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Series · 1979 · War & Politics

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

One of Britain's master spies is working for the enemy. Can George Smiley beat him at his deadly game?

★7.6 1979 1 Season John Irvin TV-MA

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a seven-part BBC2 spy drama written by Arthur Hopcraft, adapted from John le Carré's eponymous 1974 novel. The serial, which stars Alec Guinness, Alexander Knox, Ian Richardson, Michael Jayston, Bernard Hepton, Anthony Bate, Ian Bannen, George Sewell and Michael Aldridge, was broadcast from 10 September to 22 October 1979. George Smiley, the ageing master spy of the Cold War and once heir-apparent to Control, is brought back out of retirement to flush out a top level mole within the Circus. Smiley must travel back through his life and murky workings of the Circus to unravel the net spun by his nemesis Karla 'The Sandman' of the KGB and reveal the identity of the mole before he disappears.

Seasons & episodes

1 season · 7 episodes

Return to the Circus

Episode 01

Return to the Circus

Sep 10, 1979 · 50 min

Retired espionage veteran George Smiley is called out on a top-secret mission: to uncover a Soviet agent within MI6's echelons.

Tarr Tells His Story

Episode 02

Tarr Tells His Story

Sep 17, 1979 · 49 min

British agent Ricki Tarr, believed to have defected, resurfaces with sensational information: confirmation of a Russian mole in the Service.

Smiley Tracks the Mole

Episode 03

Smiley Tracks the Mole

Sep 24, 1979 · 47 min

The investigation begins, with Peter Guillam burgling the archives for information, while Smiley visits an old comrade whose past knowledge could prove vital to locating the spy.

How It All Fits Together

Episode 04

How It All Fits Together

Oct 1, 1979 · 43 min

While Guillam and Tarr come under pressure, Smiley recounts his one meeting with Soviet master spy Karla, who is undoubtedly running the mole inside MI6.

Tinker Tailor

Episode 05

Tinker Tailor

Oct 8, 1979 · 45 min

Smiley calls on ex-Circus spy San Collins, who was the duty officer the night Jim Prideaux was shot. Collins confirms the events as Smiley understands them and that Prideaux's good friend Bill Hayden is the senior officer who took charge of the case after all hell broke loose. Smiley subsequently meets with Prideaux to get a firsthand account of the events during the disastrous Operation Testify in Czechoslovakia.

Smiley Sets a Trap

Episode 06

Smiley Sets a Trap

Oct 15, 1979 · 41 min

Smiley confronts one of his suspects and gives him the results of his investigations, which could prove a considerable embarrassment to those concerned.

Flushing Out the Mole

Episode 07

Flushing Out the Mole

Oct 22, 1979 · 43 min

Smiley springs his trap and catches the mole, who confesses how and why it happened, and the answers ultimately rob Smiley of any sense of victory.

About the series

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy poster
Audience score
★ 7.6 /10

based on 131 votes

Synopsis

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a seven-part BBC2 spy drama written by Arthur Hopcraft, adapted from John le Carré's eponymous 1974 novel. The serial, which stars Alec Guinness, Alexander Knox, Ian Richardson, Michael Jayston, Bernard Hepton, Anthony Bate, Ian Bannen, George Sewell and Michael Aldridge, was broadcast from 10 September to 22 October 1979. George Smiley, the ageing master spy of the Cold War and once heir-apparent to Control, is brought back out of retirement to flush out a top level mole within the Circus. Smiley must travel back through his life and murky workings of the Circus to unravel the net spun by his nemesis Karla 'The Sandman' of the KGB and reveal the identity of the mole before he disappears.

War & PoliticsDramaMystery

Cast

4 principal cast

Alec Guinness

Alec Guinness

George Smiley

Michael Jayston

Michael Jayston

Peter Guillam

Anthony Bate

Anthony Bate

Sir Oliver Lacon

George Sewell

George Sewell

Mendel

Where to watch Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is available to stream on Flicksy via 6 verified sources, aggregated from publicly available embed providers. The war & politics from John Irvin, John le Carré has 1 season and 7 total episodes, rated 7.6/10 by 131 viewers.

Frequently asked

How many seasons does Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy have?

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy has 1 season with 7 episodes in total.

Is Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy still on the air?

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy has ended and is no longer in production.

What network airs Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy?

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy airs on BBC Two.

When did Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy first air?

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy first aired on September 10, 1979.

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