Apple TV+’s spy thriller series, Slow Horses features a bunch of MI5 agents. But these are not your standard issue, chic and slick go-getters solving international crimes. This ill-fated bunch consists of agents who are no good to the agency in the field and are sent to the Slough House – a department where rejected MI5 agents end up with boring desk jobs.
Slow Horses follows one such new agent in the department who wants to change his fate. As luck would have it, he gets an opportunity when a menacing video of a hostage turns up on the monitoring screen. Unfortunately, the head of the Slough House dissuades him. He is a cantankerous, old man, who was once an agent, but a mistake cost his career, making him give up on his talent and life. But the new agent is determined to see this through and prove his ability once more. In the process, his coworkers and his boss also get involved as the intelligence agents they were all meant to be. The second season follows the same team (except for a few members) on a brand-new mission when some long-kept Cold War secrets resurface and threaten the nation.
Based on the highly acclaimed novel of the same name by Mick Herron, Slow Horses is directed by James Hawes and written for the screen by Will Smith (not the Fresh Prince). The first season of the spy thriller series features a star-studded cast, led by Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas and includes, but is not limited to Jack Lowden, Olivia Cooke, Saskia Reeves, Antonio Aakeel, Dustin Demri-Burns, Rosalind Eleazar, Christopher Chung, Sam Hazeldine, Chris Reilly, and Joey Ansah, among many others. It also stars Jonathan Pryce in a guest appearance. In the second season, some of the cast members like Olivia Cooke, Antonio Aakeel, Sam Hazeldine, Chris Reilly, and Joey Ansah will not be returning.
After a successful first season, the British spy thriller is back with more as another threatening mission awaits the Slough Housers. So, before the new season arrives, find out how you can watch Slow Horses Season 2, where to stream it, and more.
Editor's Note: This article was last updated on November 30.
Watch the Slow Horses Trailer
Season 1
The official trailer of Slow Horses was released in March 2022. The two and half minute clip is packed with dark comedy, some power-packed actions, but nothing cliched of a spy thriller. Overall, the trailer gives you a peek into a spy story that you would have never seen before. There are no fancy gadgets or sharp, witty one-liners. In fact, it’s raw, understated, and perhaps almost real. The trailer introduces the main characters, played by Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Jack Lowden, and Olivia Cooke, with emphasis on Oldman’s role, Jackson Lamb. Lamb seems to be hating everything about himself, his life, and the people on his team. Lowden plays River Cartwright, a new agent who refuses to accept his pathetic new role. Then a threatening situation arises which starts to change the team dynamics, including old man Lamb. Overall, the trailer is fun and fast-paced, promises a lot of excitement, and hints at how a team of boring paper-pushers will save the nation.
Season 2
The official trailer of Slow Horses Season 2, opens with River Cartwright (Jack Lowden) ominously saying “more people are going to die”. That is more or less what the trailer is all about, which indicates that there will be more body count this season. But whose? Who knows? Maybe we’ll find out soon enough when we get through the second season.
As the trailer clip shows, the narrative is quite similar to the first season, with a dark and grungy feel. There’s also a generous dose of speedy actions and suspenseful drama, perhaps a notch more than the previous season. The video reintroduces the audience to Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), who doesn’t seem to have changed much after the previous mission. The others, however, seem to have gotten some confidence back after the last season and are going all in to address the new challenges that they are faced with in the second season.
Overall, the second season of Slow Horses seems to be as exciting or probably more than the last one and we can’t wait for the agents to get back on their feet.
When did Slow Horses First Premiere (And When Is Season 2 Coming Out)?
Slow Horses premiered on Apple TV+ on Friday, April 1, 2022. Season 2 will begin streaming on Friday, December 2, 2022.
Is Slow Horses Streaming Online?
Yes, Slow Horse is an Apple TV+ original show, which means it’s available for streaming on the service. The first season is already available on the service, so if you haven’t had a chance to watch it, now might be a good time to catch up on the back story of the Slow House and its team members. Apple TV+ is available on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac. You can also install the app on gaming consoles, various smart TVs, Roku, and Fire TV devices, not to mention you can use it from your browser as well.
When Is the Slow Horses Season 2 Finale?
The final episode of Slow Horses Season 2 will be released on January 6, 2023.
How Many Episodes Does Slow Horses Have?
The first season of Slow Horses had six episodes, all directed by James Hawes. The first two episodes streamed together on the day of the premiere, on April 1. The following episodes dropped one per week, every Friday. The second season is also following the same schedule, with the first two episodes releasing simultaneously on the day of the premiere, i.e., on December 2, 2022. After that, each new episode streams every Friday.
Here are the details of all episodes of Slow Horses Season 2:
Episode 1: "Last Stop" - December 2, 2022
Directed by: Jeremy Lovering | Written by: Will Smith,
Episode 2: "From Upshott with Love" - December 2, 2022
Directed by: Jeremy Lovering | Written by: Morwenna Banks
Episode 3: "Drinking Games" - December 9, 2022
Directed by: Jeremy Lovering | Written by: Morwenna Banks
Episode 4: "Cicada" - December 16, 2022
Directed by: Jeremy Lovering | Written by: Mark Denton and Jonny Stockwood
Episode 5: "Boardroom Politics" - December 23, 2022
Directed by: Jeremy Lovering | Written by: Mark Denton and Jonny Stockwood
Episode 6: "Old Scores" - January 6, 2023
Directed by: Jeremy Lovering | Written by: Will Smith;
Can You Watch Slow Horses Without Apple TV+?
Since Slow Horses is an Apple TV+ original series, it will be exclusively available on this streaming service. Apple TV+ is available on a subscription basis. You can opt for a 7-day free trial when you sign up on the app (web or mobile). The basic subscription costs $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year, after the free trial period.
So What Is Slow Horses About?
The spy thriller series is officially described as:
“This quick-witted spy drama follows a dysfunctional team of MI5 agents—and their obnoxious boss, the notorious Jackson Lamb—as they navigate the espionage world’s smoke and mirrors to defend England from sinister forces."
Slow Horses is essentially a story of rising from failures, of underdogs and dark horses, who would rise up from failure to save the day and prove their worth to the world. These are the people who are constantly pushed down by bureaucracy for their mistakes, but they refuse to take it lying down.
Now, in Season 2, the members of Slough House return, again under the reluctant leadership of Jackson Lamb. His team had proved their worth in the previous mission and saved the day. And they would do it again, probably with a little more vigor and confidence this time. In the new season, MI5 discovers that some long-buried secrets of the Cold War are unraveling and a team of Russian sleeper agents is being activated across the country. Diana Taverner, the Deputy Director-General, seeks Lamb’s help in discovering these agents and stopping a catastrophe from happening. But this mission could be more dangerous than Lamb or his team had imagined.
Other Spy Series You Can Watch Right Now
There are those who say they don’t make great spy stories anymore. But there’s hope that shows like Slow Horses might change that. The golden age of spies may be gone and yes, modern spycraft is not as exciting and thrilling as it used to be, but here are a few characters and their missions that might interest you still:
The Night Manager: This award-winning British miniseries is based on John le Carre’s eponymous novel. Directed by Susanne Bier, it boasts a star-studded cast featuring Hugh Laurie, Tom Hiddleston, Olivia Coleman, Elizabeth Debicki, Tom Hollander, among others. The Night Manager follows a former British soldier, Jonathan Pine (Hiddleston) who works as a manager on the night shift of a hotel and is contacted by an intelligence operative to spy on an international arms dealer. To catch a thief, you must become one, or at least pretend to be one, and so does Pine. But that leads him through dangerous circumstances and romantic encounters at the same time.
Killing Eve: One of the most recent and highly popular British spy thriller series, Killing Eve is based on the novel Villanelle by Luke Jennings. Phoebe Waller-Bridge serves as the head writer for the first season, followed by a different head writer for every following season. The show had a great reception, earning many awards and critical acclaim for its story, acting, and incredible use of fashion. The plot follows a bored MI5 agent Eve (Sandra Oh) who is chasing a dangerous Russian assassin, Villanelle (Jodie Comer). In the cat-and-mouse chase, both women get obsessed with each other, to the point of getting attracted.
The Spy: The spy drama series explores the real-life story of prominent Israeli spy Eli Cohen, played by Sacha Baron Cohen. The Netflix original miniseries is based on the book L'espion qui venait d'Israël (English: The Spy Who Came from Israel), by Uri Dan Yeshayahu Ben Porat and directed by Gideon Raff. It tells the shocking exploits of Eli Cohen who infiltrated the Syrian government as a Mossad agent in the 1960s, and how he made his way through the Syrian Ministry of Defense to become the country's Deputy Defense Minister. The series revolves around his mission while he deals with his marriage and personal relationships.