The WORST seasons of Smiley's People

Every season of Smiley's People ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst seasons of Smiley's People!

Adaptation of John Le Carré's novel, following on from the previous BBC adaptation TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY. George Smiley returns to the Game. A member of one of George Smiley's old networks seems to have caught on to something big. When he turns up dead the Circus asks George to tie up the loose ends with minimal fuss. But George Smiley does not like loose ends. Especially if they lead to the darkest recesses of the KGB - to Karla, the Sandman.

Last Updated: 4/14/2026Network: BBC TwoStatus: Ended
Miniseries
star
7.67
6 votes

#1 - Miniseries

First Aired 9/20/1982

Called out of retirement to settle the affairs of a friend, Smiley finds his old organization, the Circus, so overwhelmed by political considerations that it doesn't want to know what happened. He begins to follow up the clues of his friends past days, discovering that the clues lead to a high person in the Russian Secret service, and a secret important enough to kill for.