Apple TV+’s hit spy thriller, Slow Horses, has returned to our screens. Starring Gary Oldman as the dishevelled boss of Slough House, Jackson Lamb, Kristin Scott Thomas as MI5’s deputy director Diana Taverner and Jack Lowden as River Cartwright, an ambitious but naive field agent, season five begins today (24 September).
Each series of the critically acclaimed show is based on a different book in Mick Herron’s book series, Slough House, with the latest following the events of London Rules.
Both the books and the screen adaptation are a comedic take on the espionage genre – less James Bond and more The Thick of It. The series follows intelligence officers – dubbed “slow horses” by their peers – banished to desk work for bad behaviour. These misfit spies are prone to leaving top-secret documents on trains, chasing down the wrong bad guys, and accidentally embroiling themselves in government corruption.
The first novel, Slow Horses, was published in 2010 – but it didn’t make its way into the bestseller charts until years later. Herron has since penned eight more novels in the series, including the recently released Clown Town.
The winning formula of MI5 operations, high-profile assassinations, political conspiracies and dysfunctional agents has won the series a loyal fan base. Despite all the black humour, the spy plots are just as tight as an Ian Fleming or John Le Carre storyline. Whether you’re looking to dive into Slow Horses for the first time or have been keenly awaiting the new series, here’s everything you need to know – and where to watch season five.
Where to watch Slow Horses season 5
Slow Horses is an Apple TV+ exclusive, so you’ll need to sign up if you haven’t already. Apple TV+ costs £9.99 per month. If you haven’t already subscribed, you can try out the streaming service with a seven-day free trial. Apple TV+ is also home to fan favourite shows like Ted Lasso, Silo, The Morning Show and more.
The first episode of Slow Horses season five has dropped today (24 September), with new episodes arriving on the streaming platform every following Wednesday.
Find out more about Mick Herron’s Slough House book series ahead of Slow Horses season five dropping
