S01.E03: Episode Three

[ApathyMonger]

Quote

While he continues to recuperate in Roper's villa, Pine starts to dig up secrets about the other members of the household. Meanwhile, Burr and Steadman seize on an opportunity to recruit a new asset.

[ApathyMonger]

Slower episode than the previous two, but still interesting.

 

The stuff back in England doesn't feel all that necessary at this point though, despite the talents of Olivia Colman et al. Hopefully they'll get more to do in the back half of the series.

[lorbeer]

I liked very much every episode so far. Tom and Hugh are great. And Tom's so handsome. ;)

Did I understand correctly - Thomas aka Andrew is going to work with Roper now?

[NorthstarATL]

I liked very much every episode so far. Tom and Hugh are great. And Tom's so handsome. ;)

Did I understand correctly - Thomas aka Andrew is going to work with Roper now?

Yes, and it appears he is supplanting Corky, which should bite him at an inopportune time. The series is beautiful to watch. They did an amazing job.

[atomationage]

I thought the best part of this episode was Angela's reaction to getting all the info from Jonathan. 

[halopub]

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.

[Athena]

Still a lot of logic jumpers and contrivance in parts. Why did Carol tell Pine everything? Hard to believe that.

 

Poor Jed. Debicki should be in more things.

 

There are so many shots of people's eyes especially Roper and Pine. Intense.

 

Scenery is still beautiful.

 

Danny calls his dad "Roper" behind his back. Funny.

 

Three for three on the Hiddles topless scenes. hehe.

[mledawn]

I wasn't sure about what seemed like a coordinated effort to discredit Corky. Pine mentions the drinking being a problem, then Joe mentions it to the lawyer -- was that deliberate?

[halopub]

If I recall correctly, Pine purposely tried to tell Angela during the ice cream truck scene that Corky was an issue for his mission. She then had Apostol plant the seed in Roper's mind that the arms buyer (Barghati?) wasn't crazy about Corky's behavior.

Edited April 21, 2016 by halopub

[mledawn]

Thanks, halopub - I've binge-watched this series in two days so I definitely could use a rewatch. I will pay closer attention the second time 'round.

[formerlyfreedom]

Originally aired in the UK on 6 March 2016. Airing in the US on Tuesday, May 3, 2016. Entering the thread before airing WILL spoil you!

[Primetimer]

But at least the kid gets an ice cream out of it!

View the full article

[Amethyst]

This was the first episode that I really noticed the plot holes.  How long have Jed and Roper been together, because her flipping out that he knew about her son felt fake.  Also felt fake that she had no idea what Roper really did for a living.  I can buy that she turned a blind eye to it, but not that she was clueless to the whole thing.

Pine's scenes with Danny were the best part.  Did notice Danny referring to his father as Roper a few times.  Loved the scene when Burr showed up as the befuddled tourist.  Nicely done.

[Knuckles]

Loving this. Hiddleston is terrific as is Laurie. 

[attica]

I loved all of Tom Hollander's scenes. So very bitchy, it's a delight. His little sing-songy "I knowwww!" made my night.

Not enough Angela in this ep. I really wanted more scenes of her looking irritated at the heat.

I love pistachios in all things, including ice cream. Smart kid, that Danny.

[magdalene]

This really has the best house and scenery porn ever. And this one was the best episode yet for me. I like Roper's mistress and fear she is doomed for a variety of reasons, not the least becoming a victim of Pine's machinations. 

[dubbel zout]

1 hour ago, attica said:

I love pistachios in all things, including ice cream. Smart kid, that Danny.

He takes after his father: Roper is often snacking on pistachios. I wonder if that's a throwaway detail, or will it be used somehow later? (Chekov's pistachios, as it were. Heh.)

[meep.meep]

2 hours ago, magdalene said:

This really has the best house and scenery porn ever. And this one was the best episode yet for me. I like Roper's mistress and fear she is doomed for a variety of reasons, not the least becoming a victim of Pine's machinations. 

I know!  My daughter came home half way through, asked me what was happening, and I said it was too complicated to explain but that I really *neeeeed* to go to Mallorca.

I can see Jed deliberately avoiding knowing exactly what Roper does, but she should have picked up that he was likely to do a background check on her.

[dubbel zout]

36 minutes ago, meep.meep said:

I can see Jed deliberately avoiding knowing exactly what Roper does, but she should have picked up that he was likely to do a background check on her.

I'm kind of surprised Carol didn't tell Jed what was going on, seeing how unhappy Carol was and how warm her relationship seemed to be with Jed. Maybe it was to protect Jed? I guess we'll never know.

Agree that Jed was naive, to say the least, to believe that Roper wouldn't know about her son. 

[VCRTracking]

After seeing three episodes I can now not stop wanting to say "Dickie Roper!" out loud in a British accent.

Edited May 4, 2016 by VCRTracking

[lulee]

Long day yesterday so I nodded off before the end and missed the Jed-Roper revelation scene and the Carol bit;  caught up from the recap.

Some of last week's details feel more cohesive in retrospect given some dialogue in Ep3.

Add me to the Mallorca-on-my-destination-list list. It looks so elegant and relaxing.

I enjoyed the tension between Jonathon and Corky, and points to "little friend" Tom Hollander not being vain about his height like some actors seem to be. In the long shot of the two outside, Hiddleston looked almost a foot taller than him. The physical differences between the two are a good contrast to the apparent (but possibly temporary) power differential.

[VCRTracking]

There was a great tweet that said Tom Hollander was like a "Posh Joe Pesci". He was such a great bad guy in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

Speaking of height, Tom Hiddleston and Elizabeth Debicki(Jed) were at the Met Gala two nights ago. I don't think they're dating however. Man, she's tall.  In the pictures on the staircase Tom who is already over six feet and she stood a step lower and the top of her head was level with his eyes. I looked it up and she's 6'3'' as tall as Gwendoline Christie from Game of Thrones. She's already in the Guardians of the Galaxy sequel but she would have made a great Carol Danvers Captain Marvel.

Edited May 4, 2016 by VCRTracking

[scrb]

Wasn't the alarm going off or it could only be heard in that room?

For a world-class criminal mastermind, he hides the key to the kingdom in an Altoid tin, not have some advanced biometric unlock?

Or better yet, have just soft copies on his phone, which is always on his person, no iCloud backups.  LeCarre is still tied to the 20th century notion of a smoking gun in the form of a paper trail.

Now with the documentary evidence, isn't it enough to take Roper down?  Instead, it turns out Roper has moles in the MI-6 running interference for him.  

The other thing is these days, Roper could be making his fortune in the City, running a hedge fund, instead of trading in illegal arms.  Much more lucrative though Roper seems to enjoy having a lot of leisure time  in Spain and other exotic locales.

[Jordan Baker]

11 hours ago, attica said:

I loved all of Tom Hollander's scenes. So very bitchy, it's a delight. His little sing-songy "I knowwww!" made my night.

I too enjoy all his scenes. My only problem is that I always see Mr. Collins (P&P, the 2005 version) when I look at him!

[eejm]

6 hours ago, VCRTracking said:

There was a great tweet that said Tom Hollander was like a "Posh Joe Pesci". He was such a great bad guy in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

Dude, that is spot on.  Whereas Pesci's characters have awesome physical and verbal tirades, Corky is throwing a nasty internal shit fit every time he's slighted.  

I'm wondering why Jed having a child is such an issue.  It's not as though it's 1925 and her reputation will be ruined a la Edith in Downton Abbey.  Is the secrecy and pain because she dumped the kid with her mom to run off with Roper?  

Speaking of Jed, I was shocked as hell she and Pine didn't sleep together this episode.

I guess Roper doesn't have an app that will allow him to track his kid's phone.  

Did I miss why Roper's involvement with Elena and her father drove her to commit suicide?  I didn't understand why she was so unhappy.

[Quilt Fairy]

1 hour ago, eejm said:

Did I miss why Roper's involvement with Elena and her father drove her to commit suicide?  I didn't understand why she was so unhappy.

I don't understand any of the soap opera antics that are part of what I thought was a spy story.

I also don't understand the alarm protocol. It apparently starts ringing - on it's own - at 11 every day and just keeps ringing for 5-10 minutes and then stops, also on it's own. For no other purpose apparently than to give Pine the opportunity to open the secret door unnoticed. WTF?

Edited May 5, 2016 by Quilt Fairy

[VCRTracking]

Quote

I don't understand any of the soap opera antics that are part of what I thought was a spy story.

It's John Le Carre. I didn't get all the stuff involving the nerdy schoolboy in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy either.

[Captanne]

LeCarre is one of my favourite authors of all time.  Both my Father and I were Cold Warriors -- he in the US government in the 60s and 70s, I in the USAF and National Guard from the 80s into the Naughties.

LeCarre's beauty from the first novels is that he writes about the humanity of spy craft.  His spies are not James Bond cartoons -- they are real human beings.  Most of his books are double layered with the spy craft and the human-interest.  It's when the two overlap that the conflict happens and bad things typically result.  The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is probably his most famous book outside of the Tinker/Tailor trilogy.  

The underlying theme of it all is betrayal -- usually in the human realm.

Hence the "soap opera" because that is the human interest side of the story.

My issue with Night Manager is that this production with all the glittery beautiful people take it out of the mundanity of his normal plots.  It's becoming James Bond and that is what LeCarre has never, never been.

[Lee4U]

I like LeCarre but man, this is duller than anything I've seen for awhile on the boob tube.  I love Brit series for the most part as they usually do them so well and I know a lot of people love(d) this one but, good grief, it's a sieve of plot holes and simplistic story telling.  The dialogue is atrocious.  

Maybe they thought they could plop so-called pretty boy Hiddleston (still don't get the appeal though he does have a very nice body....) into it, a usually good sardonic performer, Laurie and gorgeous scenery and that would make it shine.  Maybe for some but, I tried and even as beautiful as the scenery is, I can't watch it. 

If the emphasis was on Olivia Coleman who just pops with charisma and energy and Tom Hollander, I'd stick it out - OC is just wasted here

I realize they must think it is arty in some way but there's just no energy overall that grabs me and, sorry, I see zero chemistry between Hiddleston and the lovely actress who plays Jed who is really good - but long looks between them just don't do anything for me.  Maybe it's just that I see a blank slate and vacant eyes when I look at Hiddleston so that I don't get the appeal but that doesn't account for the rest of mundane feel of the thing.  

So disappointed as I was really looking forward to this as there has been a wasteland on the tube for quite a long time now.  

[Captanne]

I just don't think LeCarre translates well to luxury and Pretty People.  It's anathematic to his stories.  (Frex, I haven't read this novel but I just can't image LeCarre's Thomas Quince as such a glamour puss.  This actor is all cut, and bronzed, and pouty like a GQ magazine model.  I think the casting is wrong.)

[Athena]

18 hours ago, VCRTracking said:

Speaking of height, Tom Hiddleston and Elizabeth Debicki(Jed) were at the Met Gala two nights ago. I don't think they're dating however. Man, she's tall.  In the pictures on the staircase Tom who is already over six feet and she stood a step lower and the top of her head was level with his eyes. I looked it up and she's 6'3'' as tall as Gwendoline Christie from Game of Thrones. She's already in the Guardians of the Galaxy sequel but she would have made a great Carol Danvers Captain Marvel.

Debicki was most likely wearing high heels at the Met Gala. You can see her in flats or without shoes beside Hiddleston on this show; I think it's coming up in a next episode. They are more or less the same height with possibly Hiddleston being one half inch taller. Hiddles is at least 6'2". I've heard Debicki is around there and up to 6'3" like Christie. I don't think they are dating either, but they could each be doing a lot worse in that regard.

[dubbel zout]

12 hours ago, eejm said:

Speaking of Jed, I was shocked as hell she and Pine didn't sleep together this episode.

That's such a played-out trope, IMO. I know it will happen eventually, though. Will Roper kill Jed for betraying him, or just throw her out of his life, penniless? Zzzz.

12 hours ago, eejm said:

Did I miss why Roper's involvement with Elena and her father drove her to commit suicide?  I didn't understand why she was so unhappy.

I wondered if her father had pimped her out to someone? At any rate, it was basically another McGuffin to allow him to be vulnerable enough to cross Roper.

[Captanne]

Since it's LeCarre, you can all but rely on the fact that there will be betrayal on some deep personal level.

[Amethyst]

10 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

I wondered if her father had pimped her out to someone? At any rate, it was basically another McGuffin to allow him to be vulnerable enough to cross Roper.

Elena was an even bigger McGuffin than Sophie.  I was wondering if I had missed a scene because that whole bit at the church was a stretch.  There needed something more to expound on it, like a suicide note.  If Elena had written that she was ashamed of her father for working with an arms dealer, it would have made sense to connect Elena's suicide with Roper.  Otherwise, it was just too easy and convenient.

[Texasmom1970]

Again I am blown away by the sheer beauty of where they shot this series. On my bucket list to visit. I also find Jed, is that her name stunning, the long flowing dresses they put her in are beautiful. Unfortunately at 5 foot 4 I would look ridiculous in them. 

I am happy with the story with the exception of wanting more Olivia Colman because she is so talented. I also find myself looking at Hugh Laurie's legs quite a lot because he is so ingrained in my mind as House. Seeing him in shorts, perfect legs no cane still getting used to that! 

Pine really is lucky the little boy is lonely without any friends there and talkative, he is becoming his best source for information.

[thuganomics85]

While there are still plenty of holes, and I still have problem buying Roper easily letting Pine play him (especially with turning on Corky), I did enjoy this episode a lot more as I figured, since Pine is now finally in the thick of it, and Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie get to play off each other a lot more.  I'm still not entirely sure about everything is going on, but I get the main idea, which is Roper is planning on doing another weapon's deal with all these guys he keeps meeting, and Pine is trying to set it up so they will get caught in the act.  Again, I question going forward how he does this, and Roper won't be like "Hmm... all of this shit happens just when this guy shows up!", but I'll wait until it gets there.

Jed is getting a bit more interesting, although I still enjoy how Elizabeth Debecki practically towers over most of the cast.  Still think they are going down the obvious "Hook up with Pine" route, but at least she and Hiddleston play off one another well.

I know he's bad, but I kind of get a kick out of Corky, and feel slightly bad that he's probably going to take a fall.  Tom Hollander is highly entertaining in the role.

Not enough Angela though!  She continues to be my favorite.  Continue to enjoy her interactions with Joel and like the natural interactions between Olivia Coleman and David Hardwood.

No surprise, Tobias Menzies' character is shady as fuck.

The scenery continues to be gorgeous.  Admittedly, I suspect they might have spent more of their money and time on location shooting, costuming, and those paychecks for the talented actors, then writing, but at least it is nice to look at.

Edited May 6, 2016 by thuganomics85

[eejm]

12 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

No surprise, Tobias Menzies' character is shady as fuck.

 

The first role I remember Tobias Menzies playing was Brutus on Rome.  Since then, I've always done a quick double take when seeing him in anything but a toga.

[Neurochick]

On April 21, 2016 at 11:19 PM, Athena said:

 

Still a lot of logic jumpers and contrivance in parts. Why did Carol tell Pine everything? Hard to believe that.

 

 

To me it's like a bartender.  People will go up to a bartender and tell them all their personal shit, stuff they might not tell a friend.

I thought the deal with the alarm was that they tested it at 11 each morning.  Kind of like how in NYC they used to test the air raid siren every day at noon.

Edited May 7, 2016 by Neurochick

[solea]

With all the plot holes and sketchy logic I'm wondering… Is the U.S. getting a heavily edited version?  Because otherwise, hooboy. 

I am enjoying it though, albeit with a lot of eye rolling.  The whole alarm testing contrivance for one.  Jed being surprised that Roper knows about her kid, even though she keeps his picture in a drawer, that Pine found in the first 15 seconds.  Bringing Pine in on a part of the business based on…what exactly?

Much hand waving required.  My wrists are fatigued.

[NumberCruncher]

29 minutes ago, solea said:

With all the plot holes and sketchy logic I'm wondering… Is the U.S. getting a heavily edited version?  Because otherwise, hooboy. 

I am enjoying it though, albeit with a lot of eye rolling.  The whole alarm testing contrivance for one.  Jed being surprised that Roper knows about her kid, even though she keeps his picture in a drawer, that Pine found in the first 15 seconds.  Bringing Pine in on a part of the business based on…what exactly?

Bringing Pine in on the business based on the fact that Roper knows A) that Pine is good at dealing with upper-class types due to his former position and service to Roper's entourage in Zermatt and B) Pine has no problem being a "criminal" as far as Roper is concerned due to the planted backstory that British intelligence created for him.

Again with this episode, just like with the last one, I'm not really having a hard time understanding the plot, nor am I seeing these huge plot holes a lot of others are.  Still following it...still enjoying it. *shrugs*

[magdalene]

Quote

No surprise, Tobias Menzies' character is shady as fuck.

Oh yes, I can hardly look at him without thinking of his character on Rapelander aka Outlander, the rapiest series ever. 

I didn't realize that Hiddleston was this tall. I hope he and Laurie enjoyed filming this.  I certainly wish to go there on vacation.

[Captanne]

I'm not having any problems following (it's too simple, if you ask me*).

*Because it's so simple, I feel like the storyline is rushed -- I'm having a problem understanding or buying into Pine's motivation.  His dreamy-eyed glances across the reception desk at the Egyptian courtisan just aren't enough to convince me that he would go into this sort of danger just for "God, Queen, and Country".  By the time they actually slept together they were already on the run.  (Sex does not LURVE make, necessarily, but other than that escape, they had spent no time together.  at.  all.)  Neither, frankly, does the fact that she entrusted him with the bill of lading and he betrayed her.  It's just not enough and it's too rushed.  The betrayal and his sudden transformation from lowly night manager to James Bond don't reconcile for me.

Either Hiddleston is not getting his motives across to me through his own performance and/or the writing isn't strong enough without his being able to carry the motivation through the strength of acting alone.

 

Lastly, much as I love the actress who is playing the George Smiley-type*, and I truly do, I just don't believe that if her little office is as badly on the outs back in London as we are being led to believe, she would be able to fund a stay in those locales with the legions of watchers she seems to have and employ.  (Also, if this is some compound on some remote Greek island, how do Roper's minions NOT notice her and her troops?  Not to mention the only black person on the whole island is an easily recognizable US CIA agent?  Someone on Roper's team should be fired for not noticing him immediately.)

 

One thing I do give them credit for is the realization that criminals are rarely masterminds, despite Ian Fleming and James Bond.  The fact that Corky is the weak link not only has started to rot the Roper Empire from the inside (not noticing the CIA agent on the island or the enormously pregnant UK agent) has finally allowed what we can only imagine is the fatal catalyst in the heart of the organization and oust himself in the process.  (Just a thought, wouldn't it be neat if our perfect hero with perfect, bronzed abs and perfectly perfect blue eyes -- hork; I still say that's bad casting -- turned bad as quickly and randomly as he turned good and then Roper's enterprise really did become impregnable?  Pun intended.) 

Edited May 7, 2016 by Captanne

[La Tortuga]

I'm really enjoying the show. The relationships and characters are interesting, and I like seeing them maneuver around each other to get what they want. 

BUT, the technological stuff is bothering me, and I suspect that it's precisely because the writing staff, when adapting a Cold War novel to the modern day, are picking and choosing which technology exists in their fictional world and which doesn't. Am I expected to believe a man that wealthy doesn't have a GPS tracking app on his kid's smartphone, ESPECIALLY after a kidnapping attempt? That technology has been available to the public for years. Or that, once he realizes it's missing, he wouldn't get even slightly suspicious of the skulking new guy on his private estate and call the cellular company to see if there's been any activity and what numbers have been called or messaged? I'd expect Roper to be at least as meticulous about that as he apparently is about reading his bank statement.

The "alarm test every day at 11" seemed really strange, too. Never mind the pin number system instead of biometrics (because if you're as rich as Batman but aren't bothering with a free tracking app on a child's phone, of course you aren't going to upgrade to fingerprint or retinal scanners on your security system). What is the point of an alarm test if literally no one in the house is around to pay attention to it? Do they not care if it works? Are they somehow unaware of the massive hole it creates in their security by happening at a predictable time and without supervision? Two people have sneaked in on separate occasions, and nobody knows. That is a TERRIBLE security system!

If you ask me, Corky does need to be fired, because for a naturally suspicious man, he's somehow missed quite a lot of spying going on.

[Captanne]

The only reservation I have about the "adapting a Cold War novel" is that I don't think LeCarre wrote this as a Cold War story.  It's a story about contemporary gun running.  

One of LeCarre's challenges in 1989 was where his career would head with the end of his major topic.  Then he wrote The Constant Gardener (about Big Pharma in Africa) and brought the house down.  It's a beautiful book which turned into an Academy Award winning movie.  I believe The Night Manager was an attempt to recreate that achievement.

Edited May 7, 2016 by Captanne

[La Tortuga]

10 hours ago, NumberCruncher said:

Bringing Pine in on the business based on the fact that Roper knows A) that Pine is good at dealing with upper-class types due to his former position and service to Roper's entourage in Zermatt and B) Pine has no problem being a "criminal" as far as Roper is concerned due to the planted backstory that British intelligence created for him.

Again with this episode, just like with the last one, I'm not really having a hard time understanding the plot, nor am I seeing these huge plot holes a lot of others are.  Still following it...still enjoying it. *shrugs*

I think those two things by themselves might be good enough if Roper were the one who sought Pine out in the first place. But for Pine to just show up in Roper's life again and save his kid from a hostage situation, that should be throwing up serious red flags. ETA: Can you imagine if that staged kidnapping had gone according to plan? If the CIA agents hadn't beaten Pine half to death, would Roper have still been inclined to believe the whole thing wasn't a set-up? If he were sure that Pine wasn't a plant, then just knowing who and where Pine is and that he's a wanted man might be enough leverage to ensure Pine's loyalty. But Roper's not sure, and we know he's not sure because he has verbally stated directly to Pine that there are things about his story that don't quite add up. Keeping Pine around and making him part of the daily crew of underlings while completing his background check is one thing. Giving Pine his own company (out from under Corky, no less) when Roper's already said that there are 18 months of Pine's life that are unaccounted for doesn't make sense.

So the problem isn't that the general plot can't be understood. It's that otherwise intelligent characters are making dumb decisions for the sake of getting the plot moving.

Edited May 7, 2016 by La Tortuga
I forgot 2 sentences

[NumberCruncher]

8 hours ago, La Tortuga said:

I think those two things by themselves might be good enough if Roper were the one who sought Pine out in the first place. But for Pine to just show up in Roper's life again and save his kid from a hostage situation, that should be throwing up serious red flags. ETA: Can you imagine if that staged kidnapping had gone according to plan? If the CIA agents hadn't beaten Pine half to death, would Roper have still been inclined to believe the whole thing wasn't a set-up? If he were sure that Pine wasn't a plant, then just knowing who and where Pine is and that he's a wanted man might be enough leverage to ensure Pine's loyalty. But Roper's not sure, and we know he's not sure because he has verbally stated directly to Pine that there are things about his story that don't quite add up. Keeping Pine around and making him part of the daily crew of underlings while completing his background check is one thing. Giving Pine his own company (out from under Corky, no less) when Roper's already said that there are 18 months of Pine's life that are unaccounted for doesn't make sense.

So the problem isn't that the general plot can't be understood. It's that otherwise intelligent characters are making dumb decisions for the sake of getting the plot moving.

I get that train of thought, however, you also have to take into account the sticky, time-sensitive situation that Roper finds himself in.  He's got a major gun smuggling deal ready to go down and his usual trusted friend/associate (Corky) is seemingly falling apart.  We know why that has happened but you have to remember that Roper does not.  As far as Roper is concerned, Corky is simply getting careless and therefore risks blowing up the whole plan.  Roper has to find a Plan B and fast.  Pine is a viable alternative, which Roper knows is a risk (for the reasons you mentioned), but decides to try anyway.  It's not as if Roper doesn't have his doubts which is why we got the whole warning scene with Roper telling Pine that if crosses him then he'll wish he were dead.  Roper's trying to intimidate Pine enough to not even try anything.

Edited May 7, 2016 by NumberCruncher
Atrocious grammar

[halopub]

15 hours ago, solea said:

With all the plot holes and sketchy logic I'm wondering… Is the U.S. getting a heavily edited version?  Because otherwise, hooboy.

Nope. It appears to be pretty much the original with commercials added. At least that's good in terms of eye candy and glimpses of "english countryside." I think I talked about this in a future episode thread, but I actually would have liked a lot of editing down. Maybe a third or even a half of the series.

[Captanne]

We cancelled the cable years ago so I'm watching this with no ads on Amazon Prime -- it doesn't look edited to me but I haven't seen the Beeb one.  The timing is right -- it fills the full time allotted (without shortening for edited out ads, is what I mean.)

[Neurochick]

The only thing that makes me shake my head is the Jed character.  I don't find her attractive at all, so I don't get what all these men see in her.  She's thin and blonde, maybe that's all a woman needs to be attractive? 

[jrlr]

I find Jed kind of interesting.  I don't know how a woman who is 6'3" can seem waifish and vulnerable, but she does to me.  Either that or the character is just supposed to be dumb, but I don't see LeCarre writing dumb characters.

Edited May 8, 2016 by jrlr
"can"