Slow Horses Season 5 Review

That the latest season of the immensely enjoyable Slow Horses doesn't quite reach the peaks of previous ones may sound like damning it with faint praise.

But the fifth season of Mick Herron's tale of outlawed bumbling British intelligence still soars well above anything on offer of its ilk.

It's largely thanks to unexpected comedic moments in among the spies and espionage antics of the Slough House brigade, led by the irrepressible slovenly Jackson Lamb (Sir Gary Oldman).

This time as London teeters on a knife edge mayoral campaign, a brutal act of terrorism kicks off a wave of unexpected and unpredictable events across the capital, spreading fear. As MI5 tries to catch up with what's going on, the Slough House gang start to uncover a disturbing pattern in the seemingly random events...

With the comings and goings of the agents of Slough House, Slow Horses has never really had time to stand still. Granted, the series still orbits around Lamb and Jack Lowden's River Cartwright, who has a habit of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

But this latest also shines the light more on some of the supporting members of the team, including Aimee Ffion-Edwards's Shirley, who's still reeling from the death of Marcus. Ffion-Edwards seizes those scenes and brings an intensity to her grief and determination that's welcome here.

Equally, by gifting Christopher Chung's techno-wizz Roddy Ho a girlfriend and some wildly laugh-out-loud scenes, the series is determined to flesh out its edges.

There's a lot more humour this time around, and it may overcome some of the personal edges of River's family revelations from the past season, but it still makes for slickly compelling viewing. (Though a line about Batman and a paint pot appearance are some of the most amusing scenes committed to screen this year).

Oldman is as excellent as ever, but less scenes with Kristin Scott Thomas' MI5 counterpart feel lost this time - and while the drama still works as strongly as it has before, there will be some who will complain that it feels one of the lesser years.

Frankly, they're wrong - and given the opening act of violence, the series has never felt more prescient and dangerous. While there's a feeling that one day some of the more beloved characters may fall, the exploration of fallability here is what shines.

From intelligence failings to the more human idea that Lamb isn't quite ahead of the game as usual (until later on in the series), this is probably one of the more grounded series of Slow Horses.

But don't let that put you off - it's excellent viewing, superlatively shot and spooled out and as slickly compelling as ever.

Slow Horses Season 5 premieres on Apple TV+ on September 24.