Secret State - C4 last night

[Laurel Green]

Heads up, nearly forgot this was on.

[Lost_BMW]

Makes you wonder, "If only politicians had balls like this!"

[Laurel Green]

Lost_BMW said:

Makes you wonder, "If only politicians had balls like this!"

Instead of being puppets.

[Eric Mc]

Back in 1985, Byrne starred in a movie called "Defence of the Realm" - all about secret hush hush goings on in the British government.

[Smiler.]

Eric Mc said:

Back in 1985, Byrne starred in a movie called "Defence of the Realm" - all about secret hush hush goings on in the British government.

Excellent movie. Caused a bit of a stir amongst the establishment at the time IIRC.

[megaphone]

Really good again last night, looking forward to next week, it must get a second series surely?

[Halb]

I hope so. It's ace.

Defence of the Realm sounds good, not sure if I have seen it.
Like the three shows I mentioned above, British conspiracy programmes are the best.
Two further films to be nodded to;
Hidden City
The Whistleblower

[Laurel Green]

Heads up.

[9.3]

Oh FFS, what does that mean?? Am confused, someone please explain what that ending was all about!!!

[Laurel Green]

Another series? Either that or choose how you think it would end. I must admit to not liking these kind of endings.

[Lost_BMW]

9.3 said:

Oh FFS, what does that mean?? Am confused, someone please explain what that ending was all about!!!

Well, General Nasty back, Nasty Banker looking smug, Nasty Chancellor looking like he's preening ready to step on to the PM job and the sound of missiles in the background. I reckon he lost and the 'vesteds' got their war? Suppose it was too much to hope he'd win through.

Excellent series though, best I've seen in a long time. Hope there will be another series.

[MG511]

Lost_BMW said:

Well, General Nasty back, Nasty Banker looking smug, Nasty Chancellor looking like he's preening ready to step on to the PM job and the sound of missiles in the background. I reckon he lost and the 'vesteds' got their war? Suppose it was too much to hope he'd win through.

Excellent series though, best I've seen in a long time. Hope there will be another series.

Yes, Army chap was clearly shown gardening earlier on, so on gardening leave, but returns to MoD building in official car, welcomed back and called 'Sir'. Rupert Graves (Chancellor) getting ready to give first speach as new PM, photo of Gabriel Byrne on the wall of No 10 along with other 'former' PMs. He lost the vote, and I guess they went to war.

[Halb]

Lost_BMW said:

Well, General Nasty back, Nasty Banker looking smug, Nasty Chancellor looking like he's preening ready to step on to the PM job and the sound of missiles in the background. I reckon he lost and the 'vesteds' got their war? Suppose it was too much to hope he'd win through.

Indeed. If it wanted to stay real, I suppose there was only one ending.
Loved his speech at the end, gave it to everyone, all the meddlers, from the bankers to the unionists to the civil servants.

[944fan]

I watched all 4 episodes back to back last night. Really, really enjoyed it. First time I have been that taken in by a TV series since the west wing or the wire.

[The Don of Croy]

Does anybody else here remember the series this was based on - A Very British Coup, starring the excellent Ray McAnally?

Haven't seen it since it first aired, but this brought back memories. They credit Chris Mullen at the start of each epi - (the writer of the book AVBCoup).

So much better than Hunted.

One query - all those politicians, yet not one red despatch box to be seen. Yet the settings were good, not too much evidence of economies in the production.

If you enjoyed this see also the BBC drama from 1986 - Edge of Darkness. Dated but another excellent conspiracy thriller.

[Northern Munkee]

I remember the McAnally version, it was a labour PM back then. it was the Russians rather than the Indians who bailed us out in that story, and it was about US nuclear bases rather than a UK/US oil company that had all caused the trouble, if memory serves it finished with the same cliff hanger, I have visions of the classic 2 newspaper front pages waiting to be printed.

Quite unsatisfactory ending, don't suppose there'll be sequel. Mullan of course was a labour MP.

[Halb]

Northern Munkee said:

I remember the McAnally version, it was a labour PM back then. it was the Russians rather than the Indians who bailed us out in that story, and it was about US nuclear bases rather than a UK/US oil company that had all caused the trouble, if memory serves it finished with the same cliff hanger, I have visions of the classic 2 newspaper front pages waiting to be printed.

Quite unsatisfactory ending, don't suppose there'll be sequel. Mullan of course was a labour MP.

That's the sort of thing that would have been repeated before digital satellite. Now it would get relegated to some channel I've never heard of.

[Lost_BMW]

Halb said:

Northern Munkee said:

I remember the McAnally version, it was a labour PM back then. it was the Russians rather than the Indians who bailed us out in that story, and it was about US nuclear bases rather than a UK/US oil company that had all caused the trouble, if memory serves it finished with the same cliff hanger, I have visions of the classic 2 newspaper front pages waiting to be printed.

Quite unsatisfactory ending, don't suppose there'll be sequel. Mullan of course was a labour MP.

That's the sort of thing that would have been repeated before digital satellite. Now it would get relegated to some channel I've never heard of.

It has been repeated within the last year or so on on of the Sky platform channels - I caught it again and couldn't believe how long ago it had been since first on. A brilliant series excellently acted.

Led to the US film with Russell Crowe didn't it? Very different but not as bad as I thought it'd be after liking the homegrown original so much.