It is my view that the writer and director did something unusual and experimental with this teleplay, and that experiment "cost" them viewers and ratings.Which it should not have.It is all about timing. This six episode mini-series starts slow and picks up speed like one of those amusement park rides, until, by the time you get to very end of the finale, it seems like you are going 100 miles an hour.This is not the traditional way to execute a narrative. But, if you give it a chance, it works just fine.Besides, there are so many extraordinary things going on here, that I rather think the odd pacing (which was deliberate, of that there is no doubt) makes the total experience all the better. I am thinking specifically of the performances of Tom Hughes and Victoria Hamilton, which are beyond good, they are unforgettable.And - another trick of the writer -- he saved the very best lines of dialog for the post-Dénouement (postscript), specifically the lines "It takes a whore to catch a whore" (all the more potent when directed at a man!) and "doubt will kill as surely as a bullet." If you want to know why those lines are so powerful, watch the series!

As always ; the mood, atmosphere and production are top notch, as you would expect from the bbc. Brilliant character acting, good story (as you would expect) and amazing effects, camera work and editing. The impact is immediate and realism of the sets and effect grip the senses.. That is until a feeling of disappointment takes over. I would like to make a bold attempt to explain the slight dissatisfaction that comes up within some of the other reviews . Firstly; the bbc no longer really exists. Instead; programs are made by independent companies from a huge list, vetted by a managing body, chosen, kept and classified within certain 'standards'. This is why there seems to be a regularity to all new production. 'The game' is a good example of why the 'direction' of new production is becoming more disappointing. For anything to be exceptional, there needs to be a bit of genius. Sometimes wild. (as an example of what I mean - the group 'Pink Floyd' eventually lamented the loss of Syd Barrett ). And pure inspiration cannot be replaced by gimmick, style, effect or wackiness. What 'the Game' has is let down by what is missing. The bbc system may well be run by people with little creative interest and production made within limitation , simply because they don't know. The attempts a\t humour and being different , in 'the game' make me think of the kind of people with the ambition to work for advertising agencies. In fact, the production values are also similar and some people may well say, 'what's wrong with that'. Which could well be an indication of what has gone wrong with the system and of the way it is going. Were there was once rebellion against the system, it is now the goal , with larger audience, more programs, less range and tighter control. Ambition is a poor substitute for innovation.

Pro: stylish, atmospheric, characters not bad, intriguing premises.Con: too many ridiculous gaffes I don't ask for realism, only that the gaps be not insultingly obvious while you watch. There are many films that while objectively silly at least maintain a kind of internal believability, but The Game fails even simple threshold tests. The huge strains on logic range from the everyday work of spies to the most fundamental twists of the plot. And it's too bad, because if you like Cold War drama, this one seemed so promising, a sort of Tinker Tailor with better looking actors.SPOILERS AHEAD! For example, why does MI5 use agents clearly already known to the KGB to do not-at-all-subtle surveillance? And haven't these people even heard of disguises? My god, they don't even bother to change their clothes! Joe Lamb is always wearing that same overcoat! And just how did a bunch of Soviet sleeper agents get to be in multiple British government positions without apparently ever going through even the most rudimentary of background checks? Seriously, we're asked to believe that none of these functionaries was vetted? That no one noticed they didn't exist until they were 20 or so? Okay, obviously British security has had some major lapses of the Kim Philby variety, but I think even your basic personnel office would catch on to this situation!

Perhaps this reviewed is skewed since I grew up during the Cold War, but although the filming, acting, and atmosphere are spot on, there are inexplicable discrepancies in the plot that simply make no sense. Bodies are knocked out and left prone with no attempt to interrogate. Wire taps are set and the listeners just far away enough not to prevent the obvious disaster. Comedy is interjected at inappropriate moments and seems ridiculous, rather then funny. Also, the writers have thrown historical accuracy to the wind, and the story takes on a "Twilight Zone," science fiction tone. If I provide exact examples, I will spoil the show for those viewers who simply desire snappy entertainment. Thus, I will show restraint. The Game could have been a TV LeCarre, but alas, it is more pop then intrigue.