The Night Manager
The first two episodes play as a modernisation of "The Spy Who Came In From The Cold". The story is warmed from the cold steel of the Cold War classic so that its espionage moves towards the location hopping of glam-Bond. I think the cast make this interesting but Susanne Bier directs, at least, ep1, which makes it essential viewing (and reminded me to renew my search for "After the Wedding"). She represents the chaos of Cairo during the Arab Spring. She has Tom Hiddlestone comporting himself gracefully (spellcheck wanted "composting") even through the streets of a revolution, and his calm reassurance is what gets him in so much trouble. Ep2 goes about breaking him down Burton- style; so you go from the Hidd in full Shere Khan to some real acting. Again, this is worth watching on its own but the combination of Lawrie and Hollander as the force of evil pulling strings at MI6 is delightful. Olivia Colman as the hard face of Control? Sells itself.
Like a long Le Carré the story is in no hurry. It can take all year as far as I'm concerned.
Happy Valley
More Coronation St invaders across the border into Yorkshire dales. Like English actors adopting American accents in every other film. Appropriately because James Norton as the devilish Tommy Lee shows again why he is probably the next posh bloke good with accents to get the movie call. This though is Sarah Lancashire's (the name another 2 fingers to the old enemy?) tour de force. She asks the psych evaluater "are you scared of me". A cop on the edge is in the best place to be. In these days; calling her "a right evil bitch" every ten minutes might break a PC counting sensitive chap's abacus but she really earns the title; which is my idea of equalising. Lancashire enjoys and inhabits the role; staring down her nemesis as he buries his mother. Equals instant melt down in Tommy Lee but she doesn't blink. Her press sensitive bosses faint and she holds the phone away, bored at the chewing out they want to give her. A great performance. Shirley Henderson(!) appearing as Tommy Lee's right hand of vengeance is only going to twist the gut like series1.
Really good tv is hard for films or books to match.