There's more to LeCarre than 'just' Smiley, the ultimate spy/catcher. Here, in the form of 'Pym', another great character, perfectly portrayed by Peter Egan, as well as a solid supporting cast. As mentioned by others, Ray McAnally's role in 'A Very British Coup', which is clearly shown here as another perfect fit, is another vehicle for one of those dependable and fairly unknown actors that we North American viewers see so little of. The mood, period details and even the background music, add to the production of this very enjoyable thriller/spy story. The many complicated relationships and side issues, like politics, crime, post-war black markets and hypocrisy of the various levels of society (and not just the British one), are worth watching more than once. I've seen this series a few times now, and thanks to subtitles, know I haven't missed the many nuanced bits of intelligent dialogue and complex scenarios that this dated series presents. It may be showing its age, but it is still a top-notch series with just a few minor threads left to hang. Not many book adaptations work as well as the books they originally are based on, but this one works very well indeed. Sad, funny, irritating, tragic, and everything in between - all the emotions are covered here. Worth watching.
Review of A Perfect Spy
