halopub

Here's a review from Matt Zoller Seitz, with a non-spoilerly plot mention for episode 2. He writes for New York Magazine and is the one who wrote some crazily amazing reviews of Hannibal. I really can't agree with him that the miniseries succeeds as both brain and eye candy. If only I had been able to enjoy the show through his eyes. In fact, I've been baffled by the reactions of many TV critics that I respect. Alan Sepinwall shared many of my issues with plot coherence and still gave it a B.

Kelda Feegle, I rewatched the Zermatt scenes from episode one. I'd forgotten that Apostol's daughter was in Switzerland. She looked like a happy and naturally awkward teen, without any particular worries. I'm not sure, though, if that scene is meant to imply that something specific in the ensuing 6-7 months triggered her. I posted this in the Media thread a while back but Hiddleston, Laurie and le Carre's producer son have ruled out a second season. I was browsing another discussion board and someone wondered if Jed was supposed to be a mermaid with all the ridiculous amount of swimming. Heh.

I agree that the accent Laurie chose lends the character some pomposity. In its review of the series finale, The Guardian characterized Roper's accent as mid-Atlantic. I presume they mean the transatlantic accent and not Mid-Atlantic American English.

No. Angela mentions in passing that she personally worked with Simon and so trusts the intel she received, which I think he sent directly over diplomatic pouch. Simon also warns Pine, correctly, that trying to get Sophia to London would only ensure her death. On the flipside, a lot of UK viewers have commented that they hear a lot of American in how the British arms dealer speaks. Oddly it didn't bother me either way here, as long as he used that low timbre of his to almost purr his lines. To my ear Roper doesn't sound like Laurie's natural voice, as heard in talk shows, etc., so I suspect the particular accent he chose is at least partly a creative choice. Roper doesn't need to use Received Pronunciation like say, Gary Oldman's character in Tinker Tailor. On that film Oldman had to get a dialect coach because his accent had been influenced by living Stateside for so long.

The Late Show is adding showrunner Chris Licht to the team. He's currently the VP of Programming at CBS News. I'm meh about his stint at MSNBC, but I've liked the tone and structure of CBS This Morning.

Hugh's going to be in a noir series for Hulu - a 20 eppy show called Chance that's supposed to give him a bit of creative input. I'm not sure about the showrunner, Alexandra Cunningham, who has worked on Aquarius and Desperate Housewives, but fingers crossed. In a Wall Street Journal interview last month, Hugh briefly alluded to creative arguments with the director of The Night Manager, plus his continual self doubt towards his performance as Roper. Given my own reactions to the episodes, I wish he had fought harder with Bier but it is what it is. Hugh's Roper needed more snarky writing and it was promising when he got to show some personality. I still remember Hugh doing a hell of a lot with his sarcastic few minutes in Sense & Sensibility. (And now I'm imagining Ang Lee's version of The Night Manager).

Hiddleston, Laurie and one of the executive producers dismiss the rumors of a second season.

I got the impression that she knew how Apostol made his money. Elena (?) seemed even more down when gifted the expensive jewelry. After her death, the lawyer confessed to a priest and then made multiple calls to the authorities before hanging up. During their meeting in the church, Burr explicitly told Apostol that she believed Elena would be alive if not for his business involvement with Roper. "Ol' boy" Sandy was a creep but I don't think the character was meant to be a child predator.

Eh. New BBC trailer is up. I'm already finding not-Captain-America grating but at least the soundtrack's solid. ETA: Also, James apparently has a new Beebs show where he assembles some of old stuff. It looks pleasantly drowsy and will run Mon-Wed next week.

I'm not familiar with her other work but had been wondering what this could have been under different direction. And a different writer, to boot. If not Tomas Alfredson and the Tinker Tailor film team, maybe a seasoned TV director like Michael Rymer, David Slade or Jennifer Getzinger? All do well with cerebral, more deliberate material when they can collaborate with strong writers and challenging showrunners. With the kind of acting pedigree it has, this miniseries feels ripe for a re-edit. I'm willing to bet that, just like the original Star Wars, there's a more compelling show in there. It might be a lot shorter, but I bet it's there.

Stephen Colbert teasing Hiddleston about showing his "English Countryside" in The Night Manager. It's interesting that RADA actually prepares actors for nude scenes.

I figured it was something like that. I wonder, though, if the director had been better off not including those two scenes of Angela actually discussing the visible "first & last" pregnancy with Jonathan and Joel. But she did, and the show presumably takes place in a hyperrealistic universe that works a lot like ours. If we're generous and say Angela's just two months along during those Zermatt and London scenes, then she'd already be at eight months before Jonathan ever gets beaten up. That leaves around six weeks for Pine's full recovery from broken ribs, all that fun in Mallorca, and then the trips to Turkey and Egypt.

Floppy-haired, always put-upon Magnus. I haven't watched those Wallander episodes in ages. And now I'm wondering what Branagh would have been like as Roper. It would have been radically different. Apathymonger, does this mean you've read the novel? Do you prefer one over the other? Could be. I didn't know if I had missed something during the first watch.

After six episodes, I needed that triumphant ending. If the rumors about a second season are true, I might just be persuaded to see what the powers that be do with an original story. So yep. The show was no Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. It may not have been possible, but I still wonder what that film's screenwriters and director would have done with this adaptation. Rather than follow the lead of the TTSS miniseries, they were able to whittle down the story's essentials to a single theater time and made it work. And while the opening sequence in Cairo was just stunning, it would have been interesting to see what would have happened had the show imitated the opening of TTSS. Fifteen minutes of Tom Hiddleston or Olivia Colman being silent as they get shuffled through a massive amount of setup could have been a great way to establish one of the characters and set the ambiance/tone of the show. Both of them, as well as Hugh Laurie, are as capable as Gary Oldman of showing everything on their face without overacting or saying a word. Instead I found the first season to very often be listless, rather than deliberate - punched with just enough good moments to string me along with hopes it'd get better. I have the patience to watch things unfold glacially (e.g. The Americans) when a show is primarily about character interaction and the intrigue/action is secondary. I expected much of the same here but I think the show could have done with some editing down. Maybe cut an hour or two of longing looks and repetitive speeches to make it sharper. What was good: Again, I really, really dug the choice to go with a triumphant ending. Whenever Pine ramped up the sales charm. I'm not sure if the show did a great job of explaining why Roper would initially think Pine had great potential for his business and it always helped to see Jonathan corralling problem associates or reassuring buyers. Whenever Pine allowed himself to be genuine....catching up with his chef friend and way he lit up when he saw Angela was really terrific. That chat between Pine & Roper about committing and Roper acknowledging he didn't know why he was telling his acolyte that. All that tension in anticipation of Hamid/anyone possibly recognizing Pine. "That's not a cover, you are a pregnant woman." Joel is so sweet on Angela. With the call back to the first episode and tourli recipes, the show demonstrates it is capable of remembering little details. The deceptively kind eyes of the arms buyer. The deliciously stunned look on Drumgoole's face. Hugh Laurie's choice to give Jonathan almost a proud wink during his apprehension and then later, his fun freakout in the truck. Logic issues / questions How long did it take for this whole story to unfold after Zermatt? Angela Burr seemed just as pregnant at the beginning as the end. We know there were six months between the train ride at Zermatt and Mallorca. Then there was the recovery time before Jonathan got to know all the players and spend the summer with Danny. With all the quippy lines, I'm surprised no one ever went for a Limpet pun. Not disappointed, just surprised. Jed's real name is Jemima? le Carré, I realize the name is not uncommon in the UK but the character's American and naming a character "Jemima" is at the very least distracting; a cultural hornet's nest at its worst. Where did Jonathan transfer the $300 million? Edited to correct spelling.

Like you, I kept watching too, hoping for the occasional crumb of greatness. The actors were all solid but yes...the material had issues. Good The world building with the shots of the camp. I don't know that I got all the stuff about The Haven being Roper's own little country but the set was great. Visual literacy is definitely one of the show's strengths. Great sound design in the camp and in London. Pine again looking very comfortable and knowledgeable in his sales role. The dark quip about the small grave. Questions Why would the MI6 guy threaten and acknowledge his role to Angela right on her doorstop? They worked together at MI6. Did he really think a direct attack on her husband wouldn't further motivate her? Have all the front staff changed at the Nefertiti?

I was amused that in all his drunken despair that he also made sure to grope Pine. And in front of le Carré, no less. Hee! Good things I loved Rex Mayhew's righteous indignation to being threatened. I don't think I've seen Douglas Hodge in anything else but he's good. Unlike episode one, the documents were coded this time and had to be translated by an insider. Pine getting to deploy his charm at both the restaurant and the bank. Getting to understand some of Angela's personal motivation in all this. Hiddleston changing things like his walk in different scenes.

For me it's a toss up between Rex's smackdown on MI6 and Pine taking a break from the unsubtle skulking to hang with Danny. There were a few too many cheesy threats from Corky. Good things Rex pushing back on MI6, his boss and the patronizing CIA operative. We got some character motivation building with the Spanish lawyer. Roper pointing out just how weird Pine's background is, with the five years of quiet followed by the burst of violence. Pine smiling with Danny and whenever he let himself smile with the others. Because, no, the skulking around by the silent serious guy who they have conveniently reconnected with isn't suspicious at all. Logic issues / questions Caro knowing everything about her husband's dangerous, secretive business, recognizing stranger Tom's ability to quiet gather information and yet inexplicably deciding to tell him everything. How old is Danny supposed to be? He smart enough to read about squids but still likes bedtime stories? All the adults besides Corky are so tall so it makes it harder to figure out the kid's age. Fresh picked flowers?! Really? That was your planned excuse for skulking in Roper's bedroom and near his office? Heh.

It was supposed to be a part of the back story. Pine killed a guy, needed a new identity fast to get out of Dodge (Devon) and got a real passport in the name of someone who he knew wouldn't have one. I'm okay with the slow build and putting a little work into the story. But yeah, they decided to have the characters offer "inscrutable blank expressions" way too much. I was right about episode one. Roper is more interesting with a bit of House's scruff. Needed more. Roper's kid was pleasantly cute and charming...plus he made the other characters more likeable/dimensional through their natural interactions with him. I was annoyed by the reliance on the in medias res opening but I agree it wasn't as clumsy as it could have been. If Sarah or someone else at Previously decides to do mini recaps, it'd be interesting to see the laundry list of logic issues they pick up on. I found myself trying to ignore them in favor of all the pretty. Good things Roper's face throughout the restaurant scene. They freed Hugh Laurie to do some quality acting. Angela calling out Jonathan on his yes repetition and making him eat a cookie. Roper making that creepily affectionate smile while tucking Pine into bed. All the characters were improved when they got to show some personality. The beard and kindly eyes of the guy who was fake killed in Devon. (Yeah, I'm stretching here) Logic issues/ questions Why did Jonathan sign a blank piece of paper? The plausibility of Pine's criminal backstory. Why would Roper buy it if Burr's team planted all his bad deeds after Zermatt instead of trying to intersperse some of that with his real work history? Roper not only recognizing a massively bloodied Pine but remembering the night manager's name six months after the fact. Really, did that quick chat under the stars make that big of an impression?

De Laurentiis wrote an Op-Ed last week, arguing that piracy hurt the show. I would be curious to find out how many of the two million she cited were folks that pirated out of impatience, then watched the show through more legitimate means in their home regions. There's a reason the BBC began same day global broadcasts of its most illegally streamed shows. Also, the prop auction is on and I am bemused by all the clear plastic suits up for grabs.

Variety repeated UK tabloid rumors that the BBC is in negotiations with the production company for a second season. If so, it would take the story beyond the original book.

It sounds like I share some of your script issues with the first eppy. I'm still wrangling my thoughts together on this but I also had questions with regards to the pacing throughout the hour. Maybe it was intentional but the particular swings between languidness and heart palpitations didn't really work for me. It did seem strange to have such a clear-as-day paper trail. Especially when Roper is at least technologically knowledgeable enough to dispose of chips. I haven't read the book, but I think this is a partly a result of 1) plot convenience and 2) the struggles of adapting an early 1990s plot to now. Sadly, Hugh Laurie didn't seem sufficiently menacing or charming to me in the Switzerland sequence. (With maybe the exception of that quick moment Roper tested The Night Manager with the girlfriend in the tub.) It was more Tom Hiddleston's fantastic reactions as Pine to Roper that made the danger feel palpable. I haven't gotten to the other episodes yet so fingers crossed that Hugh makes Roper more charmingly treacherous and compelling. Maybe he needs the magic of House's stubble. On the other hand, I bought Olivia Coleman immediately. Kudos to the cinematographer, location scouts and the folks who managed whatever CGI was used. The show definitely has its visual language down and is just stunning to look at, including that opening sequence. Should the cerebral plot fail, I can always treat the miniseries as a gorgeous travelogue/test shoot for Tom as a potential James Bond. (Sorry, le Carré). I'm guessing you haven't been sucked into Marvel's Cinematic Universe, where it's evident how much fun he's had playing Loki. Hiddleston has fantastic range and is one of those actors who can convey much with an eye flick or a subtle change in his voice. He can also go full throttle, throw in some delicious camp, like with Loki and make it work.

I suspect that the true issue here is with the producers and not the homeowners. The timeline is spelled out on the casting application for the New York Tri-State area, so this is probably a case of a predetermined storyline/scenario being used way too often. Remember, often the homeowners have already purchased the house to be renovated, so the first half hour of the show becomes a "reenactment" that a) features the homeowners needlessly hemming and hawing about buying a fixer upper; and b) probably doesn't even include homes from the original search. The latest casting application is brief but pretty interesting. They've taken out the suburbs in North Jersey; only include 3-4 rooms in the scope of work; and suggest the show will contribute $20K in "value" towards the renovation.

ABC is releasing a mid-season drama that has Rupert Graves and is directed by, among others, Paul McGuigan. Judging by the promos, I'm not optimistic about the premise but ABC is running the show in Scandal's slot so that might be a show of confidence on their part.

I wanted to yell at Thursday when he lit up that cigarette. I don't appreciate the regular ominious hints about his future. Ah...that makes sense. I was wondering why Morse's colleagues headed out to a lake 12 miles away.

I should rewatch but I think you're right about the steep steps. It's possible though, that's just the way to get to the backyard from the side of the house and that an easier kitchen or den door to the backyard was blocked. Gaby's decision to go over the top with the powder room made me chuckle. While I got her rationale, I think they could have easily just gone with gold paint or a copper ceiling rather than gold leaf. I'm coming to this from the other direction. So much of what's on HGTV's schedule is staged or "re-enacted," that I'm actually impressed by what accurate details Property Brothers has included this season - like commute times; sales prices; and maybe even renovation costs. Plus to give them some credit, Drew and Jonathan reportedly do have experience and licensing - it's just not realistic for them to personally cover more than a dozen real estate projects at once plus spend long days filming. The twins aren't my cup of tea but I've been watching this season because I was really curious to see what kinds of fixer uppers they'd find in the New York Tri-State area. The counties surrounding NYC notoriously have some of the highest costs of living in the country, especially in housing. I was able to google-fu two of the houses and again, I was pleasantly surprised that the show mentioned actual sales prices. Of course, that doesn't mean that's the case for all episodes or that buyers acquired the houses during the taping; and I'm sure there are plenty of other elements that were created for the desired storyline. I don't know that I'd go for the neighborhoods they appear to have worked on last year but I think it would be interesting to hear what the designers and contractors behind the scenes thought of the experience.