MovieChat Forums > The State Within (2006) Discussion > What is Phil Lonsdale's title or positio...

What is Phil Lonsdale's title or position?


He seems to be above the Ambassador in some ways. Is he like the political Rep?

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He's Marc's next in line. He is a 'pretender' in Marc's eyes, always ready to game up -- and then, at times, is very helpful. Basically, Phil is short-sighted but dutiful, which keeps him exceedingly angry that Marc plays things as he sees it. He hopes Marc will get sacked and he'll be seen to have the correct view, whilst Marc 'goes off' on his own perspective. Marc is very aware Phil is ready to pounce. It think it's in episode 2, Marc snarls at Phil, "Well, this is most convenient for you, isn't it."

You thought Phil is Marc's superior because Brits are much more direct in their communications to a superior. In the states, we'd get sacked for saying much of what Phil says. Brits would rather not get done in by groupthink.

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If I read the hierarchy correctly from the series, Phil is the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy, indeed the "second in command". He is the deputy of the ambassador and takes over the duties in the ambassador's absence.

Phil is playing more to the rules, which isn't necessarily a bad thing in the diplomatic world. His opinions differ from Mark's in some places, and he thinks that Mark is overdoing it in some cases. Nicholas (the Security/Military Attaché) and Phil do a good job of keeping Mark grounded, I think.

(Example of personnel hierarchy at an Embassy: The Embassy of France in Washington: http://www.ambafrance-us.org/spip.php?article413)

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"Nobody ever said the IMDB was polite company." MichaelD on the Luther (2003) board.

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