Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Seen it?1979 | 1 seasons | 50 min | War & Politics, Drama, Mystery
Saturday Specialearly ratingWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It was critically acclaimed and it's still drawing plenty of interest. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing and history buffs. If you loved Agatha Christie's Poirot or Under the Dome, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Tense, intense.
- The pace
- One season: easy to finish in a weekend or two, episodes of about 50 minutes, about 6 hours in all.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1979: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
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 earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
Critically acclaimed
- AudiencesSolid
7.6 out of 10
- AwardsBelow par
Nominated for 1 Emmy.
- Reach & staying powerSolid
Limited series that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 169K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Created by John Irvin, John le Carré
- Alec GuinnessGeorge Smiley
- Michael JaystonPeter Guillam
- Anthony BateSir Oliver Lacon
- George SewellMendel