Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: Return to the Circus
Episode score
8.2
Great
Return to the Circus
- 1.
- Season: 1
- Episode: 1
- First Aired: 9/10/1979
George Smiley retired as a senior British Intelligence Service agent one year ago. Then, to his surprise, messengers arrive from Sir Oliver Lacon, head of the London Station, asking George to come back into the game. There is clear evidence that a highly influential KGB mole has been operating out of 'the Circus' for many years, and everyone is under suspicion.
Smiley has to decide whether to take on the thankless task of hunting the traitor. Read full recap »
- Writers:
- John Le CarréArthur Hopcraft
- Director:
- John Irvin
- Stars:
- Terence Rigby (Roy Bland)
- Alec Guinness (George Smiley)
- George Sewell (Inspector Mendel)
- Michael Jayston (Peter Guillam)
- Michael Aldridge (Percy Alleline)
- Bernard Hepton (Toby Esterhase)
- Ian Richardson (Bill Haydon)
- Anthony Bate (Oliver Lacon)
- Recurring Role:
- Ian Bannen (Jim Prideaux)
- Hywel Bennett (Ricki Tarr)
- Guest Star:
- Alexander Knox (Control)
- Nigel Stock (Roddy Martindale)
- Milos Kirek (Barak)
- Eugene Lipinski (Czech Guard)
- Alec Sbin (Fawn)
- Brian Hawksley (Bookseller)
- When Smiley interviews Ricki Tarr in this episode, he is wearing bright orange tanned leather shoes, which were one of the details Alec Guinness had picked up from a meeting with a real spy (see Notes). edit »
- Smiley's Chelsea house, first seen in this episode, is at 9, Bywater Street, London SW3. The location filming, both inside and outside the house, was done at the real number 10, Bywater Street. edit »
- The end title song, Song of Simeon, was sung by Paul Phoenix, who was uncredited at the time of first broadcast. edit »
- Shortly before filming for the first episode began, Alec Guinness asked for a meeting with Sir Maurice Oldfield, a real senior British intelligence agent, and for the role of George Smiley he later copied many of the details of Sir Maurice's mannerisms and appearance. edit »
- This episode is based on John le Carré's book Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1974). edit »
- The Circus is a nickname for the British Secret Intelligence Service supposedly located at Cambridge Circus in London. edit »
- Control: We have a rotten apple, Jim, and the maggots are eating up the Circus.
Prideaux: These people? One of these?
Control: Why not? Are the British incapable of deception? We've turned members of other outfits. Russians, Poles, Czechs and the odd American. edit » - Martindale: Let's talk about your old boss, Control. The only Head of the Secret Service who kept his name a secret. Shall we talk about Control?
Smiley: If you insist.
Martindale: Of course, it wasn't a secret to you, was it, George? He never had any secrets from you, his tried and trusted right hand, did he?
Smiley: I don't know. That's the point about secrets. edit » - Smiley: I have been reviewing my life in this last half hour of hell and I've come to a grave decision. After a lifetime of living by my wits and on my memory, I shall give myself up full-time to the profession of forgetting. edit »
- Smiley: Why did Lacon send you for me?
Guillam: Do you mean why did he send me for you? Or why did he send me for you?
Smiley: Quite right, Peter. I should have known better than to have asked. edit » - Martindale: My love to Ann, George. Everybody's love to Ann, George.
edit »
- There is currently no allusions. Add allusions!
Return to the Circus
The Bottom Line: "Pilot episode"10/11/08 12:40pm | report abuseThey did make television series quite differently then. ...Continue »
Show Score
7.3
great
- Show Statistics
-
3,831 of 17,766 Rating Rank
-
1 Reviews
-
16 Tracked by
-
41 Votes
top contributors
Ethandune
- user score: 45
- last online: Oct 9, 2008
francklloyd
- user score: 26
- last online: Oct 12, 2008
LMH68
- user score: 14
episode list »
top episodes
score
updated daily
