# The Night Manager (2016)

> A former soldier goes undercover inside an arms dealer's circle, becoming a criminal to expose the alliance between British intelligence and the global arms trade.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/55098

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 12
- Episode runtime: 60 min
- Status: Returning Series
- Genres: thriller, drama, crime
- Created by: David Farr
- Network: BBC One
- Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie, Diego Calva, Camila Morrone, Douglas Hodge, Elizabeth Debicki, Paul Chahidi, David Harewood
- TMDB rating: 8.0/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1399664/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: tense, polished menace, cynical, propulsive

## What critics say

Reviewers broadly praise the espionage thriller as a sophisticated, well-produced adaptation of John le Carré, led by a restrained performance from Tom Hiddleston, though its political message draws skepticism.

## Synopsis

The Night Manager (2016-present) is a British BBC One spy thriller series created by David Farr and adapted from the novel by John le Carré. Tom Hiddleston plays Jonathan Pine, a former British soldier who works as a hotel night manager and is drawn into an undercover operation against the lethal arms dealer Richard Roper, played by Hugh Laurie. Pine must become a criminal himself to win Roper's trust, moving through luxury hotels, private villas and shadowy meetings where intelligence officers and black market brokers trade favours. Supporting performances from Elizabeth Debicki, Diego Calva and David Harewood add layers of loyalty and betrayal to each operation. The engine of the series is the constant risk of exposure, as every lie Pine tells must hold against a man who misses nothing. Set in the present day across Britain, Europe and the Middle East, it unfolds as a serialized story told over two seasons of six episodes each. It is a neo-noir spy thriller with a polished, unsettling register, cold menace, and an undercurrent of institutional cynicism. Fans of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Americans and The Little Drummer Girl will find resonance in its patient tension and moral ambiguity.

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