Zen: Rat King (BBC-1 2011, Ben Miles, Sarah Jane Potts)

In, Rat King, the third and final episode of the masterful Zen, Aurelio faces a race against time to track kidnapped and very wealthy industrialist Ruggerio Miletti. Matters are hampered somewhat by his agitated family. Meanwhile on the personal front Tania’s husband is determined to break up her relationship with Zen, something that will have tragic consequences.

Zen is such a fabulous show, destined to be one of the best shows of the year already. There is so much to enjoy in Rat King that the actual kidnapping plot is almost secondary. Zen’s relationship with the sexy Tania has moved on a pace and they are now having a full blown affair and there is talk of divorce in the air. (Zen’s is already seperated from his wife and Tania wants to divorce her husband.)

There is a small but telling role for Zoe Tapper here as the wife of a murdered lawyer who was helping the Miletti family and it is always good to see Sarah Jane Potts on screen even if she doesn’t have a huge amount to do here.

There is a fab level of dry humour on display too that also adds enormously to the proceedings, add in some decidedly groovy retro-esque music and completely fab sixties spy movie style opening titles and you have a slice of pure coolness.

production details
UK / BBC1 / 1×90 minute episode / Broadcast Sunday 16 January 2011 @ 9.00pm

Writers: Peter Berry, Simon Burke / Producer: Michael Casey / Director: Don Jones

Season One Episode Three

cast
RUFUS SEWELL as Aurelio Zen
CATERINA MURINO as Tania Murino
BEN MILES as Amedeo Colonna
STANLEY TOWNSEND as Moscati
CATHERINE SPEAK as Mamma
FRANCESCO QUINN as Gilberto Nieddu
SARAH JANE POTTS as Cinzia Miletti
ED STOPPARD as Vincenzo Fabri
ANTHONY HIGGINS as Guerchini
SARGON YELDA as Romizi
MICHAEL McELHATTON as Ernesto Heuber
CALLUM BLUE as Carlo Fagioli
SEBASTIAN ARMESTO as Silvio Miletti
ZOE TAPPER as Donatella Pirotta
ROCKY MARSHALL as Alessandro Antonioni
COSIMA SHAW as Nadia Pirlo
KATY MURPHY as Sister Anna
GARRY COOPER as Angelo
SELENEE ROSIELLO as Giula
NATHALIE RAPTI GOMEZ as Maria
PAOLO MAZZARELLI as Luca La Guardia
FRANCO MARIA SALMON as Francesco Pirotta