Deep State: Corruption and spin in the war-on-terror

The action in both series is relentless. The pace makes the SBS advertising breaks almost welcome. Think of it as in-the-field Homeland or The Bureau, with extra grit. This may explain why I Have never watched two TV series in as short a time.

The first series is set largely in the Middle East.

The second series is set in Mali and the United States.

The events depicted in the second series take place two years after those in the first. Yet, the two series are largely stand-alone. While some of the key characters are confined to a series, others provide links between the series.

The focus of each espionage mission is on a common and rather topical theme – the exposure of corporate fraud and manipulation of US military policy and ventures. As some of the scenes depict the greed and political manoeuvring several of the scenes are shot in the US and Britain.

Isis and other militant groups are predictably shown in shootouts, violent interrogations and abductions.

But ultimately, it’s the people pulling the strings who are presented as responsible. Western intelligence agencies are also shown to be just as ruthless and violent as their ‘terrorist’ opponents.

The cast is impressive and believable. This may be due to a distinct absence of Hollywood gloss.

The settings are exotic, and the pace is relentless. But above all, the portrayal of the deep state in the context of the ‘war on terror’ is very powerful and convincing.