The Night Manager Season 1 Review

(Image credit : Amazon)

Disclaimer : this is a subjective review.

Sinopsis

Jonathan Pine is a night manager in Nefertiti Hotel in Cairo, where he met a woman name Sophie Alekan, who let him know a dangerous arms dealing that will happen with a powerful man named Richard Ropper. He helped tipped off the government but that got her killed. To get back and stop Ropped, he teamed up with an IEA agent to go under cover and gained Ropper’s trust as his right hand man.

Review

(Spoiler alert!)

It’s very slow-paced in the beginning especially the first two episodes. So if you just started watching and feels like it’s boring, you might want to hold on until episode 3 because that’s where it gets more interesting. The pace is still steady, but the story gets more interesting and by the last episode you will be hooked. And last episode is the saving grace because it’s intense! I found my heart beating quite fast following Jonathan Pine’s might-be-blown cover.

To be honest, this kind of reminds me of The Bodyguard which I’ve watched before I watched The Night Manager. But since this is actually produced before The Bodyguard, should I say The Bodyguard actually feels similar to this one? Either way, I can’t help but feels that both series are quite similar. Are all British undercover/spy series follow this format? Handsome man trying to take down a corrupt government and ends with intense last episode?

The story feels too easy for me. So Richard Ropper (Hugh Laurie), a veteran illegal arms dealer with a closed team, taking in a new and suspicious guy who saved his son. Roper’s met him before as Jonathan Pine, and when he saved Roper’s son his name is Thomas Quince. So he takes him in, help him heal, and decided to just believe him? I thought illegal businessmen would be more paranoid of who he choose to let in his circle. And then he takes it further to actually put Jonathan/Thomas in the important position in his company and chose to ignore his loyal right hand’s warning.

I’d say the Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie acting is a grace for this limited TV series.

Not only did Tom Hiddleston’s so so attractive in this series, but he’s also good at portraying Jonathan Pine. I never thought of Tom Hiddleston to be attractive until I see him in this series. I didn’t understand why people are head over heels for Loki, but Jonathan Pine OMG. I’ve accustomed to see him as Loki only so far. So while Tom H as mischievous Loki is very good, he could also pull a more serious role here. I mean, he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in Miniseries or Television Film for his performance here, I think that’s enough said.

As for Hugh Laurie, he’s portrayed a complicated character that is Dr House in House, MD. So I begin watching this with expectations, in which he fulfilled….kinda. Don’t get me wrong, he’s very good. But if you’ve watched House, MD before, his character here doesn’t differ that much from the stern doctor. To be fair, we only get to see his exploding acting in the last episode though, as in early episodes he’s more seen a calm and calculative businessman.

Overall, I think storytelling is okay, but the actors are brilliant they made it worth watching.

What I Like The Most

Tom Hiddleston, so good and so attractive.

What I Dislike The Most

All of the plots are too easy and the storytelling is steadily slow.

Where to Watch

Amazon Prime

My Final Rating

3.7/5

See the full list of my TV show rank here.