Slow Horses Explained
Language: | English |
Num Series: | 3 |
Num Episodes: | 18 |
Producer: | Jane Robertson |
Cinematography: | Danny Cohen |
Runtime: | 41–53 minutes |
Network: | Apple TV+ |
Slow Horses is a British spy thriller television series based on the Slough House series of novels by Mick Herron. The series premiered on Apple TV+ on 1 April 2022.[1] The second series, Dead Lions, premiered on 2 December 2022.[2] In June 2022, the series was renewed for a third and fourth series.[3] The third series premiered on 29 November 2023.[4] The fourth series is set to premiere on 4 September 2024.[5] In January 2024, it was renewed for a fifth series, which will be based on the fifth book in the series, London Rules.[6]
Premise
Slough House is an administrative purgatory for MI5 service rejects who have bungled their job but have not been sacked. Those consigned there are known as "slow horses" - a pun on "Slough House". They are expected to endure dull, paper-pushing tasks, along with occasional mental abuse from their miserable boss, Jackson Lamb, who expects them to quit out of boredom or frustration. Life in Slough House is defined by drudgery. Yet the Slow Horses somehow get involved investigating schemes endangering Britain.
Cast and characters
Main
- Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb, the head of Slough House who is slovenly, rude, devious and has a mordant wit; he retains a secret loyalty to 'his' Slow Horses.
- Jack Lowden as River Cartwright, an up-and-coming MI5 agent abruptly shunted to Slough House after a very public training-exercise blunder.
- Kristin Scott Thomas as Diana Taverner, the Deputy Director General of MI5 and head of operations and designated "Second Desk".
Slough House
- Saskia Reeves as Catherine Standish, office administrator, recovering alcoholic, still enamoured with her long-deceased superior.
- Olivia Cooke as Sidonie "Sid" Baker (season 1), a competent, likeable MI5 agent inexplicably assigned to Slough House.
- Rosalind Eleazar as Louisa Guy, assigned after a tail operation went badly.
- Christopher Chung as Roddy Ho, an obnoxious but brilliant computer nerd and former hacktivist on whose tech skills the Slow Horses are forced to rely.
- Steven Waddington as Jed Moody (series 1), an ex-member of the "Dogs", an MI5 internal affairs and tactical unit.
- Dustin Demri-Burns as Min Harper (series 1–2), assigned after absent-mindedly leaving a top-secret disk on the train.
- Paul Higgins as Struan Loy (series 1), assigned after sending an inappropriate work email.
- Aimee-Ffion Edwards as Shirley Dander (series 2–present),[7] who has anger and drug issues.
- Kadiff Kirwan as Marcus Longridge (series 2–present), who tends to gamble on the job.
Others
Notable other characters appearing in more than one series include:
- Jonathan Pryce as David Cartwright, River Cartwright's grandfather, a retired senior MI5 officer.
- Chris Reilly as Nick Duffy (series 1–3), head of MI5's internal affairs and ruthless tactical unit nicknamed the "Dogs".
- Chris Coghill as Hobbs (series 1 & 3), a member of the Dogs.
- Samuel West as Peter Judd MP, a right-wing Conservative politician with sharp elbows in series 1 who has somehow made it Home Secretary by series 2–3.
- Sophie Okonedo as Ingrid Tearney (series 1 & 3), the Director General of MI5, often referred to as "First Desk".
- Freddie Fox as James "Spider" Webb (series 1–3), an MI5 agent based at Regent's Park headquarters.
- Naomi Wirthner as Molly Doran (series 2–present), an MI5 records keeper at Regent's Park.
Notable other characters appearing in Series 1 (Slow Horses) include:
- Antonio Aakeel as Hassan Ahmed, Leeds University student kidnapped by the Sons of Albion.
- Paul Hilton as Robert Hobden, a disgraced and struggling journalist with ties to extremist far-right groups.
- Sam Hazeldine as Moe, the leader of the Sons of Albion, an extremist far-right group, with a secret to hide.
- Brian Vernel as Curly, a fanatical member of the Sons of Albion.
- Stephen Walters as Zeppo, a member of the Sons of Albion.
- David Walmsley as Larry, a member of the Sons of Albion.
- James Faulkner as Charles Partner (in flashbacks), a former Director General of MI5 during the Cold War, whom Standish worked for as his personal assistant.
Notable other characters appearing in Series 2 (Dead Lions) include:
- Rade Šerbedžija as Nikolai Katinsky, a former KGB agent living in exile in London after defecting at the end of the Cold War.
- Marek Vašut as Andre Chernitsky, a former KGB operative and assassin who operated during the Cold War.
- Alec Utgoff as Arkady Pashkin, a fixer for oligarch Ilya Nevsky.
- Catherine McCormack as Alex Tropper, a local resident in the small village of Upshott, the wife of Duncan and mother of Kelly.
- Adrian Rawlins as Duncan Tropper, a pub owner in Upshott, the husband of Alex and father of Kelly.
- Tamsin Topolski as Kelly Tropper, a pub barmaid in Upshott and the daughter of Alex and Duncan.
- Phil Davis as Richard Bough, aka Dickie Bow, a former MI5 officer, who is disgraced and long since retired.
Notable other characters appearing in Series 3 (Real Tigers) include:
- Sope Dirisu as Sean Donovan, a former head of security at the British embassy in Istanbul.[8] [9]
- Katherine Waterston as Alison Dunn, a MI5 agent who uncovers a dark secret at the heart of the agency.[9]
- Sion Young as Douglas, an MI5 records keeper.
- Charlie Rowe as Ben, a member of Donovan's team.
- Eliot Salt as Sarah, a member of Donovan's team.
- Gavin Spokes as Sly Monteith, head of the private security firm Chieftain.
- Nick Blood as Sturges, a Chieftain operative.
For its fourth season, the show has cast Hugo Weaving as Frank Harkness, Ruth Bradley as Emma Flyte, James Callis as Claude Whelan, Joanna Scanlan as Moira Tregorian, and Tom Brooke as J.K. Coe.
Episodes
Series overview
Series 1: Slow Horses (2022)
Slow Horses is based on the novel of the same name by Mick Herron, which is part of the author's Slough House series. It tells the story of a team of British intelligence agents who have all committed career-ending mistakes, and subsequently work in a dumping ground department of MI5 called Slough House.
Series 3: Real Tigers (2023)
Production
The series was given a straight to series order by Apple TV+ in October 2019, with Gary Oldman announced to star.[10] The cast was rounded out in December 2020 with the additions of Olivia Cooke, Jonathan Pryce, Kristin Scott Thomas and Jack Lowden. Initially the production was to consist of two series, but three additional series have since been ordered. Each series has been based on an individual book in the Slough House series.
Filming of the first series began on 30 November 2020 in England, and continued into February 2021.[11] In July 2021, filming continued in Stroud, Gloucestershire.[12] It was originally intended to film earlier in 2020 but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[13] [11]
In June 2022, ahead of the second series premiere, the series was renewed for third and fourth series, which will be based on the next novels in the series, Real Tigers and Spook Street.[14] Saul Metzstein has been announced as the director of series 3.[15], filming of Season 3 had been completed and filming of Season 4 was about to begin.[16] Series 4 is directed by Adam Randall.[17]
The title track "Strange Game" was performed by Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, who wrote the song exclusively for the show together with the show's composer Daniel Pemberton.[18]
Reception
The first series received highly positive reviews. Rotten Tomatoes lists a 95% approval rating with an average rating of 7.7/10, based on 60 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Slow Horses refreshes the espionage genre by letting its band of snoops be bumbling, with Gary Oldman giving a masterclass in frumpy authority."[19] On Metacritic, the first series has a weighted average score of 78 out of 100 based on 22 critics.[20]
Rotten Tomatoes reports a 100% approval rating for the second series, with an average rating of 8.5/10, based on 26 critic reviews. The website's critical consensus says, "Slow Horses says nay to the sophomore jinx with a second series that might be even better than its supremely addictive predecessor."[21] On Metacritic, series two has a weighted average score of 84 out of 100 based on 10 critics.[22] Oldman was nominated for a Golden Globe and BAFTA Award for his portrayal of Lamb for the second series.
The third series received a 98% approval rating from Rotten Tomatoes, with an average of 8.5/10, based on 42 critic reviews. The website's critical consensus says, "Slow Horses shabby charms reach a full gallop in this superb third season, yielding what might just be Slough House's most compelling operation yet."[23] On Metacritic, series three has a weighted average score of 85 out of 100 based on 18 critics.[24] Oldman was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for his portrayal of Lamb for the third series.
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | |
---|
| British Academy Television Awards | Best Actor | Gary Oldman | | [25] |
Best Supporting Actor | Jack Lowden | |
British Academy Television Craft Awards | Best Original Music: Fiction | Daniel Pemberton, Mick Jagger | |
Best Sound: Fiction | Martin Jensen, Joe Beal, Duncan Price, Craig Butters, Sarah Elias, Andrew Sissons | |
Best Editing: Fiction | Katie Weiland | |
British Society of Cinematographers Awards | Best Cinematography in Television Drama | Danny Cohen | | [26] |
Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | Best Actor in a Streaming Series, Drama | Gary Oldman | | [27] |
Hollywood Music in Media Awards | Best Main Title Theme – TV Show/Limited Series | Daniel Pemberton, Mick Jagger | | [28] |
Best Original Song in a TV Show/Limited Series | "Strange Games" (Daniel Pemberton, Mick Jagger) | |
Royal Television Society Programme Awards | Writer – Drama | Will Smith | | [29] |
Royal Television Society Craft & Design Awards | Music – Original Title | Daniel Pemberton, Mick Jagger | | [30] |
USC Scripter Awards | Best Adapted Screenplay – Television | Will Smith | | [31] |
| American Cinema Editors | Best Edited Drama Series | Sam Williams | | [32] |
British Academy Television Awards | Best Drama Series | Slow Horses | | [33] |
Best Supporting Actor | Jack Lowden | |
British Academy Television Craft Awards | Best Editing: Fiction | Sam Williams | |
Zsófia Tálas | |
Best Make-Up & Hair Design | Lucy Sibbick, Sharon Miller, Kym Menzies-Foster, Kelly Taylor | |
Best Sound: Fiction | Sound Team | |
Golden Globe Awards | Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series – Drama | Gary Oldman | | [34] |
Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Drama Series | Slow Horses | | [35] [36] |
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | Gary Oldman | |
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Jack Lowden | |
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series | Saul Metzstein (for "Strange Games") | |
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series | Will Smith (for "Negotiating With Tigers") | |
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series | Jonathan Pryce (for "Footprints") | |
Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series | Nina Gold | |
Outstanding Picture Editing for a Drama Series | Zsófia Tálas (for "Footprints") | |
Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) | Daniel Pemberton, Toydrum (for "Strange Games") | |
Satellite Awards | Best Actor – Drama or Genre Series | Gary Oldman | | [37] |
USC Scripter Awards | Best Adapted Screenplay – Television | Will Smith | | [38] |
|
Notes and References
- Web site: Trailer for new Apple Original espionage drama "Slow Horses", starring Academy Award winner Gary Oldman, debuts ahead of global premiere on April 1, 2022. Apple.com. 2 March 2022. 27 October 2022. 27 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221027053859/https://www.apple.com/tv-pr/news/2022/03/trailer-for-new-apple-original-espionage-drama-slow-horses-starring-academy-award-winner-gary-oldman-debuts-ahead-of-global-premiere-on-april-1-2022/. live.
- Web site: Apple's hit espionage drama "Slow Horses" debuts season two trailer. Apple.com. 19 October 2022. 26 October 2022. 26 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221026044743/https://www.apple.com/tv-pr/news/2022/10/apples-hit-espionage-drama-slow-horses-debuts-season-two-trailer/. live.
- Web site: Porter . Rick . 1 June 2022 . 'Slow Horses' Renewed Through Season 4 at Apple TV+ . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220618040021/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/apple-renews-slow-horses-season-4-1235156798/ . 18 June 2022 . 17 June 2022 . The Hollywood Reporter.
- Web site: 'Apple's acclaimed espionage drama "Slow Horses," starring Academy Award winner Gary Oldman, unveils trailer for season three. Apple TV+. Morgan. Anna. 7 November 2023. 9 November 2023. 8 November 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231108135306/https://www.apple.com/tv-pr/news/2023/11/apples-acclaimed-espionage-drama-slow-horses-starring-academy-award-winner-gary-oldman-unveils-trailer-for-season-three/. live.
- Web site: Schwartz . Ryan . 27 June 2024 . Slow Horses Gets Season 4 Premiere Date at Apple TV+ — See First Photos . 27 June 2024 . TVLine.
- Web site: Slow Horses Renewed for Season 5 at Apple TV+; Season 4 Premiere Date TBA . TVLine . Ryan . Schwartz . 2 January 2024 . 2 January 2024.
- Web site: Yossman. K.J.. 'Slow Horses' Adds 'Peaky Blinders' Star Aimee-Ffion Edwards, 'This Is Going to Hurt's' Kadiff Kirwan to Season 2 (EXCLUSIVE). Variety. 29 April 2022. 2 December 2022. 2 December 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221202190352/https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/slow-horses-aimee-ffion-edwards-kadiff-kirwan-season-2-1235254207/. live.
- Web site: Yossman . K. J. . Sope Dirisu Joins Apple's Slow Horses Season 3 (EXCLUSIVE) . . 11 April 2023 . 11 January 2023 . 11 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230411174603/https://variety.com/2023/tv/global/sope-dirisu-slow-horses-season-3-apple-1235482134/ . live .
- Web site: 'Slow Horses' Sets Season 3 Premiere Date; Drops First-Look Photos. Deadline Hollywood. Cordero. Rosy. 20 September 2023. 20 September 2023. 20 September 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230920144251/https://deadline.com/2023/09/slow-horses-season-3-premiere-date-first-look-photos-apple-1235550999/. live.
- Web site: White. Peter. 15 November 2019. Gary Oldman To Star In Spy Drama 'Slow Horses' For Apple With 'Justified's Graham Yost Exec Producing. 26 January 2021. Deadline Hollywood. en-US. 7 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200907211149/https://deadline.com/2019/11/gary-oldman-to-star-in-spy-drama-slow-horses-for-apple-with-justifieds-graham-yost-exec-producing-1202786925/. live.
- Web site: Steves. Ashley. 23 February 2021. U.K. What's Filming: 'The Essex Serpent' + 'Slow Horses'. 5 April 2021. Backstage. 4 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210604020412/https://www.backstage.com/uk/magazine/article/uk-whats-filming-the-essex-serpent-slow-horses-72698/. live.
- Web site: Loveridge. Ashley. 29 July 2021. A & A Taxis and Cafe Max used as the backdrop for Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas spy drama. stroudtimes.com. 30 July 2021. 27 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211027183400/https://stroudtimes.com/a-a-taxis-and-cafe-max-used-as-the-backdrop-for-gary-oldman-and-kristin-scott-thomas-spy-drama/. live.
- Web site: Kanter. Jake. 30 September 2020. Apple Restarts UK Drama Production, As 'Suspicion' & 'Slow Horses' Prepare To Shoot. 26 January 2021. Deadline Hollywood. en-US. 6 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211206185540/https://deadline.com/2020/09/apple-shows-suspicion-slow-horses-to-shoot-amid-coronavirus-uma-thurman-gary-oldman-1234586102/. live.
- Web site: Petski . Denise . 'Slow Horses' Renewed For Seasons 3 & 4 By Apple TV+ . . 1 June 2022 . 1 June 2022 . 14 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230314093952/https://deadline.com/2022/06/slow-horses-renewed-seasons-3-and-4-apple-tv-plus-1235036079/ . live .
- Web site: Otterson . Joe . 1 June 2022 . 'Slow Horses' Renewed for Season 3 and Season 4 at Apple . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230104080028/https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/slow-horses-renewed-season-3-season-4-apple-1235282029/ . 4 January 2023 . 4 January 2023 . Variety.
- Web site: White . Peter . 13 March 2023 . 'Slow Horses': Gary Oldman & His Slough House Spies Tease Season 3 As Apple TV+ Drama Series Heads Into Production For Season 4 – Watch . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230327203733/https://deadline.com/video/slow-horses-gary-oldman-his-slough-house-spies-tease-season-3/ . 27 March 2023 . 14 March 2023 . Deadline.
- Web site: Wiseman . Andreas . 11 April 2023 . 'Slow Horses' Season Four: Hugo Weaving, Joanna Scanlan & Ruth Bradley Among Cast To Join Gary Oldman In Apple Spy Series, Filming Underway . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230411141006/https://deadline.com/2023/04/slow-horses-season-four-hugo-weaving-gary-oldman-apple-how-watch-1235321717/ . 11 April 2023 . 11 April 2023 . Deadline.
- Web site: Says . Joseph . 1 April 2022 . Mick Jagger's 'Slow Horses' Theme Song 'Strange Game' Released Film Music Reporter . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230404225325/https://filmmusicreporter.com/2022/04/01/mick-jaggers-slow-horses-theme-song-strange-game-released/ . 4 April 2023 . 11 April 2022 . Film Music Reporter . en-US.
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