I first became a big fan of John Simm whilst watching the brilliant sci-fi cop drama 'Life On Mars'. My Mother - although some would claim that she is slightly bias for various reasons - assured me that the man himself was fabulous in everything he did on screen, only taking the best scripts available to him. So, I went off to my local HMV and got a copy of the self proclaimed 'Political Thriller', 'State Of Play' for £12. I'd been told that it was a good drama, an original idea and an all star cast of solid British actors and actresses that made each 60 minute episode intriguing. As someone who is interested in journalism and the media, this DVD ticked many ...  Read the complete review

Just when you despair of the dumbing-down of TV, along comes something like State of Play to restore your faith in everyone associated with the industry. State of Play is one of the most complex, thought-provoking dramas of recent years. Better still, it's British, so for once we get to wave the flag and don't have to bemoan the fact that the US does thrillers better than we do (I'd say that's debateable anyway... but that's a discussion for another day!) State of Play is a political thriller - something which might immediately put some people off. You shouldn't let it because even if you are completely disinterested in politics, State of Play is a ...  Read the complete review

This BBC thriller from 5 years ago has recently been remade into a film starring Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck. The publicity surrounding the film's release made me want to see the original series rather than the film - I remember ever-so-good things being said about it, but missed it as I was out of the country. Anyhoo, State of Play is a cracking thriller straddling the worlds of Westminster, big business and journalism: after MP Steven Collins' (David Morrissey) researcher dies under a tube train, said MP appears overly upset in a news conference, triggering a string of revelations about his private life. Meanwhile the shooting of a young black kid ...  Read the complete review

This is one of those BBC drama series that aired a few years ago (back in 2003 to be precise) and somehow passed me by. So it wasn't until Life on Mars aired that I became a huge fan of the wonderful John Simm and decided to seek out his earlier work. When I came across this series on DVD (at the bargain price of £7.99) I was extremely impressed by the cast list, which is one of the most outstanding line-ups for a BBC series that I've ever seen. Starring alongside John Simm are David Morrissey, Bill Nighy, James McAvoy, Kelly Macdonald, Marc Warren, and even good old Gene Hunt himself, Philip Glenister. So without knowing anything else about it, I couldn't ...  Read the complete review

Thrilling drama doesn't always have political overtones, or a strong message particularly, but this is a drama that successfully shows how different themes can be interwoven. It examines relationships between the media, the press and parliament in a way that hasn't been done recently. Credit goes to Paul Abbott for making a truly enjoyable story involving murder, betrayal and intrigue. The on screen stars put in excellent turns though and it's their performances that really bring the drama to life and draw the audience in. Both Morrissey and Simm are excellent actors and the way they dominate the action illustrate how well they can command a ...  Read the complete review