Writer:	Howard Brenton
Director:	Andy Wilson
Star:	Peter Firth (Harry Pearce),  Matthew MacFadyen (Tom Quinn),  Keeley Hawes (Zoe Reynolds),  Jenny Agutter (Tessa Phillips),  David Oyelowo (Danny Hunter)
Recurring Role:	Esther Hall (Ellie Simm),  Hugh Simon (Malcolm Wynn-Jones),  Rory MacGregor (Colin Wells),  Graeme Mearns (Jed Kelley),  Heather Cave (Maisie Simm),  Megan Dodds (Christine Dale)
Guest Star:	Lorcan Cranitch (Patrick McCann),  Shivani Ghai (New MI5 Recruit),  Joel Trill (Operator),  Linda Marlowe (Madge),  Dinah Stabb (Registry Queen),  John Owens (Old Geezer),  Alistair Parker (Policeman),  Barbara Keogh (Old Woman in the Cottage),  Roger Hammond (D.G.),  Henry Goodman (MI5 Director General)

The working title for this episode was Mean, Dirty, Nasty: it was broadcast as Lesser of Two Evils in the U.S. (edit) The name of the terrorist group, Asabiyah, is an Arabic word meaning a feeling of group loyalty, possibly to ones faith or family. (edit) 2 days after this episode was shown, John Whittingdale OBE and MP for Maldon and East Chelmsford (where some of this episode was filmed) mentioned [ spooks ] using it to draw attention to, "the safety and security of nuclear power", or lack thereof, as those are of course the main themes of this episode. (edit) All UK television programs are allowed only to use certain numbers for telephone numbers, these are assigned to them by British Telecom or a similar company. These numbers usually have lots of 0s in them. In this episode Tom's mobile number is, 07700900002; more than half the numbers are 0s. (edit) For the following season 2 episode (2.1 Legitimate targets)in the recap one of McCann's lines was re-edited, whereas before it was, "I'll tell you this Davy Crockett..." it was re-edited into, "I'll tell you this Davy Bloody Crockett..." (edit)

Harry: Tom, we both know that the word of the IRA, whatever faction, is as permanent as a fart in a wind machine (edit) Harry: It's never over, never. You may dance with the devil, Zoe, but it is always to his tune. (edit) Director General: And now it's finger up my prostate time, so I'd be grateful if you'd leave. (edit)

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McCann: I want a face-to-face meeting with a high-rankin' officer who knows enough about Asabiyah to know that what I have got isn't a bunch of paddywhack!
The terrorist group's name is an Arabic word meaning group feeling of loyalty, either to a religion, to a family or simply to a group of people. (edit)