The Night Manager [AMC/BBC] [** Spoilers **]

I've just started reading the book. I read somewhere that the TV series will be "contemporary" - which I take to mean that it won't be set during the First Iraq War, but will be set in ... whatever the heck we're going to call the current Middle East situation. Since the article, more names have been cast: in addition to Tom Hiddleston as Jonathan Pine (the titular Night Manager) and Hugh Laurie as billionaire Richard Roper (a.k.a. "the worst person in the world"), we also have Olivia Colman as Burr, Tom Hollander as Corcoran, and Elizabeth Debicki as Jed. David Harewood also pops up in an unspecified role.

Oh, and there's not just one trailer, but two:





I'm about 2/3 of the way through the book at the moment. Most of the characters in there are flipping mental, and there are going to be plenty of opportunities for the actors to chew on the scenery. The trailer shows quite a bit of Hugh Laurie, understandably, but Tom Hollander could be spectacular as Major Corkoran, a character that so far looks like a cross between Vinnie Jones and Elton John. :eek:

It's looking more like Feb, the April date must then be the USA getting it later. :cool:

First episode is Sunday 21st February. Digital Spy said 9PM but the page has since been removed. I finished the book last night, looking forward to it.

Well that was rather good.

Excellent and what a cast of great actors. Beautiful locations. Plenty of action. They've hit the nail on the head here.

Just watched episode 1 & it's quite good.

As mentioned Hugh Laurie is deliciously caddish.

Regarding the list of munitions being funneled to Egypt, that was hilarious.
The researcher who wrote it must
have just threw anything on the page.
The shopping list included everything up to & including a submarine launched nuclear missile!
Not exactly what you'd use to quash rebellion.

I doubt the makers meant for us to pause it & have a read

Well this is getting rather good. Great episode last night. The tension is racking up very nicely.

Hiddleston the next Mr. Bond perhaps.

bnt wrote: »

This one stayed pretty faithful to the book, but with one notable exception that I'm pretty sure I will remember forever. :eek:

Tom Hiddleson with his shirt off. I KNOW!

squonk wrote: »

Great episode this week. The show is top notch so far. I'm curious now about Corkoran being phased out. I presume his involvement with Roper isn't starting to phase out? I'm guessing he's been 'made' by somebody and he's no longer useful for being the business front of Roper's dodgy dealings.

I wish this was on Netflix! I just want to sit down and spend an entire weekend going thorugh this. If they keep the standard up it'll be a very fine show.

Corkoran's "phasing out" is no accident - Apostoll in particular has started a whispering campaign against him, at Burr's instigation. Pine's apparent "reliability" under fire also works in his favour. Corkoran seems to be aware that something's wrong, but he's not handling it well and making his position worse with his erratic behaviour. Roper is justifiably paranoid about his "signers" - while they serve to insulate him from legal and criminal action, they have to be kept under control, and Corkoran now seems to be jaded by being in that position for years.

edit: it's worth remembering that, unlike the typical spy story, the authorities already know who the players are and what they are doing. The challenge is not to identify them, but to gather solid evidence against Roper in particular, perhaps catch him making an arms deal. Burr knows all about Corkoran, and has targeted him specifically with the goal of replacing him in Roper's affections with Pine. They could arrest (or even kill) Corkoran, and Roper would be untouched, thanks to the "cutouts" in the paper trail.