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Mar 24 | 5 min readCOBRA season 2: Cast, plot trailer and everything you need to know
Find out all you need to know about COBRA: CYBERWAR, the all-action Sky Max thriller starring Robert Carlyle and Victoria Hamilton.
Fans of fast-paced political thrillers: we’ve got the series for you. After an explosive first season, COBRA is back on Sky Max and the UK's leading politicians are faced with another catastrophe.
With a huge plane crash and solar storm out of the way, Robert Sutherland and his team now have another crisis to face – cyber warfare and a massive coastal explosion.
With tensions in both Cabinet Office Briefing Room A and in their personal lives, find out how the UK’s top politicians and advisers tackle their biggest challenge yet.
Here’s everything you need to know about COBRA season 2, aka COBRA: CYBERWAR.
What’s COBRA: CYBERWAR about?
In the aftermath of both solar and political storms, Prime Minister Robert Sutherland tries to steer the country on a more even course – assisted by his Chief of Staff Anna Marshall and a team of advisers.
However, an assassination leads to a chain of events that could develop into a crisis more severe than the one from which the country has recently emerged – with an invisible global enemy appearing to be bent on our destruction.
The series, created and written by Ben Richards, looks at what happens when cyber attacks and fake news are used to subvert democracy.
How to watch COBRA season 2
Watch COBRA: CYBERWAR on Sky Max and NOW.
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Who’s in the COBRA cast?
Robert Sutherland, Prime Minister – Played by Robert Carlyle
Robert spoke about the character in season 2 at a press Q&A.
“Obviously there’s been an election and his majority has been sizably reduced. He needs to form some kind of ally with David Haig’s wonderful Archie Glover-Morgan, which he does which is obviously a problem for Anna Marshall because those two really don’t get on,” he explained.
“His personal life is what maybe is the most interesting thing for me was where he was with his wife and his daughter because obviously there was an issue with lying to parliament with his wife and daughter potentially going to go for prison for that, but they’ve not - his daughter is now in Chile and his wife is trying to come to terms with this whole life. He wants to be there [in power] but I think his wife is struggling.”
He also told BT.com: "He has this very strong moral compass. He's got a sense of what's right and what's wrong. He absolutely respects the rule of law and this is what he’s about.
"But one of the things I respect about Sutherland is he's equally pragmatic and able. He will make snap decisions. He gets riled. He gets angry and he snaps and he can make rash decisions as a result of that. But that makes them all the more human."
Where have you seen Robert Carlyle before?
Trainspotting, The Full Monty, Hamish Macbeth
Robert Carlyle: COBRA season 2 'toughest shoot I've ever been involved in'
Anna Marshall, Chief of Staff – Played by Victoria Hamilton
Victoria said of Anna this season: “She’s right back in the thick of it, where she wants to be.
“The personal side of it is one of the most interesting things for me. Ben [Richards, the writer] also had the courage to write a woman who was not only dealing with a divorce and also a great loss in the first couple of episodes, but dealing with the menopause through all of this as well which I think he’s written absolutely brilliantly. I think anyone who’s living with a menopausal woman will recognise some of the outbursts as maybe not purely professional.
“But she’s right back where she wants to be and it’s very similar to the first series. I love playing her because of the running of the professional and personal side by side is an incredibly difficult thing to write and keep this thriller motoring forward.”
Where have you seen Victoria Hamilton before?
The Crown, Life, Doctor Foster
Robert Carlyle and Victoria Hamilton talk about COBRA season 1
Fraser Walker, Head of Civil Contingencies – Played by Richard Dormer
Where have you seen Richard Dormer before?
Fortitude, Game of Thrones, The Watch
Archie Glover-Morgan, Foreign Secretary – Played by David Haig
David said of Archie in season two: “He’s resigned as Home Secretary but immediately what is interesting about the character is the country is faced with another crisis and when there’s a crisis, he wants to be at the centre of things. Yes, he hungers for power, but at the same time if there’s a national crisis he wants to be part of crucial decision making.
“So when the cyber warfare and the explosion off the coast occur, he comes to Bobby [Carlyle]’s character open handed in one sense and says ‘please put me back in the centre of things – you will miss my influence’.
“That’s an arrogant stance which he’s very capable of being but at the same time I think he knows his use. He knows he has experience and is useful at the centre of power.”
Where have you seen David Haig before?
Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Thin Blue Line, Killing Eve
Joseph Obasi, Home Secretary – Played by Richard Pepple
Richard told BT.com that he enjoyed the challenge of playing his character.
“I saw him very much as this new face of conservatism, and there's a lot of young politicians you can look at across the political spectrum that do represent that face of change for whatever party they may be affiliated to.
"I think that that's what I was looking for – that youthful exuberance filled with hope and confidence. And there were a few politicians, especially ones that are coming through today.”
Where have you seen Richard Pepple before?
Bridgerton, Gangs of London, Code 404
Francine Bridge, Director of Policy – Played by Marsha Thomason
Where have you seen Marsha Thomason before?
Lost, Safe House, The Haunted Mansion. She is also the new lead actor in ITV drama The Bay.
Eleanor James – Played by Lisa Palfrey
Where have you seen Lisa before?
Sex Education, Pride, Line of Duty
Chris Edwards, Leader of the Labour Party - Played by Andrew Buchan
Where have you seen Andrew Buchan before?
Broadchurch, Garrow’s Law, The Fixer
Audrey Hemmings – Played by Alexa Davies
Where have you seen Alexa Davies before?
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Dead Pixels, Cradle To Grave
Mark Everly – Played by Dipo Ola
Where have you seen Dipo Ola before?
We Hunt Together, Inside No. 9, Baghdad Central
Is there a trailer?
Yes – you can watch the full trailer or COBRA: CYBERWAR right here...
Will there be a COBRA season 3?
There is no season 3 confirmed as yet, but star Robert Carlyle told BT.com he was hopeful of a third outing for PM Robert Sutherland and his team.
Robert said: “I hope so. This whole world… the writing, the cast - people like Victoria [Hamilton], David [Haig], Richard [Pepple], it's just been a fantastic job.
“It's one of the best parts I've ever had - so I would definitely be interested in doing another season.
“There's no doubt there's scope for more of it, whatever that's going to be. Is it going to be an alien invasion next time? Who knows what could top this – it’s obviously very tough, but if anybody can do it, Ben [Richards, the writer] can.
“I think the thing that this show has going for it is that there is really nothing else like it. There's loads of other shows out there where you can say, ‘well, that's a bit like this, it’s a bit like that’. You can't really say COBRA is a bit like anything. I think that's its strength. I think that's a terrific show, and I'd be happy to do more.”
All six episodes of COBRA: CYBERWAR are streaming on Sky Max and NOW.
