The second season of ‘Slow Horses’ sees the members of Slough House going up against a group of mythical sleeper agents that are now active again. The season is now streaming on Apple TV+.
Story
Jackson Lamb investigates the death of Richard ‘Dickie’ Bough, an ex-service agent who got kicked out before the Berlin Wall fell. Lamb discovers a phone Dickie has kept hidden on the bus where he died. The phone has a note written on it, spelling the word ‘cicada’.
The members of Slough House watch the footage of places where Dickie has been before dying and notice him following a bald, strong man.
River mentions Dickie’s name in front of his father, David, who tells him about a rumor from back in the day about a group of sleeper agents embedded in British society.
An investigation into the matter revealed that the rumor was a hoax. Dickie continued to spread this rumor and claimed that these agents abducted and tortured him, which resulted in his dismissal.
A deep dive into the footage of the railway station where Dickie went before dying suggested that the man he was following might’ve dosed him with something, which led to his death.
River brings the information about the cicadas to Lamb, and they start speculating that the sleeper agents were never a hoax and they might have reactivated again.
Performances
One thing ‘Slow Horses’ makes sure to do is that almost every other member of Slough House gets some time to shine.
Gary Oldman is a treat to watch in the role of Jackson Lamb, a character full of wits. Oldman is certainly enjoying the relaxed, carefree nature of the character.
Lamb manages to crack a smile on a viewer’s face in the most serious situations with his incredible one-liners, and Oldman’s timing makes these one-liners work. Apple TV+ could make a playlist out of Lamb’s one-liners.
Jack Lowden, as River Cartwright, continues to be the agent who wants to prove he is worthy. Lowden plays Cartwright with that same goal this season, and he hasn’t changed a bit.
Rosalind Eleazar, as Louisa, is grieving and, at the same time, adamant about doing her job this season. The emotional struggle can be seen in Eleazar’s eyes.
Aimee-Ffion Edwards, as Shirley Dander, is a strong addition to the cast. The show gives enough screen time to Edwards, where she not only describes her character in depth but also shows how far she can go.
The same can’t be said for Kadiff Kirwan, who plays Marcus Longridge. The only aspect of Marcus that the viewers get to learn about is that he has serious gambling issues. Apart from that, Kirwan plays him like every other officer in a crime procedural.
Positives
The second season brings a fresh storyline. It has this mythical element that makes it intriguing and something to look forward to. The first time David describes the story of cicadas, it leaves an impact on a viewer.
‘Slow Horses’ is not the kind of show that will often go back in time to recreate certain events. This way, the events described around the cicadas are left for the viewers to imagine.
The cinematography around the town of Upshott is gorgeous. One can’t help but imagine living there.
Lastly, the show evenly divides its episodes. The first three build up the whole situation for its plot and subplots. The fourth is where things start to turn around, and the last two are the culmination of the story. Using this method, the show never struggles with pacing.
Negatives
‘Slow Horses’, at the end of the day, retains some typical elements of a spy thriller or a crime drama. Some aspects come out as predictable.
The show chose to connect the main plot of the cicadas with Louisa and Min’s subplot to make things spicier, something that could’ve been avoided as this is often seen and has been done a million times in a crime drama.
Verdict
‘Slow Horses’ stays strong in its second season. Credible performances and an intriguing plot help the show be different from most spy thrillers out there.
Slow Horses season 2
Director: Jeremy Lovering
Date Created: 2022-12-02 00:00
4
Also Read: Slow Horses season 2 episode 6 recap & review: Old Scores