A rather common genre of British
Mini Series, which has its origins in the
Cold War paranoia of the 1980s, but has recently come back into vogue with
The War on Terror. These
Thrillers, ranging from 3 to 6 parts of an hour each, usually involve someone (sometimes an
Intrepid Reporter) investigating a conspiracy.
Expect appearances of the Security Service (MI-5), accusations of collusion between government and big business, people getting murdered, break-ins, hacking and sweeping shots of Whitehall.
Examples:
- Edge Of Darkness (1985) is now considered one of the definitive examples of the genre. Hollywood remake released in 2010.
- A Very British Coup (1988) - A very left-wing candidate is elected Prime Minister. Details his attempts to govern whilst the Security Servies, the Americans and the establishment try to remove him.
- Rules of Engagement (1989) As NATO and the Warsaw Pact draw closer to war. A city commissioner of an island city (Totally not Portsmouth) in charge of civil defence commits a murder. A private-eye investigates. Shows how absolute civil defence powers could be used for good or bad.
- Olivers Travels (1995) - A laid-off professor and a policewoman who has been suspended for asking awkward questions travel to the Orkneys searching for a missing crossword compiler, and discovering a conspiracy in the process. Heavy on witty dialogue, light on violence. There is lots of intimidation though.
- State of Play (2003) - with John Simm in. Hollywood remake released in 2009.
- The Last Enemy (2008) - Benedict Cumberbatch, Max Beesley, and Robert Carlyle in a thriller that involves a virus and a government database that could store all government information on one place.
- Midnight Man (2008) - James Nesbitt as a reporter with a fear of sunlight.
- Burn Up (2008) - Rupert Penry-Jones as an oil executive who discovers an awful truth about global oil supplies.
- The State Within (2008) - Jason Isaacs stars as the British Ambassador to Washington, and is at ground zero when a terrorist attack takes place. It gets more complicated from there.
