A Very British Coup

Working-class, left-leaning Harry Perkins is elected PM. As he works to implement social change via democratic process, the conservatives and their allies quietly begin working to remove him. Perkins' goals include nuclear disarmament, the dissolution of newspaper monopolies, open government and the closure of all US military bases on UK soil. While many members of the govnerment oppose him, he finds some support in Home Secretary Joan Cook and key members of his staff.

A Very British Coup (1988) is a British political drama miniseries created by Alan Plater for Channel 4. Ray McAnally plays Harry Perkins, a working-class, left-leaning man who unexpectedly wins the prime ministership and begins enacting a radical programme of nuclear disarmament, the breakup of newspaper monopolies, open government and the closure of American military bases on British soil. The engine of the three-part story is the slow, deniable campaign by conservatives and their allies to dislodge him through backroom maneuvering, press manipulation and quiet pressure on his cabinet, while Home Secretary Joan Cook and a few loyal aides try to hold the line. Each episode runs close to an hour and unfolds like a procedural of Westminster corridors, committee rooms and newsroom meetings rather than action set pieces. Tone is sober, talky and quietly suspenseful, with a paranoid undercurrent about who can be trusted. Set in late twentieth century Britain, it is a limited series that rewards patient attention. Fans of House of Cards, The Thick of It and Yes Minister will find resonance in its portrait of power, principle and institutional resistance.

• House of Cards (1990)political drama centered on a principled leader resisting entrenched establishment forces, serialized miniseries
• The Thick of ItBritish political thriller about institutional power and conspiracy against an elected figure
• Yes Ministerserious British political drama examining democracy, media power and state intrigue

Created by

Alan Plater

Release Date

1988-06-19

Episode runtime

55 min

Rating

8.2 / 10 (18)

What is A Very British Coup about?

A principled working-class prime minister is quietly undermined by his own party and allies as he pursues radical democratic reforms.

What is A Very British Coup like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of A Very British Coup as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is A Very British Coup violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in A Very British Coup.

Which shows are like A Very British Coup?

Shows with a similar feel include House of Cards (1990), The Thick of It, and Yes Minister.

How long is A Very British Coup?

A Very British Coup: 1 season, 3 episodes.

Is A Very British Coup still running?

No, A Very British Coup has ended.