Slow Horses season 1 — some thoughts

With season 3 of Slow Horses fast approaching, I thought I’d have a watch of the first few episodes in a forlorn attempt to get to grips with yet another recommended show. Lucky for me, Slow Horses is both incredibly watchable and the Apple TV+ series are only 6×60 minute episodes. The series adapts Mick Herron’s novels in the Slough House series, and I’ve already put the first of those on my Christmas list.

What’s it about and how’s in it?

At first glance it’s a modern take on the great BBC show Spooks, only it’s not. This is the world of MI5, but our heroes are a collection of unwanted (and often not very good) agents transferred to the dead-end office of Slough House. Led by Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman) their brief is to do nothing, and take their time doing it. The problem is, new boy River Cartwright (Jack Lowden) wants to prove himself worthy of being taken back to HG at Regents Park.

HQ is operationally led by Diana Taverner (Kristin Scott Thomas) and other notable cast members include Saskia Reeves as Lamb’s PA Standish. Samuel West is the Home Secretary and Jonathan Price is River’s grandfather, and a notable former agent.

The plot takes a right-wing kidnapping of a young British muslim and weaves a trail of death, destruction and despair across London and Essex. There are layers of deceit, trickery and blackmail and it’s very much along the lines of The Sweeney meets Spooks, with a grimy brutalism seen also in BBC’s Strike.

Why’s it so good?

A clever plot, great cast (those listed and many others), great pacing, London looks distinctive (as it tends to in modern series avoiding the classic tropes) and the leads are superb. Oldman’s older spy who wants to work out his route to retirement with as little effort as possible is a good agent able to get to the heart of matters, despite the passage of years. At a more immediate pace, River (et al) are the do it now up and coming generation, with a growing respect.

Taverner is manipulative, self-serving and seemingly without conscience — a perfect foil for Lamb. Here and there the darkness and strong sense of impending failure are peppered with some laugh out loud humour (involving Lamb) and the show has the kind of style you can only binge. I’m already half-way through season 2 (filmed back to back with season 1 and based on Mick Herron’s second Slough House novel) and can’t wait for season 3.

Once again, Apple TV+ delivers a first rate show, ranking (for me) with its other London based classic, Ted Lasso. I need to look into the audience figures and see how well it translates to a wider audience. Rotten Tomatoes gives season 1 95% critics and 91% audience scores, with season 2 doing better on fewer votes. Not just me then!