It’s hard to tell what is a hit TV show and what isn’t these days. The absence of conventional TV ratings and the lack of anything even resembling a monoculture has made it impossible to know which shows “everyone” is watching and — even more importantly — which are actually pulling in big enough numbers to be considered genuine hits. This has only become harder now that tech companies like Apple and Amazon have essentially taken over Hollywood and displayed a surprising indifference regarding how much money their film and TV originals make.
If there is one thing that is abundantly clear in today’s confusing, ever-shifting television landscape, though, it’s that not nearly enough people are watching Slow Horses. The low-level spy series has been a joy to watch ever since it premiered on Apple TV+ in early 2022. Late last year, however, the series’ third season made a great case for it being — along with The Bear and perhaps Industry — the best ongoing show on TV, period. Now in its fourth season, Slow Horses hasn’t lost an ounce of its sweaty charm or its sharp wit.
It remains the most reliable and watchable show on TV, and yet it isn’t receiving nearly as much consistent coverage or attention as it deserves. If you’re one of the seemingly many viewers who haven’t given it a chance yet, then now’s the time to finally do so. No other current show is more worthy of being your next binge.
Introducing MI5’s rejects
Slow Horses‘ setup is simple. Based on a series of books by British novelist Mick Herron, the espionage thriller follows the members of Slough House, the subdivision where Britain’s MI5 sends its biggest misfits, rejects, and disappointments to spend out the rest of their professional service days. It’s overseen by Jackson Lamb (a grimy, glorious Gary Oldman), a cantankerous slob who enjoys tormenting his underlings and reminding them of the failures that landed them under his supervision in the first place. Slough House’s roster of agents has evolved over Slow Horses‘ first four seasons, but one mainstay is River Cartwright (Jack Lowden), the grandson of an MI5 legend (played by Jonathan Pryce) who was demoted from the service’s main branch after failing a field test.
Slough House is seen by the rest of MI5, including its perennially scheming de facto head, Diana Taverner (Kristin Scott Thomas), as an unimportant wasteland populated only by losers. That doesn’t stop certain conspiracies and plots from spiraling so far out of control though that they end up ensnaring Slough House in their webs and forcing Oldman’s Jackson to prove that he’s far wilier and more capable than he lets on. Over the course of Slow Horses‘ first four seasons, Lamb has, in fact, emerged as one of the most intelligent and, therefore, fun to watch characters on TV right now. Giving a vanity-free performance for the ages, Oldman uses his character’s poor hygiene, cutting sense of humor, and disinterest in politeness to both offset and compliment his bone-deep understanding of the espionage game.
A spy thriller that just keeps giving
Every season of Slow Horses is based on a different Herron book, which means that each sticks to the same, winding structure as a pulpy paperback crime or spy novel. Its adventures are self-contained and easy to be enjoyed purely within the boundaries of their allotted six episodes, but Slow Horses has also mastered the art of light serialization. That is to say that, while very little changes season-to-season, the relationships between the show’s characters have continued to deepen over the years and the status quo at Slough House has continued to shift. This balance has given viewers just enough to hold onto emotionally to keep coming back.
That’s to say nothing of the series’ surface-level genre pleasures, of which there are many. Slow Horses is both a workplace comedy and a spy thriller. It is the perfect mix of modern-day, prestige TV-level polish and old-school procedural drama. The series is what 24 or Justified would be if they were crossed with a dry British comedy. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it also features some of the best performances on TV and some of the most entertaining, whip-smart writing.
Its entertainment value can’t be overstated. While Slow Horses is capable of pulling off impactful action set pieces better than most current TV shows, it’s the series’ acerbic sense of humor and unparalleled ability to keep you on your toes that keeps you hooked. There is almost no series on the air that is better than Slow Horses at stringing along information and letting its mysteries unfold at a pace that is both intriguing and deeply satisfying.
British television at its finest
It was only this year that Slow Horses managed to break through and start earning some real, mainstream attention. It received multiple Emmy nominations for its third season, and the show’s creator, Will Smith (no, not that Will Smith), deservedly took home a writing award. Whether its recent success at the Emmys will help its profile continue to rise remains to be seen. Either way, it deserves a much more prominent place in the ongoing TV conversation than it currently holds.
Thanks to its brief six-episode seasons and lean style of storytelling, Slow Horses never wastes your time. It is the tried-and-true efficiency of British television at its finest. When you watch the show, it’s easy to see why esteemed veteran actors like Oldman, Pryce, Thomas, and Hugo Weaving have been so quick to give it their time and attention.
You should, too.
New episodes of Slow Horses season 4 premiere Wednesdays on Apple TV+.
