Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

A quietly gripping, cerebral puzzle that rewards patience with mounting tension and a profound sense of melancholy.

Created by

John Irvin, John le Carré

Genres

War & politics, Drama, Mystery

Starring

Alec Guinness, Michael Jayston, Anthony Bate

Tagline

One of Britain's master spies is working for the enemy. Can George Smiley beat him at his deadly game?

Overview

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a seven-part BBC2 spy drama written by Arthur Hopcraft, adapted from John le Carré's eponymous 1974 novel. The serial, which stars Alec Guinness, Alexander Knox, Ian Richardson, Michael Jayston, Bernard Hepton, Anthony Bate, Ian Bannen, George Sewell and Michael Aldridge, was broadcast from 10 September to 22 October 1979. George Smiley, the ageing master spy of the Cold War and once heir-apparent to Control, is brought back out of retirement to flush out a top level mole within the Circus. Smiley must travel back through his life and murky workings of the Circus to unravel the net spun by his nemesis Karla 'The Sandman' of the KGB and reveal the identity of the mole before he disappears.

How it feels

Tense, melancholic, dark and cynical. Slow-burning and demanding.

About

Betrayal, deception, isolation, obsession

Content

Mild violence, sexual content and language. No gore.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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Watch the trailer on YouTube (opens in a new tab)