IMO this is one of the best things on TV right now. Yes, that's hard to defend because who can watch everything, but most of the writing is solid, all of the acting is stellar (even the non-names hold up so well against the heavyweights like Oldman and Scott-Thomas). The plots twist but they don't throw out ridiculous red herrings (hello The Killing season 1). I've been fully invested since the first minutes of season 1.
After watching EP4 I was afraid to watch EPs 5 & 6 *precisely* because they have been killing off one Slow Horse per season. And the two Horses in the facility were the ones I really like.
Them getting out unscathed was pretty unbelievable, yes, but at a certain point you have to go with it. And it was more than a bit satisfying that the two lead Dogs got their comeuppance.
Can't wait for Season 4, and when all seasons air I think I'll read the books.
A fine wrap-up from you, Tim, and great comments from everybody. Slow Horses is one of those series that I insist my wife watch with me (in return for similar sympathetic viewings by me) and I can see she both loves the wit but deplores the spy thriller tropes that sometimes veer into improbability. This season tested her more than the previous two and I can see why, and it’s the reason I rate Season 3, a gem nonetheless, as below the stellar quality of the first two seasons. Namely, they should have taken ten episodes, not six, to adapt Real Tigers the novel. Reading the book, everything makes full sense (at least in the genre world of spy thrillers), whereas the screen version has to rush the storyline, rendering it ever so slightly cartoonish. All quibbles, however ... loved every minute. And also enjoyed your comments, Tim, and those of others.
I read "Real Tigers" before I watched the series, and considering how much Herron likes killing off his characters, I was SHOCKED that all of the Slow Horses survived the big shoot-out. If I'm not mistaken, however, River's grandfather did not appear at all in the novel.
Narratively speaking is there anything more reliable and comforting than “faceless completely interchangeable bad guy with a gun”?!? Whether it be a terrorist with a face scarf, criminal with a ski mask or bandanna, or in this case an assault soldier with goggles, helmet, and body armor. It’s always great to not care that the heroes are turning another human to Swiss cheese cuz essentially they’re just video game NPC’s…
All in all another great season and unless I hallucinated the trailer for next season, they already shot the next season and Agent Smith is in it!!!
Other thoughts...
- My Donovan prediction was a bit off, so I’ll only give myself a 1/2 pat on the back…
- I love how BOTH of our “Box Set” shows involve booby trapped houses…
- Wait is that guy’s name REALLY is “Ball Bag”?!?
- Roddy taking selfies after doing Jack shit to actually help is perfect…
- I’d like to think this show is little better than a monologuing bad guy slowly approaching a cornered unarmed woman who is obviously about to over come him some how...
(With an Elton John CD turns out)
- Killing people, hiding files, and Machiavellian power plays are one thing, but taking back a good bottle of whiskey is just shitty behavior…
- I honestly didn’t see River making a copy coming…
As a massive fan of the show, which led me to reading the books (which are markedly different), I’ve gotta say Slow Horses is at its worst when trying to be what it isn’t. Episode six proves this. The (too) long gun battle with Chieftain tested credulity. Marcus is supposed to be a former Agency hard man, but looked like he’d never held a weapon. Add in last second saves, well-trained Red Shirt enemies failing to look down, or around a corner, or tactically clearing a house, or losing their minds when getting injured (Duffy’s dog on the staircase), Stormtrooper-level accuracy, stunts that are supposed to impress but simply don’t…
Peak TV has conditioned us to expect more from these kinds of shows. This felt like 90s prime time network “action”.
SH shines when the incredible cast is allowed to cook. Lowden and Eleazar have great comedic timing. Saskia Reeves conveys serious depth. And Oldman is made for this role.
But ep. six lowered my opinion on what had been to that point my favorite season. Still one of the best shows on tv, though.
I liked this whole season. Six packed episodes. An interesting contrast was the battle to the death for First Desk being conducted with whiskey, veiled slights and sarcasm. Meanwhile, just as deadly, Slow Horses battled with guns, concrete, knives and booby traps. All deadly, very different. Terrific casting and writing made it all shine. Looking forward to S4. This show is definitely my favorite on Apple TV+. Hey Apple: Just drop the "+" why don't you?
Dec 28, 2023·edited Dec 28, 2023Liked by Tim Goodman
There is so much to talk about, both in the show and in your thoughts, but it's just enjoyable enough to forgive the unforgivable. In the first two seasons, you could "justify" the "success" of the Slow Horses because it seems the master spy who led them could make up for their deficiencies. This time, it wasn't Jackson bailing them out - it was a parallel "success" against insurmountable odds. So it's beginning to look like this bunch of rejects is not only better (in leaps and bounds) than their former brethren at the Park (Duffy was "well trained," but apparently not well enough, but better than the private security service that was also better than MI5. This ragtag bag of rejects is beginning to remind me of the 2010 Giants. And not having read the books, I'm wondering which came first - Slough House or Slow Horses - which seem almost to be wordplay on each other.
1) I believe that the 'river' is actually supposed to be the Grand Union Canal behind Regent's Park they then stroll through the park. After all, the MI5 HQ is called 'The park' for its location near Regent's Park.
2) When did Shirley break the CD and hide a piece of it? I thought the was pulling a coke spoon or some other drug paraphernalia from under her clothes.
I believe they have already finished Season 4, which is why the previews looked so good. My favorite trivia note I found out is about Aimee-Ffion Edwards, who plays Shirley Danders, 5'1" and so good at kicking ass. Apparently Edwards played youth team rugby until she was 14. She was the only girl on the team.
Completely agree with, well, everything. They have to know how implausible the shootouts are, but apparently they don't care, and apparently neither do we (though I do confess to a bit of eye rolling).
I wonder what their filming schedule is like, since each season ends with a trailer for the next. So, instead of season three ending on a cliffhanger, we get the cliffhanger in the trailer for season four. Which Slow Horse will bite the dust? It may just be my poor memory, but I can't think of another series that the next season trailer ready at the end of the current season.
Bottom line, as you have said, immensely entertaining.
IMO this is one of the best things on TV right now. Yes, that's hard to defend because who can watch everything, but most of the writing is solid, all of the acting is stellar (even the non-names hold up so well against the heavyweights like Oldman and Scott-Thomas). The plots twist but they don't throw out ridiculous red herrings (hello The Killing season 1). I've been fully invested since the first minutes of season 1.
After watching EP4 I was afraid to watch EPs 5 & 6 *precisely* because they have been killing off one Slow Horse per season. And the two Horses in the facility were the ones I really like.
Them getting out unscathed was pretty unbelievable, yes, but at a certain point you have to go with it. And it was more than a bit satisfying that the two lead Dogs got their comeuppance.
Can't wait for Season 4, and when all seasons air I think I'll read the books.
A fine wrap-up from you, Tim, and great comments from everybody. Slow Horses is one of those series that I insist my wife watch with me (in return for similar sympathetic viewings by me) and I can see she both loves the wit but deplores the spy thriller tropes that sometimes veer into improbability. This season tested her more than the previous two and I can see why, and it’s the reason I rate Season 3, a gem nonetheless, as below the stellar quality of the first two seasons. Namely, they should have taken ten episodes, not six, to adapt Real Tigers the novel. Reading the book, everything makes full sense (at least in the genre world of spy thrillers), whereas the screen version has to rush the storyline, rendering it ever so slightly cartoonish. All quibbles, however ... loved every minute. And also enjoyed your comments, Tim, and those of others.
I read "Real Tigers" before I watched the series, and considering how much Herron likes killing off his characters, I was SHOCKED that all of the Slow Horses survived the big shoot-out. If I'm not mistaken, however, River's grandfather did not appear at all in the novel.
My one thought while watching the shoot out:
Narratively speaking is there anything more reliable and comforting than “faceless completely interchangeable bad guy with a gun”?!? Whether it be a terrorist with a face scarf, criminal with a ski mask or bandanna, or in this case an assault soldier with goggles, helmet, and body armor. It’s always great to not care that the heroes are turning another human to Swiss cheese cuz essentially they’re just video game NPC’s…
All in all another great season and unless I hallucinated the trailer for next season, they already shot the next season and Agent Smith is in it!!!
Other thoughts...
- My Donovan prediction was a bit off, so I’ll only give myself a 1/2 pat on the back…
- I love how BOTH of our “Box Set” shows involve booby trapped houses…
- Wait is that guy’s name REALLY is “Ball Bag”?!?
- Roddy taking selfies after doing Jack shit to actually help is perfect…
- I’d like to think this show is little better than a monologuing bad guy slowly approaching a cornered unarmed woman who is obviously about to over come him some how...
(With an Elton John CD turns out)
- Killing people, hiding files, and Machiavellian power plays are one thing, but taking back a good bottle of whiskey is just shitty behavior…
- I honestly didn’t see River making a copy coming…
As a massive fan of the show, which led me to reading the books (which are markedly different), I’ve gotta say Slow Horses is at its worst when trying to be what it isn’t. Episode six proves this. The (too) long gun battle with Chieftain tested credulity. Marcus is supposed to be a former Agency hard man, but looked like he’d never held a weapon. Add in last second saves, well-trained Red Shirt enemies failing to look down, or around a corner, or tactically clearing a house, or losing their minds when getting injured (Duffy’s dog on the staircase), Stormtrooper-level accuracy, stunts that are supposed to impress but simply don’t…
Peak TV has conditioned us to expect more from these kinds of shows. This felt like 90s prime time network “action”.
SH shines when the incredible cast is allowed to cook. Lowden and Eleazar have great comedic timing. Saskia Reeves conveys serious depth. And Oldman is made for this role.
But ep. six lowered my opinion on what had been to that point my favorite season. Still one of the best shows on tv, though.
I liked this whole season. Six packed episodes. An interesting contrast was the battle to the death for First Desk being conducted with whiskey, veiled slights and sarcasm. Meanwhile, just as deadly, Slow Horses battled with guns, concrete, knives and booby traps. All deadly, very different. Terrific casting and writing made it all shine. Looking forward to S4. This show is definitely my favorite on Apple TV+. Hey Apple: Just drop the "+" why don't you?
There is so much to talk about, both in the show and in your thoughts, but it's just enjoyable enough to forgive the unforgivable. In the first two seasons, you could "justify" the "success" of the Slow Horses because it seems the master spy who led them could make up for their deficiencies. This time, it wasn't Jackson bailing them out - it was a parallel "success" against insurmountable odds. So it's beginning to look like this bunch of rejects is not only better (in leaps and bounds) than their former brethren at the Park (Duffy was "well trained," but apparently not well enough, but better than the private security service that was also better than MI5. This ragtag bag of rejects is beginning to remind me of the 2010 Giants. And not having read the books, I'm wondering which came first - Slough House or Slow Horses - which seem almost to be wordplay on each other.
2 things:
1) I believe that the 'river' is actually supposed to be the Grand Union Canal behind Regent's Park they then stroll through the park. After all, the MI5 HQ is called 'The park' for its location near Regent's Park.
2) When did Shirley break the CD and hide a piece of it? I thought the was pulling a coke spoon or some other drug paraphernalia from under her clothes.
Poor Ho. Asking what would Alexander the great do and the answer was drive a bus into the house. Brilliant.
I believe they have already finished Season 4, which is why the previews looked so good. My favorite trivia note I found out is about Aimee-Ffion Edwards, who plays Shirley Danders, 5'1" and so good at kicking ass. Apparently Edwards played youth team rugby until she was 14. She was the only girl on the team.
Completely agree with, well, everything. They have to know how implausible the shootouts are, but apparently they don't care, and apparently neither do we (though I do confess to a bit of eye rolling).
I wonder what their filming schedule is like, since each season ends with a trailer for the next. So, instead of season three ending on a cliffhanger, we get the cliffhanger in the trailer for season four. Which Slow Horse will bite the dust? It may just be my poor memory, but I can't think of another series that the next season trailer ready at the end of the current season.
Bottom line, as you have said, immensely entertaining.