A decade after its award-winning debut captivated audiences, the sophisticated espionage drama The Night Manager has made its long-awaited return to screens. Tom Hiddleston reprises his role as the impeccably dressed MI6 agent Jonathan Pine, in a new series that seeks to recapture the magic of the 2016 original, now co-produced by the BBC and Amazon.
A Decade On: Can The Magic Be Recaptured?
The first series of The Night Manager was celebrated for its finesse and pedigree. Based on a John le Carré novel and starring Hiddleston alongside Hugh Laurie and Olivia Colman, it elevated the spy genre with its focus on moneyed elites, luxury international locations, and a tone of exclusive class. It concluded as a singular, acclaimed event, deliberately avoiding the vulgarity of a rushed follow-up.
Now, a decade later, the show is back, propelled by the current demand for espionage content and new streaming investment. Hiddleston and Olivia Colman return for this second run, with a third season already confirmed.
Pine's New Mission: From Field Agent to Night Owl
The narrative finds Jonathan Pine in a very different place. No longer in the field, he is processing the trauma of his first mission by running a clandestine MI6 surveillance unit nicknamed the "Night Owls." Based away from the service's main HQ, River House, his team monitors CCTV from London's luxury hotels for terrorist activity.
This desk-bound existence is shattered when Pine spots a familiar face, pulling him back into active duty. His new target is a Colombian arms cartel linked to his old nemesis, the incarcerated arms dealer Richard Roper. While Roper's menacing presence looms in flashbacks, the new primary antagonist is cartel leader Teddy Dos Santos, played by Diego Calva.
A Class Act, But Is the Edge Still There?
The series retains its luxurious aesthetic, feeling like "cashmere and silk." However, some of the original's sharp, naughty glint is diminished without the direct clash of British upper-class villains like Roper and Corky. The dynamic is methodically rebuilt: Pine adopts another false identity, suffers personal tragedy, and infiltrates the cartel, unsure of who to trust at MI6, where new faces include Paul Chahidi, Hayley Squires, and Indira Varma.
Tom Hiddleston's performance remains a talking point. He is either viewed as a modern, sensitive Bond—devoid of gadgets and chauvinism—or as an overly smarmy presence, depending on the viewer's taste. What remains undeniable is that The Night Manager still operates on a level of quality and style far above most television thrillers, even if it no longer feels quite as pristine as its flawless first outing.
The Night Manager series two is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer. It premieres globally on Prime Video on 11 January.
