Television: The Night Manager 1.6

Okay, so the whole thing wraps up with a decent amount of tension and a satisfying ending. I'll give it that.

Jonathan, Roper, et al are in Cairo to complete the deal. I'm not sure why Jonathan would tell such a stupid lie when Roper asks whether he's ever been to Cairo. (For the record, Jonathan says no, but since he worked at a hotel in Cairo in the first episode . . .) So of course it's only a matter of time before he's recognized, but at the same time he also has access to human resources that help him set bombs on trucks or whatever.

Angela and Martian Manhunter (seriously, can't even be arsed to go look up the character name) are also in Cairo after their respective assignments are scorched after the last mishap. You know, the one where they had the wrong trucks. Jonathan had managed to get a call through to let them know where he—and everyone—was.

And then of course Roper continues to sound Jonathan out about his loyalty, and it's clear Roper isn't sure, though it's the wife thing that tips him rather than any of the other bazillion red flags. Roper even ends up admitting he'd gotten Jonathan wrong, and that just plays false for a man we're supposed to believe is so cunning and careful. The whole thing hinges on Roper being played, after all. By the time he unmasks Jonathan, we're trying to decide if Roper is that stupid (despite everything we've been told to the contrary) or else wondering why he took so long to make his move against such an obvious threat.

Then again, the case is made for Roper to be simply too arrogant to believe he can't squash anyone or anything that tries to work against him. And yet . . . Why not squash sooner? Why, in the last moments, as he's pulling out his trump cards only to be holding Jokers . . . I dunno. There's a disconnect in there somewhere between all the lead up and the end. Yet the end is actually quite good, so I'm willing to forgive a lot.

Makes me wonder about the book, which I have not read. And as I've said, I'd love to see The Fall and Rise of Peter Stoller get similar treatment. Though I think it would have to stay set in the 60s . . . Or not. Might be something worth exploring.