"The Second Coming" (2003) TV mini-series

Director:

Adrian Shergold

Writer:

Russell T. Davies (writer)

Release Date:

9 February 2003 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

Are you ready for judgment day?

Plot:

Steven Baxter is the Son of God, and can produce the miracles to prove it. How does the world react when he announces it has to produce a Third Testament within five days, or else it's Judgment Day?

Plot Keywords:

God | Second Coming | Miracle | Devil | Male Female Relationship

Awards:

1 win & 7 nominations

Cast

Christopher Eccleston	...	Stephen Baxter
William Travis	...	Dave Morris
Ace Bhatti	...	Peter Gupta (as Ahsen Bhatti)
Lesley Sharp	...	Judith Roach
Annabelle Apsion	...	Fiona Morris
Peter Wright	...	Chief Superintendant Lennard Chadwick
John Henshaw	...	Clive Saxon
Judith Barker	...	Eileen Saxon
Ray Emmet Brown	...	Charge Nurse
Peter Armitage	...	Frank Baxter
Rory Kinnear	...	Father Dillane
Mark Benton	...	Johnny Tyler
Jazmine Franks	...	Jane Morris
Chrissi-Jo Hyde	...	Hospital Administrator
Phil Clegg	...	Hospital Policeman
Neil Bell	...	Homeless man
Rosalind March	...	Woman Driver
Steve Money	...	Stan Lynch
Lee Seddon	...	Lee Lynch
Peter Wight	...	Len Chadwick
Jack Watson	...	Alex Morris
Mary Cunningham	...	Female Expert
Anthony Schaeffer	...	Male Expert
Chris Li	...	Chinese Newscaster (as Cheuk Li)
Jagtar Singh	...	Indian Newsreader
Henry Margolis	...	Rabbi Shorofski
Doug Cockle	...	American Newsreader
Jennifer Hennessy	...	Female Reporter
Basienka Blake	...	French Woman
Angel Coulby	...	PC Louise Fraser
Tim Woodward	...	Chief Constable Richard Tanner
Kenny Doughty	...	PC Simon Lincoln
Denise Black	...	Rachel Craig
John Warnaby	...	Phone-in Presenter
Joe Simpson	...	Pub Bouncer
Jeff Merchant	...	Calm Man
David Horovitch	...	Mr. Streeter
David Prosho	...	PC Jackson
Victoria Myers	...	Checkout Girl
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Germaine Greer	...	Herself
Bernard Nagle	...	Old Man
Caroline Pegg	...	Sue (scenes deleted)
Andrew Underwood	...	The Lad
Peter Wright	...	Len Chadwick
Carol Barnes	...	Herself (uncredited)
Jonathan Bridge	...	Decsiple at Maine Road (uncredited)
Judy Finnigan	...	Herself (uncredited)
Ciaran Griffiths	...	Man in Pub (uncredited)
Krishnan Guru-Murthy	...	Himself (uncredited)
Richard Madeley	...	Himself (uncredited)
Jon Snow	...	Himself (uncredited)

Directed by
Adrian Shergold

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Russell T. Davies		writer

Produced by
Russell T. Davies	....	executive producer
Ann Harrison-Baxter	....	producer
Nicola Shindler	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Murray Gold

Film Editing by
Tony Cranstoun

Casting by
Beverley Keogh

Art Direction by
Emma Dibb

Costume Design by
Emma Rosenthal

Makeup Department
Davy Jones	....	makeup designer (as David Jones)
Alison Mountford	....	makeup artist (as Ali Mountford)
Jacqui Walsh	....	makeup artist (as Jaqui Walsh)

Production Management
David Boyle	....	post-production supervisor
Chris Clarkson	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jamie Hall	....	first assistant director
Jonathan Leather	....	second assistant director
Dan Winch	....	third assistant director (as Daniel Winch)

Art Department
Steve Bedford	....	construction manager
Pawlo Wintoniuk	....	stand-by art director

Sound Department
Chris Cartwright	....	boom operator
Dennis Cartwright	....	sound
Colin Cooper	....	adr recordist
John Crumpton	....	sound editor
John Rutherford	....	sound effects editor
Jonathan Seale	....	boom operator
John Whitworth	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Graham Brown	....	special effects supervisor
Keith Edwards	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Peter Bach	....	digital effects supervisor
Steve Garrad	....	visual effects producer
Ben Murray	....	digital effects
Jim Parsons	....	digital effects

Stunts
Rick English	....	stunts
Gareth Milne	....	stunt coordinator
Peter Pedrero	....	stunts
John Tannen	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Lee Howarth	....	stand-by rigger (2003)

Editorial Department
Kevin Horsewood	....	telecine colorist

Music Department
Mark Tucker	....	music score recording engineer

Other crew
Susie Conklin	....	script editor
Carol Saunderson	....	script supervisor
Joy Sapieka	....	publicist (2003) (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Red Production Company

Distributors

• Carlton International Media
• Carlton Visual Entertainment
• Independent Television (ITV)

Special Effects

• Clear (special effects)

Runtime:

144 min (2 parts)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Manchester, Greater Manchester, England, UK

Company:

Red Production Company

Trivia:

Originally Steve's mother was a character, but after the scenes were cut, a line was dubbed in that she committed suicide years earlier.

Quotes:

Johnny Tyler: After thirty you just keep piling on.
Judith Roach: If it's any consolation I'm not exactly Kate Moss.
Johnny Tyler: Nah, you look gorgeous. Surprised you're using the agency. Can't be short of offers.
[pause]
Johnny Tyler: Divorced.
Judith Roach: Yeah.
Johnny Tyler: Must be an idiot.
Judith Roach: I think he is, yeah.

Movie Connections:

References "Big Brother" (2000/III)

... as good as the second coming

I have to say that I found this TV drama to be enormously good - such an original, inventive screenplay. I began watching with my finger poised about the channel-change button, half expecting something very conventional - the jesus wannabe is a looney (but there there is some (un)subtle suggestion toward the end that he might be a little more than that) - or or a final sequence in which jesus karate-chops demons and departs, granting us another two thousand years, but pleading that we try harder at being good. Instead something entirely unexpected - and challenging - is served up. So good to see that some people who write TV screenplays are not only thinking, but want to make us think too. It's also marvellously well acted.