Slow Horses, a new Apple TV+ thriller series based on Mick Herron's award-winning novels, premiered this week and kicked off an exciting mystery. The story follows Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman, Mank), the cynical head of Slough House. Long considered the lowest rung on the MI5 ladder, Lamb's team are given dead-end cases and little more than paperwork to mark the ends of their once-promising security careers.
These "slow horses," as they are known, struggle day in and out with menial work that is far beneath their abilities. The recently transferred River Cartwright (Jack Lowden, Kindred) may be taking it harder than most until the team finds themselves in the middle of a new and terrifying case. Over the course of the season's six episodes, written by Veep's Will Smith and directed by Snowpiercer's James Hawes, the members of Slough House go toe to toe with the so-called real MI5 agents and try to resurrect their careers in the process.
Oldman and Lowden spoke to Screen Rant about River's frustrations and Jackson's tough love, both of which elaborately displayed in the first two episodes of the season, now available to stream on Apple TV+.
Screen Rant: When the season starts, River has been placed in Slough House after a training exercise gone horribly awry. Can you talk what he feels about his position at the outset and what his goal is for the season?
Jack Lowden: Oh, that's an acting question, isn't it? What's your objective, and what's your super objective?
Gary Oldman: Well, when we very first see you, he's riding high.
Jack Lowden: Yes, when you first see him, he's at the top of his game. He's probably waiting on the big call up, whatever that may be. And then, through no fault of his own, he ends up in an office block with this guy [signals Gary] paper clipping things. Which is just quite a fall.
Gary Oldman: And then you're, just, like you said, sort of in a bad mood for six episodes.
Jack Lowden: He's in a huff for six episodes, basically. He needs a good night out, don't he?
Speaking of this guy, it sometimes feels like Lamb doesn't want his little fledglings to prosper. Is he fighting back against the system, or is he just resigned to his office block?
Gary Oldman: I think it's probably a case of tough love. I think that Jackson knows why he's there and really knows what went down. He sees potential in River, and so I think he rides him even harder.
It's a bit like when you have kids, and you give them chores. You know what I mean? "That's it. You take the rubbish out, and you walk the dog. It'll make a man out of you."
Jack Lowden: I've washed the car 15 times today.
Gary Oldman: Yeah, do it again.
I think whatever modicum of faith or hope or respect he has for River, he doesn't necessarily have that for everyone there. But they are there, and he is - in his own very unusual and peculiar way - very loyal to them. For better or for worse, they're his team.
He even says so to Taverner at one point. She says, "You really do care for them, don't you?" He can't admit that he cares for them, and he says, "No, they're losers. But they're my losers."
Check out our Slow Horses interviews with stars Olivia Cooke & Saskia Reeves and Kristin Scott Thomas as well.
The first two episodes of Slow Horses are available to stream on Apple TV+, with a new episode dropping every Friday.