London Spy, Pt1/5, BBC2, 21.00-22.00hrs each Monday

[Stanley Stewart]

A promising start for Tom Rob Smith's gripping tale of love, lies, duplicity and unseen menace. Director, Jakob Verbruggen has a firm hand on the narrative and splendid locations at Vauxhall and has, mercifully, no need for a tinkly score to irritate and distract the viewer. The opener dominated by assured performances from Ben Whishaw - is't now more than a decade since I saw his first stage appearance as Hamlet, Old Vic - where he was a youth dominated by the Elsinore establishment? - and Edward Holcroft as a gay pick-up, together with Jim Broadbent as his sympathetic mentor. A slow-burn opener likely to resonate in the next four weeks of compulsive viewing. I've booked my seat for the season!

[DublinJimbo]

Wonderful stuff. I too was favourably impressed by the welcome absence of intrusive music. The change of atmosphere with the gruesome discovery in the attic was immensely powerful. Definitely one to watch.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Wonderful stuff.

- I'm hooked already; intriguing plot, excellent script, fantastic performances (understated, but full of implications [won't say how as they might be spoilers for anyone who asn't watched it yet]), wonderfully filmed - and, yes, superb use of Music

[Nick Armstrong]

Spotted it in advance and thought it looked up my street, so it's duly sitting on the hard drive. Looking forward to a classy hour's viewing (thank you ferney for being restrained with yer implications )

[Nick Armstrong]

Magnificent. Whishaw utterly compelling. Some wonderful cinematography and unforgettable images (the faint trail of cigarette smoke from the slightly-open window of the van parked outside the flat; the two-bar electric fire and trunk...).

Talk about unmissable!

(Apt and slightly cheeky casting of Whishaw - with the MI6 building looming in many shots, it felt at the outset as if we were seeing "The Secret Life of Q"... for anyone who's seen Skyfall and/or Spectre)

[Serial_Apologist]

Thanks for the tip-offs, friends. I shall get onto watching this!

[Barbirollians]

Yes it was gripping stuff and Jim Broadbent too excellent cast against type . I don't think I have ever seen Ben Whishaw be anything other than excellent and completely convincing.

[Serial_Apologist]

Brilliant first episode - made all the more compelling for me knowing these locations from often cycling past them. Looks like my next 3 Monday nights are now all booked!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Brilliant first episode - made all the more compelling for me knowing these locations from often cycling past them. Looks like my next 3 Monday nights are now all booked!

Unless you book the next four, you'll miss the last episode, S_A!

[Serial_Apologist]

Unless you book the next four, you'll miss the last episode, S_A!

Five in all then, eh?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Five in all then, eh?

[Anastasius]

What everyone else has said.

Simply superb.

[antongould]

What everyone else has said.

Simply superb.

Agreed

[ardcarp]

Brilliant first episode

Sorry to go against the flow, folks, but I watched the first half-hour of episode 1 (largely because of this thread) and absolutely nothing happened..... in the thriller department, that is. Should I persevere?

[Barbirollians]

Sorry to go against the flow, folks, but I watched the first half-hour of episode 1 (largely because of this thread) and absolutely nothing happened..... in the thriller department, that is. Should I persevere?

Yes it is deliberately a slow burner - you were just coming to the scary bits !