The Ipcress FileAs the Cold War rages, ex-smuggler turned reluctant spy Harry Palmer finds himself at the centre of a dangerous undercover mission, on which he must use his links to find a missing British nuclear scientist.
WritersLen Deighton, John Hodge
Episode 1
Mar 6, 2022
Harry Palmer is serving as a working-class British sergeant in Berlin as the Cold War rages in the 1960s. Palmer is a sharp and savvy operator, with varied side-hustles that ultimately land him trouble with the law for crimes that could mean an eight-year stretch in a grim English military jail. But spotting Palmer’s potential, and his network in Berlin, an intelligence officer offers him a way to avoid prison by becoming a spy. His first case is The Ipcress File — a dangerous undercover mission on which Palmer must use his links to a man suspected of kidnapping a missing British nuclear scientist.
Episode 2
Mar 13, 2022
A bomb explodes under Jean's car and only Harry's quick-thinking saves their lives. Harry spots a suspicious stranger tailing them who is identified as Randall, a former agent.
Episode 3
Mar 20, 2022
Harry and Jean arrive in Beirut in hot pursuit of Randall, who is holding Professor Dawson. Meanwhile, Dalby holds a secret rendezvous with Stok, a Russian colonel.
Episode 4
Mar 27, 2022
Dalby challenges General Cathcart, suspecting American involvement in Dawson's abduction. Harry and Jean head to the Pacific atoll where the neutron bomb is to be tested.
Episode 5
Apr 3, 2022
Harry is handed over to the Chinese military where he is subjected to a bewildering regime of mental torture. Dalby's love for Dr Lavotchkin takes its toll on his judgement.
Episode 6
Apr 10, 2022
Harry is tormented by what has been planted in his mind as his mission reaches its bloody climax and the stability of the free world is at stake.
Peter McGinn
@narrator56
It took two tries several weeks apart for me to get through episode one, and now I see that I had to allow Harry Palmer to grow on me, which he did. I am not a fan of spy programming, because they seem so similar with their themes of conspiracy in the halls of power and heroes not knowing who they can trust as they try to save the world, or at least a corner of it. But once I connected to Mr. Palmer, I had no trouble sticking with this series and enjoying it overall. Tom Hollander felt like the glue that held the story together. Affable but firm, he seems to be the guiding hand in the plot, at least until he encounters issues of his own. And the ensemble cast did what they needed to do to keep the story moving. I particularly appreciate the growth in importance of the Alice and Chico characters, who were instrumental for the show to pull off one of the necessary plot twists. I didn’t quite buy the whole brainwashing plot thread, but I won’t go into detail as that would perhaps lead to unforgivable spoilers. Besides, I watch SF programming such as time travel movies, so I have no problem with, as they say, suspending my disbelief to enjoy the show. And even with the nearly cliche spy movie betrayals and mistrust, I recommend the show even for non espionage fans like myself.
