Slow Horses Season 6, Episode 1, “Circle of Life” Spoilers Ahead
There’s so much to appreciate about how Slow Horses Season 6 tackles every arc, and it all starts with its premiere episode, “Circle of Life.” Perfectly titled, it’s a riveting blend of mystery and quiet contemplation as agents begin dying while members of Slough House are at David Cartwright’s funeral. It’s not the season’s best episode (because there are so many good ones coming!), but it might just be the best opener in how carefully it sets everything up while still leaving us in the dark.
More importantly, it’s an excellent episode for Jack Lowden, who delivers career-best performances throughout Season 6. I’ve not made a secret of the fact that I’m a fan of the actor. I firmly believe he’s perfectly cast as Mr. Darcy in Netflix’s Pride and Prejudice, and I’d be all for him as Bond, but what he does this season results in some of the best acting we’ll see all year. Countless instances of a single expression saying far more than his words do, and a journey that’s taking him on a more vulnerable path than others have.
Slow Horses Season 6, Episode 1 Quietly Centers River’s Grief
Characters like River are generally some of the most compelling because they’re seldom given the chance to slow down. It’s go, go, go in every way, shape, or form, and when something like the death of a loved one happens, it becomes even harder to grapple with. And the interesting thing is, I don’t think River knows how to slow down, which is ironic considering the show’s title.
There’s no slowing down for any of these characters, and especially in this season, but I’m floored by just how much Lowden shows us as River tries to grieve. David was the most important person in his life, and despite the fact that people like him should be used to death in their line of work, his isn’t one River could ever fully let go of. In simpler terms, David’s death is already weighing on him in ways nothing else has. Not his mother’s abandonment. Not his father’s tireless betrayals. Nothing.
And yet, because of the nature of the show, his grief will consistently take a backseat to every chaotic thing that happens. We see as much when Hugo Weaving’s Frank interrupts the funeral with his own mess. But still, while the episode understandably doesn’t let River grieve because the nature of the show demands a different path, Lowden is showing us exactly how broken River is. How hollow and worn down. We joke that he’s always having the worst day of his life, but thus far, nothing’s been as heartbreaking as David’s funeral.
Nothing’s been stranger than the fact that he’s had to stand by a podium and write a cloaked eulogy with metaphors to talk about who David was. It’s all weighing on him, and Lowden shows it to us with a subtlety that’s so admirable it’s exactly what makes him such a gifted actor. The flashback scene with Jonathan Pryce made me weep, but even more so, the realization that every time we’d look into River’s eyes throughout the episode, the light had dimmed. Lowden’s work to visibly show us the grief makes the episode such a riveting jumping-off point when we also consider what’s coming. And while there’s a lot more I’ll have to say then, this very detail is precisely what makes his arc so gripping this season.
The Agents Being Wiped From Databases Is a Fascinating Choice
We don’t yet know what’s going on with the agents in Slow Horses Season 1, Episode 6, “Circle of Life,” but the information we’re presented with makes the episode one of the most gripping openers to date. The mystery behind Kyle Soller and MyAnna Buring’s characters is enough to reveal that none of this is a laughing matter, nor is the death of two agents.
Kristin Scott Thomas’ Diana Tavener remains as straight-laced as ever, making it impossible to trust anything she says and does, so it’s easy to be worried. We have to be at this point with how little we know. Jackson Lamb might not be as concerned at the moment, but he will be. And the fact that we’re kept in the dark right alongside the characters indicates that this is bigger than what we’ve seen before. Their jobs have always been dangerous, but never like this.
Now streaming on Apple TV+: What are your thoughts on Slow Horses Season 6, Episode 1, “Circle of Life?” Let us know in the comments below.
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