When Night Owl’s camera discovers a mercenary working for Roper preparing a new arms deal, Jonathan jumps into action, following a trajectory that takes him through suspicious deaths and bomb explosions to Spain, then Colombia, and a new villain inspired by the show. Diego Calva captivates as Teddy dos Santos, a gunner who has a strong bond with Roper and calls himself “a true disciple of Richard Roper” and follows his master’s strategies. Ostensibly a sophisticated philanthropist, he has a lavish lifestyle (it’s more convenient for the show to take him to lavish places and homes) and is surrounded by armed bodyguards. Cunning and elusive, he has ties to the Colombian military and the British government. The way he and Jonathan engage in cat-and-mouse and scheming is dynamic.
Jonathan enters Teddy’s world by assuming yet another persona: Matthew Ellis, a dashing billionaire who loves to party and is unafraid to take risks. Knowing the true nature of these men is as much a part of the story as the arms deal, if anything like their “real” identity exists beneath all the subterfuge. “Matthew, who are you? Why are you here?” Teddy asks at one point in the trailer, as he says of himself, “You have no idea who I am.” These rivals are really compatible.
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Hayley Squires brings a sparkle of energy to every scene as the down-to-earth Sully, part of the Night Owl squad who joins Jonathan on the ground in Columbia. And Olivia Colman reprises her role as Angela Barr, the MI6 agent who initially recruits Jonathan. Only two of the six episodes were released before the series’ release, so it’s impossible to know how much Coleman will appear in subsequent periods, but she barely appears in the early episodes.
It’s also impossible to say whether another important new character will turn out to be more than the first cliche. Camila Morrone plays Roxana Bolaños, a shipping broker who is believed to be Teddy’s girlfriend. She’s the usual attractive, sexy woman who might be sleeping with the villain and trying to help the hero, but also playing the hero. While Teddy is an intentionally mysterious character, Roxana, who is currently stereotypical, is just a bad person. And sometimes the dialogue contains some very awkward foreshadowing. Certain lines (which you’ll know as soon as you hear them) indicate that someone in the conversation won’t survive much longer.
The trailer also includes a scene where Jonathan, Teddy, and Roxana hug each other like a threesome. Whatever it is, there are homosexual accusations between Jonathan and Teddy in several scenes. Whether it’s just a ploy by one or both sides is exactly what we’re wondering. That’s one of the many questions that makes this series, with all its shadows and ambiguity, so fascinating.
The Night Manager launches in the UK on BBC1 on January 1st and internationally on Prime Video on January 11th.
Source: BBC Culture – www.bbc.com
