The five-part BBC drama first aired on 17 February 2008 and starred Benedict Cumberbatch alongside Robert Carlyle and Max Beesley.

The story centers on 'TIA' (Total Information Awareness), a fictional centralised database that tracks and monitors individuals by combining government and corporate data such as credit card activity, phone use, internet use, purchases and rentals.

The series explores themes of surveillance and privacy in a post-7/7 (post-2005 London bombings) world, incorporating real and speculative control mechanisms like retinal scans, fingerprint identification and ubiquitous camera and mobile phone surveillance footage.

In the United States, the series aired on PBS's anthology show Masterpiece Contemporary from 5 October to 2 November 2008.

The show later became available on multiple platforms over time, including Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, STV Player in Scotland (as of 2020), and ITVX and Britbox in the UK from January 2023.

The series aired internationally on various public broadcasters, including ABC1 in Australia (July–August 2009), TVO in Ontario, Canada (April 2009), and DR1 in Denmark (from January 2012).