Collateral BBC2 - Monday 12th Feb 9pm

[NurseButtercup]

This looks good - A new 4 part murder mystery thriller with an interesting cast, Nicola Walker, Carrey Mulligan, Billie Piper and Jon Simm. Is anybody planning to watch?

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05x4v7l

Running, Mi5 was collaborating with people smugglers, using whatshername to identify potential or know terrorists who would be dispatched accordingly en route. When Asif realised this he challenged the Peter character, presumably to get money/ security for him and the sisters. unfortunately this backfired and evil Peter used poor Sandrine, who he knew was frail emotionally after her tour of duty to kill Asif by telling her lies about him. Peter has now snuck off so there has to be another series so he can be brought to justice or knocked on the head.
There are bits of the plot I am missing, eg the drugs/MP/ involvement, were they all just peripheral but associated collateral?

Very moving ending between the two women.

Really didn't like the MP going off to get laid leaving his child with their unstable mother, feeling good about himself because he'd read a bedtime story and wasn't going to the vote as ordered.

Good points duchess and Well summarised viques.
Sorry, obviously I was wrong about Nathan being corrupt and I relieved. So relieved MI5 and he weren’t corrupt.

I’m a bit mystified as to what the MP or vicar had to do with anything- I mean apart from Asif being his constituent and his ex ordering the pizza.

Yeah I’m still none the wiser about why Billie Piper and John Simm’s characters were in this series but I really enjoyed it nonetheless

Thanks viques. And I hope Sandrine's superior gets his comeuppance if there is another series.

I didn't know whether the blonde woman at the end was the same one who was with Peter when he was clearing out his office.

The blonde woman he departed with was seen in bed with him in the first ep. She was also interviewing the Leader of the Opposition, his boss, on tv. She's a political journalist, a Kirsty Wark type character.

The blonde woman clearing the office was only in a handful of scenes. She was a sloane type with banker boyfriends. She may or may not have been complicit - she certainly knew about the dodgy phone, at least.

Yes, Viques.
Elfie is John Simms real daughter.

I wouldn't want Carey Milligan doing the negotiations if ever I was taken hostage!

Yes, John Simm wanders off feeling great about himself but presumably still leaving the bulk of the childcare to his very unstable ex... (and no more au pair?)

I think they were red herrings.

The main people smuggler, Peter just got away with it and MI5 couldn't care less do I'm not sure I'd say they were innocent!

Did Mona and her sister get citizenship?

That was great viewing, though of course it did have scenes of a violent and upsetting nature. Sandrine's mother should have taken more care of her daughter.

Obviously the young woman who took care of her mum was in on it, hence the money.

It's clear that there are people in this world who literally get away with murder.

Oh and Simm's character was a slippery fish. Said he would change, but I doubt that very much.

I was pleased that the wife of rapist army guy came to her senses.

It was all about those who wish to do good, versus those who are complicit who know the ropes getting away with it.

I liked the line - it was so good we knew it had to end.

I found it to be quite a satisfactory ending compared to series I've watched recently like Kiri and Trauma. At least it all seemed plausible and the characters were flawed but believable. Not sure what the church minister and the politician added to the story, but it was an enjoyable watch, and CM did grow on me by the end.

Would they have really called Sandrine's mother to tell her she was dead? Surely a personal visit would have happened?

Spoiler alert

I thought that too young but then I also thought that as it was suicide they may have wanted to spare blushes of someone calling to the house.

Poor Sandrine She had a crap mum didn’t she.

Thought Carey Mulligan was brilliant. It was nice that her pregnancy was only mentioned twice so it didn’t detract from the storyline. That was mentioned in an interview with Carey. She said she never stroked her bump or brought it up.

Quite surprised evil Major’s wife believed Sandrine!

Not really sure what the point in John Simm and Billie Piper’s characters was? Her growing up in Aleppo? was a red herring then.

Did I miss the bit where the Mi5 agent got away?

The mi5 agent was taken to the airport by Sam Spencer.

There's dDefinitely scope for a second series. Another murder set in Simm's constituency/the priest's parish.

The 'ex army' brains behind the people trafficking operation got away though. I was willing for him to be caught.

Me too Reeling.

Great actor. I found him chilling.

FawnDrench - you were so on the money with the visual motif of doorways. Brilliant observation!

Yes good ending. A Lot of strong women leads, which is of course satisfying.
CM did muck it up with Sandrine but all in all - she was going to end it anyway.

David Hare is married to Nicole Farhi the designer
He wrote a trilogy of tv films, starring Bill Nighy starting with Page Eight, Turks and Calicos, and Salting The Battlefield which are excellent. All his plays and tv dramas have a very cynical take on human nature, international politics, and small actions that have huge implications. I would love to see his take on Dr David Kelly and WMD.

I remember 'Plenty' (film) with Meryl Streep - sure he wrote that.

I found the ending really strange.

Kip essentially prioritised the leave to remain applications of the two Iraqi women over a successful Mi5 operation that had infiltrated a people smuggling operation to prevent terrorists entering the country?

And the main people smuggler (who I think had no idea about Mi5's involvement - tell if I'm wrong here) got away with it.

So he'll set up again and this time there will be no Mi5 spy involved so no one to prevent terrorists entering the country.

But that's ok cos the 2 Iraqi woman get to stay?

Have I got that right?

I loved all the female characters, the unremarked on pregnancy was a bloody revelation - I reckon every mother who worked through their pregnancy did a little cheer last night.

But the police operation was seriously awful. Plus the soldier who desperately needed help was let down badly.

The John Simm character was pointless. His relationship with the mother of his child upsetting to say the least. And Billie Piper was very much seen (I think) as getting her comeuppance, but for what I have no idea. For being a single mother? For being deeply unhappy? For not coping? For sleeping with a Labour MP??

And the vicar? Weird storyline. Massive waste of a wonderful actress.

I think the point David Hare was trying to make about immigration needs to be made, but surely there are better ways of making it?

And definitely better ways of examining the Labour party's policy towards it.

Also - 2 minor things:

There is no way the leader of opposition would find out about one of her team signing an illegal immigrants papers and do nothing about it. The first question the media would ask is did the leader know? If she knew and did nothing about it then her job is in jeopardy too.

And I'm pretty sure (though I may be wrong) that a baby born to a mother in a removal centre doesn't qualify for British citizenship. (I know the baby gets to stay because the mother now has leave to remain, but the 2 Iraqi women didn't know this at the time when they were celebrating the child being a British citizen).

Ok, that's it. Had to get all that out.

'The John Simm character was pointless. His relationship with the mother of his child upsetting to say the least. And Billie Piper was very much seen (I think) as getting her comeuppance, but for what I have no idea. For being a single mother? For being deeply unhappy? For not coping? For sleeping with a Labour MP?? '

Thanks Banana - I like your whole summary.

I also agree that the apparent comeuppance for Billie Piper was harsh. Why, because she was a bit of a mess and not not coping with her kids. The John Simm character came across as a twit - as an MP and a dad and didn't deserve to look so smug at the end there - abandoning his kid.

Thanks Inkanta.

He really did, didn't he. That kiss on the street corner made me feel really cross.