Giddy-Up: The jaded spies of Slough House are back
Professional assassins begin systematically murdering former Slough House spies in the much-anticipated latest season of Slow Horses on Apple TV.
Surrounded by losers, misfits and boozers – so go the opening lyrics of the theme song for the hit UK spy series Slow Horses – now rolling out episodes for its sixth season, week by week, on Apple TV.
Warbled unmistakably by octogenarian rocker Mick Jagger, the song (Strange Game) is as addictive and seductive as the show itself. I know this because, in my household, we rarely skip the introduction.
For anyone not acquainted with the award-winning Slow Horses, it’s based on the so-called Slough House series of books by Mick Herron. Alternately disturbing and comedic, the stories centre on a group of “losers, misfits and boozers” who were formerly self-respecting (well, some of them) spies for MI5 but who – because of various methods of them stuffing up or getting on the wrong side of someone – are assigned to work at the decrepit Slough House. Slough House – Slow Horses, get it?
It’s a humiliating step down from the seeming glamour of London’s MI5 Regent’s Park headquarters, known simply as The Park, with the titular slow horses constantly battling parts of their building either falling down, blocking up or being invaded by would-be assassins. Here, they are assigned mind-numbing admin work in the hope they quit without a hefty severance package.
What makes these anti-heroes so compelling is that they usually end up saving the day and, in this case, being much more competent than the spooks (spies) still in The Park, who give them as much respect as a piece of dog poo on the bottom of their boots.
You might like
Season 6 of the series departs from its previous successful recipe, with head writer Will Smith’s exit making way for Gaby Chiappe (who’s written for The Beast Must Die and Shetland).
The other major diversion is that this season combines two of the books rather than adapting one full book. The purist book readers might twitch at the thought, but the judgement call was made that there wasn’t enough participation by all of the main characters in book 6, Joe Country.
Prior to the season opener, David Cartwright (Jonathan Pryce), former MI5 agent and grandfather of slow horse River Cartwright (Jack Lowden), has died, so funeral plans are in motion. There is nothing like a former spy’s funeral to bring nefarious types out of the woodwork, and this one is no different, with the appearance of River’s father, Frank Harkness, played menacingly by Hugo Weaving. There’s no love lost between the two men, especially as Harkness only appeared in his son’s life in Season 4 and then almost killed him.
Subscribe for updates
Elsewhere, there is plenty of drama going on at Slough House, with the agents finding out they have been wiped from the MI5 database and are not being paid. To add insult, a real estate agent has come around before they’ve even been informed of a possible eviction. Oh, and head of Slough House, Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), is disturbed to find out that two of his former underlings (“joes”) have been brutally murdered. Who might be next?
The episode sets up several storylines that have dramatic potential, but as usual it is the characters and the actors who portray them that are the real reason for viewing. You can’t not love Oldman as the dishevelled, disgusting and perpetually flatulent Lamb, who never lets an opportunity go by to insult his joes, but who is the first to leap to their defence or rescue if anyone comes after them.
River’s portrayal by Lowden is also spot-on with its blend of droll delivery and genuine humanity. Losing the grandfather who’s brought him up, thanks to both his parents relegating any responsibility, he shows real vulnerability. The character gets himself into all sorts of pickles with alarming and often slapstick regularity, but he usually has good intentions and a never-give-up attitude. (And will Lowden be the next James Bond? He would be an excellent choice.)
Other notable performances include Saskia Reeves as Catherine Standish, a recovering-alcoholic assistant to whiskey-swigging Lamb, who displays more empathy than anyone else around her, and Aussie Christopher Chung as the absurdly deluded but technically brilliant Roddy Ho (Chung is almost unrecognisable in the reboot of My Brilliant Career on Netflix).
Then there’s everyone’s nemesis – MI5 First Desk Diana Taverner, embodied flawlessly by Kristen Scott Thomas. A single withering glare from “Lady Di” sends lesser creatures into a fearful panic, and Scott Thomas pitches her performance perfectly, always on the verge of an eye roll at the incompetence she has to endure.
As a dedicated journo preparing for this review, I got halfway through book 6 (and am still reading), so I was a little deflated to find out about the change of not adapting a book per season. But there were enough familiar plot points to hopefully keep the book lovers happy enough.
Regular viewers will not need to be told to tune in, but if you have not seen Slow Horses yet, it is worth starting from Season 1 and enjoying the ride.
Slow Horses, Season 6, Apple TV, episodes released weekly on Wednesdays.
Want to see more stories from InDaily Qld in your Google search results?
- Click here to set InDaily Qld as a preferred source.
- Tick the box next to "InDaily Qld". That's it.
Free to share
This article may be shared online or in print under a Creative Commons licence