by Mike Hilty, Contributing Writer
It’s not very often that you see a TV show with two seasons released in the same year. There’s something admirable about that. It’s become a little more common lately because of the pandemic, when release dates get shuffled around and seasons are filmed almost concurrently. Atlantais a recent example of this, where schedules also interfered with the filming. Apple TV+ has another series that had two seasons premiere in 2022.
Slow Horses is a perfect series for a dual-season year. With six-episode seasons that pack more punch than most other thriller series out there currently, it’s getting rightfully praised for the suspense it brings to the table, and not wasting any of the time it has on filler or fluff. Season One is among one of my favorites of 2022, simply because I’m riveted by Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman). As a character, Jackson is interesting in several different ways. His backstory is shrouded in secrecy, even though he’s in legendary status within MI5. The reason why he’s in Slough House, a banishment site for agents who have messed up, is disturbing, yet he still manages to make the most of his situation. He knows how to play back channels, and he understands the bureaucracy, even though he has issues with it.
All of this starts and ends with Oldman’s performance, though. It’s almost unfair that Oldman got to be in this role because he’s already one of the most talented performers in Hollywood, and Apple just knows how to recruit some amazing talent. He’s outstanding for a show like Slow Horses, which depends a lot on the performances. I’m loving this late stage of his career. Even in what we can only assume is the twilight, Oldman is still managing to put things into another gear for performance.
As far as the case they’re working on, I have similar feelings about Jack Ryan’s most recent season, which includes Russia as the main target, as I do for Slow Horses’ second season. Yes, it’s understandable that Russia is always characterized as a villain. It’s especially tough because Russia is so publicly waging an unjust war. I’m giving Slow Horses a little bit of a break on this because Season Two is based on a book called Dead Lions. I’m just getting sick and tired of having Russia be the main villain and giving them more attention.
With that aside, that’s a small gripe about an otherwise solid mystery involving a secret program within Russia, called Cicada. We learn about the program in the first episode, where the inciting incident involves the death of someone that Jackson Lamb knows. This ups the ante and makes this a personal case for Lamb. He still cares about the subject just as much, even if he doesn’t have any stake in the situation. The other part of the Cicada program that’s so intriguing is that anyone could be a part of it. This adds to the already brimming tension that is established in the first moments of the episode.
The team Jackson gets is strong, with some returning members from Season One, and a few more getting punished by being assigned to Slough House. River (Jack Lowden) is still one of the strongest agents at Slough House, and he even feels a little more at home than last season, when it felt like a punishment. River gets a chance to be more in the field this season, and even though he struggles with his place in MI5, he’s still a talented and formidable agent that can still get things done. Credit to Lowden for making the most of his chance.
An underrated part of Slow Horses is the relationship between Jackson and Diana (Kristen Scott Thomas). I don’t see her in very many things anymore, but I can’t deny that Thomas and Oldman deliver electric scenes whenever they’re on screen together. These are two colleagues who have worked together for a long time, and the chats they have together are amazing to watch. Both just understand what they’re supposed to do from a performance standpoint. Like in Season One, they’re at odds with one another, just in different ways.
I liked Slow Horses Season Two, but I didn’t love it as much as I loved Season One. That doesn’t change the fact that Season Two has great performances, a gripping story, and a little more spy work and action. Slow Horses isn’t high-octane action all the time, but when it gets an opportunity to flex its action muscle, it goes all in. I love that it is only six episodes, because it shows the urgency to tell a compelling story without a lot of filler or waste. I hope other shows take note of this. I’m already looking forward to more Slow Horses coming out soon enough.
Score: 7/10
Slow Horses is currently streaming on Apple TV+
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