The Admiral's Glass

Philby's wife Eileen is convinced he's having an affair, she pleads with Nicholas to discover the truth. Lily Thomas continues to interrogate Nicholas, she remains convinced he's shielding his old friend.

Suspicions galore, with nobody convinced in the honesty of sincerity of their partners, it's the cold war among friends, with everyone a little cagey, afraid to make a big move.

I have to admit, I struggled with this second episode, I'd hoped for a bit more, both in terms of action and pace, but sadly, both seemed to go backwards.

There are definitely a few tongue in cheek jokes, the dogs Dicky and Willy said with such dryness.

Once again, this was a beautifully made drama, it truly does look superb, even the camera.

It's worth watching for the visuals and strong performance of Damian Lewis, but the pacing is agonising.

5/10.

At the moment Anna Maxwell Martin character Lily Thomas is not that far removed from the icy interrogator she played in Line of Duty.

Lily goes through some tapes of Nicholas Elliott and Kim Philby in conversation. By now Kim Philby knows that he has been unmasked and his own people are after him.

By the second episode it is clear that A Spy Among Friends will never trouble the late John Le Carre's estate.

This is very much on the clunky end of spy thrillers. It is not exactly edge of your seat stuff. Not that well or cleverly written.

I remember watching a repeat of the television adaptation of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and being grabbed from the early moments.

This one is a slog. You have a true story intertwined with the personal life of a fictional character.