GCHQ was able to, then she ends up in a COBRA meeting with the Prime Minister. A meeting with the PM on her first day?
I’m mid way through episode two and I’m not sure it’s going to be possible to get to the end.
Premise;
“Set in 2024, The Undeclared War tracks a leading team of analysts buried in the heart of GCHQ, secretly working to ward off a series of cyber-attacks on the UK in the run up to a general election.
When a routine stress test of internet infrastructure goes awry 21-year-old GCHQ intern Saara Parvinsuddenly finds herself operating on the invisible frontier of high-stakes cyber warfare. The series is a result of meticulous research by BAFTA award-winning creator Peter Kosminsky, lifting the veil on the most urgent battle of our time.
In a thrilling cat and mouse game, Saara and the team at GCHQ must try to stay one step ahead and anticipate their opponents every hidden move. The clock is ticking as a battle with high stakes and unpredictable enemies takes place entirely online, with very real consequences.
But how do you win a war most of the public don’t know you’re fighting?”
First episode on C4 tonight or all of them available on demand already.
__________________
It’s SO bad. during the first episode, which follows the lead character’s first day, somehow she is the one who finds something hidden in the code which nobody who wasn’t completely green at GCHQ was able to, then she ends up in a COBRA meeting with the Prime Minister. A meeting with the PM on her first day?
I’m mid way through episode two and I’m not sure it’s going to be possible to get to the end.
Didn’t mind episode one. Works best if you try not to pick holes in the descriptions of hacking (because it is nonsense).
Watched episode 2 on catchup and the adverts were nearly as bad as the episode itself. Felt like the writers were forcing too many left wing/politically correct things in at the expense of a decent storyline.
Not sure I can face trying episode 3.
Watched episode 2 on catchup and the adverts were nearly as bad as the episode itself. Felt like the writers were forcing too many left wing/politically correct things in at the expense of a decent storyline.
Not sure I can face trying episode 3.
Watched one episode so far and there's a plot hole.
Simon Pegg's character rattles through what is and isn't affected by the computer virus and says rail signals are down. Saara's father, who we're told early on suffers from Depression, then ends up in hospital due to what Saara's sister describes as, "An accident on the rails." Presumably he's thrown himself under one of the trains that isn't running because the signals are down.
Simon Pegg's character rattles through what is and isn't affected by the computer virus and says rail signals are down. Saara's father, who we're told early on suffers from Depression, then ends up in hospital due to what Saara's sister describes as, "An accident on the rails." Presumably he's thrown himself under one of the trains that isn't running because the signals are down.
Blakewater said:
Watched one episode so far and there's a plot hole.
Simon Pegg's character rattles through what is and isn't affected by the computer virus and says rail signals are down. Saara's father, who we're told early on suffers from Depression, then ends up in hospital due to what Saara's sister describes as, "An accident on the rails." Presumably he's thrown himself under one of the trains that isn't running because the signals are down.
That is explained in either the second last or last episode - a controller sent a freight train down that line by mistake. You'd have to assume that the trains would either not run, or would be at very slow speeds, if the signals are down yeah?Simon Pegg's character rattles through what is and isn't affected by the computer virus and says rail signals are down. Saara's father, who we're told early on suffers from Depression, then ends up in hospital due to what Saara's sister describes as, "An accident on the rails." Presumably he's thrown himself under one of the trains that isn't running because the signals are down.
Does anyone think someone involved in making the programme knows Russia has the capabilities suggested in the programme? Sight and sound inside sensitive buildings. Whole offices of people and conferences around online influencing of Westerners to do Russia's bidding. Or is it just made up?
I'd suggest that most of Russia's capabilities are well known but that some who lean more Left are more prone to believing that those capabilities are far more exaggerated than they really are, and those who lean more Right are more likely to believe that those capabilities are lesser than they really are.
In reality the Russians do have "some" success in influencing a very small number of people, but the influence they hold can't change someone's belief/position (something which would be useful), it can only entrench a pre-existing belief further, which is less useful on the surface but great for long term damage if your aim is to split a country. The people that Russia has been seen to target with greatest (but still minor) success is the Centre-Right, mainly due to their belief that Russian Social Hacking isn't really "a thing", as with the Left's over-reaction you get an amplified reaction from the Right, giving a much bigger reaction pushing those who were previously more Central into being further Right than that from solely the Russian's themselves.
Sadly trying to get solid empirical data is very difficult as each "side" will cross-report with specific data which only backs their own bias, even in academia where peer reviews should have prevented this, so most of what is understood so far has to be filtered through several layers of "is it true or exaggerated" to get to the facts beneath.
In reality the Russians do have "some" success in influencing a very small number of people, but the influence they hold can't change someone's belief/position (something which would be useful), it can only entrench a pre-existing belief further, which is less useful on the surface but great for long term damage if your aim is to split a country. The people that Russia has been seen to target with greatest (but still minor) success is the Centre-Right, mainly due to their belief that Russian Social Hacking isn't really "a thing", as with the Left's over-reaction you get an amplified reaction from the Right, giving a much bigger reaction pushing those who were previously more Central into being further Right than that from solely the Russian's themselves.
Sadly trying to get solid empirical data is very difficult as each "side" will cross-report with specific data which only backs their own bias, even in academia where peer reviews should have prevented this, so most of what is understood so far has to be filtered through several layers of "is it true or exaggerated" to get to the facts beneath.
It’s is a bit cringe. All the weird scenes when she’s ‘hacking’ or whatever, going through doors etc. meh
The scene in episode 2 where she takes the data to maths geeks and it’s all like ‘you shouldn’t be here’ etc etc, ugh, as if GCHQ working on a massive nationwide hack wouldn’t have all the departments scouring everything rather than one intern in malware
The scene in episode 2 where she takes the data to maths geeks and it’s all like ‘you shouldn’t be here’ etc etc, ugh, as if GCHQ working on a massive nationwide hack wouldn’t have all the departments scouring everything rather than one intern in malware
After a reasonably promising start it's gone rubbish and less and less likely.
I know this is aimed at the general public but the whole "do you know what X is" thing gets repetitive after a while, she's the ace intern, she knows. I did like the way they are handling the hacking, people staring at screens typing really fast is dull.
Just sending two girls to a potential meet up, really?
I know this is aimed at the general public but the whole "do you know what X is" thing gets repetitive after a while, she's the ace intern, she knows. I did like the way they are handling the hacking, people staring at screens typing really fast is dull.
Just sending two girls to a potential meet up, really?
The Rotrex Kid said:
It’s is a bit cringe. All the weird scenes when she’s ‘hacking’ or whatever, going through doors etc. meh
The scene in episode 2 where she takes the data to maths geeks and it’s all like ‘you shouldn’t be here’ etc etc, ugh, as if GCHQ working on a massive nationwide hack wouldn’t have all the departments scouring everything rather than one intern in malware
I think the imagery of people hacking is just a metaphor to show in layman terms what she's doing, breaking through a gateway into something, searching through files or going through multiple levels of something. The scene in episode 2 where she takes the data to maths geeks and it’s all like ‘you shouldn’t be here’ etc etc, ugh, as if GCHQ working on a massive nationwide hack wouldn’t have all the departments scouring everything rather than one intern in malware
The cringeworthy thing in episode 4 is the climate protesting boyfriend driving an electric car with an electric car sound effect as he pulls up, followed by the sound effect of a manual handbrake being wrenched on without him moving his arm.
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