Hugh Laurie (House) and Tom Hiddleston (Thor) lead the cast of BBC One’s contemporary interpretation of John le Carré’s 1993 espionage novel.
Adapted by acclaimed writer David Farr (Hanna), the first television adaptation of a le Carré novel in more than 20 years brings together love, loss and revenge in a complex story of modern criminality.
> Buy the complete series on DVD on Amazon.
The Night Manager follows former British soldier Jonathan Pine (Tom Hiddleston) who is recruited by intelligence operative Angela Burr (Olivia Colman) to infiltrate the inner circle of international businessman Richard Onslow Roper (Hugh Laurie) and detonate the unholy alliance he has ministered between the intelligence community and the secret arms trade.
To get to the heart of Roper’s vast empire, Pine must withstand the suspicious interrogations of his venal chief of staff Major Corkoran (Tom Hollander) and the allure of his beautiful girlfriend Jed (Elizabeth Debicki). In his quest to do the right thing, he must first become a criminal himself.
Episode 1
Sunday 21 February 2016, 9pm
> Read our spoiler-free preview.
We first meet Jonathan Pine amid the chaos of the Arab Spring in 2011, as he works his way through the rioting crowds to arrive at Cairo’s luxurious Nefertiti Hotel where he works as the night manager.
While trying to help frantic tourists, Pine is approached by Sophie Alekan, the mistress of the hotel’s owner Freddie Hamid, who shares files with Pine evidencing an arms deal taking place between Hamid and a man named Richard Roper.
Fearing the potentially catastrophic repercussions of the deal, Pine leaks the files to the British Government. The documents land on the desk of Angela Burr, a member of the British Secret Intelligence Service in London who has a long-standing vendetta against the elusive Roper. However, when Roper is tipped off about the government’s intelligence, Sophie is put in extreme danger.
We next meet Pine five years on, working at the Meisters Hotel in Zermatt, Switzerland, which Roper and his entourage frequent. Haunted by what happened in Cairo, Pine contacts Angela Burr and a fragile and complex partnership is formed.
Episode 2
Sunday 28 February 2016, 9pm
The second episode opens at Roper’s grand villa in Mallorca, where he and his entourage are preparing for a lavish meal on the island. However, following their dinner, the group are confronted by two robbers who kidnap Roper’s young son, Daniel. With a mysterious man lurking in the shadows, all is not what it seems.
We then flashback to six months earlier, where Pine and Burr meet in Zermatt to discuss how they can bring Roper down. As their plan begins to unfold, Pine leaves a trail of staged criminal activities for Roper to find, including stealing from Meisters Hotel and causing a stir in Devon by posing as a drug dealer.
Will it be enough to gain Roper’s trust and infiltrate his close-knit group?
Episode 3
Sunday 6 March 2016, 9pm
The third episode opens at a glamorous party held by Roper’s business associate Juan Apostol, in honour of Juan’s daughter’s birthday. But the festivities take a tragic turn when the guest of honour is found dead.
Roper begins to dig deeper into Pine’s criminal past, confronting him with the information he has found and offering him a position within his operation. But it is clear that Corky remains deeply suspicious of Pine.
Pine is given permission to take Roper’s son Daniel into town, giving Pine an opportunity to share key intelligence about Roper’s operation with Burr, as well as warning her of Corky’s distrust.
Burr uses Apostol’s guilt to her advantage and persuades him to tell Roper and Langbourne that Corky has been leaking vital information.
Episode 4
Sunday 13 March 2016, 9pm
Now working for Roper and living under the guise of Andrew Birch, Pine is fully immersed in Roper’s world and is preparing for his first business deal.
However, as Pine and Jed’s relationship develops and tension grows, Corky’s fierce jealousy gets the better of him and he threatens to expose Pine if he steps out of line.
Meanwhile, in Madrid, Burr puts pressure on Apostol to help her translate the information she has been given on Roper’s offshore operation. Having joined the dots together, Burr shares the documents with government legal advisor Harry Palfrey, who confirms her suspicions that the Roper has been buying arms and making deals with those inside the British government.
With a tip-off that the arms deal will be taking place in Istanbul and that Pine will be present, Burr sends reinforcements in. However, when they arrive it is clear that Pine is in deep and his cover is at risk.
Episode 5
Sunday 20 March 2016, 9pm
Knowing that Burr has acquired crucial documents about the upcoming arms deal heightens Roper’s suspicions that he has a traitor within his team.
In the meantime, Pine, still working under the guise of Andrew Birch, accompanies Roper on a trip to The Haven, where he is required to showcase the weapons to high-profile client Barghati. Being placed in the heart of Roper’s world Pine is stricken by the severity of the situation, making him more determined to take Roper down.
Not usually one to mix business with pleasure, Roper invites Jed to visit The Haven, with Corky in tow. But with Corky threatening to expose Pine, tensions between them reach breaking point – and Pine’s entire operation hangs in the balance.
Back in London, Burr fears for her family’s safety as she falls under the watchful eye of Dromgoole, who tries to dissuade her from progressing further with the investigation. However, when Pine provides her with the registration details of the vehicles transporting the weapons, it seems that Roper’s downfall is within her grasp.
Episode 6
Sunday 27 March 2016, 9pm
The finale sees Pine return to where it all began: the Nefertiti Hotel in Cairo. Accompanying Roper to lead the final business transfer with Barghati, Pine fears his cover may be blown when he comes face to face with hotel owner, Freddie Hamid.
Back in London, Burr is faced with the fallout from her foiled operation to intercept Roper’s vehicles, that were transporting weapons. As she is given her marching orders by superiors in government, the team fears that Pine has been turned by Roper.
In Cairo, Pine asks Jed to provide him with the combination to Roper’s safe, where the arms documents are being stored. Risking everything to get him the vital information, Jed agrees. However, with Caroline under strict instructions from Roper to keep a close eye on Jed, her task isn’t straight forward.
As Roper entertains his guests and business associates at a lavish casino, Pine is concerned that Hamid may be suspicious of him, so decides to drug him and take him home. But with Roper’s watchful eye on him, Pine is feeling the pressure.
Will he able to finish the operation to bring Roper down before he is exposed?
> Buy the complete series on DVD on Amazon.
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