Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: Part 2 First Watch
February 26, 2015 7:13 PM - Season 1, Episode 2 - Subscribe
Four men in a room quickly filling with smoke: George Smiley, newly un-retired right-hand man to The Circus chief, Peter Guillam, disgraced head Scalphunter for The Circus, Oliver Lacon, Intelligence Service overseer, and Ricky Tarr, officially absent without leave, on the Wanted list, recently resurfaced Circus spook extraordinaire. Ricky has a story he thinks might change all their lives.
As Ricky recounts his story we flash back a few months to Lisbon, where the local SIS station has a lead on a newly-surfaced potential double agent. Despite orders to fall back, brash Ricky 'takes a peep inside the kennel' and finds some unexpected gold.
As Ricky recounts his story we flash back a few months to Lisbon, where the local SIS station has a lead on a newly-surfaced potential double agent. Despite orders to fall back, brash Ricky 'takes a peep inside the kennel' and finds some unexpected gold.
the sudden intrusion of Lacon's daughter's cello lesson. It's such a nice bit of business, bringing us back to earth after the excursion into Tarr's poundshop James Bond escapades.
Lacon opens the blinds and it's morning. It definitely brings the audience back into 'reality.' It's also a nice reminder that these guys have been sitting around listening to Ricky all night long. Peter was waiting for George directly after his dinner with Roddy Martindale, into which he was buttonholed after a seemingly-innocent afternoon shopping excursion. All of a sudden, in like 12 hours, George has reason to question the leadership of The Circus from two different directions.
Some of the subtleties of the mole plot have their roots laid in this episode: That they wind up listening to Tarr at Lacon's country house, for instance. George chastises Peter for the way he set the meet up (over a non-public phone). Anything is possible when the mole is generating enough intelligence to overwhelm his relay Polyakov, per Irina. And sure enough...
posted by carsonb at 7:55 AM on February 27, 2015
Lacon opens the blinds and it's morning. It definitely brings the audience back into 'reality.' It's also a nice reminder that these guys have been sitting around listening to Ricky all night long. Peter was waiting for George directly after his dinner with Roddy Martindale, into which he was buttonholed after a seemingly-innocent afternoon shopping excursion. All of a sudden, in like 12 hours, George has reason to question the leadership of The Circus from two different directions.
Some of the subtleties of the mole plot have their roots laid in this episode: That they wind up listening to Tarr at Lacon's country house, for instance. George chastises Peter for the way he set the meet up (over a non-public phone). Anything is possible when the mole is generating enough intelligence to overwhelm his relay Polyakov, per Irina. And sure enough...
posted by carsonb at 7:55 AM on February 27, 2015
George chastises Peter for the way he set the meet up (over a non-public phone)
Really think Peter wouldn't have made that kind of mistake. "Oh, I know, I'll call from a public phone .... to the Undersecretary's country house. That certainly isn't being monitored!
The contrast between Tarr in Portugal and Tarr in England is pretty harsh. He looks worn out, used up, worried. Scalphunting is a dangerous job, even if you trust your bosses.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 3:31 PM on March 30, 2015
Really think Peter wouldn't have made that kind of mistake. "Oh, I know, I'll call from a public phone .... to the Undersecretary's country house. That certainly isn't being monitored!
The contrast between Tarr in Portugal and Tarr in England is pretty harsh. He looks worn out, used up, worried. Scalphunting is a dangerous job, even if you trust your bosses.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 3:31 PM on March 30, 2015
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(Irina's fate is, I suppose, based on Kim Philby's betrayal of Konstantin Volkov.)
posted by sobarel at 6:40 AM on February 27, 2015 [1 favorite]