The story's repeated reliance on 'forbidden women of mobsters' to move the plot along is starting to fray the plot into conventional territory.
How old is Danny? Eight? Nine? Ten? In any event, he has far outgrown The Three Little Pigs, which he chooses as his bedtime story. Maybe his favorite, if I recall correctly. The boy is reading far more advanced stories than one aimed at four-year-olds. Harry Potter would be more like it. At least Diary of a Wimpy Kid (an enjoyable and popular series).
Questions raised here re: tracking that phone and the lack of security cameras make sense, notably the phone matter. Security cameras at gates and on the edges of the property, or outside the house would be likely. Maybe not inside the house.
Someone asked about how the faux robbers and Pine knew that the Roper party would be at that restaurant at that time. Angela Burr knew what was going on and the thugs were government agents of some sort. It is possible that the government knew that Roper and friends eat at that restaurant often enough that they would show up at some point. Pine had been there for some months. It was a waiting game.
It is fortunate that this deferential night manager has such impressive physical abilities, not to mention great looks. He and Jed make a fine couple, or would, if they could survive it.
In any event, this is a wonderfully taut, well written, well acted story. I hope that we get to see Corky die, and Langbourne, too.
Questions raised here re: tracking that phone and the lack of security cameras make sense, notably the phone matter. Security cameras at gates and on the edges of the property, or outside the house would be likely. Maybe not inside the house.
Someone asked about how the faux robbers and Pine knew that the Roper party would be at that restaurant at that time. Angela Burr knew what was going on and the thugs were government agents of some sort. It is possible that the government knew that Roper and friends eat at that restaurant often enough that they would show up at some point. Pine had been there for some months. It was a waiting game.
It is fortunate that this deferential night manager has such impressive physical abilities, not to mention great looks. He and Jed make a fine couple, or would, if they could survive it.
In any event, this is a wonderfully taut, well written, well acted story. I hope that we get to see Corky die, and Langbourne, too.
1
I realize this is an adaptation of a novel, but didn't anyone read the book?
1
Have you ever heard of IMDB? Corky is not getting killed. He's listed at the top of the cast list and in all 6 episodes.
Also, obviously Jonathan and Jed are gonna get it on. The video that floated around the internet a few weeks ago of them going at it is literally the only reason I'm watching this show (#hiddlesbum).
Perhaps a minor google search will aid your predictions next time around.
Also, obviously Jonathan and Jed are gonna get it on. The video that floated around the internet a few weeks ago of them going at it is literally the only reason I'm watching this show (#hiddlesbum).
Perhaps a minor google search will aid your predictions next time around.
Being listed in an episode can be a simple flashback or even a photograph of the actor's likeness, it doesn't necessarily point to the character's fate.
But thanks for the spoils for those of us who don't choose to read ahead.
But thanks for the spoils for those of us who don't choose to read ahead.
7
There are times when the info reported is intentionally misleading! Not a good place to check a character's fate.
2
Jill Marie, please note: There are people here who have read the book and not been tempted to drop spoilers. I suggest you civilize-up and do the same. Much of our enjoyment is in the not knowing. J Mats is right, IMDB can be misleading. I apologize for my sharpness if you're under 15.
2
Can we say it is on AMC/where I can see it in the body of the story, as anyone with any common sense would do.
1
Did the relationship between Roper and MI6 seems just a little bit implausible? I can see one individual going "off campus" but for the leadership of an entire intelligence department to go rogue seems just a bit far fetched.
8
For me there are too many plot holes or ..whatever you call things that make you go "huh"?
Episode One: Egyptian woman returns to the hotel where she KNOWS her murderous and vengeful boyfriend will find her. Why?
Episode 2: How did Jonathan become such an amoral thug so quickly? If two tours in Iraq made him that way, then why did he lead the placid life of a Life Manager w/o running amok now and then? Where did he get sous chef skills sufficient to serve in a hoity-toity restaurant? How did he and the two faux robbers know Roper and his party would be eating at the same restaurant where Jonathan was conveeeniently working? How did the latter escape, one with an arm broken in three places? Roper seems good at hunting people down--why not them?
Episode 3: if Jonathan stole Danny's iPhone, how come he hasn't been detected making calls on it? Even I can go on-line to see my kids' phone activity, so whether or not Danny told his dad about losing a phone, a high-security outfit like Roper's would be monitoring the hell out of their phones' usage, and would detect Danny's iPhone use.
Finally, what good is an alarm system if it can be turned on and off by an intruder while the owners are out of the house? In high-end systems there's always a log of such activity. Why not here?
Perhaps an extra few episodes could have better set up and resolved these conundrums and lame plot devices. I'll still watch, but overall I'm disappointed.
Episode One: Egyptian woman returns to the hotel where she KNOWS her murderous and vengeful boyfriend will find her. Why?
Episode 2: How did Jonathan become such an amoral thug so quickly? If two tours in Iraq made him that way, then why did he lead the placid life of a Life Manager w/o running amok now and then? Where did he get sous chef skills sufficient to serve in a hoity-toity restaurant? How did he and the two faux robbers know Roper and his party would be eating at the same restaurant where Jonathan was conveeeniently working? How did the latter escape, one with an arm broken in three places? Roper seems good at hunting people down--why not them?
Episode 3: if Jonathan stole Danny's iPhone, how come he hasn't been detected making calls on it? Even I can go on-line to see my kids' phone activity, so whether or not Danny told his dad about losing a phone, a high-security outfit like Roper's would be monitoring the hell out of their phones' usage, and would detect Danny's iPhone use.
Finally, what good is an alarm system if it can be turned on and off by an intruder while the owners are out of the house? In high-end systems there's always a log of such activity. Why not here?
Perhaps an extra few episodes could have better set up and resolved these conundrums and lame plot devices. I'll still watch, but overall I'm disappointed.
2
As a book reader, I can answer questions for Episodes 1 and 2
- so Sophie went back to the hotel because she realized she simply couldnt run from Freddie Hamid any more. He was too powerful in Egypt and she couldnt leave the country so she just accepted her fate and went to the hotel to meet her death
- the justification for Jonathan turning into an asset for MI-6 was Sophie's death ( I agree - too simple, but John Le Carre didnt provide any better justification). As for the appointment at the restaurant, MI-6 placed Jonathan with a well known restaurant entrepreneur who then placed him at the restaurant. The sous chef skills are just a character trait - Jonathan likes to and is a good cook so the book and show accepts it at face value. Jonathan was placed at the restaurant because MI-6 knew the Roper would dine there when he visits Mallorca. As for your last question, I'm assuming the MI-6/CIA agents were just good at getting away before Roper's guards caught up with them.
- so Sophie went back to the hotel because she realized she simply couldnt run from Freddie Hamid any more. He was too powerful in Egypt and she couldnt leave the country so she just accepted her fate and went to the hotel to meet her death
- the justification for Jonathan turning into an asset for MI-6 was Sophie's death ( I agree - too simple, but John Le Carre didnt provide any better justification). As for the appointment at the restaurant, MI-6 placed Jonathan with a well known restaurant entrepreneur who then placed him at the restaurant. The sous chef skills are just a character trait - Jonathan likes to and is a good cook so the book and show accepts it at face value. Jonathan was placed at the restaurant because MI-6 knew the Roper would dine there when he visits Mallorca. As for your last question, I'm assuming the MI-6/CIA agents were just good at getting away before Roper's guards caught up with them.
2
If you read the book by Le Carre, many of these apparent discrepancies are dealt with; reading the book actually enriches and enhances the tv show! The plot and characters make more sense as it is a fairly complex story line.
1
Agreed about the phone. Why don't they just use a phone tracker app? Also, that stupid alarm. Pine had to learn from the kid that it gets tested every day because, what, he never wondered what that screaming alarm was every morning at 11? And why does daily testing of the alarm take a full minute, or however long that was for Pine to dig around there?
Still, we're halfway through, and I'll keep watching. It's good enough.
Still, we're halfway through, and I'll keep watching. It's good enough.
3
I had the good fortune to meet with David twenty years ago and during a conversation I playfully asked him what differentiated his spy prose from a Tom Clancy. He responded that Clancy would write the 'dog slept on the rug'... he would write the 'dog slept on the cat's rug'. That sort of subtlety in the art of tension building is what males him a master and this series captures some of that.
7
Great Series! Not at all like American TV Spy(?) shows. They have terrible
actors, boring and inept scripts, and no glamour with drama/comedy
genres.
actors, boring and inept scripts, and no glamour with drama/comedy
genres.
2
I take it you haven't seen "The Americans".
1
Better than the Americans? Seriously? It's not even close to The Americans - everything is so contrived and far fetched. Pretty much done with this piece of garbage.
1
Trash! Same old, same old!
1
This was a great show here in the UK earlier this year....ending a bit too tidy but still a good show whether or not you are a fan of the author/books. As to be expected, it is not a carbon copy of the book and there is no future series projected. A quick entertaining story.
7
I'm really enjoying this show. But last weeks episode was better than the first and third. I predict that next week will be the best one, if logic follows that critique. It's nice when you know for sure the whole thing is going to conclude rather than the usual cliff hangggggggg
4
When is the Times going to admit that TURN exists?
13
other than having the uber hot mr hiddleston, this show has so little to offer....
alas.
alas.
5
John le Carré has never been a terribly good writer. Most of his stories are pretty boring and not very memorable. Huddleston is carrying the show.
1
the Karla trilogy boring? George Smiley not memorable? Le Carre never a terribly good writer? Surely you jest.
That said, don't blame Le Carre for the changes that the producers/writers have made to the novel. (He himself acknowledges that once he sells the rights, he has little input). I do find them disappointing.
That said, don't blame Le Carre for the changes that the producers/writers have made to the novel. (He himself acknowledges that once he sells the rights, he has little input). I do find them disappointing.
Le Carre is listed as producer in the credits, so blame him, too. :)
I'm betting Jed was an Olympic swimmer as Caroline was a skier for she is always swimming or bathing. What's up with that? And if I was a security company in Spain, I would call on Richard Roper about installing video surveillance in his mansion in case any guests goes roaming on their own through the bedrooms and offices. But it's all part of the fun and I certainly makes a Tuesday evening less dull! Enjoy your clever recaps.
17