01/08/2026
In April 2022, Apple TV+ premiered Slow Horses, a series that would redefine the "spy drama" for the modern era. Based on the novels by Mick Herron, the show features Gary Oldman as the brilliant but repulsive Jackson Lamb, the head of Slough House—a purgatory for MI5’s "failed" agents. The series reached a cultural peak in September 2024 with its fourth season, which adapted Spook Street and focused on a missing girl and the fallout of a domestic terror threat. The show’s genius lies in its blend of high-stakes espionage with a dark, workplace-comedy cynicism that perfectly captures the "Slough House" spirit.
The production has been lauded for Oldman’s transformative performance, stripping away any cinematic glamour to portray the reality of a world built on secrets and administrative decay.
In 2026, Slow Horses is celebrated as a "once-in-a-generation" thriller that successfully balances tension with profound character depth.
The pairing of the veteran Lamb with the ambitious River Cartwright (Jack Lowden) provides a compelling "mentor-mentee" dynamic for the digital age. The show remains a vibrant, gritty tribute to the unsung and often broken heroes of the intelligence world, proving that even a "failed" agent can save the day if they are desperate enough. It stands as a masterclass in adaptation, turning Herron’s intricate prose into some of the most compelling television of the decade.