'' is a
British Television drama serial, first broadcast on
BBC One in
2003 . Produced in-house by the
BBC , in association with independent production company
Endor Productions , it was written by
Paul Abbott , directed by
David Yates and starred
David Morrissey ,
John Simm ,
Polly Walker , and
Bill Nighy . It tells the story of a newspaper's investigation into the death of a young woman, and centres around the relationship between the leading journalist and his old friend, the woman's employer.
The serial begins with the assassination of a young man, apparently a drugs killing, and the at first coincidental death of Sonia Baker, the young researcher for
Member Of Parliament Stephen Collins (Morrissey). As the deaths are investigated by journalist Cal McAffrey of ''The Herald'' (Simm) and his colleagues (including
Kelly Macdonald as Della Smith and Nighy as editor Cameron Foster) it appears that not only were the deaths connected, but that a conspiracy links them with oil industry-backed corruption of high-ranking British government ministers.
However, the investigation takes another turn when McAffrey discovers that his friend Collins may be even more directly implicated in the death of Baker, with whom he was having an affair.
The serial was Paul Abbott's first attempt to write a political thriller, and he initially made the majority of the plot up as he went along. He was prompted to write the serial after BBC
Head Of Drama Jane Tranter asked whether he would rather write something "bigger" than he had usually written so far in his career. The serial was Abbott's third major writing project for the BBC, following ''
Clocking Off '' (2000-2003) and ''
Linda Green '' (2001-2002).
as beleaguered MP Stephen Collins.]]
as reporter Cal McAffrey.]]
Transmitted on BBC One on Sunday evenings at 9pm, ''State of Play'' consisted of six one-hour episodes and ran from
May 18 to
June 22 2003 . Episodes two to five were actually premiered on the
Digital Television station
BBC Four at 10pm on the nights of the preceding episodes' BBC One showings – episode six was held back for a BBC One premiere so as not to allow the final twists to be spoiled for those who did not have access to digital television. In 2004, the serial ran in the
United States on the BBC's
BBC America cable channel.
In 2005 the serial was released on
DVD by
BBC Worldwide , in a two-disc set. Episode one features an
Audio Commentary from Abbott and Yates, and episode six a commentary from Yates, producer
Hilary Bevan-Jones and editor
Mark Day .
The success of the production led to Abbott being commissioned to write a sequel, which as of January 2006 is partly
written – it was commissioned before the first had even been transmitted, so impressed were BBC executives with the original.McLean, Gareth.
''TV review: The genuine article'' . "The Guardian". Monday
May 19 2003. However, by 2006 the second series appeared to have officially been abandoned. Abbott, talking to
Mark Lawson on
BBC Radio 4 's ''
Front Row '' in November 2006, said that he couldn't find a way to make the story work. However, on
April 25 ,
2007 , Abbott was quoted in the
''Sun'' newspaper as saying that he was currently writing scripts for a second, six-episode series of ''State of Play'', with John Simm and Bill Nighy reprising their roles.
''State of Play'' is currently being adapted into a feature film in the United States, with a condensed version of the original plotline, and the location changed to the US. In
October 2006 it was announced that
Brad Pitt is set to appear as Cal McCaffrey, originally played by
John Simm .
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as newspaper editor Cameron Foster.]]
Reviewing the first episode for ''
The Guardian '' newspaper the day after it had aired,
Gareth McLean wrote that "...it's bloody magic. The story is gripping, the acting is ace and Paul Abbott's script is outstanding. His ear for dialogue, and for different voices, is exceptional. The exposition is swift, nifty and joyously unclunky. The characters are credible and rounded. If you can count the best dramas of recent years on the fingers of both hands, it's time to grow a new finger."
Other newspaper critics were similarly impressed with the opening instalment. In '' 2005.
James Walton in ''
The Daily Telegraph '' was more cautious, feeling that the opening episode had been promising but the serial as a whole still had the potential to go wrong. "At this stage however, the programme is certainly good enough to make me hope not and to ensure that I'll be back next week to find out."''Ibid''.
The consensus appeared to be that the serial did maintain its quality to the end. Previewing episode four, 2003.
Bill Nighy won the
British Academy Television Award for Best Actor for his role. The series also won BAFTAs for Best Sound (Fiction/Entertainment) and Best Editing (Fiction/Entertainment). It was nominated, but did not win, in the Best Actor category again, for Morrissey; in the Best Drama Serial category; Best Original Television Music and Best Photography and Lighting. It also won major awards from the
Royal Television Society ,
Banff Television Festival ,
Broadcasting Press Guild ,
Cologne Conference ,
Directors Guild Of Great Britain ,
Edgar Award s, and the
Monte Carlo TV Festival .
Internet Movie Database awards page for ''State of Play'' . Retrieved on September 21 2005.
