Almost four years removed from his brilliant portrayal of the pain medication-dependent, unconventional, misanthropic medical genius, Dr. Gregory House, the greatness of Hugh Laurie is returning to the small screen. The Night Manager, the BBC’s television adaptation of John le Carré’s novel stars Laurie alongside Tom Hiddleston, Olivia Colman, Elizabeth Debicki, Katherine Kelly, Tom Hollander and Russell Tovey.

Published in 1993, The Night Manager is the author’s most recent work to be adapted for television following decades earlier efforts including Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Smiley’s People, A Perfect Spy and A Murder of Quality. The Night Manager tells the story of Jonathan Pine (Hiddleston), a British soldier turned luxurious hotel night auditor. Pine crosses paths with a French-Arab woman named Sophie with ties to Richard Onslow Roper, an English black marketer who ‘specializes’ in weapons.

The woman provides Pine with incriminating documents, which he forwards to a friend in British intelligence. After Sophie winds up dead, Pine is recruited works with intelligence operatives (Colman) and goes undercover as part of a sting operation against Roper to avenge Sophie’s death. Although, their new found relationship goes well in the beginning, Roper later smells a rat and calmly warns Pine, “You step out of line and we’ll make you howl for your mother.” Somehow, I totally believe him.

The Night Manager will air on BBC1 in February. 

In: Drama

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