Meme This series has to be one of the most well written TV series in my opinion, the dialogue is so well placed. I never felt a single character say something just for the sake of it or as a filler, everything to the looks that Smiley would give or smirks the actors would occasionally give each other is a part of the character role. It is a slow build up but you never feel it drag. This show is about character development done to its best, and the actors especially the sublime yet superb Alec Guinness and Beryl Reid give a beautiful and profound performance.The story line is well done too, you feel a part of the Cold War era and the spy machinations and the intrigue grip you. This is story writing and telling at its finest. I wish more shows could be made that placed emphasis on good story telling and actors who would invest in bringing characters to life.

robertguttman The head of Soviet Intelligence has got a mole placed very top echelon of British Intelligence, so high up that the service can't be trusted to ferret him out. The only man capable of uncovering his identity is George Smiley, the now-retired, one-time Chief of Operations of British Intelligence. In fact, this unlike-sounding premise is actually based upon a true story.Although "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" is ostensibly a spy-thriller, it is really the unlimited detective story. Alec Guinness surpasses himself in the role of George Smiley. The creator of a vast array of colorful characters, Guinness plays Smiley a quiet, thoughtful, thorough man. Smiley is a man who stays inside himself, who asks questions but gives very little away. He is not, in fact, the cloak-and-dagger soy type, but the ultimate detective. And it takes the ultimate detective to sort out the complicated and secretive web of people and intrigues surrounding the betrayal of British Intelligence. His job is to get the truth out of smart people, people who not only know how to lie but who have been trained to lie. Those expecting car chases, gun battles, tricky gadgets, beautiful femmes fatales and massive explosions are going to be disappointed with "Ticker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy". This is definitely NOT a James Bond film. However, those desiring a thoughtful, intricate and thoroughly adult spy thriller need look no further. Herein they will find one of the best.

paulted Quite possibly the greatest television drama of them all. There are no pyrotechnics or snappy dialogue. If you are watching for either, you will be disappointed. This is a very slow burning, gripping game of chess that enthrals from the start. Subtle and nuanced, with a plot that grabs you by the brain and never lets go. ALL of the performances are top notch, with Alec Guinness giving a superb performance as Smiley (the most unlikely hero of them all) and Beryl Reid, Ian Richardson, Hywel Bennett, Michael Jayston, and Alexander Knox also magnificent. Special mention must go to Ian Bannen as the haunted, patriotic Jim Prideaux who acts his socks off while his character loses so much as the plot unfolds. Nothing short of a masterpiece.

punishmentpark A second viewing of 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy', and it was so easy to watch all episodes in a row in one night once again. I'm not sure who else could play Smiley so perfectly as Alec Guiness did, as I am also not sure if I really want to try the remake with Gary Oldman, even if he is a great actor, too...The story, the acting and the settings in 'Tinker...' are often very much understated and subtle (although there are plenty of emotional eruptions as there are picturesque sceneries), as is Smiley's investigation, which is the wrapped around the many stories that are at play here. Smiley is the ultimate analyst of this complicated world of cloaks and daggers, who brings as much heart as intelligence into the process. After the death of 'Control' (what an appropriate name), he is the one who should put things right, having quite a few bones to pick, but on the other hand, not so much else do either, really. And his wife...? Their conversation at the end, their only one throughout the whole series, tells so much.A very big 9 out of 10 for now.