Capital City

I watched this series regularly for about 3 months while I was in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was on the Star(?)TV Satellite network. That was in 1994. As I remember it, it was a great series and was obviously very captivating. This series is very well written and very entertaining. In some ways, the series reminds me of LaFemme Nakita, or the short lived series "The Consulate" or something like that about a US consulate in London. Someone should work toward finding the originals of this series and make copies available on videotape or even better yet, DVD's. If you have any news about this series returning to TV or becoming available via C-band satellite, please e-mail me Thanks.

I also saw this by chance on the CBC and loved it, but their run was too short and I'm sure I missed the last few episodes. Canada's "Traders" drama TV series reminded me of it and thankfully lasted for several years... maybe even better as it really had time to grow into its own. Capital City showed "The City" of London (the financial district) in the heady days after "big bang" (deregulation) and had some great plot lines, characters and typically English take on life there. The mix of Americans, Europeans, etc... only added to a great and colourful cast. Bring on the DVD!

There was a similar movie called "Dealers" with Rebecca DeMornay and Paul McGann that also showed life in "the City", complete with egomaniacs, slippery traders and the lifestyles of the traders, and so-called 'Masters of the Universe'. If you like the financial/Wall Street type of genre you will enjoy it as well.

I agree that Capital City should be on DVD. I watched this show only by accident in 1994 and fell in love with Rolf Saxon as Hudson Talbot. It was nice to see Americans who work abroad in London in the financial industry for a change. I loved Rolf in this role and loved every other role that he has been in. I can't believe the show only lasted 13 episodes. I liked William Armstrong as Hudson's flamboyant charming friend in the series. When they aired this show in the New York City area, it was always late at night or at off times. The show is less than an hour long. I felt this show should have gone on longer but the casting changes in the second season really made the show a little less interesting. I didn't care for Sylvia but missed the actress, Julia Phillips-Lane in the previous season. I felt this show took chances and often it worked. It showed Americans who loved and chose to live in London. The American characters were not arrogant or tried to outdo their British counterparts. I also liked the fact that they had tried to internationalize the cast rather than make them all British. I liked watching Julia Ormond in an early role. I felt this show should have lasted longer. I felt at times that the previews lasted as long as the show in less than an hour. They could have transferred the cast to New York City and it would have been a hit in America.

As an ex pat Brit now living in Canada I was and indeed am a huge fan of Capital City. So much so in fact that I have both series one and series two of the show on VHS, taped back when it was first shown in the late 80's. To my Aussie friend who's comments are above I can only say..*you're in luck* because in fact there are 26 episodes of the show. Having said that of course how you are going to get to see the others I don't know. I can't understand why the producers don't release the entire series on DVD... there's a load of absolute old rubbish out there so why a great show like this hasn't been exploited I can't understand. Following the lives and exploits of a group of city bond traders, everything about the show was fantastic from the writing to the performances, and especially the production values. It was also the first TV appearance of many many now famous faces. Julia Ormond (First Knight and Sabrina), Clive Owen (Closer), Louise Lombard (Hidalgo and lately CSI)... and of course the utterly gorgeous Jason Issacs who is perhaps best known to American audiences as the hideously slimy Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter series. Unfortunately in-spite of all this talent the show's popularity suffered as a result of a sudden downturn in the British economy. Since it's plot lines and characters were inextricably identified with the excesses of the *loads-a-money* 1980's, the advent of a new decade, (and public attitude to money) saw its demise. Which is a terrible shame. I highly recommend the show, and also its close compatriot Chancer, which shared a lot of the same themes and the same high production values. And which of course gave a first starring role the above mentioned and equally gorgeous Clive Owen. If ever the James Bond people had an easy decision to make... SURELY this is the one. How can they not have already handed the man the role he was born to play.!! Watch the two seasons of Chancer, (which I believe in the UK at least ARE available on DVD), and you'll see what I mean.

I remember this series so well. It was excellent - such strong and compelling characters, stylish and sexy ... and so different to everything else on offer at the time - and now ... I am sure that it inspired the also excellent Canadian drama "Traders".

Both season 1 and season 2 are available on DVD region 2 in the UK. Its a treat to watch the series again.

Season 1 is 13 episodes and season 2 seems to be 10 episodes.

Unfortunately, it seems to have ended after 2 seasons.

This series was a lot of fun.

Sometimes you can get it on special at Amazon.co.uk