Parents' Guide to

The Night Manager

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Book-based British cloak-and-dagger miniseries thrills.

TV AMC Drama 2016
The Night Manager Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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age 18+

Based on 4 parent reviews

John D.
John D. Adult
June 28, 2021
age 18+

18+ !!!

No idea what the CSM reviewer was thinking. This is 18+. Definitely watch the first season yourself before letting your kids watch it.
tesuji
tesuji Adult
February 3, 2019
age 18+

TV-MA

This is a great spy thriller, but it's not for kids. There's nudity and graphic violence. I watched this through Vidangel, and there were a lot of specific filters for nudity, language, and graphic violence - I turned these filters all on, because I don't want to see that stuff as an adult either.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Based on John le Carré's popular novel of the same name, the BBC's THE NIGHT MANAGER is a dramatic six-part serial drama about a former British soldier recruited to conduct international espionage. After prominent Nefertiti Hotel guest Sophie Alekan (Aure Atika) shows hotel night manager Jonathan Pine (Tom Hiddleston) confidential documents pertaining to the activities of arms dealer Richard Onslow Roper (Hugh Laurie), he's recruited by MI6 operative Angela Burr (Olivia Colman) to infiltrate Roper's inner circle. But spying on him also means keeping close tabs on his mistress, Jed Marshall (Elizabeth Debicki), and his obnoxious associate, Major Lance Corcoran (Tom Hollander), while navigating British and U.S. intelligence. As he travels around the world spying on Roper in an effort to bring him down, he uses his position as a respected hotelier to his advantage -- and as his cover.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4):
Kids say (3):

This outstanding adaptation of the 1993 bestseller maintains all the mystery, suspense, and, of course, exotic locations that John le Carré's first post-Cold War novel is known for. Although not as seductive (and slightly less sexist) as James Bond films, it successfully recreates the steadily rising tensions the detailed narrative is known for. Also compelling are Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie's performances, which easily bring to life their characters' charmingly dark rapport with each other.

Fans of the popular book will recognize some of the changes made to the on-screen interpretation, including references to the war in Iraq, the Arab Spring, and Syrian refugees, which were included to make it more relevant to a post-9/11 audience. But you don't have to read the book or be a fan of le Carré's work to be intrigued by the miniseries. If you're a cloak-and-dagger enthusiast, you won't be disappointed. And even if you aren't, it's still very entertaining.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the challenges that come with adapting a book for a TV show or film. Can you produce something for the screen that is exactly like the book? Are there any books you think would make a good TV show or film? Any books that wouldn't?

  • What are some of the differences between TV shows in the U.S. and in the U.K.?

TV Details

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