Week two of BBC1’s instant classic The Night Manager and the increasingly dangerous Jonathan Pine agreed to help MI6 bring down Richard Roper… aka the worst man in the world.

In order to do so, spy chief Angela Burr warned him, he would have to become “the world’s second worst man.” Loving this… I’m sliding down the charts.

Another enthralling hour of this £3million an episode thriller featured fabulously lavish scenes in glamorous Majorca and not-so-glamorous Devon. If you’re interested, that seaside cottage our hero rented is in a place called Hartland. But I digress.

To establish his new shady identity, Pine savagely beat up the local drugs dealer and theatrically kicked the hell out of his next victim in the pub. It was all for show… he’s deliberately trying to turn himself into public enemy number one.

Cut to an exclusive Mediterranean restaurant (in a place called Deia, if you’re interested) where the sinister Roper watched his little boy Danny swig champagne and dance with his wife.

“You drink my wine and steal my woman,” he growled. “I’m proud of you.”

Suddenly, armed bandits stormed the joint and kidnapped Danny. Disaster loomed. Until the English sous chef formerly known as Pine saved the day amid yet more explosive violence. Not for the faint hearted… but this stuff is great to watch.

As is the outstanding Tom Hollander playing Roper’s camp-as-Christmas sidekick Corcoran who suspects that Pine may be attempting to ingratiate himself for nefarious reasons.

“If that’s the case,” he snarled. “I will … you and hang you up by those lovely ankles until the truth falls out of you by gravity.”

The tautly written dialogue dazzles, John Le Carre’s story of international intrigue grips… and the entire stunning production looks like a no-expense-spared Hollywood movie. It’s terrific.

As for the cracking cast… Hugh Laurie exudes evil menace as the ruthless arms dealer Roper, Olivia Colman is on top form as agent Burr and Tom Hiddleston’s enigmatic Pine is a man on a mission you don’t want to mess with.

Meanwhile, enter British master of the American accent David Harewood as Joel Steadman, the guy in charge of the US’s investigation into Roper. And, who’d have thought it, Neil Morrissey as dubious MI6 spook Harry Palfrey. He’s come a long since Men Behaving Badly and Bob the Builder.

This astonishing series started on a high and just keeps on getting better. At the risk of repeating myself, it’s one of the most exciting TV dramas I’ve seen in a very long while. What’s not to like?