The Shadow Line is a seven-part British television drama miniseries produced by Company Pictures/Eight Rooks Ltd/Baby Cow/CinemaNX production for BBC Two. It stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Christopher Eccleston, Rafe Spall, Lesley Sharp, Kierston Wareing, Antony Sher and Stephen Rea. The series was written, directed and produced by Hugo Blick.
The first episode was screened on 12 April 2011 at BAFTA's Princess Anne Theatre in Piccadilly, and was followed by a special question and answer session with Hugo Blick and Christopher Eccleston.
Broadcasting of the series started on 5 May 2011 and finished on 16 June 2011. It is currently available on Blu-ray and DVD and for purchase on Amazon Prime.
Synopsis
The Shadow Line is about a murder investigated by both sides of the line – police and criminals – and the opposing methods they use to solve it. But the real line is the morality within each character and how far they will go before they cross it. It is also about a secret so monumental that, if it were ever revealed, the entire nation might collapse.
Production
The series is produced by Company Pictures/Eight Rooks Ltd/Baby Cow/CinemaNX/Isle of Man Film for BBC Two. It was mainly shot in the Isle of Man, with some sequences filmed in London.
Music
The theme music is an adapted version of the song "Pause" written by Emily Barker and performed by Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo, and made to fit the title sequence scored by Martin Phipps, designed by Peter Anderson Studio
Cast
Chiwetel Ejiofor as Detective Inspector (DI) Jonah Gabriel: Amnesiac detective with a bullet in his head who leads the investigation into Harvey Wratten's death. Christopher Eccleston as Joseph Bede: Organised consultant for Harvey Wratten's empire. He has set up a florist business as a front for the drug dealing organisation. Antony Sher as Peter Glickman: Wratten's former partner; now on the run. Stephen Rea as Gatehouse: Elusive primary antagonist notable for his mannerly persuasiveness. Despite handling large sums of cash he is not driven by financial gain but by "control" alone. Rafe Spall as Jay Wratten: Psychotic nephew of Harvey Wratten; eager to find his killer. Kierston Wareing as Detective Sergeant (DS) Lia Honey: Gabriel's feisty detective partner. Richard Lintern as Detective Chief Superintendent (DCS) Richard Patterson: Gabriel's chain-smoking superior; wanted Gabriel take charge of the Wratten case personally. Eve Best as Petra Mayler: Peter Glickman's former mistress. Lesley Sharp as Julie Bede: Joseph Bede's wife; suffering from early onset Alzheimer's. Tobias Menzies as Ross McGovern: Persistent journalist who is getting too close to the truth. Robert Pugh as Bob Harris: Harvey Wratten's business rival; now working with Joseph Bede. Malcolm Storry as Maurice Crace: Joseph Bede's right-hand-man and veteran associate of the Wratten empire. Clare Calbraith as Laura Gabriel: Jonah Gabriel's wife. Sean Gilder as Robert Beatty: Customs officer who has information about Harvey and Jay Wratten's Royal Pardon. David Schofield as Sergeant Foley: Gum-chewing corrupt police officer whose loyalties aren't clear. Stanley Townsend as Bulkat Babur: Turkish heroin supplier who sets up Joseph's last deal. Ace Bhatti as Commander David Khokar: Patterson and Gabriel's commanding officer. Sasha Behar as Laing: Senior customs officer Freddie Fox as Ratallack: Bob Harris' ambitious, wily, young associate. Nicholas Jones as Commander Penney: Retired Police Commissioner. Sharon D. Clarke as Mrs Dixon: Tortured mother of Andy Dixon. Tobi Bakare as Andy Dixon: Driver of Harvey's car the night he was murdered; on the run after witnessing the crime. Charles Kay: Former MI5 agent Sir Richard Halton.
Plot
Drugs baron Harvey Wratten and his unstable nephew, Jay (Rafe Spall), are released from prison on a Royal Pardon (which is a rarity). On the drive from prison Harvey is shot execution-style while seated in the back seat of his car. Corrupt copper Sergeant Foley (David Schofield) and his partner find Wratten's body and alert Joseph Bede (Christopher Eccleston), Wratten’s placid and gentle henchman. Jay has already shown his true colours by attacking an associate of Bob Harris’s (Robert Pugh) in a lift for suggesting that they earned their freedom by naming names.