1. the script writer did not provide enough information of new cast members when the new cast members 'pop up'. Unless one had read the novel it makes no real sense. So many of the cast seem to be being filmed on their first read through that or the director made no real demands on what skill they 'had' to be cast to begin with.The other is the miscasting esp. of 'Jean-Francoise Mercier as played by David Tennant. He is dull, weak and completely one dimensional in his delivery.The film omitted a major part of the novel, prior to 1st Sept. 1939, where Mercier contacts German 'agents' inside Germany who take a hiking trip into the border region of Germany and Belgium/Luxemborg and document the German panzers 'measuring' the width of the forest roads in the Ardennes for the invasion of June 1940. It was a well crafted passage in the novel and a shame it was not added.It is a shame for the novel is very good but you'd never know it watching this series and sadly it doesn't bode well for future film adaptations of Furst's work

I will and do watch anything with David Tennant in it as IMO he is an exceptionally gifted performer but, from the off, this telemovie bored me witless. I didn't buy most of the tension and, with few exceptions, the performances were largely uninspiring. The writing rarely grabbed me and, visually, the timing of suspenseful scenes was often poorly judged. But my main gripe was that the direction, cinematography and editing were all IMO so remorselessly pedestrian. In addition, the lead actress - who we are meant to accept as the 'romantic interest' - appeared to be not just uninvolved with her lover but I personally doubted she was even a serious actress within the meaning of the Act! I gather she has won deserved success in other projects that I haven't seen, but in 'Spies'? Not for this viewer. Tennant looks, sounds and is lovely and could not act badly if he tried conscientiously for a year but, really, even his illustrious talent and legendary energy could not save his character for me in this movie. Especially not when he's obliged to wear some of the silliest military uniforms you could find outside of a Gilbert and Sullivan opera. Possibly the window of opportunity to create incisive TV drama about mid 20thC spy stories has slammed shut for the time being. I bought the DVD and have watched it just once and won't do so again. Probably.

Why do they have to tinker with a great story? Alan Furst's novel is moody, atmospheric and evocative of the period, pre-WW2 Warsaw. The BBC adaptation is lifeless and sterile. The screenwriters have tried to cherry-pick the salient parts of the novel, but all this has achieved is a confusing storyline with no sense of continuity. David Tennant is hopelessly miscast as Mercier, which in turn ensures the viewer will find the series pretty unbelievable. Janet Montgomery's portrayal of Anna Szarbek(Skarbek? Why?) is unfortunately not very likable, which in turn means their relationship suffers on the screen. Both Tennant and Montgomery have mishandled the relationship between Mercier and Szarbek, which is one of the critical drivers of Mercier's actions. A number of other characters (Jourdain, Dr Lapp) have been similarly poorly written and portrayed. Very disappointing all round. I just hope they don't try and adapt any more of Alan Furst's novels - fans of Furst's novels will be very disheartened.

I use the word "disappointing" to be polite. I love spy novels etc, but this was pathetic. I did stay for 30 minutes to give it a chance. Tieing up an 18 year old German soldier to a tree right after you are discovered spying on the new German 'super' tank. Get real. I know something of history and even though this was fiction, it was bad fiction. I couldn't tell what country the main character was from until 30 minutes into the program. Even at this point, I don't remember his name. David Tennant is a great actor. I've seen his "Hamlet". What possessed him to take this role is beyond me. Let's just say, I changed the channel to watch PBS. They had a program on called 'Nature'. The subject was plants talking to each other.