Original caricature by Jeff York of Olivia Cooke and Jack Lowden in SLOW HORSES (copyright 2026)
(Caution: there are a few mild spoilers ahead. You’ve been warned.)
Is Jack Lowden the new James Bond?
Of the six supposed finalists for the role, I hope so. But right now, the actor makes for one amazing River Cartwright. River is one of the ‘slow horses,’ as they’re known among those at MI5 in the Apple Plus series SLOW HORSES, which launches its sixth season this week. Like all residents of Slough House, the far-from-HQ home of disgraced agents who screwed up and must serve a sort of penance there, River doesn’t deserve his lot and is doing everything he can to get promoted out of there to be… well, something more akin to James Bond.
Now, River is a terrific spy in most ways: committed, smart, and brave. He’s just a bit headstrong, sometimes rushing into danger before thinking through where he’s going, but that makes him exciting, unpredictable, and yes, perfect as a precursor to playing the always roguish Bond. He’s front and center in the new season too, handling the largest chunk of the narrative this year, one with the most action, some exceedingly clever cat-and-mouse games, and more than enough gravitas for such popcorn entertainment. The gravitas comes from the most palpable life-and-death situation River’s ever been in, and he’s alongside a vulnerable colleague too, making for truly mesmerizing television and, I dare say, the best season yet of all six sterling seasons of this show.
If you’ve seen the season six trailer, you might have an idea why the stakes are so high, but it comes down to two reasons. First, someone is offing members of Slough House, past and present, putting every beloved character and then some in danger. Second, some past Slough House characters from previous seasons return, including one jaw-dropper that the trailer unfortunately gives away at the very end. (Psst…my caricature gives it away, too, but since it’s all over the internet, I’ll tell you that it’s great to see Olivia Cooke back in the fold.)
All the intrigue and drama make for a spectacular season with deaths, action sequences, and betrayals that pull more than a few rugs out from loyal watchers. Gary Oldman’s Jackson Lamb rules it all with a sublime mix of acidic apathy and gruff concern, and as the star of the show, he’s guaranteed a return. Not so for almost every character this year. Such unpredictability makes all six episodes truly thrilling, enthralling, and even scary.
Kudos to the showrunners, writers, and directors for giving the term “taut” such vivid meaning this year. Plaudits also go to the production design team and the camera crew for taking full advantage of the many English settings, from downtown London to the autumnal countryside to various remote and unsettling forests and roads. The cast is letter-perfect once again, playing all the humor drolly while underplaying the obvious pathos.
Both Oldman as Jackson Lamb, head of Slough House, and Kristen Scott Thomas as Diana Taverner, now first desk at MI5, have never been better during the run. Both play this season darker, meaner, and graver than ever, as does Lowden. His character proves he shouldn’t be demoted for one more day, but for the sake of the show, I hope River stays with the “island of misfit toys.” As in seasons past, the plucky rejects prove to have far more savvy and fire in their belly than most of the stiff twits occupying the higher ranks in the UK spy family.
As for Cooke, her pairing with Lowden makes the third act of the season almost unbearably tense, romantic, and quietly devastating. I just hope she returns for the already-promised season seven. And if the producers want her to play alongside Lowden if he becomes 007, well, I wouldn’t argue with that casting decision either. They are dynamite together.
All in all, it’s rather amazing, maybe even unprecedented, that a TV series keeps getting better with each passing season. SLOW HORSES hasn’t received nearly its share of the awards it’s due, but pound for pound and season for season, the show delivers the goods like few before or since. And none of it ever feels old hat or too familiar. Even with Lamb’s slovenliness and penchant for put-downs, he remains one of the freshest and funniest characters on TV. Not bad for a curmudgeon known for passing gas. Perhaps the tightly structured six-episode seasons of SLOW HORSES help it never overstay its welcome, but no matter, the makers are making superior entertainment year in and year out.
And if Lowden becomes Bond, ironically, that would be the ultimate promotion for him out of Slough House. Fingers crossed for that. And that somehow, he stays in the fold here too.
