The Little Drummer Girl: Spy thriller about 'seduction' and 'betrayal' is must watch for The Night Manager fans
It's based on the 1983 novel of the same name by John le Carré
The Little Drummer Girl is the next watch for fans of big-budget, super-slick spy thrillers like The Night Manager, and it’s available to stream for free right now.
In fact, the series first aired in 2018, and might have passed you by at the time. But it’s not too late to catch up on the drama that reviewers called “brilliant”, “beautiful”, and “outstanding”.
Like The Night Manager series 2 which is currently airing on BBC One and iPlayer, The Little Drummer Girl is based on a bestselling John le Carré novel. The similarities don’t stop there either. The filming locations and cast compete for the spotlight.
Here’s everything you need to know about The Little Drummer Girl, including plot, cast, episodes, locations, and how to watch.
What is The Little Drummer Girl about?
The Little Drummer Girl is a spy drama that first aired in 2018 to great acclaim. The story starts in 1979 when aspiring English actress Charlie is recruited by the national intelligence agency of the State of Israel – aka Mossad. Her mission? To infiltrate and stop a Palestinian group that is plotting terrorism in London and elsewhere in Europe.
In her bid to stop a Palestinian assassin targeting prominent Israelis, Charlie must use all of her acting talents. It’s a very dangerous job, and her life is most definitely put at risk. Along the way, she meets some seriously shady characters, as well as a rather alluring love interest (or two).
Charlie has a sexually charged, blurred relationship with her handler Gadi ‘Joseph’ Becker. An Israeli agent, he recruits Charlie and trains her, posing as her lover to infiltrate Khalil’s group.
However, she also develops a complex relationship with the Palestinian operative Khalil, as part of her undercover role. Her romantic involvement is central to her mission as a double agent, forcing her to question reality and her own loyalties. She genuinely falls for Khalil, the leader of the Palestinian cell Charlie infiltrates. Can she really bring herself to betray him?
A synopsis for the series said: “Seduction, betrayal and spies. A fiery actress meets a mysterious stranger, and is caught up in a deadly espionage sting.”
Some (older fans) might remember the 1984 film which also brought to life the spy thriller. The always watchable Diane Keaton, who sadly died in 2025, led the cast.
Is it based on a book?
The television drama is based on the 1983 novel of the same name by John le Carré. A bestseller, The New York Times said in their review: “The Little Drummer Girl is about spies as Madame Bovary is about adultery or Crime and Punishment about crime.”
The book description reads: “Charlie, a jobbing young English actress, is accustomed to playing different roles. But when the mysterious, battle-scarred Joseph recruits her into the Israeli secret services, she enters the dangerous ‘theatre of the real’. As she acts out her part in an intricate, high-stakes plot to trap and kill a Palestinian terrorist, it threatens to consume her.
“Set in the tragic arena of the Middle East conflict, this compelling story of love and torn loyalties plays out against the backdrop of an unwinnable war.”
It’s worth noting here, that The Little Drummer Girl’s ending is different from the original novel.
Is The Little Drummer Girl worth watching?
If you like spy thrillers like The Night Manager, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, and The Day of the Jackal, then The Little Drummer Girl is for you.
If you can keep up with the sometimes-complicated plot line, then you can indulge in the brilliantly-written dialogue, the exceptional lead performances, and the stunning filming locations.
The series does exactly what it promises to do. There’s a reason it received several prominent award nominations.
Is it a true story?
No, The Little Drummer Girl is not a true story. The John le Carré novel it is based on is a work of fiction. However, the writer did draw inspiration from real-world conflicts at the time. Le Carré based the book on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. His half-sister Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Cornwell, an actress with radical views, was an inspiration for the role of Charlie.
Le Carré wrote the book after becoming interested in the Middle East conflict. He shifted focus from the East-West Cold War to the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian struggle.
Who is in the cast?
As casts go, The Little Drummer Girl one is spectacular. Think A-List with a capital A. Marvel’s Florence Pugh portrays the leading character of radical left-wing actress Charlie. We could watch her watch paint dry all day long.
Alexander Skarsgard, star of Succession, is her handler Gadi ‘Joseph’ Becker. At first, he is a mysterious man who Charlie has a holiday fling with in Greece. He is then revealed to be an Israeli intelligence officer.
Oscar-nominated Michael Shannon plays Martin Kurtz. an Israeli spymaster working in a clandestine agency. As well as multiple film roles, he starred as Nelson Van Alden in Boardwalk Empire.
The ensemble cast also includes:
Israeli actor Michael Moshonov as Shimon Litvak.
Behind Her Eyes’ Simona Brown as Rachel.
The Calling’s Jeff Wilbusch as Anton Mesterbein.
Sherwood’s Clare Holman as Miss Bach.
Spell Keepers’ Daniel Litman as Daniel.
Game of Thrones’ Charles Dance as Commander Picton.
Condor’s Max Irons as Al.
Line of Duty’s Mark Stanley as Arthur A. Halloran.
Strike Back’s Charif Ghattas as the Palestinian bomber Khalil.
How many episodes is it? How can I watch?
The spy thriller is six-episodes. Each episode runs for around an hour.
The entire series is now available to watch on BBC iPlayer here.
What filming locations were used?
The spy thriller is set in England, Germany, Lebanon, and Israel.
It was actually filmed across London, Greece – especially the Athens and Naxos area – and the Czech Republic. The latter stood in for various international locations like Munich, Israel, Lebanon, and Austria.
Filming locations in London included The Mildmay Club in Stoke Newington, University College London, Finsbury Park, and the Alexandra and Ainsworth Estate. The latter posed as the Munich Olympic Village.
Key locations in Greece included Athens, which representing Palestine and Lebanon. Acropolis, the Temple of Poseidon, and Kineta beach were also used.
The Czech Republic’s Prague and Cheb doubled for Germany and Austria due to authentic 1970s architecture.
Reviews for The Little Drummer Girl
Reviews at the time were generally very good for The Little Drummer Girl. The Guardian’s Lucy Mangan called it a “gripping espionage”. She added: “It’s all brilliantly, beautifully done and the dialogue sounds as good as everything else looks. By the end of the hour you’re more firmly recruited than Charlie is. I’m along for the six-week ride.”
The Independent’s Ed Cumming wrote: “It is a beautiful and oddly disconcerting piece of filmmaking, steeped in the idea of appearances, and how they can be used to seduce and betray.”
Meanwhile, fans loved it too, with one saying: “It’s an outstanding story brought to life with great acting and directing. It’s the quintessential spy movie that contains intrigue, fear, and psychological espionage. I’d highly recommend it if you like a more complex and subtle spy thriller.”
Another said it was a “fine spy thriller that captures the feel of the era in which it is set”, and called Florence Pugh “mesmerising”.
Read more: Top-tier dramas returning in 2026: From Doctor Foster to Sherwood and The Night Manager
