Entertainment
Apple TV’s All-Time Greatest Spy Thriller Is Officially Changing Its Format
There are plenty of spy thrillers being made today, but there’s really only one that far surpasses the rest. Apple TV’s Slow Horses has already produced five seasons of heart-pumping, thrilling action and shows no signs of slowing down. While the series has finally confirmed the release of its sixth season on September 16, Slow Horses will be switching up its format in one notable way when it returns.
Every Season of ‘Slow Horses’ Has Followed the Same Format So Far
Slow Horses‘ approach to adaptation has been pretty straightforward so far, with each season based on one book in Mick Herron‘s fantastic spy series. While the first novel, also titled Slow Horses, was originally published back in 2010, Apple TV didn’t bring it to the small screen until 2022. The series follows a team of MI5 rejects who find themselves banished to Slough House, led by the irascible, slovenly Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman). Well past his own glory years as a spy, Lamb isn’t interested in mentoring these agents or helping them return to a more respected position at MI5. The story officially begins when aspiring agent River Cartwright (Jack Lowden) is relegated to Slough House after a disastrous training exercise.
As the action surrounding Slough House and its inhabitants plays out, each season of Slow Horses has followed the plot of Herron’s book series, with storylines covering everything from the reemergence of Cold War spies to murderous mercenaries. This has been a winning formula for the spy drama, allowing it to earn devoted fans, critical acclaim, and 14 Emmy nominations (including two wins). But Slow Horses has never been one to rest on its laurels, and it’s been officially confirmed that Season 6 will be switching things up.
‘Slow Horses’ Season 6 Will Adapt Two of Mick Herron’s Novels
Every season of Slow Horses has somehow managed to pack all of the action from one of Herron’s novels into just six episodes, but Season 6 is going to push the envelope even further by adapting two of Herron’s books: Joe Country (2019) and Slough House (2021). Joe Country hints that Diana Taverner’s (Kristin Scott Thomas) position as First Desk isn’t as easy as she expected after she previously vied for the position, while Lamb locates the man responsible for killing one of his agents and tasks the Slow Horses with carrying out revenge. As if that wasn’t enough action, Season 6 will also tackle Taverner leading a scheme that will endanger all of the Slow Horses and put even more of a target on their backs.
Combining two novels into one season might seem like a tall order, but it makes sense to pack in even more plot development now that Slow Horses is well into its run and viewers don’t need as much exposition. This switch-up in adaptation format isn’t the only change happening to Slow Horses in Season 6. Last July, it was announced that creator and longtime showrunner Will Smith would be departing the series after Season 5, with the series being led by Gaby Chiappe for Season 6 and Ben Vanstone for Season 7. New showrunners can be a potential hazard when a show doesn’t have a strong foundation, but hopefully, some new blood will allow a seasoned series like Slow Horses to flourish. Adapting more than one of Herron’s books seems like a surefire way for Slow Horses to embrace even more character development and thrilling plotlines, but this format change should only make fans more hyped for Season 6’s release.
Seasons 1–5 of Slow Horses are available to stream on Apple TV in the U.S. Season 6 will premiere on Wednesday, September 16.
Slow Horses
- Release Date
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April 1, 2022
- Network
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Apple TV+
- Showrunner
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Douglas Urbanski
- Directors
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Adam Randall, James Hawes, Jeremy Lovering, Saul Metzstein
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