By coincidence, I read Len Deighton's novel only a few weeks before discovering that it had been dramatised by the BBC, so the plot and characters were fresh as I watched SS-GB. Overall, I think it is an effective drama (I'm not concerned with the 'Mumblegate' that has surrounded the series) with a number of strong performances, especially those of Lars Eidinger as Oskar Huth and Maeve Dermody as Sylvia (whose role is nicely expanded upon in comparison to the novel). Yes, Sam Riley is a little on the young side to fully convince as 'Archer of the Yard', but he does provide a stylish presence, and it would be good to see more of the character. Fundamentally, the concept is an imaginative one, however the reality of a Nazi-occupied Britain does not quite come off due to obvious budget restrictions, as such, the scale and social impact of the German military presence is never really fully established or effectively visualised. Furthermore, the series really needed an extra episode as the plot strands (the atomic research base attack and the freeing of the King) rather abruptly come to a crux. However, by adding some revisions to Deighton's plot, the series does leave the way open for further Archer adventures, which hopefully will appear in the near-future
