THE LITTLE DRUMMER GIRL ★★★★

Given that this new big-budget series is “from the people who brought you The Night Manager”, the BBC is no doubt hoping it will be just as successful.

In ratings terms, I’m not so sure it will be. Naturally, the very fact that it’s been adapted from another John Le Carre novel automatically gives this 1970s-set cat-and-mouse thriller more than a fighting chance of it being as stylish and gripping as 2016’s monster spy hit.

Plus, the breathless manner in which the intrigue built during last night’s opener will have surely ensured that most of the people that watched it will be back for episode two.

Yet it just felt more like a BBC2

period piece to me. It didn’t help that the cast didn’t boast many names that are instantly recognisable to a British audience. There was no one with the pull of Tom Hiddleston, Olivia Colman, Hugh Laurie or even Neil Morrissey in it. Not that the casting lets it down. The chemistry fizzes from the start between newcomer Florence Pugh (above) who plays idealistic English actress Charlie and

Alexander Skarsgard, who

plays Becker the handsome Israeli intelligence expert sent to recruit her.

The star though is the Boardwalk Empire’s Michael Shannon who is almost unrecognisable as Martin Kurtz, an Israeli spymaster who is working on an elaborate undercover plan to bring down a Palestinian cell that has been attacking Jewish-related targets in Europe.

The big question of course is will Le Carre make a cameo appearance as he did in The Night Manager.

Keep your eyes on the German cafe with the checked tablecloths.

With no big stars it just felt more like a BBC2 period piece to me