TV Review: Carey Mulligan Anchors the Slick 'Collateral'

von Clayton Davis · 19.03.2018

There always seems to be a steady stream of series coming from the UK. There's no doubt that the Brits have been ahead of the curve on how to use stars for limited series. "Collateral" is a BBC production from David Hare that features another great performance from Carey Mulligan. Mulligan provides the backbone for a series that could easily have gone awry. Yet Hare's drama is perfectly suited to give her a starring vehicle, which results in a sleek and stylistic new limited series.

The plot revolves around the murder of Abdullah Asif, a young Muslim pizza delivery boy who is gunned down. Abdullah's murder brings many unknowing parties together, resulting in a complicated web that provides mystery and intrigue. Carey Mulligan plays Kip Gilespie, the officer assigned to the case. When she begins her pursuit of Abdullah's murder, it's clear that her past informs her way in the world. Mulligan is able to lace emotion and subtly throughout the story to craft a multifaceted a character. It's around Mulligan that the story has to sit, and without her brilliant performance from start to finish, the show easily could fall off.

The other triumph of the series is the collaboration between director S.J. Clarkson and writer David Hare. Hare's script is extremely polished and well aware of what he is saying about the modern world. It is full of political intrigue and attempts to confront the world we live in. There is racism, sexism, and misogyny brilliantly woven to show us a story worth hearing. However, it's Clarkson's direction that really elevates the story. Clarkson's stylistic choices pay off immediately and add to the mystery. The series bears a visual resemblance to "The Night Manager" and "The Night Of," yet finds a way to fuse the two series. This combination creates a police procedural that is using PEDs to become an espionage thriller. It's an impressive combo that holds tight to the audience's attention.

The cast also comes to play, giving many of the actresses strong roles. Nicola Walker, Billie Piper, and Jeany Spark are all given opportunities to shine as different types of women. Spark may be the best of the three, especially considering where the character's arc begins. She conveys emotion brilliantly and holds several standout moments in the show. Spark will likely get a big career boost from the show given her performance here. Walker is also excellent and does a great job playing off each character as she begins to interact with them. Piper feels one note at first, but we are given more shades of the character as the season unfolds. Piper does a great job in showing the frustrations of a young mother, while also heavily struggling with her own problems. She's electric, especially when she's with John Simm. It's a great performance from the "Doctor Who" alum.

The cast is also among the most diverse on screen. What's exciting about the diversity is that many of the parts are not ethnicity specific. Kae Alexander plays one of the witnesses to the murder and struggles with drug use. Nathaniel Martello-White plays the co-detective for Mulligan, creating an excellent one-two punch to play the detectives. Ahd and July Namir play Abdullah's sisters living in hiding. The diversity on screen makes the show feel real, and in doing so, makes the message of the show one that can speak to our moment in the modern world.

Piecing together a show as strong as "Collateral" is a difficult task. Telling a broad and compelling mystery in only 4 episodes is even more challenging. Yet Mulligan's performance and the solid cast elevate one of the better-told stories on TV this year. The series makes a political statement, but it's one that should be heard in 2018. The result is an easily bingeable series that will make you feel more informed by the end of the 4-hour series. It's well worth the watch.