This is a very well-done production. The casting and acting are top-notch.
I do, however, find the premise that a wholesale round-up of the foreign nationals of an allied nation would ever occur whatever the situation, ESPECIALLY based on religion.
That's a bit far-fetched.
I also find the affair between the two high-ranking government officials a bit ludicrous, regardless of their sexuality.
I assume you're being sarcastic, especially about the affair? Either that or you totally underestimate the modern world you live in. Dear Buddha, please send me a pony and a plastic rocket.
I can't say I'm terribly fond of your condescending tone.
In the wake of 9/11 there was no wholesale round-up of Muslims of any nationality in the US, much less foreign nationals. To suggest, as this film does, that a much smaller-scale attack would cause the nationals of a friendly power to be arrested en masse is, as I said, LUDICROUS.
To think that two high-level officials of the security services of even allied nations could carry on an affair that no one is aware of is ridiculous.
I think you underestimate, or do not begin to understand, the kind of scrutiny people in those positions undergo as a routine part of their jobs, for exactly those reasons. The possibility that operational security can be compromised by such affairs make them the FIRST things security services look for when investigating (which they do in an on-going basis) even the highest ranking members of the diplomatic and national security services.
As I said, I actually liked a lot about the series, but those were some fairly serious flaws with the plot that detracted from the over-all quality of the production.
Touch a nerve with my 'condescending tone' did I? One thing you seem to have forgotten about whilst writing your indignant, over emphasised reply is that fiction is all about hightened reality. The State Within was a drama (ie. made up) and not a documentary about the British embassy.
Was that condescending enough for you?Dear Buddha, please send me a pony and a plastic rocket.
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I make a statement of opinion about a film, you respond by basically saying that "I don't understand how the world works", implying, of course, that YOU do.
That's rude, condescending, and not even a counter-argument to what I said. If you disagreed with me, that's your prerogative, but leave it at that, without resorting to comments about a person you do not know.
While "hightened (sic) reality" is one thing, implausibility is another.
You have yet to say anything that was either intelligent, insightful, or interesting. I see absolutely no point in continuing this conversation.
In this day and age of terrorism, its quite likely that this might happen at one point. How far will America, or even Britan go?
Its a big 'what if'
and thanks for all the fish.
Yay for evil Snape! Die Harry die!
to mlnchz, and others...
of course this could happen - the internment of the Japanese, anyone? The native Americans (then and now), Bosnia, etc... come on! I have a feeling most of you are from the UK, and have not been hammered by our current administration in quite the same way we have, but we have a history of just this sort of stupidity. Ever been down south?
and as far as affairs go in the DOJ, apparently it is par for the course, from what I have been told.
and also: "heightened reality is one thing, implausibility is another" is not really correct. Heightened reality means one thing, and sometimes it's synonymous with implausibility, sometimes it is not. so, no, heightened reality is NOT necessarily one thing, and implausibility another...
"[O]f course this could happen - the internment of the Japanese, anyone?"
Thank you for proving my point. The Japanese who were interned were either American or Japanese citizens, NOT citizens of a friendly power. Even then the US didn't arrest British citizens.
"Heightened reality means one thing, and sometimes it's synonymous with implausibility"
Care to explain that, or were you being Orwellian?
What I was saying was that this wasn't "heightened reality" it was simply implausible; I stand by that statement.
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2nd wieldy on this one. I thought you were being sarcastic.
shareAre you guys neurally constipated? Just cos you saw a situation unravel on TV -dosn't mean that it is realistic or based on fact,
first of all, how many people have been sprayed with bullets at national guard roadblocks simply for trying to turn around and get away? none, not just because it hasn't happened but also because in real warzones such as iraq often if a person avoided a roadblock or checkpoint they wouldnt just blast them - there could be explosive content in the vehicle (if they were indeed terrorists) hostages or the driver and passengers might have an emergency which dosnt allow them to wait 10 minutes in a que of vehicle checks! Even on the frontline soldiers would train their weapons on the vehicle and at most blow out their tyres, or report the vehicle and a mobile patrol would intercept, pursue or shadow them - when the US national guard and interior forces are given the ridiculous task of rounding up all muslim foreign nationals (i agree will mlknchz - a stupid concept, its wishful thinking to think things would go that far!) whom the majority would not be terrorists, it would never happen! Ever heard of the Krystalnacht - the 'night of broken glass'?
Imagine if a Hindu (for fresh insight) blew up a plane over london and instead of arresting suspects who had been monitered, the police and TA teamed up and threw all civil rights down the toilet to arrest all the foreign hindus all over the country - including all the thousands and thousands in london who any rational leader would know have nothing to do with terrorist activities and massively overload the country's holding and questioning systems and protocols whilst shooting ourselves in the head diplomatically within the international community - yep, well realistic - maybe if the situation was managed by an idiot such as yourself Wieldy!
Too many british guys too - even that guy who popped that dead guy with the shotgun and had him thrown off the bridge, the humvee? the M4 series rifles - they seem to indicate he is an american soldier but he has a scottish accent!
And its not very often you get british nationals in the US army.
I agree with Mlknchz, a dud concept for a plot
P.S. everyone has a right to their opinion - nobody can call somebody else 'wrong' outright, but the plot is far stretched and those who believe in the possibility of a plot driven by entertainment value in what is best described as a political thriller actually taking place in real life might be a little naive, or have no understanding of modern diplomacy, after all when was the last time us brits rounded up and arrested all the irish in Mainland britain when they bombed buildings in london, manchester, brighton, etc... and that was a lot of attacks! I think i have made my point but if i haven't then let us continue this battle of wills with a bit more aggression and *beep* off flavour cos im in the mood to lambast somone with a hail of insults for their incompetence - feel free to join in Mlknchz!
Yet another idiot who doesn't understand the word fiction or the term suspension of belief.
Go away. Dear Buddha, please send me a pony and a plastic rocket.
"they seem to indicate he is an american soldier but he has a scottish accent!
And its not very often you get british nationals in the US army."
Firstly, it is not a Scottish accent that neither my dad or I recognise, and we have both lived in Scotland our entire lives (50 years and 20 years respectively). Also, having checked through the cast list, I have failed to come across any Scottish actors in this production. Secondly, whether they indicate he is a member of the American army or not, we are later informed that they are members of a private military group and many of this groups soldiers have multiple national passports and identities - something, I'd assume, isn't common with ordinary American army soldiers, either. So don't assume based on appearances, know from what we're told that they are not the American army. Furthermore there are many people living in America who are American citizens, eligible of joining the armed forces, who don't speak with an American accent, just as there are British nationals who speak with multiple accents, like a Polish-British national I used to work with. Should we not let people into the national army if they don't have a national accent?
The idea of rounding up all the people of a certain nationality / religion may seem ridiculous and far-fetched in todays society, but I'd bet the Holocaust seemed far-fetched before it happened. In 'The State Within' it was only in one state that they were being rounded up and all it takes is one person with extremist views to start that happening. In todays day and age the politicians would quickly nip it in the bud, however, which is what happened in 'TSW'. It may seem far-fetched, and I'm not denying that it does seem unlikely that it would happen in America, but the possibility is always there and all 'TSW' is trying to do is explore the possibility for dramatic effect.
it's anything but only fiction here ;-))
not a bit
watched it yesterday on german TV
a brainy piece of drama that is...
well played too
Well, what bothered me about it wasn't that it was necessarily ridiculous -- the current governor of Virginia is loony enough for me to believe it -- but how they'd know they were Muslim. Last time I checked, passports didn't indicate religion (or do they, and I just never noticed?).
shareAw I bet you still believe in Santa too
shareWow, isn't that funny how reality does catch up with fiction?
We're living in sad, deplorable times, with terrorist idiots and stupid politicians like Norbert Hofer in Austria and policies like that of Hungary, Poland etc or dangerous extreme right wing parties like the Front National in France or the AFD in Germany on the rise all over Europe, not wanting to help the refugees fleeing from a war they didn't help to prevent.
And then there is Trump and the stupid Brexit.. Did you hear about the fact that British muslims, like this family, parents and nine children, who were denied last christmas in 2015 to board the plane to the US at London-Gatwick airport, even though having been accorded a visa online? This wasn't the only case. So, when Trump should be elected, I wouldn't be too surprised if such a round-up did take place someday bearing his "levelheadedness" in mind..
Yea, I see, fiction can be so far-fetched at times..