In an era where the silver screen’s biggest names grace the small screen, Gary Oldman stands out. From the noble Sirius Black to the maniacal James Gordon, Oldman’s chameleon-like acting prowess is legendary. In Slow Horses, an Apple TV+ gem, he transforms into Jackson Lamb, a grimy, disillusioned MI5 agent overseeing the “dumping ground” department, Slough House.
Adapted from Mick Herron’s acclaimed novels, Slow Horses isn’t just another spy thriller. It’s a captivating exploration of espionage’s underdogs, laced with dark humor and pulse-pounding suspense. With season 4 already streaming, let’s revisit the labyrinthine plots of the first three seasons.
Season 1: The Rookie and the Rotten Apples
The series kicks off with a bang – literally. Agent River Cartwright, in a disastrous training exercise, triggers a faux bomb, killing hundreds… in simulation. His punishment? Exile to Slough House, a purgatory for disgraced agents, presided over by the slovenly Lamb.
A real terrorist plot unfolds. A far-right group kidnaps a Muslim student, threatening a public execution. Cartwright takes the reins, while Lamb, despite his appearance, proves his razor-sharp instincts. The plot thickens – the mastermind is none other than Diana Taverner, MI5’s Head of Operations.
In a thrilling climax, Lamb thwarts Taverner’s attempt to frame Slough House. Cartwright, proving his mettle, rescues the hostage. But darker secrets surface: Lamb, haunted by guilt, confesses to Catherine Standish, his long-suffering secretary,about killing her former boss, Charles Partner, under orders from Cartwright’s grandfather, David, a retired MI5 bigwig.
Season 2: The Cicada’s Sting
Season 2 opens with a death shrouded in suspicion. Ex-MI5 agent Dickie Bow dies, seemingly of a heart attack. But Lamb finds a cryptic clue: “Cicada,” a code name for dormant Russian sleeper agents. Lamb suspects they’re being reactivated for a sinister purpose.
Lamb’s investigation leads him to Katinsky, an ex-KGB operative under MI5 protection. Katinsky identifies the killer,Chernitsky, leading Cartwright on an undercover mission to a quaint village. In a shocking twist, it’s the local bartender’s mother who’s the sleeper agent. She pilots a plane, supposedly laden with explosives, towards London.
Chaos ensues. An evacuation is ordered, targeting a massive protest where Taverner is present. But Cartwright discovers the plane’s a decoy. The real objective? A daring diamond heist amidst the lockdown.
Lamb, always one step ahead, uncovers Katinsky’s grand scheme: a plot to humiliate and kill Lamb, fueled by revenge for Partner’s death. Lamb, ever the puppet master, offers Katinsky a loaded gun, forcing a grim choice: suicide or murder.Katinsky chooses the former.
Season 3: Tigers and Gray Books
Season 3 plunges us into a web of intrigue. An MI5 agent in Istanbul, attempting to leak a classified file, is silenced – thrown from a rooftop in a staged suicide. Her lover, Sean Donovan, tasked with stopping her, is left reeling.
A year later, Standish is kidnapped. Cartwright, receiving a chilling photo of her at gunpoint, is thrust into a high-stakes mission. Spider Webb, claiming his sister’s life is on the line, joins forces with Cartwright. Their task? Retrieve a file from MI5’s HQ.
Cartwright navigates the labyrinthine corridors of MI5. Upon reaching the file room, he explains his predicament. The file keeper calls for help. It’s Lamb, instructing him to leave. It’s a trap – a “tiger team” operation orchestrated by the Home Secretary to test MI5’s security.
But the situation spirals out of control. The captors, refusing to release Standish, take a security firm member hostage.Their demand? Access to the “gray books,” confidential MI5 reports on conspiracy theories.
Spider Webb, revealed as the security firm’s head, is eliminated by the rogue team. Ingrid Tierney, MI5’s chief, orders Cartwright to escort the hostage-takers to the gray books. Unbeknownst to her, the leader is Donovan, seeking the leaked file that led to his lover’s death.
Taverner’s machinations come to light. She aims to expose Tierney for ordering the hit on the Istanbul agent, hoping to seize the top job. Tierney’s motive? The file exposes MI5’s illicit use of a hacking tool, causing multiple deaths.
In a poignant scene, Lamb reveals the truth to Standish about Partner. He was a double agent, framing Standish to save his own skin.
Tierney, desperate to salvage her career, orders the elimination of everyone connected to the file. A fierce battle erupts,with the Slow Horses barely escaping, the incriminating file in hand. Donovan and his team pay the ultimate price.
Cartwright seeks his grandfather’s counsel. David, succumbing to dementia, urges him to destroy the file to protect MI5.Cartwright seemingly complies, but he’s made a copy. The file is leaked, Taverner ascends to power, and Standish,disillusioned by Lamb’s revelation, resigns.
Season 4: The Countdown Begins
While we unravel season 4, new faces join the fray, including Hugo Weaving as a mercenary. The Slow Horses face a bomb plot, and the trailer hints at a devastating loss.
Slow Horses is a masterclass in spy storytelling. It subverts expectations, offering a refreshing perspective on the intelligence world’s unsung heroes. The stellar cast, led by Oldman’s tour-de-force performance, delivers complex, flawed characters that stay with you long after the credits roll. While the plot can occasionally meander, the series’ wit, suspense, and emotional depth make it a must-watch for fans of espionage thrillers and character-driven dramas alike.
