Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a seven-part BBC2 spy drama written by Arthur Hopcraft, adapted from John le Carré's eponymous 1974 novel. The serial, which stars Alec Guinness, Alexander Knox, Ian Richardson, Michael Jayston, Bernard Hepton, Anthony Bate, Ian Bannen, George Sewell and Michael Aldridge, was broadcast from 10 September to 22 October 1979. George Smiley, the ageing master spy of the Cold War and once heir-apparent to Control, is brought back out of retirement to flush out a top level mole within the Circus. Smiley must travel back through his life and murky workings of the Circus to unravel the net spun by his nemesis Karla 'The Sandman' of the KGB and reveal the identity of the mole before he disappears.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979) is a British seven-part BBC Two spy miniseries written by Arthur Hopcraft and adapted from John le Carré's 1974 novel, with John Irvin credited as creator. Alec Guinness stars as George Smiley, an ageing master spy drawn out of retirement to flush out a high-placed mole inside the Circus, Britain's intelligence service. Alexander Knox, Michael Jayston as Peter Guillam, Anthony Bate as Sir Oliver Lacon, Ian Richardson and Bernard Hepton round out a principal cast of officers circling one another in corridors and back rooms. Smiley's engine is a quiet, methodical hunt: he must travel back through his own history and the agency's murky files to unravel the web spun by his nemesis Karla of the KGB before the traitor vanishes. Each episode is built from conversation, surveillance, memory and carefully withheld information rather than explosive action. Set in 1970s London and Cold War Europe, the production unfolds in dim offices, wet streets and sparse interiors, creating a tense, melancholic atmosphere of distrust and aging loyalty. Its restrained, slow-burning tone and layered plotting reward patient viewers. Fans of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Smiley's People and The Americans will find resonance in its paranoid espionage and moral weariness.

Critics and viewers broadly regard the adaptation as a sophisticated, acclaimed espionage serial whose restrained performances and dense, slow-burning plotting reward close attention.

• The Spy Who Came in from the Coldshared cold war espionage, mole hunt, slow burn procedural tension
• Smiley's Peopleshared british intelligence milieu, paranoid institutional betrayal, measured pacing
• The Americansshared cold war spy thriller tone, double agent intrigue, ensemble of intelligence officers
• Spooksshared dense plotting, moral ambiguity inside state security services

Created by

John Irvin, John le Carré

Release Date

1979-09-10

Episode runtime

50 min

Rating

8.4 / 10 (131)

What is Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy about?

A retired British spymaster is pulled back in to unmask a mole at the top of the Circus during the Cold War.

What is Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy as slow, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as labyrinthine.

Is Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy as mild.

What did critics think of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy?

Critics and viewers broadly regard the adaptation as a sophisticated, acclaimed espionage serial whose restrained performances and dense, slow-burning plotting reward close attention.

Which shows are like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy?

Shows with a similar feel include The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Smiley's People, The Americans, and Spooks.

How long is Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy?

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: 1 season, 7 episodes.

Is Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy still running?

No, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy has ended.