The State Within
Leave it to British TV to deliver the slickest, most intense take on terrorism on U.S. soil (with apologies to24, of course).The State Withinis a BBC production of the highest order, tense, dense, and absolutely riveting. The miniseries starts with a bang--actually, a horribly realistic explosion of a U.S. airliner bound for London, and the production values are every bit as detailed and impressive as any big-screen action film. Chunks of plane and passengers fall along the freeway outside Dulles airport in Washington, creating havoc and collateral damage in a truly visceral fashion. And then the real action begins. Our hero is Sir Mark Brydon, British ambassador to Washington, played with sangfroid by Jason Isaacs (slightly reminiscent of Daniel Craig as James Bond). Sir Mark has not only an international crisis on his hands, but quickly learns treachery, deceit, and murder lurk within the governments he's learned to trust. The plot is complex but extremely satisfying, far superior than most mass-market thrillers released in theaters in the U.S. Especially delicious is a small but key role as the U.S. Secretary of Defense byCagney & Lacey's Sharon Gless, whose eyes glitter like shards of ice. SavorThe State Within, but be prepared to be rattled the next time you go to the airport--or try to go to sleep.--A.T. Hurley