Slow Horses S6! Weekly release.

[MsAlignment]

Ep1 on Apple TV now. I’m keen to see all the old characters - but this review isn’t altogether encouraging:

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/sep/16/slow-horses-season-six-review-gary-oldman-spy-thriller-apple-tv

Just watched the last 2 episodes and think I will rewatch as think I missed a few bits . It is almost slapstick when the baddies and the slow horses are seriously injured and then just seem to get up and fight another day .

Yes not sure if River will be in the next series . Jack Lowden does seem to have quite a few films out, so he may have been filming one of those at the same time as s7 . Haven’t read the books and from what others have posted it could go either way whether they follow them or not .

River may be ill for all/ some of series 7 and his absence explained that way .

Loved these episodes , the squabbling between them in the holiday house and the dialogue between Diana and Lamb .

Those that have read the books or perhaps it was touched upon in earlier episodes , what is the backstory with River’s family ? I would assume his mother is dead , he perhaps went to boarding school and stayed with his grandfather . His father was obviously very absent / working away ( off being a hit man - as you do !!) .

Perhaps we should ask that the title of this thread is changed to "Slow Horses - weekly release, but feel free to spoil it all with book plots".
As someone who hasn't read the books yet, I don't really want to find out what happens to River until the next series. Am I the only one?

@Yamyamabroad no you’re not. I’ve just inadvertently read that too and I didn’t want to know what happens with River either.

Diana survived. Loved it. Especially the way she insinuated that her boss was unreliable, in front of the Home Sec, stitched him up good and proper.
Long may the Ice Queen reign..
Lamb got her out of that, so he has some wiggle room for whatever scenario might come to threaten Slough House.
Deeply mourning the wonderful, totally odd Coe.

I miss Coe too.

I haven't read the books either - maybe people could just write: (book spoiler warning) in their individual posts.

I'd totally forgotten Louisa nicked the diamond!

Not really fussed on the Sid/River romance, though they obviously had a bit of chemistry in season 1 which seemed genuine, not just part of her position as a mole to spy on River.

One of the strengths of the show imo is they generally keep the finely tuned balance of comedy/ drama/ making it just believable enough, albeit heightened, that you think it all could happen in real life. Also the consistency of the characterisations and the little moments. For example, at Coe's unofficial memorial at St Leonard's - by this point the team weren't quite as awkward/ chagrined that Lamb didn't say a few words as they'd remembered how he was at Min's.

Favourite bits:

Lamb retrieving Reece from the care facility - the supervisor was so well-written and acted.
Roddy 'smudging' in the office after he had an altercation with River - absolutely cracked me up.
Lamb talking to Natasha in the book shop - superb acting - he really did appear like a normal dad (daresay some would agree with me there due to his greasy hair etc)
Shirley making molotov cocktails with Diana's best spirits!
Coe being as cool as a cucumber, as ever, RIP.
Reece - he bounced off Lamb brilliantly for comedic effect but also that genuinely affecting moment where he revealed his vulnerability with Shirley on the beach.
Never particularly cared for the Emma character and I totally got why Lady Di got annoyed at her overstepping the mark (in her mind) - but was so pleased when Emma told her to eff her and eff the job and it was interesting seeing her shift from being very cool and collected as head dog to seeing her disillusionment with the service and when out of the uniform her vulnerability as 'shit gets real' outside of the structure, she genuinely looked quite nervous when she had to scope out who Harkness was meeting in the restaurant and was (obviously rightly) scared of the safe house situation, but clearly being brave and honourable - RIP.

Best dialogue:
Emma: "You'd burn a city down to save face wouldn't you?"
Diana: "It depends which city"

Have you seen Season 4? That’s River’s entire backstory. He was raised by his grandparents and rarely saw his mother.

Why wouldn’t they?! Five year olds (and older) enjoy proper party games. Top tip is to do ‘sleeping lions’ to calm them down eg before food.

On it.

Very sorry - was busy and have only just watched the finale and come back to the thread.

I’m hoping MNHQ will remove the major spoiler. @Badvocthebad - perhaps you meant well, but it’s not on …

‘‘Tis gone.

As you were!

No spoilers for coming series from any source please!

Speculation welcome, of course. Though I guess this thread will wind down and there’ll be a new one for the next season.

The original message is gone but not posts that quote it.

Can you point out any explicit spoilers following the now deleted post, @BestIsWest? I’ll ask MNHQ to delete them.

Thanks @ErrolTheDragonthat makes more sense now.

@2026onwardsandupin the books River’s mum does come to his grandpa’s funeral.

Is there anything new(ish) worth watching on Apple? I have a big Ted Lasso and Slow Horses hole in my weekly viewing. I wasn’t wild about Down Cemetary Road (but I’d only recently read the books and thought Emma T was a poor choice for Zoe).

I can cope with subtitles.

Apparently This City is Ours returns to the BBC on Sunday.

And Mobland is still on Paramount.

Gangsters rather than spies, but energetic and entertaining.

My speculation, arrived at before I saw any spoilers is that River survives but Lamb and Lady Di pretend he’s dead and stash him and Sid away somewhere to use on later secret ops. Did any of the other horses know Sid was alive - iirc only poor Coe actually saw her?

Yes she was great in that scene.

Well done by Lamb. I did laugh at the musical statues scene, not that I’d want someone doing the same but I find his acting and timing so funny.

I missed the spoilers below, phew.

@MsAlignment False alarm! I misread another post. Sorry!

Without wanting to spoil it for anyone else.. look away now.

What are we supposed to understand happened in that last scene?

River picked up the crowbar that had a novichock nerve agent on it, left there by the 2 Russian killers.

@Chaostheory12 - I have to say, if I hadn’t read the book I think I might have been confused by that final scene.

I didn’t understand it much tbh. I have a theory , but I haven’t read the books and I’m usually wrong.
My idea is Sid is a baddie, but it’s only a hunch and based on nothing at all. who was in the shower ?

I did wonder if it was that powder.

Diane referred to it in an earlier episode and there is the Russian connection. Could be a different poison but it was the hand that held the crowbar

I didn't like Emma T as Zoe either, and I usually love her.