After a decade-long absence, the sleek and sophisticated spy drama The Night Manager has finally made its return to screens. The BBC's award-winning adaptation of John le Carré's novel, which caused a global sensation in 2016, is back for a second series, now co-produced with Amazon Prime Video. Tom Hiddleston reprises his role as the enigmatic ex-soldier turned MI6 agent, Jonathan Pine, but the question lingers: can the show recapture its original, pristine magic?
A Decade On: Pine's New Mission
The new series finds Jonathan Pine in a very different headspace. No longer undercover in the world of luxury hotels, he is now running a backroom MI6 surveillance unit, monitoring CCTV from London's elite establishments for signs of terrorist activity. His team, dubbed the "Night Owls," operate from a faceless building separate from the Service's main HQ, a dynamic that briefly echoes the setup of hit spy show Slow Horses.
This quiet existence is shattered when Pine spots a familiar face, pulling him back into the dangerous field of active espionage. His new target is a Colombian arms cartel linked to his old nemesis, the imprisoned arms dealer Richard Roper. Diego Calva steps in as the new supervillain, Teddy Dos Santos, while Pine must again adopt a false identity and navigate a web of deception, unsure of who to trust within MI6 itself.
The Cast Returns, But The Dynamic Shifts
Tom Hiddleston remains the series' polished centre, though his performance continues to divide opinion. Is he a refreshingly sensitive, gadget-free modern spy, or an overly smarmy presence in a gritty genre? The answer largely depends on the viewer's taste. He is joined once more by the superb Olivia Colman, and new faces Paul Chahidi, Hayley Squires, and Indira Varma bring compelling depth to the corridors of power at MI6.
However, the series faces its greatest challenge in replacing the uniquely menacing atmosphere conjured by Hugh Laurie's Dickie Roper and Tom Hollander's Corky. While Roper's shadow looms large in flashbacks, Dos Santos feels like a more generic antagonist. The show's signature naughty glint—the tension of British upper-class villainy—is somewhat diminished when Pine isn't directly sparring with his own kind.
A Lavish Production With Slightly Blunter Edges
There is no denying that The Night Manager remains a cut above most television thrillers. The production values are exceptionally high, with the drama still swathed in the feel of cashmere and silk, jetting between glamorous international locations. The plot mechanics are familiar: a personal tragedy, a deep-cover mission, and a dangerous liaison with the villain's moll, played by Camila Morrone.
Yet, for all its style, this second series can feel a touch more calculated, a little less effortlessly exclusive than its predecessor. It methodically rebuilds the dynamics of the first season but can't quite replicate its shocking, pristine brilliance. The blade hidden in the luxurious folds isn't quite as sharp.
The Night Manager series two began airing on BBC One and is available in full on BBC iPlayer now. It will launch globally on Amazon Prime Video on 11 January. A third series has already been commissioned, proving that this particular night shift is far from over.
