# To Play the King (1993)

> A ruthless British prime minister fights to hold onto power when a new king pursues a populist agenda.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/12924

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 4
- Episode runtime: 55 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama
- Created by: Andrew Davies
- Network: BBC One
- Cast: Ian Richardson, Kitty Aldridge, Michael Kitchen, Colin Jeavons, Nicholas Farrell, Rowena King, Diane Fletcher, Erika Hoffman
- TMDB rating: 8.3/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108962/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: dense
- Violence: mild
- Tone: menacing, cool, darkly witty, tense, sly

## What critics say

Acclaimed by audiences for its sharp political scheming and Ian Richardson's commanding performance as a ruthless prime minister.

## Synopsis

To Play the King (1993) is a British miniseries adapted from a novel and written by Andrew Davies for BBC One. Ian Richardson plays Prime Minister Francis Urquhart, a calculating politician whose hold on power is threatened when a new monarch, played by Michael Kitchen, pushes a populist agenda that cuts against the government's established order. Urquhart's strategy relies on quiet manipulation, careful alliances, and ruthless calculation, and the four-episode story is built from tense negotiations, backroom meetings, and palace audiences where every conversation may conceal a threat. Kitty Aldridge plays Sarah Harding, and Colin Jeavons and Nicholas Farrell appear among the political circle surrounding Urquhart. The series is a tightly plotted, one-season political drama that moves from Downing Street offices to royal corridors, carrying a cool, menacing atmosphere and a sly wit. Its sharp dialogue and polished, claustrophobic settings invite comparison with House of Cards and The Thick of It for viewers who enjoy power games, moral compromise, and the intricate machinery of the British establishment, all presented with a steady sense of dread and dark humour in the vein of its celebrated predecessor.

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