Search/Recent Changes
DBTropes
...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!

Babylon (2014)

 Babylon (2014)
type
TVTItem
 Babylon (2014)
label
Babylon (2014)
 Babylon (2014)
page
Babylon2014
 Babylon (2014)
comment
Babylon is a 2014 Channel 4 satirical Dramedy written by Sam Bain, Jesse Armstrong, and Jon Brown, with Danny Boyle as executive producer. In the U.S., it aired on Sundance TV, sans pilot. The show focuses on two aspects of London's Metropolitan Police Service - the ground forces and the PR department - and how they relate and come into conflict in the Internet-era.Newcomer Liz Garvey is appointed Head of Communications by Commissioner Richard Miller. Liz believes the Met should adopt a policy of transparency, and Richard is interested in giving her ideas a try. However, she faces opposition from the more traditional members of the police, as well as dissenters within her own department.On the ground, officers from Specialist Firearms Command and the Territorial Support Group struggle to do their jobs amidst personal drama and increasing public scrutiny. To round things off, young director Matt Coward films the cops for what's meant to be a documentary portraying them in a positive light - but he has bigger plans...Head here for the character page.Not to be confused with Babylon 5, Babylon Berlin (which has some similar themes), the Japanese novel series Babylon (2015), or the Damien Chazelle movie Babylon (2022).
 Babylon (2014)
fetched
2024-02-29T05:16:47Z
 Babylon (2014)
parsed
2024-02-29T05:16:47Z
 Babylon (2014)
processingComment
Dropped link to CallBack: Not a Feature - ITEM
 Babylon (2014)
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Babylon (2014) / int_1616e13
type
Ripped from the Headlines
 Babylon (2014) / int_1616e13
comment
Ripped from the Headlines: The Karl Jeffries Story Arc was clearly inspired by the fatal shooting of Mark Duggan in 2011.
 Babylon (2014) / int_1616e13
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_1616e13
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_1616e13
 Babylon (2014) / int_17ce80aa
type
All There in the Manual
 Babylon (2014) / int_17ce80aa
comment
All There in the Manual: The character profiles on the Sundance TV website expand on the characters' backgrounds, clarify some of their job descriptions, and hint at their individual Hidden Depths.
 Babylon (2014) / int_17ce80aa
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_17ce80aa
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_17ce80aa
 Babylon (2014) / int_1b2b1d2c
type
Violation of Common Sense
 Babylon (2014) / int_1b2b1d2c
comment
Tom is wordlessly encouraged by Richard to step closer to a drone. He obeys, with a frightened expression.
 Babylon (2014) / int_1b2b1d2c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_1b2b1d2c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_1b2b1d2c
 Babylon (2014) / int_1ba8eb64
type
Visual Pun
 Babylon (2014) / int_1ba8eb64
comment
Visual Pun: Whenever a character leaks information to the press, they do it in the restroom.
 Babylon (2014) / int_1ba8eb64
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_1ba8eb64
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_1ba8eb64
 Babylon (2014) / int_1d77dd02
type
Motivational Lie
 Babylon (2014) / int_1d77dd02
comment
Motivational Lie: Liz delivers one of these to Sharon, to encourage her to apply for Commissioner.
 Babylon (2014) / int_1d77dd02
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_1d77dd02
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_1d77dd02
 Babylon (2014) / int_222dc873
type
Black Comedy
 Babylon (2014) / int_222dc873
comment
Black Comedy
 Babylon (2014) / int_222dc873
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_222dc873
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_222dc873
 Babylon (2014) / int_22cf536c
type
Chekhov's Gun
 Babylon (2014) / int_22cf536c
comment
Chekhov's Gun: Banjo beating up a bin.
 Babylon (2014) / int_22cf536c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_22cf536c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_22cf536c
 Babylon (2014) / int_23698fa8
type
Aborted Arc
 Babylon (2014) / int_23698fa8
comment
Aborted Arc: In Episode Three, Grant Delgado tells Liz that the Met "lost its soul after a boozy lunch with the tabloids." At the end of Liz and Finn's next argument, Finn doubles back to suggest that Liz check "the filing cabinets on the fourth floor [...] to see where the bodies are buried". The line seems to be a Call-Back to the previous episode, when Mia joked that the PR department files press coverage about Richard in a box marked 'Richard's Massive Ego'. Liz doesn't check, and it's never brought up again. Earlier, Finn's phone call to Charles implies that Charles may have some dirt on Richard. It's never clarified whether this is related to Richard's affairs or something separate. The Initiatives on Policing Conference mentioned in Episode Two is supposed to take place in two days' time. This should coincide with Robbie's first day in Armed Response, according to Matt Coward's documentary. However, the conference doesn't seem to occur before or during Episode Three, and it isn't referenced afterwards.
 Babylon (2014) / int_23698fa8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_23698fa8
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_23698fa8
 Babylon (2014) / int_25dffed2
type
Headbutting Heroes
 Babylon (2014) / int_25dffed2
comment
Headbutting Heroes: Charles Inglis and Sharon Franklin. Liz and Finn, too, for a given value of ‘hero’.
 Babylon (2014) / int_25dffed2
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_25dffed2
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_25dffed2
 Babylon (2014) / int_4766ca14
type
Volleying Insults
 Babylon (2014) / int_4766ca14
comment
Volleying Insults
 Babylon (2014) / int_4766ca14
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_4766ca14
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_4766ca14
 Babylon (2014) / int_4e3d253b
type
Downer Ending
 Babylon (2014) / int_4e3d253b
comment
Downer Ending: Episodes Three and Five.
 Babylon (2014) / int_4e3d253b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_4e3d253b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_4e3d253b
 Babylon (2014) / int_5313c266
type
Bookends
 Babylon (2014) / int_5313c266
comment
Book Ends: Episode Three begins and ends with someone jumping from a high point, seemingly with the intent of killing themselves. Early in the pilot, Finn and Mia stand side by side, watching Liz address a crowd. The final scene of the series has them in that position again.
 Babylon (2014) / int_5313c266
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_5313c266
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_5313c266
 Babylon (2014) / int_62f9d08e
type
Freeze-Frame Bonus
 Babylon (2014) / int_62f9d08e
comment
Freeze-Frame Bonus: The dates and times on shots of surveillance camera footage. Apparently, Series 1 takes place over little more than twenty-four days. This isn't a coincidence or oversight - the dates are consistent with Matt Coward's dialogue in Episode Three and Caroline Carey's article in Episode Four.note But there are two minor errors. The footage in Episode One is all dated 1/9; however, the wardrobe changes between Liz and Finn's first scenes together indicate that the Cravenwood riots span two days. Throughout the series, Armed Response's bodycams also seem to be stuck on that date. In Episode Two, Liz's email features her making contrived metaphors about Apple and Samsung, seemingly forgetting how to use punctuation, and suddenly typing in all caps. In Episode Three, when Liz first speaks with Richard, a framed poster in her office reads "too good to be true". In Episode Four, the news portal which hacked into the drone feed has a sidebar speculating if Richard was "killed by the Russians".
 Babylon (2014) / int_62f9d08e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_62f9d08e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_62f9d08e
 Babylon (2014) / int_6bd689ca
type
Meaningful Echo
 Babylon (2014) / int_6bd689ca
comment
Meaningful Echo: Richard comparing handling the police force to putting out fires. In Episode Five, Liz's impassioned pitch to Sharon paints the Met as metaphorically burning to the ground, with Charles and Finn bolting the windows and setting extinguishers on fire. And after Armed Response chooses not to carry their firearms, as a form of protest. Later, a police convoy goes down a road, only to find it blocked by rioters...and an abandoned police car that's on fire.
 Babylon (2014) / int_6bd689ca
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_6bd689ca
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_6bd689ca
 Babylon (2014) / int_7335ffa9
type
Grey-and-Gray Morality
 Babylon (2014) / int_7335ffa9
comment
Grey-and-Gray Morality
 Babylon (2014) / int_7335ffa9
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_7335ffa9
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_7335ffa9
 Babylon (2014) / int_74d9d78f
type
Hate at First Sight
 Babylon (2014) / int_74d9d78f
comment
Finn is sitting on the toilet, watching Liz's TED Talk. He spits on her onscreen face.
 Babylon (2014) / int_74d9d78f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_74d9d78f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_74d9d78f
 Babylon (2014) / int_75d6bf40
type
Belligerent Sexual Tension
 Babylon (2014) / int_75d6bf40
comment
Belligerent Sexual Tension: Between Liz and Finn.
 Babylon (2014) / int_75d6bf40
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_75d6bf40
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_75d6bf40
 Babylon (2014) / int_7d89315b
type
"The Reason You Suck" Speech
 Babylon (2014) / int_7d89315b
comment
"The Reason You Suck" Speech: At least two per episode.
 Babylon (2014) / int_7d89315b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_7d89315b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_7d89315b
 Babylon (2014) / int_7febc23b
type
Establishing Character Moment
 Babylon (2014) / int_7febc23b
comment
Establishing Character Moment: From the pilot: Liz starts her TED Talk by disclosing that she's nervous, explains how being honest makes it easier to facilitate communication, then adds, "it's good PR." Tom is wordlessly encouraged by Richard to step closer to a drone. He obeys, with a frightened expression. Finn is sitting on the toilet, watching Liz's TED Talk. He spits on her onscreen face. Charles nearly gets into a tense verbal stand-off with Liz after she jokes about being able to kill him.
 Babylon (2014) / int_7febc23b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_7febc23b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_7febc23b
 Babylon (2014) / int_85f0f0fb
type
World of Snark
 Babylon (2014) / int_85f0f0fb
comment
World of Snark
 Babylon (2014) / int_85f0f0fb
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_85f0f0fb
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_85f0f0fb
 Babylon (2014) / int_863fa679
type
What Happened to the Mouse?
 Babylon (2014) / int_863fa679
comment
What Happened to the Mouse?: The missing boy in Episode Five is implied to have been kidnapped and murdered, but there's no mention of whether the perpetrator was caught. The last we see or hear of Matt Coward is his arrest. There's also the matter of his former employers encouraging Robbie to tamper with evidence. The Clarkey/Davina/Banjo subplot is abruptly resolved with Clarkey being badly beaten.
 Babylon (2014) / int_863fa679
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_863fa679
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_863fa679
 Babylon (2014) / int_8839237d
type
No Such Thing as H.R.
 Babylon (2014) / int_8839237d
comment
No Such Thing as H.R.: The higher-ups at Scotland Yard are constantly at each other's throats, resorting to verbal abuse, rude gestures, and borderline harassment. Possibly justified, in the sense that their squabbles never seem to affect the lower-ranking workers, and they're almost all guilty of it to some degree.
 Babylon (2014) / int_8839237d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_8839237d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_8839237d
 Babylon (2014) / int_8e20979
type
Wham Episode
 Babylon (2014) / int_8e20979
comment
Wham Episode: Episode Three. There's a bomb threat. Richard approves of Metwork and agrees to ask Finn to resign. All seems well for Liz, until Richard tells her that a journalist has learned of an affair he had in the workplace and is planning to run the story the next day. They're also demanding that they give up on Metwork. Then, the bomb goes off. The journalist decides to go with another story - of another affair Richard had, this one with his sister-in-law. At the end of the episode, Richard jumps into the Thames.
 Babylon (2014) / int_8e20979
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_8e20979
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_8e20979
 Babylon (2014) / int_901dbf9a
type
Cliff Hanger
 Babylon (2014) / int_901dbf9a
comment
Cliffhanger: The first series ends with one.
 Babylon (2014) / int_901dbf9a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_901dbf9a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_901dbf9a
 Babylon (2014) / int_959cb9aa
type
One Degree of Separation
 Babylon (2014) / int_959cb9aa
comment
One Degree of Separation: For clarity's sake, the series only focuses on one Specialist Firearms Command unit and one Territorial Support Group unit, whose members are closely linked to each other. (Robbie transfers from the TSG to Firearms; Davina and Banjo are married.) Somehow, these two units are involved in nearly every major policing incident in London, which makes their storylines intersect with the higher-ups'.
 Babylon (2014) / int_959cb9aa
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_959cb9aa
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_959cb9aa
 Babylon (2014) / int_984c1906
type
Bathroom Stall of Overheard Insults
 Babylon (2014) / int_984c1906
comment
Bathroom Stall of Overheard Insults: In Episode One, Liz retreats to the restroom to think - and overhears Mia on a call with one of her friends, whom Liz made a bad impression on by ranting about work. Mia herself is somewhat protective over Liz, but it still visibly hurts Liz.
 Babylon (2014) / int_984c1906
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_984c1906
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_984c1906
 Babylon (2014) / int_9d12bbc1
type
Foreshadowing
 Babylon (2014) / int_9d12bbc1
comment
Foreshadowing: In the pilot, Finn tells Mia that Liz was hired because "the Commissioner saw her TED Talk and his dick went hard". At first viewing, it seems like Finn is making a misogynistic comment about Liz because he’s The Resenter. Then, come Episode Three, Liz learns that Richard has had multiple affairs, including at least two in the workplace. Finn is spying on everyone, so he probably thinks that’s the case with Liz as well. In Episode One, Richard exhibits some odd behaviour, such as telling Tom to cancel all his medical appointments, without giving a reason why. It's never explained, but: either Amy was still Richard's physio at the time and he was in the process of ending it, or he was already beginning to have suicidal thoughts, or Caroline Carey was already sniffing around. Or it could have been any combination of all of the above.
 Babylon (2014) / int_9d12bbc1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_9d12bbc1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_9d12bbc1
 Babylon (2014) / int_a8c1433e
type
Dead Star Walking
 Babylon (2014) / int_a8c1433e
comment
Dead Star Walking: James Nesbitt’s character kills himself three episodes into the first series.
 Babylon (2014) / int_a8c1433e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_a8c1433e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_a8c1433e
 Babylon (2014) / int_b3a49cdb
type
Satire
 Babylon (2014) / int_b3a49cdb
comment
Satire: Leans more towards Horation.
 Babylon (2014) / int_b3a49cdb
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_b3a49cdb
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_b3a49cdb
 Babylon (2014) / int_b4a6ae4c
type
Everyone Has Standards
 Babylon (2014) / int_b4a6ae4c
comment
Everyone Has Standards: Well, everyone except the media.
 Babylon (2014) / int_b4a6ae4c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_b4a6ae4c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_b4a6ae4c
 Babylon (2014) / int_ba236071
type
It Makes Sense in Context
 Babylon (2014) / int_ba236071
comment
Charles nearly gets into a tense verbal stand-off with Liz after she jokes about being able to kill him.
 Babylon (2014) / int_ba236071
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_ba236071
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_ba236071
 Babylon (2014) / int_ca1417c5
type
SlidingScaleOfCynicismVersusIdealism
 Babylon (2014) / int_ca1417c5
comment
Sliding Scale of Cynicism Versus Idealism
 Babylon (2014) / int_ca1417c5
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_ca1417c5
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_ca1417c5
 Babylon (2014) / int_dcb9c541
type
Ship Tease
 Babylon (2014) / int_dcb9c541
comment
Ship Tease: Between Liz and Richard. She has a serious case of Hero Worship towards him, and lets slip to Granger that "he's not always perfect, but it's something to get out of bed for - saving an institution." Richard keeps kissing her on the cheek, and says she's the only person he trusts. Nothing happens between them before he kills himself. In later episodes, between Liz and Finn. When the car they’re in swerves, Liz clutches Finn’s hand on reflex, and they exchange an awkward glance. Later, she purposefully grabs his hands again while appealing to him for support.
 Babylon (2014) / int_dcb9c541
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_dcb9c541
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_dcb9c541
 Babylon (2014) / int_e031b7ef
type
Slave to PR
 Babylon (2014) / int_e031b7ef
comment
Slave to PR: Everyone.
 Babylon (2014) / int_e031b7ef
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_e031b7ef
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_e031b7ef
 Babylon (2014) / int_f1d3f0c9
type
Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness
 Babylon (2014) / int_f1d3f0c9
comment
Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness: The bomber in Episodes Three and Four.
 Babylon (2014) / int_f1d3f0c9
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_f1d3f0c9
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_f1d3f0c9
 Babylon (2014) / int_f88f2449
type
Downer Beginning
 Babylon (2014) / int_f88f2449
comment
Downer Beginning: Episode Four opens with a shot of Richard's body floating in the Thames.
 Babylon (2014) / int_f88f2449
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_f88f2449
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_f88f2449
 Babylon (2014) / int_fc9b6be5
type
Foe Romance Subtext
 Babylon (2014) / int_fc9b6be5
comment
In later episodes, between Liz and Finn. When the car they’re in swerves, Liz clutches Finn’s hand on reflex, and they exchange an awkward glance. Later, she purposefully grabs his hands again while appealing to him for support.
 Babylon (2014) / int_fc9b6be5
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_fc9b6be5
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_fc9b6be5
 Babylon (2014) / int_fe0330fb
type
Brick Joke
 Babylon (2014) / int_fe0330fb
comment
Brick Joke: In Episode Four, Sharon is heard starting to quote John Rawls on TV. In Episode Six, during an interview she wasn't prepared for:
 Babylon (2014) / int_fe0330fb
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_fe0330fb
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_fe0330fb
 Babylon (2014) / int_name
type
ItemName
 Babylon (2014) / int_name
comment
 Babylon (2014) / int_name
featureApplicability
1.0
 Babylon (2014) / int_name
featureConfidence
1.0
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Babylon (2014) / int_name
 Babylon (2014) / int_name
itemName
Babylon (2014)

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
Sleeping Their Way to the Top / int_f741698f
 Babylon (2014)
hasFeature
What Do You Mean, It's Not Political? / int_f741698f