I agree with those who say Edge Of Darkness is one of TV drama's finest moments.
That it is set in it's time so instantly 'dated', matters not, that's the point.
The Prime Minister is a she, an ex actor is US President, there is a new idea called the 'Star Wars' attracting the nuclear and defence industries.
Bob Peck, so much missed, gives an incredible performance, the delectable Joanne Whalley will never be in anything better, the always reliable Joe Don Baker shines in a part he was born to play. The murkiness of the interconnected worlds of the civil service, politics, defence, the nuclear programmes, are well shown and credible.
The 'Crimewatch' TV programme Craven appears on, asking for the public's help in investigating crimes, was as shown, with the same presenter then, for real. A rarely used device in drama then, it adds to the impact and credibility. (And anyone who has been to the Barbican complex in London, can understand how the police searching for those who have broken into the MI5 computer, could get themselves lost!)
I disagree with those who say the first episodes were slow, they set the scene and built the tension, those not aware of the wider politics of 1984/5 Britain might find it a little hard to navigate however.
Leading to another 'real life' cameo, the speaker from the Labour Party early in Ep.1 at Emma's college, decrying funding cuts, was then, is now, Labour MP Michael Meacher, on the left of the party (who then dominated), some calling him 'Tony Benn's Representitive On Earth'. Meacher became more moderate and was in Tony Blair's cabinet as Environment Minister until 2001, every time I saw him on screen I always thought of EoD.
Making a movie version, 'updated', inevitably relocated to the US, was never going to work, we have a saying here, 'trying to put a Quart into a Pint pot'. With the inevitable dumbing down as so much of Hollywood continues to be insultingly patronising to it's audience.
None of that in the original.
Even this Clapton-phobe liked the soundtrack too.
So buy the DVD and immerse yourself, I got my copy for just £3 in a sale, for 5 hours of the best quality drama-and people still talk of 'rip-off Britain?'
That it is set in it's time so instantly 'dated', matters not, that's the point.
The Prime Minister is a she, an ex actor is US President, there is a new idea called the 'Star Wars' attracting the nuclear and defence industries.
Bob Peck, so much missed, gives an incredible performance, the delectable Joanne Whalley will never be in anything better, the always reliable Joe Don Baker shines in a part he was born to play. The murkiness of the interconnected worlds of the civil service, politics, defence, the nuclear programmes, are well shown and credible.
The 'Crimewatch' TV programme Craven appears on, asking for the public's help in investigating crimes, was as shown, with the same presenter then, for real. A rarely used device in drama then, it adds to the impact and credibility. (And anyone who has been to the Barbican complex in London, can understand how the police searching for those who have broken into the MI5 computer, could get themselves lost!)
I disagree with those who say the first episodes were slow, they set the scene and built the tension, those not aware of the wider politics of 1984/5 Britain might find it a little hard to navigate however.
Leading to another 'real life' cameo, the speaker from the Labour Party early in Ep.1 at Emma's college, decrying funding cuts, was then, is now, Labour MP Michael Meacher, on the left of the party (who then dominated), some calling him 'Tony Benn's Representitive On Earth'. Meacher became more moderate and was in Tony Blair's cabinet as Environment Minister until 2001, every time I saw him on screen I always thought of EoD.
Making a movie version, 'updated', inevitably relocated to the US, was never going to work, we have a saying here, 'trying to put a Quart into a Pint pot'. With the inevitable dumbing down as so much of Hollywood continues to be insultingly patronising to it's audience.
None of that in the original.
Even this Clapton-phobe liked the soundtrack too.
So buy the DVD and immerse yourself, I got my copy for just £3 in a sale, for 5 hours of the best quality drama-and people still talk of 'rip-off Britain?'