Turks & Caicos

David Hare's 'Turcs and Caicos' is a low key drama about international intelligence, dodgy businessmen and corrupt politicians. Bill Nighy plays a renegade gentleman spy who is strangely irresistible to women half his age; Helena Bonham Cater, meanwhile, is simply too glamorous to be serious in her role. Almost all of the key plot developments occur off-screen, and, as with most of Hare's work, there's a lot of talking around the subject that never quite gets to the point. What saves it is the quality of that talk: it's theatrical, but there's a beautiful rhythm to it. To compare it to the work of another playwright named David, namely David Mamet, the dialogue is a lot less stylised, but easier on the ear, almost poetic in places. And this is enough to make the piece stand out from the vast majority of contemporary drama.

I had no idea this was a follow up to the movie "Page Eight". But I did remember that I had seen a movie with Bill Nighy in a similar role. Well it's actually the same role (there's also a follow up to this movie, though I haven't seen this and cannot comment on who's in that one obviously). I really liked Page Eight and I like this one too, though apparently not as much as the first one.

It's spy business but also a very tricky, who's who, who's doing what to who and why'd they do it? It may sound more complicated than it actually is. The pace is nice and it's really refreshing to see Wynona Ryder in a good role (doesn't seem to have changed a lot). Actually all the actors involved do a great job. More than decent entertaining than ...

T&C is one of those rare things on British TV these days, quality story line with brilliant actors. I really enjoyed the pace and tone of the whole film, with each actor bringing a different feel to each scene. Bill Nighy plays the suave MI5 agent with aplomb and combined with Christopher Walken playing a CIA stooge (excellently may I add) made this a winner in my eyes. Excellent setting with superb production. For a TV film, I cant rate it highly enough. My only critique of the film is the sometimes jerky delivery of the lines, I mean, Bill Nighy isn't really associated with long flowing diatribe but sometimes it seemed as if all the different actors were fighting for screen time. Almost an embarrassment of riches in some respect but still this doesn't take the sheen of what is in essence an excellent TV film and well worth the licence fee.

I was thrilled by the first episode and expected a lot from the second. And got it.

The acting was impeccable. It was so good I missed it the first time I saw it. It seemed so natural.

The pace was slow, steady and intriguing but there were little hints as to the plot, pointers if you will, all the way through. Don't miss a second.

I watched it alone last night - my wife was babysitting grandchildren - and I was so fascinated that I saw it again with her tonight. It is even better the second time around. She actually clapped at the end.

Nighy is brilliant, giving more information in a look that Skippy ever did. Yet he never answers a question.

My wife and I talked it over for about an hour afterward.

The third episode is awaited with some anticipation. Page 8 was brilliant and T&C has kept up the quality.

Well done to everyone involved.

The other ratings much too low.

It is ironic that the country which gave us the James Bond character (with saucy characters like Pussy Galore) also gives us the 64 year old Nighy, so thin he could slip under a door, so civilized his harshest weapon is his language, and, if you wondering if this works, BY GEORGE it does.

A cast to die for including both Helena Carter and Winona Ryder, but it is once again Nighy who steals the show. I confess I have not seen as much of his work as I should have. But I remember his knack for comedy in Love Actually and his knack for horror in the Underworld series and I will never forget this dapper spy who, it seems, could stop a bullet with a stern stare if he had to.

And the bullet would have to apologize.

My only regret is that there are only three entries in the series.

Great acting, great writing, and great entertainment. What more do you want?