X

Join or Sign In

Sign in to customize your TV listings

Continue with Facebook Continue with email

By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.

A Perfect Spy

This is the story of Magnus Pym, from his childhood to the end of his career in middle age. As a young man, there is little doubt that his father Rick was the most influential character in his life. Rick was a raconteur, con man, thief, black marketer and all in all, simply larger than life. From a young age, Rick included Magnus in his schemes and the young man learned that you would do anything for the ones you love. When a university student in Switzerland, Pym meets the other person who will have the greatest influence in his life, Axel, a Czech refugee. As Pym enters his career in the British Secret Service, his relationship with Axel and the values he developed in childhood lead him down his own path of betrayal and loyalty.

Loading. Please wait...

Content not available in your region? ExpressVPN can help you stay connected wherever you are. Get 4 extra months FREE with TV Guide's exclusive offer.

Cast & Crew See All

Ray McAnally
Rick Pym
Rudiger Weigang
Axel
Alan Howard
Jack Brotherhood

Season 1 Episode Guide See All

Episode 1

Episode #1.1

55 mins

A Perfect Spy traces the rise and fall of Magnus Pym and his career through intelligence. From chance meetings with people will be important to him in the future to a life in Czechoslovakia, Washington and finally on the run in England Pym weaves his way through the complicated world of espionage. Where no-one is safe from betrayal, not even his father.

Where to Watch
A Perfect Spy, Season 1 Episode 1 image

Featured Video

John Le Carre's A Perfect Spy: Vol. 1
John Le Carre's A Perfect Spy: Vol. 1
1:04

1:04 John Le Carre's A Perfect Spy: Vol. 1

Awards

  • 1988 - BAFTA TV Award - Best Drama Series - nominated
  • 1988 - BAFTA TV Award - Best Actor - nominated
  • 1988 - BAFTA TV Award - Best Film Sound - nominated
  • 1988 - BAFTA TV Award - Best Original Television Music - nominated

Popular Shows See all shows

Mayor of Kingstown

5 Seasons
From Academy Award nominee Taylor Sheridan, co-creator of Yellowstone, Mayor of Kingstown follows the McLusky family - power brokers in Kingstown, Michigan where the business of incarceration is the only thriving industry. Tackling themes of systemic racism, corruption and inequality, the series provides a stark look at their attempt to bring order and justice to a town that has neither.
55   Metascore
2021 Suspense, Drama

FBI

9 Seasons
From Emmy Award winner Dick Wolf and the team behind the Law and Order franchise, "FBI" is a fast-paced drama about the inner workings of the New York office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This elite unit brings to bear all their talents, intellect, and technical expertise on major cases in order to keep New York and the country safe. Born into a multigenerational law-enforcement family, Special Agent Maggie Bell commits deeply to the people she works with as well as those she protects. Her partner is Special Agent Omar Adom "OA" Zidan, a West Point graduate via Bushwick who spent two years undercover for the DEA before being cherry-picked by the FBI. Overseeing them is Special Agent in Charge Isobel Castille who operates under intense pressure and has undeniable command authority. The team also includes Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jubal Valentine, the nerve center of the office, whose ability to easily relate to and engage with both superiors and subordinates makes him a master motivator. Kristen Chazal is the team's most valued resource, a brilliant analyst recruited straight out of university who can piece together the big picture more quickly than anyone. These first-class agents tenaciously investigate cases of tremendous magnitude, including terrorism, organized crime, and counterintelligence.
57   Metascore
2018 Action & Adventure, Suspense, Drama

The Lincoln Lawyer

5 Seasons
An iconoclastic idealist runs his law practice out of the back of his Lincoln Town Car in this series based on Michael Connelly's bestselling novels.
64   Metascore
2022 Suspense, Drama

The Closer

7 Seasons
Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, formerly Atlanta police officer and CIA-trained interrogator, is given the opportunity to run her own division of elite officers of the Los Angeles Police Department. Her unusual procedure for obtaining confessions, blatant disregard for politics, and southern accent make her a marked woman. However, with all the bluster and bravado, she still maintains her title, The Closer.
68   Metascore
2005 Suspense, Drama

The Rookie

8 Seasons
Six months into his career as a cop, John Nolan will be put to the test as he looks to figure out what kind of cop he ultimately wants to be.
64   Metascore
2018 Action & Adventure, Suspense, Drama

Memory of a Killer

1 Season
A hitman leading a dangerous double life develops early onset Alzheimer's.
52   Metascore
2026 Action & Adventure, Suspense, Drama