The War Game expands on Sky News’ podcast from last year, placing Michael Gove as the Prime Minster – HA! He wishes!
He chairs an emergency COBRA meeting (okay, they call it COBR, which it technically is, but then the TV drama was COBRA) with other govt-related bods, Jim Murphy as Foreign Secretary, Harriet Harman as Home Secretary, Ayesha Hazarika – former communications advisor or Labour and frequently on Sky News’ The Wrap – as Director of Communications, Sayeeda Warsi as Attorney General, Kim Darroch as National Security Advisor, Christopher Steele as Intelligence Chief, General Richard Barrons as Chief of the Defence Staff, Penny Mordaunt as Defence Secretary and…
Drumroll… Nicola Sturgeon as Deputy Prime Minister! Not a chance! The only position she’s getting is going to be in jail.
Plotwise, two RAF pilots have been killed, and the speculation is whether this is random or part of co-ordinated attack with other emergency services? And how safe are the power cables in the sea. Hope someone waterproofed them!
Another issue for those in charge is that people on social media have footage of what’s going on before they do, so the politicians are behind the curve.
As for how effective the programme is, it’s a bit difficult to get into when it’s obviously not for real. Plus, when we see images of the UK being attacked by Russia, the politicians just sit and shake their heads, as if they’ve been given a parking ticket when they knew they shouldn’t have stuck their car there. Apparently, one of the targets is a “critical data centre in Stockport” – Stockport? Is that Boots?
I could also do without the shaky camerawork. I don’t understand how it’s meant to benefit anything. It just makes it look like the cameraman has had a few jars before starting filming, or I’m on that ship in the Odyssey.
Thanks to our friends at Sky for the screener prior to release.
The War Game begins tomorrow on Sky One.
It’s not yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD, but when it is, it will be listed on the New DVD, Blu-ray, 3D and 4K releases UK page.
Cert: 
Running time: 45 minutes per episode (4 episodes)
Release date: September 21st 2026
Studio: Sky One
Format: 1.78:1
Cast (as themselves):
Michael Gove
Jim Murphy
Harriet Harman
Ayesha Hazarika
Sayeeda Warsi
Kim Darroch
Christopher Steele
Richard Barrons
Penny Mordaunt
Nicola Sturgeon
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.