From the moment Slow Horses Season 6 opens up, it’s clear that we’re in for something bigger and bolder. It’s rare for a show to be this exceptional for six consecutive seasons, but it’s even more rare for it to continue topping itself. Not only is it impressive that we get a return every year, but the fact that each season is an improvement from the one before effortlessly showcases what a thoughtful adaptation can be like in the hands of the right people.
While Season 6 is the first without Will Smith as head showrunner, it’s left in good hands with co-executive producer Gaby Chiappe as lead writer. A showrunner’s departure can often be detrimental to a show if it isn’t then spearheaded by someone just as capable, but that thankfully isn’t the case here, with both their work delivering remarkable results. The season is naturally a little different, sure, but the essence, humor, and sharp quips are all the same.
Slow Horses Season 6 Is an Emotional Whirlwind – And the Best Season Yet
In every way you could think of, Slow Horses puts its characters through the wringer in Season 6. As the trailer hints, this season is based on Mick Herron’s Joe Country and Slough House, the sixth and seventh book in the series. Expecting what was bound to be the most stressful season yet, it’s an undeniable compliment to say that no episode misses out on delivering something that’s anxiety-inducing. (Seriously, I watched 90% of this season standing up because I couldn’t sit still.)
There are assassins after Jackson Lamb’s agents, and for once, he isn’t having any of it, resulting in quietly exceptional performances from Gary Oldman. So much of this role is some of his best work to date, and that continues to be the case six seasons in. Kristin Scott Thomas makes it near-impossible to read Diana Tavener, and Saskia Reeves gives yet another comforting performance as Catherine Standish.
But from the moment we learned that Olivia Cooke would be returning as Sid Baker this season, she easily became the one I’ve been waiting for, and neither her entrance nor arc disappoints. It results in the best part of the season, making it even more obvious that we should’ve never spent any time without her. As someone who loved the dynamic between her and Jack Lowden’s River, it’s impossible to put into words how incredible it is in Season 6 without spoilers. Whether together while sharing a scene, or when they’re on their own, there’s so much to appreciate about the performances they both bring to the table. It’s a treat in every way.
While there’s a lot of good that comes from Slow Horses Season 6, it’s also the kind of arc that comes with some of the show’s heaviest material. It’s bloodier, louder, and darker in every way a chapter focused on assassinations can be, but interestingly, never once does it feel like any of it is done for shock value. Sure, it’s adapting from a book series, but every move and cliffhanger is understandable. It’s exactly what you’d expect from a show like this at this point in its game.
With the stakes higher than ever, it’s even harder to choose a single episode to highlight. But in true Slow Horses fashion, it delivers a brilliantly stacked penultimate and finale. By the time viewers watch these episodes (and I’ve rewatched them over and over again), the decision on the season’s best will likely be made. And that’s perhaps what stands out most about this season — it might be significantly darker than anything the show’s ever done, yet it’s the easiest season to rewatch in terms of its pacing.
Firing on all cylinders from start to finish, it’ll evoke every emotion imaginable with the kind of exceptional performances that are downright breathtaking. The show’s always been one that should’ve been on everyone’s radar, but everything it does this time around is indescribable. With how gripping the six episodes are, it easily becomes one of the best shows of the year, and one I expect to hear a lot more about when award campaigns start again next year.
Slow Horses Season 6 premieres exclusively on Apple TV on September 16.
First Featured Image Credit: ©Apple TV