which premiered Jan. 21 on BBC America, is a complex, sometimes cryptic import that is worth puzzling over. The cast is first-rate, including (“The Hour”), Charlotte Rampling (“Broadchurch”) and Jim Broadbent (“Longford”).
The thriller opens with the chance meeting of two quite different men and continues into spycraft, a cover-up and a fight against injustice.
By chance, Danny (Whishaw), a hard-partying young man in a dead-end job, meets Alex (Edward Holcroft, “Wolf Hall”), a buttoned-up, seemingly friendless investment banker. A gay love affair ensues, until tragedy strikes. No spoilers, but Alex’s true identity is exposed: he works for MI6, the secret intelligence service.
The source material is so specific, it’s a wonder the TV adaptation manages to be more classy than lurid: In 2010, the body of deceased male was found locked inside a gym bag in an apartment connected to the U.K.’s security services. That event became a tabloid sensation.
This riveting mystery from author Tom Rob Smith avoids the sleazy angles to focus on the persecution of gays, governmental power abuse and the power of personal integrity.
