After an astonishing ten-year wait, BBC One's acclaimed espionage drama The Night Manager has finally returned. The second season, which premiered this week, picks up the story of Tom Hiddleston's enigmatic Jonathan Pine, proving that the series' potent mix of pace, intrigue, and sly sexiness remains entirely intact.
A Ghost From The Past Returns
When we last saw Pine, the world was a very different place. David Cameron and Barack Obama were in office, the Paris Climate Accords were fresh, and the Covid-19 pandemic was unheard of. Now, the character – operating under the alias Alex Goodwin – leads a covert MI6 subdivision focused on nocturnal surveillance. "Nothing above the parapet," warns his mentor Rex, played by Douglas Hodge.
Yet, Pine is still haunted by the mission that brought down arms dealer Richard Roper. A chance encounter triggers memories from his deep cover past, propelling him on a new, unsanctioned quest. When a man claiming to be "the true disciple of Richard Roper" begins running guns into Colombia, Pine's obsession is reignited, launching a cross-continental journey back into the dark heart of the weapons trade.
A New Cast and Fresh Dynamics
The show's stellar ensemble has been compellingly reshuffled for this new chapter. Olivia Colman's Angela Burr is now a peripheral figure, with Indira Varma and Paul Chahidi stepping in as MI6's suspicious chief and skittish handler respectively. With Hugh Laurie's Roper gone, Diego Calva provides a formidable new foil as a dapper Colombian kingpin.
The damsel-in-distress role, a classic Le Carré archetype, is taken on by Camila Morrone. At 28, she convincingly steps into more dramatic territory. However, the series' success still rests squarely on Tom Hiddleston's sculpted shoulders. His Pine is a deeply wounded, high-functioning somnambulist, "a man who will not explode," working by night and living as a ghost. This internalised, resolutely dead-eyed performance perfectly suits Hiddleston's acting style.
On Course to Be a Bond-Level Icon
The BBC made only the first two episodes available for review, suggesting strong confidence in the product. On this evidence, writer David Farr and new director Georgi Banks-Davies have successfully steered the drama beyond its source material. The action sequences generate more effective suspense than late-era James Bond films, and the show retains its status as premium Sunday night viewing – a televisual real estate often ceded to streaming giants.
While the decade-long gap and knotty plotting may challenge some, The Night Manager executes a rare trick: it understands its audience and meticulously replicates the formula that made it a global hit. Jonathan Pine is evolving into a globetrotting icon to rival 007, showcasing British soft power and the BBC's prowess when it has both confidence and resources. It's gripping without silliness, compelling without indulgence. Having watched the opening episodes, the overwhelming feeling is a desire for more – the surest sign of compelling television.
