User Reviews

I had not heard of the book although I knew the author from Rogue Hero's.

I watched this because of Damien Lewis and Guy Pearce. Hadn't seen Pearce in a long time.

What a perfect role for him and Lewis. They are both masters at subtlety, facially, movement and speech. You have to give extra credit to the adapted screenplay for TV and the superb direction.

It's something that has to be watched a couple of times because you will inevitably miss a slight of hand or furtive glance that means so much to the plot.

I am inclined to listen (audible) to the book now that I have faces to put with names. Not a spoiler but at the beginning of each episode there is disclaimer that some characters or events were created in order to tell the tale. Were they created for the show or created in the book as well??? So one character, you find out at the end, was created- does this mean for the show or book as well????

Some reviews are low starred and I must say they must from people of low intelligence and no patience who are used to Hollywood action blow ''em up crap. This is told in well done poignant flashbacks, I wonder if the book is the same? Or if the book is told in sequence?

Both Lewis and Pearce should receive awards as well as Anna Maxwell Martin for her role as Mrs Thomas without her this would have been impossible to tell. Great choice!

Philby reaches out to Elliott in a bid to smooth over the cracks of the past.

I wish I could say I was as blown my this as my fellow reviewer was, but sadly I wasn't quite as convinced, I have actually read the book, and as such I have the documented text to base my findings on.

I have to give credit, firstly to the production team, they absolutely nailed it, this is a visual feast, a match of any big budget production, they got the period detail and whole 60's vibe spot on, the acting of Lewis and Pearce was also on point.

The problem, it chose to focus primarily on Mrs Thomas, a made up character, who simply didn't exist, they chose to grind her working class axe, and focus on her story, rather than Philby's, could they not have gone into the details surrounding his final end, the snippets of text just didn't go far enough, this was a massive, historical story of national betrayal, come on!!!

They really could have built on Philby or Elliott, both were fascinating figures.

Lily Thomas never existed......so why the primary focus?????

Episode five really offered something, I hate to say, I think it fell over its own shoe laces here.

5/10.