‘The Night Manager’ spoiler-free review: Hugh Laurie is captivating

Without giving anything away, we can tell you now that The Night Manager promises an exciting six weeks of espionage, thrilling sequences worthy of a Bond film and a cast packed full of the cream of British acting talent.

Casting Tom Hiddleston in the role of Jonathan Pine, the ‘night manager’ of the title, is a stroke of genius and he adorns the role with his usual level of charisma and ability to make us care deeply for a character we’ve only just met. There are numerous layers to Hiddleston’s performance and after one episode it seems as if we’re only just beginning to scratch the surface of who Jonathan Pine is.

Hugh Laurie is on excellent form as Richard Roper, whose appearance in this first episode is minimal but his captivating presence is felt like an overhanging shadow throughout.

When Pine and Roper finally meet you can cut the tension in the air, which director Susanne Bier has emphasised to her considerable credit. Although Roper is something of a narcissist, it’s hard not to be transfixed by Laurie’s memorable portrayal.

It doesn’t matter whether you’ve read the original 1993 novel by John le Carré as Hanna writer David Farr’s script takes the time to introduce us to le Carré’s world and its characters, as the pace of the drama gradually builds up.

This first hour is effectively Hiddleston’s and he carries the bulk of the screen-time whilst other major players including Olivia Colman and Tom Hollander have small but pivotal roles. It’s also quite fun to see Russell Tovey show up in all too brief appearance that bolsters the already fabulous cast.

Danish director Susanne Bier brings a characteristically Nordic feel to the proceedings appropriate for the winter Sunday evenings it’s being broadcast on, and there’s very little brightness in this opening instalment.

That’s not to say The Night Manager is unrelentingly grim – far from it – but it has an air of seriousness helped by its subtle and moody score. If you’re a fan of espionage thrillers and of Danish dramas then you’ll find much to enjoy in this series and it’s easy to be swept away in the moment.

The Night Manager is gripping, fantastic drama of the kind the BBC does exceptionally well and which, following the epic recent War and Peace adaptation, looks set to ensure their continued dominance of Sunday night viewing.