Over recent years there has been an increase in the number of high quality TV shows with a short run of episodes. Some of the great benefits of a miniseries are that the story rarely drags, it’s easy to remember what happened previously and, like a movie, there will be a conclusion, and it will be excitingly soon.
The Night Manager is one of the latest in this popular trend, written by master of suspense John Le Carre and starring Hugh Laurie (most famous for his role in House) and Tom Hiddleston (from the film Thor). The writing is excellent with a fantastic blend of exotic destinations, gripping edge-of-your-seat danger, and beautiful and intelligent women.
Jonathan Pine (Hiddleston) works as the night manager at a prestigious Cairo hotel. There he meets Sophie Alikan, the beautiful mistress of an Egyptian crime boss. Sophie deliberately gives Pine confidential information that will provide him with a moral dilemma and eventually throw him into a world of international arms smuggling, espionage; the seedy world of Richard Onslow Roper (Laurie).
Hiddleston is ridiculously suave in the role of conflicted and cool Jonathan Pine, while Hugh Laurie plays a cold and narcissistic bad guy with chilling ease. The pair create brilliant tension as the audience are kept on the edge of their seats trying to work out who knows what. Hiddleston is so cool and good looking, he could give James Bond a run for his money.
Also starring Olivia Colman as Pine’s handler, Elizabeth Debiki as ropers girlfriend and Tom Hollander as Roper’s right hand man Corkie, The Night Manager is excellent and suspenseful TV with acting, production values and special affects that will match any high budget feature film.
Reviewed by Ceri Horner
Twitter: @CeriHorner
Rating out of 10: 9
The Night Manager will be released on Blu-ray and DVD from 5 May 2016.
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