While some popular dramas (naming no names) keep fans hanging for years at a time between seasons, we’re happy that we can always rely on Slow Horses to not leave too long a gap while the world waits for new episodes.
The award-winning Apple TV+ spy thriller is now back for its sixth outing, which began with the season opener on Wednesday morning.
Over the course of its run, Slow Horses has received near-universal acclaim, picking up TV Baftas and Emmys as well as a slew of nominations for cast members Sir Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden.
While we’re happy to report that season six doesn’t look set to break that streak – some critics have suggested that the new run of episodes aren’t up there with the show’s best. The good news, though, is that not everyone is in agreement on that front.
Here’s a quick snippet of what critics have been saying about Slow Horses season six so far…
“It gets harder to enjoy Gary Oldman’s spy thriller every year […] Slow Horses is still slick and confident enough, and it helps itself by casting Lenny Rush, an actor who immediately improves anything he’s in, as a civilian caught in this year’s crossfire. But it might have run its course.”
“The show’s devotees will eat this up, but less invested viewers might find that, after a few seasons, they crave something a bit different. Still, Slow Horses is one of the simplest pleasures in modern TV […] It might not be much interested in reinvention or evolution, but this is prestige entertainment at its absolute sturdiest.”
“There’s the occasional misstep within the series […] But such objections to on- and off-screen decision-making are outweighed by the pleasures of this sixth outing. Once again, it’s a high-wire act of laughs and thrills.”
“By regular TV standards, this is still a very good batch of episodes […] But Slow Horses has set itself an impeccable standard. This one was weaker and rather repetitive.”
“Bleaker but no less hilarious, this remains a masterclass in balancing brutal espionage thrills with caustic comedy, making television’s shittest spies its very best.”
“While the previous season had quite a few light moments as the focus was the enjoyably clueless Roddy Ho, this new season revels in the bleaker scenes […] In the later episodes, this results in a gripping set piece that is one of the best the show has ever done, but each episode has its own highlight and each actor has their moment to shine.
“That said, as ever the show is at its best when Gary Oldman is on screen…”
“The horses have probably never been in greater danger, but the fact that anyone who has had anything to do with the flea-bitten rat hole they call a workplace is in the firing line means a welcome return of old faces […] It’s a strange game, as Mick Jagger’s theme song goes. And it’s a great one too. Strap in, you’re in for a treat.”
“[Gary Oldman] dearly wants [Jack Lowden] to be [James Bond]. Having sampled season six of Slow Horses, 007 diehards may well share his enthusiasm.”
Slow Horses returns to Apple TV+ on 16 September, with new episodes every Wednesday.
