Slow Horses facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Slow Horses |
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| Created by | Will Smith |
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| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 4 |
| No. of episodes | 24 |
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| Producer(s) | Jane Robertson |
| Cinematography | Danny Cohen |
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| Running time | 40–53 minutes |
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| Original network | Apple TV+ |
| Original release | 1 April 2022 – present |
Slow Horses is an exciting British TV show about spies. It's based on a series of books called Slough House by Mick Herron. The show was created by Will Smith. It tells the story of a special team of MI5 agents. These agents made big mistakes in their careers, so they now work in a forgotten office called Slough House. Their grumpy boss, Jackson Lamb, is played by Gary Oldman. Other main actors include Jack Lowden, Kristin Scott Thomas, Sophie Okenedo, and Jonathan Pryce.
The show first aired on Apple TV+ on 1 April 2022. It received many good reviews. The first four seasons followed the stories from the books Slow Horses, Dead Lions, Real Tigers, and Spook Street. The show was renewed for a fifth and sixth season, which will be based on the books London Rules, Joe Country, and Slough House. The fifth season is set to start on 24 September 2025. In July 2025, Apple TV+ also announced a seventh season, based on the book Bad Actors.
Contents
What is Slough House?
Slough House is a special office for MI5 agents. It's where agents go when they've made big mistakes. They weren't fired, but they can't work at the main MI5 headquarters anymore. These agents are called "slow horses." It's a funny name, like saying they are a bit slow or clumsy.
Their job is usually to do very boring tasks. They also have to deal with their boss, Jackson Lamb. He is often grumpy and hopes they will quit from boredom. Even though their lives at Slough House are usually dull, these "slow horses" often find themselves in exciting adventures. They end up investigating important cases that help protect Britain.
Meet the Characters
Main Characters
- Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb: He is the messy and rude boss of Slough House. But beneath his rough exterior, he is very smart and loyal to his team.
- Jack Lowden as River Cartwright: A promising MI5 agent who was sent to Slough House after a big mistake during a training exercise.
- Kristin Scott Thomas as Diana Taverner: She is a high-ranking leader at MI5, in charge of many operations.
- Sophie Okonedo as Ingrid Tearney: She is the top boss of MI5, often called "First Desk."
- Jonathan Pryce as David Cartwright: River's grandfather. He is a retired senior MI5 officer who used to be very powerful. He is sometimes known as "The OB."
- Hugo Weaving as Frank Harkness: A former CIA agent who now works for himself. He is later revealed to be River's biological father.
The Slough House Team
- Saskia Reeves as Catherine Standish: The office administrator. She is very organized and loyal.
- Rosalind Eleazar as Louisa Guy: She was assigned to Slough House after a mission went wrong.
- Christopher Chung as Roddy Ho: A computer genius who can be a bit annoying. The team relies on his amazing tech skills.
- Dustin Demri-Burns as Min Harper (series 1–2): He was sent to Slough House after accidentally leaving a top-secret disk on a train.
- Olivia Cooke as Sidonie "Sid" Baker (series 1): A very capable MI5 agent who was mysteriously assigned to Slough House.
- Aimee-Ffion Edwards as Shirley Dander (series 2–present): She has a fiery personality and is a skilled agent.
- Kadiff Kirwan as Marcus Longridge (series 2–4): He sometimes takes big risks on the job.
- Joanna Scanlan as Moira Tregorian (series 4–present): She is a database expert who temporarily replaces Catherine.
- Tom Brooke as J.K. Coe (series 4–present): The newest "Slow Horse," who used to work in psychological evaluation.
Other Important Characters
- Chris Reilly as Nick Duffy (series 1–3): He leads MI5's internal security team, known as the "Dogs."
- Samuel West as Peter Judd MP (series 1–3): A politician who later becomes the Home Secretary.
- Naomi Wirthner as Molly Doran (series 2–present): An MI5 records keeper.
- Ruth Bradley as Emma Flyte (series 4–present): The new leader of the "Dogs."
- James Callis as Claude Whelan (series 4–present): The new Director General of MI5.
Episodes Overview
Series Summaries
| Series | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
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| 1 | 6 | 1 April 2022 | 29 April 2022 | |
| 2 | 6 | 2 December 2022 | 30 December 2022 | |
| 3 | 6 | 29 November 2023 | 27 December 2023 | |
| 4 | 6 | 4 September 2024 | 9 October 2024 | |
| 5 | 6 | 24 September 2025 | 22 October 2025 | |
How the Show is Made
Development and Books
Apple TV+ ordered the show in October 2019. Each of the first five series is based on a different book from the Slough House series. In June 2022, the show was renewed for a third and fourth series. These were based on the books Real Tigers and Spook Street. In January 2024, a fifth series was announced, based on London Rules. In October 2024, the show was renewed for a sixth series, based on Joe Country and Slough House. The fifth series is scheduled to be released on 24 September 2025. In July 2025, Apple TV+ also renewed the show for a seventh series, which will be based on the book Bad Actors.
Who is in the Show?
In October 2019, Gary Oldman was announced as the star. In December 2020, Olivia Cooke, Jonathan Pryce, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Jack Lowden joined the cast.
Filming Locations
Filming for the first series started in England on 30 November 2020. It continued into February 2021. Some scenes were filmed in Stroud, Gloucestershire, in July 2021. Filming was originally planned for earlier in 2020 but was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
By March 2023, filming for the third series was finished. Filming for the fourth series began soon after. Adam Randall directed the fourth series.
The Music
The main theme song, "Strange Game," was performed by Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger. He wrote the song for the show with the show's composer, Daniel Pemberton.
See also
In Spanish: Slow Horses para niños
