Television

‘Slow Horses’ review: Workplace comedy spy thriller is the best of both worlds

Spies like us.

March 30, 2022

Slow Horses is an espionage series coming to Apple TV+ about a dysfunctional team of British intelligence agents. The entire group of spies has ended up in the department known as Slough House after making career-ending mistakes. Now that they are all together, will they be able to blunder their way into lives as successful spies?

The six episode series is never as silly as the premise may make it sound. It has its moments – a high speed car chase ending because someone forget to put gas in the car – but Slow Horses never treats its characters as buffoons. Instead, they are often shown as once great spies who have simply lost their way.

This is seen most in Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman). Lamb is something of a legend due to his accomplishments during the Cold War. It is almost as if he let his career falter over time. Initially, he looks down on the others at Slough House, not thinking they are “real” agents. Of course, the group ends up being much better at their jobs than those who dismissed them had expected.

It is a familiar set up that works thanks to the show’s strong writing. Over the course of the six episodes, the characters become more defined and give Slow Horses its charm. The series manages to bring its fair share of laughs while dealing with deeper topics. At the heart of many of the conflicts is the working class Lamb’s attempt to outwit his superior (both in rank and social status) Diana Taverner (Kristen Scott Thomas).

Slow Horses often has the feel of a workplace comedy at times. While that tone never entirely leaves, the episodes are also filled with old school spy thriller tension. Everything culminates in a suspenseful and satisfying conclusion. The entire series is a fun mix that makes for an exciting watch.