The Game

Many of the other reviews here - whether giving a good, bad or mediocre rating - have got the tone of this fun series about right. This is not for people looking for something in the vein of Le Carre or Deighton, excepting on a surface level. While (as many have said) it is wonderfully played with great intensity and commitment by a great cast, there's always a feeling that it's all style and no substance whatsoever. Like a parody of Le Carre novel with most of the jokes removed and Daddy's M15 never feels like it could really exist. That's not to say that it isn't good fun - I enjoyed it immensely - but while Funeral in Berlin and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy will stay with me for as long as I have breath I'll have forgotten The Game in a couple of weeks, which is a bit of a shame.

Call it a Le Carré light. MI5, spies and Cold War. Toby Whithouse, Sarah Dollard and Debbie O'Malley deliver 6 episodes of good fun and high entertainment full of suspense and surprise. Excellent mood and camera play, the viewer is convincingly cast back to a London of the 70's.

A tremendous performance from the entire cast especially Paul Ritter playing the hypocritical British public school creep! Worth watching if only for his performance and the exquisite interaction with his assistant the superb Chloé Pirrie (a touch naive, upright, loyal researcher).

The suspension of disbelief is perhaps called for to draw maximum enjoyment. The strength of the production rests chiefly on the convincing relationships fleshed out.

Why oh Why does the BBC have to nip above average productions in the bud. Xen is another example. It seems that the minute a viewer's brain is in any way engaged the Corporation pulls the plug out on it! Let's have some more please!

As for Cold War events, the Brits and lately the Germans as well have produced so many good series that, from time to time, one might wonder that is it possible to outmatch them, to possess good framework and maintaining thrill, yet without insipid cliches. It is to my liking to announce that The Game has got into the list of the best of them in every aspect: there are lots of twists and turns, including each episode ending, the cast is even and distinguished, the mood and era have skilfully captured, and - last but not least - high-society British English is heard all the time. Well, one might ponder if the situation in the UK was then so harsh and unpredictable, with suspicious persons in the very top of the society, but all this does not seem ridiculous, as the logic and shift of scenes are motivated. I liked all the episodes, and it is regrettable that only one season was produced. People like Brian Cox, Shaun Doodley, Victoria Hamilton are always pleasant to follow, they have no trivial roles.

I have just finished watching the final episode of The Game, and have to admit feeling on the one hand thoroughly satisfied and on the other, somewhat frustrated. On the positive side, this is a first rate drama with excellent production values - the acting is top notch, the characters well developed yet always leaving a sense that there is much kept hidden, the costumes, locations, cinematography and overall "feel" are spot on. The pace starts slowly - deliberately so - and picks up as the complex plot works its way inexorably towards its ultimate resolution. All in all, the feel is taught, suspenseful and engaging - this is a drama you are compelled to keep watching.

And so to the frustrations - as others have pointed out, there are a number of very glaring screw-ups in plot and "fieldcraft" which seem utterly at odds with the otherwise high quality of the production. I won't repeat all the errors here, but suffice it to say, it was enough to take the gloss off an otherwise exemplary and novel BBC drama. I would, nevertheless, encourage you all to watch it - just cut it a little slack! I for one very much hope there will be further series with this excellent cast. I just hope they spend a little more of the budget ironing out the glitches - if they do, this will be a series to rival the very best spy dramas ever produced.

Watched this as a way to relax before going to sleep. Boy, was that a mistake.

First thing's first. This show is intense. There were several times where I had to pause the episode, take a breather (knowing that crap was about to hit the proverbial fan), and then play the remaining scene. The music and camera work seamlessly complemented each other providing tension at every turn. There are strange, asymmetric camera angles that were meant to distort your view so that you, the viewer, couldn't get a good look at what was going on.

Secondly, this show is more than just about the Cold War "game" between UK vs USSR. It shows the games we play in our social, professional, and public lives and how people cope. It's about intrigue and personal aspirations. Everyone is playing a game with each other.

Thirdly, the actors are top notch. So fantastic to see these characters fleshed out and actually have personality.

A thing to note: the show is definitely a slow burn. Things don't really "happen" per se as expected until episode 5. Every episode is DEFINITELY intense but when you stop and think about what actually happened during the course of 59 minutes, very little occurs. Each episode seems to focus on a particular aspect for the entire episode. Of course, in the end, everything comes together like a puzzle.

So I guess an earlier reviewer was correct in saying that the real game is to make us watch. Because it does. It makes you wonder about what's going to happen next, forces you to think back to earlier episodes for little details and hints about upcoming events, and finally reach the conclusion with the characters at the end of episode 6.

Really great watch.