Party Animals

2007 Ended BBC Two

Drama

Party Animals recreates the behind-the-scenes rough-and-tumble of British politics. Conservative politician James Northcote and Labour MP Jo Porter epitomise the changing public faces of their parties. But the real action centres on their aides. Dedicated researchers Danny, Kirsty, Matt and Ashika help the MPs score points against their enemies - whether adversaries are across the floor or on the same side. Meanwhile, lobbyist Scott finds the shifts in power at Westminster affecting his working life, with both personal and professional loyalties tested. The show takes a sideways, through-the-keyhole look at the way power is deployed and is laden with enjoyable cynicism. The characters are not especially nice people. Vulnerable, yes, though mainly when they fail to exploit others' vulnerabilities, and yet they're interesting. And given that Party Animals a fast-moving drama first and a civics lecture a poor second, it succeeds in telling a bit about the way Westminster office politics truly works.