by Alice-Ginevra Micheli, Contributing Writer
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Apple TV+ really is becoming one of the big players. Not just because it pushes out multiple award-winning films every year, but also because they happen to be delivering some of the most interesting television we’ve seen in a while.
This is especially true of one of my favourite shows on the platform, Slow Horses, which is now in its third season.
If you haven’t yet been introduced, the See-Saw Films production (who have also been the minds behind Heartstopper —just saying), follows Gary Oldman’s Jackson Lamb as he leads a group of “rejects” from MI-5. Essentially, if you’ve quite literally royally screwed up in some way, shape, or form while working for the infamous British spy agency, you’ll end up in Slough House, which by all accounts is the lowest of the low when it comes to spies.
However, this time, they have to deal with the messiest of messes, created by a spiteful Home Secretary and secretive First Desk/head honcho of MI-5, played by the magnanimous Sophie Okonedo. Not everyone will get out alive…
Let me begin by saying what I love about this show. Similar to the first two seasons, wherein the Slow Horses team uncovers a mass terrorist plot and then stops a dastardly diamond heist, the stakes are very much real. I don’t just mean that major characters are killed off — which has been done by the way — but you can constantly feel the threatening presence of failure following our cast of characters around with each decision and action.
To that point, although I have absolutely no knowledge of the actual matter, Slow Horses feels accurate to what it would actually be like to engage in proper spy craft. Steering away from the fancy bells and whistles of Mission: Impossible, or the debonaire and fantastical lives of a certain 007 agent, this is grounded, gritty, and almost bureaucratic in the way in which missions are dealt with.
That’s not to say that it’s boring; after all, we’re not just watching a bunch of people type at their computer for eight episodes. In fact, there is suspense galore. The way each episode ends leaves the audience with just enough satisfaction to not make it an unbearable watch, while also leaving plenty of unanswered questions as a result of peril, and unexpected story turns, keeping you desperately wanting for more.
While the writing — and the books that it’s based upon — is surely brilliant, praise must be given to this ensemble cast. Of course we have to mention Oscar-winning Oldman in his role as the cantankerous, hygiene-less, but also brilliant leader. At one moment, you’ll be looking away in disgust, and in the next, be flabbergasted with his utter superior competence, and wonder how we got there.
This is of course paired nicely with the proud and proper woman on top, Diana Taverner (the effervescent Kristin Scott Thomas), who continuously uses Slough House to deal with the many negative after effects created by the supposedly competent agents on her side. Furthermore, we can’t ignore the agents themselves, which includes Jack Lowden’s idealistic River Cartwright, Rosalind Eleazar’s nihilistic Louisa Guy, the anarchistic Roddy Ho, played by Christopher Chung, and Saskia Reeves’ struggling secretary, Standish, who have all been there since the beginning, and are magic together. It’s a delight to see them interact, and reluctantly deal with their many idiosyncrasies together, while also trying to stop major crime.
While we have some new faces showing up this season, this all very much still feels like part of a cohesive whole. From the very first episode until the last, it’s almost like we’ve been privy to a very long yet entertaining movie. I’m not saying this in a bad sense — the opposite, in fact. While sometimes it’s nice to watch something a little more procedural and episodic, Slow Horses is very much not that.
There are many threads being pulled at any point, which harken back to that very first scene in Season One, when Cartwright sunk to the Slough House level that he inhabits now. I believe this is all making its way to a head for a sure to be explosive Season Five. However, for now I am thoroughly enjoying the ride.
If you’re looking for more action-packed Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and less ridiculous explosions and convoluted plots, then Slow Horses is a great option to try out. It very much falls into the underrated category, but for now I’m just happy that enough people have tuned in to hopefully allow for a thrilling end to this saga.
Rating: Loved It
Slow Horses is currently streaming on Apple TV+
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