'Five-star' BBC thriller based on best-selling novel hailed 'absolute masterpiece'

BBC viewers have rushed to praise a tense and gripping thriller, with many awarding it a five-star rating. The Night Manager hit screens in 2016 and is based on the 1993 novel of the same name by John le Carré. The series centres around Jonathan Pine, a former British soldier and hotel night manager, who is recruited by British intelligence to help infiltrate the inner circle of Richard Roper.

To expose the illicit arms trade orchestrated by the billionaire businessman, Pine goes undercover, adopting a false identity and risking everything to infiltrate Roper's inner circle. But in his quest to do the right thing, Pine battles his own moral conflicts as he realises he must become a criminal himself, all while navigating corrupt government officials. Tom Hiddleston stars as Pine alongside Hugh Laurie as Roper. The stellar cast also features Olivia Colman, Tom Hollander, Elizabeth Debicki and Tobias Menzies.

The Night Manager received a staggering 14 nominations at the 2016 Emmy Awards, walking away with Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series (Susanne Bier) and Outstanding Music Composition (Victor Reyes). Hiddleston won Best Actor at the 2017 Golden Globes, while Laurie and Colman received the awards for Best Supporting Actor and Actress.

The series is based on John le Carré's espionage thriller novel, which was described as a best-seller by The New York Times. The Night Manager was renewed for a second and third season by BBC One and Amazon Prime Video.

The six-part first season is available to watch on BBC iPlayer and has a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The series has received glittering reviews, with The Guardian describing it as BBC's "glossiest, smartest, most indecently entertaining Sunday night drama in ages".

Viewers have also praised the "masterpiece" series, with one writing: "A riveting watch! The Night Manager wins Best Adapted Series, blending espionage, drama, and brilliant performances into a gripping masterpiece. A major win!"

Alongside an image of Olivia Colman, another shared: "Her every scene in the 'The Night Manager.' Absolute masterpiece."

A third penned: "To my surprise it instantly hooks you, has you on the edge of your seat with a great storyline, acting, full of action & suspense really developing the plot and characters then from about half way through the 1st episode to the end it's non stop edge of your seat thrilling. Only bad thing to say about it is that there isn't a 2nd or 3rd season by now to watch!! So so good, well worth the watch!!"

Another echoed: "This is a gripping series that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. The performances in this mini-series are outstanding, with Tom Hiddleston delivering a convincing portrayal of the morally conflicted protagonist, and Hugh Laurie stealing the show as the charming yet sinister villain."