The Night Manager: Some of the best TV you’ll ever see
Amazing cast, scintillating dialogue, great exotic locations, just the right number of plot twists, explosions and gunfire, “unforced” plot development and most importantly, the breathtakingly gorgeous Elizabeth Debicki.
The plot (Wikipedia)
Luxury hotel night manager and former British soldier Jonathan Pine (Tom Hiddleston) is recruited by Angela Burr (Olivia Colman), an intelligence operative. He must infiltrate the inner circle of arms dealer Richard Onslow Roper (Hugh Laurie), Roper’s girlfriend Jed (Elizabeth Debicki), and associate Corkoran (Tom Hollander).
The Villain
Hugh Laurie (who was great in House M.D — just saying) is tasked with bringing the character Richard Roper to life; a job that he does exceedingly well.
Throughout the series, he travels with his entourage to the most exotic locations, dining at the finest hotels like royalty, but make no mistake, at the core of his being, he’s as dirty as they come; no different than filthiest crop of criminal.
He brings the classy British touch to Richard Roper’s villainousness; portraying pure evil in the most polite manner you’ll ever see. You can tell he’s been in the trade a long time .
He’s not all evil though, as Roper and Pine get better acquainted, you get a glimpse of a tiny part of Roper that just wants to have a friend that they can enjoy their flamboyant lifestyle with — this part of him that’s eager to have a bro will eventually be his undoing!
As the miniseries progresses, you’re taken on this journey as Roper transitions from an untouchable, larger-than-life billionaire philanthropist (read arms dealer) with ties to the highest echelons of British intelligence, to a scared out-of-luck criminal at the end of the line.
The Damsel
Elizabeth Debicki who portrays the character Jed is a testament to just how great the casting for this show was.
From the first time you see Jed on Roper’s arm, you just know that she’s going to cause a whole lot of trouble, for a whole lot of people.
Throughout the series, Jed singlehandedly serves as the anchor for all the sensual aspects of the show. Unsurprisingly, every time she shows up on the screen, it’s well worth the wait.
I could talk about Jed all day, but I’d rather you get the Jed experience, all on your own.
The Hero
Tom Hiddlestone (whom you probably know as Loki from the Avengers and/or Thor franchises) thoroughly impressed me as the leading man, mostly because I hadn’t seen a lot of his work and quite frankly, wasn’t sure what to expect.
What makes his character Jonathan Pine rather intriguing, is the sense you get throughout the show that maybe, just maybe he’s enjoying the arms trade a tad too much. There are moments littered all over the series where the criminal underworld appears to have a firm grip on his soul, but he wiggles himself free every time.
Bond, Jonathan Bond
Hiddlestone’s performance as Jonathan Pine is sure to remind you of the most famous spy of all time. With the sharp suits, exotic locations, lovely cars and gorgeous women, it sure seems as though he’s like James Bond (without the gadgets), except, he’s not! He’s Jonathan Pine! The Night Manager is so authentic (not surprising as it’s an adaptation of John Le Carre’s novel) that the character Jonathan Pine can hold his own, even if he’s up against JB.
Why The Night Manager’s great
With only six episodes, it’s amazing that The Night Manager delivers this story without forcing any chips to fall into place. It benefits a lot from being a miniseries because from the beginning, the writers always knew the story that they wanted to tell and in how many episodes.
The writers managed to stay on message to deliver a coherent story without the unnecessarily high number of subplots that plague shows like Scandal, Quantico and HTGAWM. It’s a simple enough storyline that’s strengthened by the quality of acting and the beautifully crafted dialogues — look out for the ones with Hugh Laurie in them.
The Night Manager is a stellar example of what TV should be.
Not sold yet?
- 2017 Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television — Winner, Tom Hiddlestone, The Night Manager
- 2017 Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries, or Motion Picture Made for Television —Winner, Hugh Laurie, The Night Manager
- 2017 Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or Motion Picture Made for Television — Winner, Olivia Colman, The Night Manager
- 2017 Golden Globe Award for Best Miniseries or Television Film — Nominee, The Night Manager
