The highly anticipated return of the BBC's espionage thriller, The Night Manager, has been met with a wave of viewer frustration, as fans struggle to recall plot points from the first series which aired a decade ago.
A Long-Awaited Return
Season two of the acclaimed drama, which features Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie as executive producers, finally premiered on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Thursday, January 1, 2026. The show's comeback was confirmed in April 2024, much to the delight of audiences who had adored the first season in February 2016.
The new series sees Hiddleston reprising his role as Jonathan Pine, now operating under the alias Alex Goodwin within the nocturnal surveillance team known as the Night Owls. The plot quickly thickens as he encounters a familiar and dangerous face from his past: arms dealer Richard Roper, played by Hugh Laurie.
Viewers Hit by Memory Wall
Despite the excitement, the premiere was swiftly followed by a common complaint on social media platform X. Many viewers found themselves grappling with the intricate details of a story they last watched ten years prior.
One fan joked about the challenge of watching #TheNightManagerS2 with a notoriously bad memory. Another stated they had to abandon the new episode to rewatch the first series, asking if others were doing the same. A third viewer candidly admitted, "I have no idea what is going on," criticising the cuts back to characters from a decade ago.
The sentiment was widespread, with one user expressing shock after realising the first season aired ten years ago. Others found the provided recap insufficient, with one post reading: "The recap hardly helped, I can’t remember what happened last week, let alone what I watched on TV 10 years ago."
When to Watch Next
For those determined to push through the memory fog, the broadcast schedule offers a quick turnaround. The second episode will air on Sunday, January 4, at 9pm. Subsequently, the series will continue in this weekly Sunday evening slot on BBC One.
The new season also introduces fresh faces, including Camila Morrone as Roxana and Diego Calva as Teddy, expanding the world of the original story which starred Olivia Colman alongside Hiddleston and Laurie.
