Episode cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Hugh Laurie | ... | Richard Roper | |
Tom Hiddleston | ... | Jonathan Pine | |
Elizabeth Debicki | ... | Jed Marshall | |
Noah Jupe | ... | Daniel Roper | |
Olivia Colman | ... | Angela Burr | |
Antonio de la Torre | ... | Juan Apostol | |
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Salvador Oliva | ... | Madrid Waiter |
Douglas Hodge | ... | Rex Mayhew | |
Adeel Akhtar | ... | Rob Singhal | |
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Buffy Davis | ... | Pearl |
Tom Hollander | ... | Lance Corkoran | |
Hovik Keuchkerian | ... | Tabby | |
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Bartholomew Cariss | ... | Tailor (as Bart Cariss) |
Alistair Petrie | ... | Sandy Langbourne | |
Michael Nardone | ... | Frisky |
Roper makes Jonathan his front man for a bogus tractor company and accompanies him to Istanbul for an arms deal though not before Jed has shared a confidence - and secret sex - with Jonathan, increasing Corkoran's jealousy and mistrust. Angela obtains a list of Roper's contacts from Juan Apostol, which she gives jaded MI6 officer Harry Palfrey, in exchange for news of his superior Dromgoole's corruption. However Dromgoole also sees them, endangering Angela's operation. Apostol is murdered and Angela orders Jonathan to give up his mission and return home but he refuses, believing that he is near to exposing Roper. Written by don @ minifie-1
"The Night Manager" is two thirds gone, and things seem to be coming together. Roper has made Pine his man of straw on an arms deal, and Pine is more than happy to play the part. Angela keeps having problems and Jed has more than a passing interest in our protagonist.
Anything that happens in this episode is storytelling 101. There are not many surprises and it has been seen hundreds of times before, from Pine savvy personality, easy charm and resourcefulness, to Lance fall from grace. It happens too fast, actually, so fast that it is just a little bit of a stretch. That is what works the most against the episode, that Pine's rise seems a little bit rushed. Also there is the problem that Laurie's Roper is not much of a character actually, just your typical shady boss.
Nonetheless, the series keeps being entertaining enough, even if not original, and the acting is good. It is probably what saves it. It never falls into boring, but it should offer a little bit more to make it notable.