Slow Horses (2022)

Slow Horses is an old-school British spy thriller done right, relying on classic tension-builders rather than gadgets or CGI. Strong performances, especially from Gary Oldman and Olivia Cooke, sell the slow-burn surveillance mystery and its edge-of-your-seat payoffs.

The critic praises the grimly authentic espionage yarn populated by funny, intriguing “losers, misfits and boozers.” Gary Oldman delivers a tour de force as the wheezily profane Jackson Lamb.

The starry cast excels in this impressive, gripping adaptation of the misfit spy saga. It rearranges familiar tropes into something arresting and often funny, with strong ensemble work despite the unglamorous setting.

A rewarding slow burn about disgraced spies in a depressing workplace, with gritty London texture, twists, and an excellent ensemble led by Oldman’s compelling performance.

The show is a classy production centered on the decaying Slough House and Oldman's slobbish Jackson Lamb. It features strong support from Kristin Scott Thomas and a snaky plot with switchbacks, though it takes time to engage.

The adaptation of Mick Herron's novels is solidly entertaining and well-acted, with Gary Oldman as the grubby Jackson Lamb standing out. It mixes espionage thrills with the misfit agents' dynamics but falls short on the promised dark comedy.

The show works best as a spy comedy with sharp jokes, strong ensemble chemistry, and Oldman’s prickly energy, though the dramatic plot elements and hostage storyline feel more familiar and less successful.

The series is a tense but familiar spy thriller about disgraced MI5 agents at Slough House. The critic notes strong performances from Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas but finds the overall concept and execution deja vu-inducing.

The series offers a grimy, unglamorous look at intelligence work centered on outcasts and mistakes at MI5's Slough House. It delivers a tangled spy story that mixes realism with familiar genre tricks.

The critic finds the series unsure of its tone, with strong performances from Oldman, Lowden and Scott Thomas but few laughs and an identity crisis between drama and comedy. They single out the dynamic between Lamb and Cartwright for praise amid otherwise convoluted subplots.

The critic praises the return of Gary Oldman's Jackson Lamb and the expanded roles for the ensemble in season two, calling it a blast with strong performances and dark humor. They single out the meticulous scripting and action sequences for praise while noting some convoluted plotting.