It is 1946. London is a literal shell of its former self. You’ve seen the black-and-white photos of the Blitz, but Stephen Poliakoff’s TV series Close to the Enemy does something different. It paints the aftermath in these strange, humid, almost claustrophobic hues of green and gold. Honestly, it’s not your typical "victory at all costs" BBC drama. It’s messier than that. It’s about the uncomfortable moral compromises Britain made to win the Cold War before the embers of World War II were even cold.
If you haven't seen it, the premise sounds like a standard spy thriller. It isn't. Callum Ferguson, an army captain played by Jim Sturgess, is tasked with a pretty dirty job: he has to convince a captured German jet engineer, Dieter Koehl (August Diehl), to work for the British Air Ministry. The catch? The British want his brain to help develop the jet engine, but Dieter isn’t exactly a willing collaborator, and Callum isn’t exactly a saint.
The Weird, Wonderful World of Poliakoff’s 1946 London
Stephen Poliakoff has a style that some people find polarizing. It’s slow. It’s rhythmic. Characters often talk in long, winding circles. But in the TV series Close to the Enemy, this style actually works perfectly to capture the paranoia of the era. London feels like a ghost town that’s trying—and failing—to throw a party. Most of the action happens inside the Connington Hotel, a crumbling, grand building where the government has stashed high-value targets, refugees, and military personnel all under one roof.
It’s a pressure cooker.
You’ve got jazz music playing in the ballroom while people are being interrogated in the suites upstairs. That juxtaposition is the heart of the show. It’s about the desperation of a fading empire trying to steal technology to stay relevant. Freddie Highmore shows up as Callum’s brother, Victor, who is struggling with what we’d now call PTSD, though back then it was just called "being difficult" or "nerves." Highmore is incredible here. He’s fragile, erratic, and serves as a constant reminder that while the "great men" are playing chess with German scientists, the actual soldiers who fought the war are falling through the cracks.
Why the History Matters More Than the Plot
Most people watch historical dramas for the costumes or the romance. And yeah, the coats in this show are fantastic. But the real hook of the TV series Close to the Enemy is the historical "Operation Surgeon." This was the British version of the American "Operation Paperclip." The Allies were basically scavenging the remains of the Nazi regime for scientists. It raises a question that the show doesn't shy away from: how many war crimes are you willing to overlook if the guy committed them can build you a faster plane?
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Dieter Koehl isn't a cartoon villain. August Diehl—who you might remember from the bar scene in Inglourious Basterds—plays him with this chilling, intellectual distance. He knows he’s valuable. He knows the British need him more than he needs them. It makes for a fascinating power dynamic. Callum has to treat him like a guest while remembering he’s essentially a prisoner of war.
- The show highlights the role of the T-Force, a real military unit tasked with capturing German technology.
- It explores the "denazification" process, which was often more about paperwork than actual justice.
- The portrayal of the British Civil Service is wonderfully cynical. It shows the petty bureaucracy behind massive global shifts.
The Supporting Cast is the Secret Weapon
While Sturgess and Diehl do the heavy lifting, the women in this series actually drive a lot of the moral complexity. Phoebe Fox plays Kathy, who works for the War Crimes Crimes Commission. She’s one of the few characters actually interested in justice rather than technology. She’s the conscience of the show, and her frustration with Callum’s "pragmatism" is palpable. Then there’s Lindsay Duncan as Frau Bellingham—a character who exudes a kind of faded aristocratic menace that only Duncan can pull off.
The pacing is deliberate.
If you’re looking for Bond, you’ll be disappointed. This is more Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy if it were set in a hotel lobby. It’s about the lingering glances, the stuff unsaid over tea, and the quiet horror of realizing that the "good guys" are doing some pretty shady stuff. Poliakoff loves his details. He’ll spend five minutes on a shot of a character looking at a piece of machinery or a dusty curtain. It builds an atmosphere that stays with you long after the episode ends.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Series
When it first aired, some critics were annoyed by the dialogue. They said it felt "theatrical" or "unreal." But they missed the point. These characters are all performing. They are in a hotel, in a city that’s rebuilding, pretending the war is over while the Cold War is literally starting in the basement. Of course the dialogue is stylized. Everyone is wearing a mask.
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Another misconception is that it’s a pro-British "victory" lap. It’s actually quite the opposite. The TV series Close to the Enemy is a deeply skeptical look at British interests. It asks if the UK was so obsessed with remaining a superpower that it sold its soul to a few Nazi scientists. That’s a heavy theme for a primetime drama, and it handles it with a lot of nuance. It doesn't give you easy answers.
Real Historical Context You Should Know
To really appreciate the stakes, you have to understand how broke Britain was in 1946. The country was rationing bread—which hadn't even happened during the actual war. The British Empire was starting to dissolve. The Americans had the atomic bomb. The Russians were looming. In the TV series Close to the Enemy, the jet engine isn't just a piece of tech; it’s a lifeline. If they can get Dieter to build it, they might still be a global player.
This desperation makes Callum’s actions more understandable, even if they aren't likable. He’s a man who has seen the worst of the war and is now told he has to play nice with the enemy to save the peace. It’s a brutal psychological position to be in.
Breaking Down the Production
The music deserves a shoutout. The jazz score by Adrian Johnston is phenomenal. It’s not just background noise; it’s a character. It represents the Americanization of London and the shift in culture that was happening at the time. The Connington Hotel itself was filmed in several locations, including the Liverpool North Dockside and the Adelphi Hotel. They managed to create a space that feels both massive and suffocating at the same time.
- The Visuals: Rich, dark, and textured.
- The Acting: Jim Sturgess brings a weary, cynical energy that anchors the show.
- The Writing: Poliakoff’s signature long-form storytelling is in full effect.
Honestly, the show feels like a long movie. It’s seven episodes, and it needs that time. You can’t rush the process of breaking down a man’s will, which is what Callum is trying to do to Dieter. You also can’t rush the slow-burn realization that the people Callum works for might be just as dangerous as the enemies he just finished fighting.
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Is It Worth the Binge?
Yes. But you have to change your expectations. Don't go in expecting a high-octane thriller. Go in for the atmosphere. Go in for the way it explores the gray areas of history. It’s a show about the morning after the biggest party (and tragedy) in human history, and everyone has a massive, moral hangover.
The TV series Close to the Enemy reminds us that history isn't written in neat chapters. It’s messy, it overlaps, and the transition from "enemy" to "ally" is often just a matter of who owns the patents. It’s a cynical, beautiful, and deeply human piece of television that probably deserved more awards than it got.
If you're a fan of The Bletchley Circle or Foyle’s War, but you want something with a bit more of an experimental, "prestige" edge, this is it. It’s a story about the secrets we keep to keep our secrets safe.
Actionable Insights for Your Watchlist
- Watch for the details: Pay attention to the background characters in the hotel; many represent real types of displaced people from 1946 London.
- Research Operation Surgeon: Looking up the real-life extraction of German scientists by the British will make the stakes of the show feel much higher.
- Don't skip the music: The jazz performances aren't just filler; they often mirror the emotional state of the characters in the scene.
- Look for the "Poliakoffisms": Notice how he uses light and dust to create a sense of history being literally present in the room.
- Check out the cast's other work: If you like August Diehl here, watch A Hidden Life; if you like Phoebe Fox, check out The Great.
The next time you're scrolling through a streaming service looking for a period piece, skip the stuff you've seen a thousand times. Give this one a shot. It's weird, it's slow, and it's absolutely haunting. It's exactly the kind of TV we need more of—shows that aren't afraid to be a little uncomfortable.