The Game

2014

Seasons & Episodes

  • 1

7.7| 0h30m| TV-14| en
Synopsis

"The Game" is a 1970s Cold War spy thriller set in the world of espionage. It tells the story of the invisible war fought by MI5 as it battles to protect the nation from the threats of the Cold War.

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Reviews

Steineded How sad is this?
Murphy Howard I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.
Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.
Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.
Paul Evans What a welcome return to television for this genre, cold war spy thriller, so popular back in the 1980's and for many years criminally absent. The Game was an awesome five part series, incredibly written and scripted, it was dark, pacey, loaded with intrigue and thoroughly engaging.Superbly acted, I've been a little critical of Tom Hughes in the past, a guy that looks like a model I found a little one dimensional, but he silenced me in this, he was outstanding. Brian Cox, Paul Ritter, Judy Parfitt etc all fantastic, but Victoria Hamilton was on another level, always been a fan but here she was unbelievable, an awesome actress.Part 4 was without a doubt one of the best hours of television I have ever watched, outstanding.Utterly devastating that a second series wasn't commissioned, the BBC missed a golden opportunity with both this and Banished. Nevertheless The Game was a magnificent piece of drama, 10/10
Tweekums Set in the early 1970s MI5 operative Joe Lambe is given the task of overseeing the defection and debriefing of Soviet agent Arkady. He quickly learns that the Soviets have a major operation planned, 'Operation Glass', but Arkady doesn't know the details. If MI5 is to thwart the KGB's plan they will have to uncover who is behind Operation Glass as well as its eventual aim. Matters are complicated when Joe learns that one of the KGB men behind the operation is 'Odin' the man responsible for the death of his girlfriend before the events of the series. A further complication is the revelation that a mole within MI5 has been leaking details of their counter-operation to the Soviets.This gripping cold war thriller nicely captures the feeling of the 1970s and more importantly the sense of paranoia within the Security Services as agents wonder who they can trust; they don't even know if Glass is real or just a ploy to make Arkady's defects seem real. The cast does a fine job making us believe in the characters while still wondering whether or not they are the traitor. The only big name in the cast is Brian Cox, who is great as MI5 head 'Daddy', however the rest of the cast more than hold their own; most notably Tom Hughes who plays Joe and Shaun Dooley, who plays DC Jim Fenchurch, a policeman brought into assist MI5. These spies certainly aren't in the James Bond or even the 'Spooks' mould; they are almost bland in their ordinariness; something that suits the story perfectly. As the series approaches its end the tension mounts nicely as we learn just how dangerous Operation Glass is. Overall I'd say this is well worth watching and hope BBC2 continues to provide us with more quality drama like this in the future.
whirligigfrenzy 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.
enofile Perhaps this reviewed is skewed since I grew up during the Cold War, but although the filming, acting, and atmosphere are spot on, there are inexplicable discrepancies in the plot that simply make no sense. Bodies are knocked out and left prone with no attempt to interrogate. Wire taps are set and the listeners just far away enough not to prevent the obvious disaster. Comedy is interjected at inappropriate moments and seems ridiculous, rather then funny. Also, the writers have thrown historical accuracy to the wind, and the story takes on a "Twilight Zone," science fiction tone. If I provide exact examples, I will spoil the show for those viewers who simply desire snappy entertainment. Thus, I will show restraint. The Game could have been a TV LeCarre, but alas, it is more pop then intrigue.