Slow Horses [Apple] (*SPOILERS*)

cdgalwegian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121627895#Comment_121627895

I wouldn't be afraid of spoilers if the thread title had 'spoilers' in it. Without them, it's common courtesy to put spoilers in spoiler quarantine - usually until spoilers are put in the title. If the warning is there, I don't go in.

loyatemu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121625790#Comment_121625790

I avoided this thread while I was watching the new series (which has been available for over a month now) as I assumed there would be spoilers, it's the only Slow Horses thread and it's full of spoilers for the earlier seasons already. But I've spoilered that last bit now, just try to forget you read it...

pixelburp

Mod: I've updated the original post to Spoiler-text out the incident.

There's no agreed ruleset when it comes to spoilers really: decorum kinda plays a part and I think when it comes to shows whose thrust kinda hinges on twists & turns, stuff from finales or pivotal episodes are probably best spoiler-texted out of deference. Even when the title might contain "SPOILERS" in it (I'll add that now)

cdgalwegian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121628327#Comment_121628327

Yeah, it's a hard one to judge if the title doesn't have a spoiler warning, and for mods to decide if and when to put them in. The Tierney thing was only minor anyway,

Fantastic series, despite the occasional eye-roll concerning some 'as if' thoughts about certain scenarios. The wife is off sick at the moment, so I have season 3 on hold while she's binge-watching it to catch up with me - she's watched the first two seasons in 3 days and also thinks it's brilliant.

loyatemu

you'll be rolling your eyes a fair bit in season 3, but it's still pretty great.

pixelburp

Season 3 definitely stretched the concept to breaking point - but it's a testament to the strength of the characters and their odd sense of pluckiness, that I was still cheering them on and worrying after them rather than thinking too hard.

At the end of the day, these folk

Spoiler Warning

they're all MI5 agents, and to a greater or lesser degree should have some experience with escalating scenarios. And as we saw, one wanted to be one of "The Dogs", so at least explained the possession of arms lol.

Which is why for the Season 4 trailer

Spoiler Warning

I'm genuinely worried who that dead Slow Horse might be. I'm still upset about poor Min Harper. My bet's on Ho; he has broadly been the most useless of the lot, still hated so easy to sacrafice, and piecing the clues together in the trailer it seems to suggest it too.

loyatemu

I've seen this mentioned elsewhere, but the series really blurs the lines between MI5 (domestic national security) and MI6 (your more traditional James Bond/George Smiley, international espionage stuff). Lamb, Cartwright Senior and Parker would all have been MI6 if they were working in Berlin during the cold war, I'm not sure how likely it would be that they would subsequently end up at MI5, but I'm not an expert in these things.

Agent Coulson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121634829#Comment_121634829

They/MI5 do work outside the UK when they have to. Berlin during the Cold War would have had plenty of security agencies from all over the world based there.

From MI5's offical website

We’ll work outside the UK where it’s necessary to protect the UK's national security or to counter security threats to UK interests such as diplomatic premises and staff, UK companies and investments, and our citizens living or travelling abroad.

https://www.mi5.gov.uk/faq#:~:text=We'll%20work%20outside%20the,citizens%20living%20or%20travelling%20abroad.

Cartel Mike

Reminds me of shows like ashes to ashes ,mostly funny yet still serious. Pretty confident that it wont lose it's way like killing eve did .

It's really childish of me to say this but the best part of each episode for me has been when Gary oldman farts...and his character does it alot ..which proves that no great actor is above a good fart gag! ..fantastic

Pentecost

I read a couple of the books recently, and Jackson's disgusting farts are a common occurrence! The series is very close to the books. A couple of changes here and there.

cdgalwegian

Part of the beauty of Slow Horses has been how its characters haven't needed much action set-pieces and outlandish cannon-fodder set-ups, but I quite enjoyed the last 2 episodes. As the latter aspects were being played out the characterisations came out even better, while being interspersed with Lamb going old-school - bringing the season to a very satisfying end to a so-so start. Roll on season 4.

K-9

Only got around to the last 3 episodes now, they really upped the action scenes in the last 2, non stop, edge of my seat.

For fans of the books, the Secret Hours is well worth a read, a companion piece to the Lambe books which delves into Berlin in the 90's, post-wall.

Rossie4ever

Would ye recommend watching this? Haven't seen it yet.

OmegaGene

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121909279#Comment_121909279

i think anyone that is on this thread would recommend it

pixelburp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121909279#Comment_121909279

Yes, it's a great show.

No notes.

cdgalwegian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121909279#Comment_121909279

Asking for straight-up recommendations for a film or tv series is like asking for a recommendation on clothes - impossible without knowing the preferred subjective tastes. I assume you don't want to read the comments previous to this because of spoilers. Review sites like Rotten Tomatoes give non-spoiler review blurbs, and for every season of a series (where the style is noted, and the skill of execution rated). You can judge if something is your cup of tea from that. Otherwise, threads even with spoilers often don't have spoilers until part-way or late into the thread (and often spoiler-quoted to hide major spoilers), so they can be read for the flavour of the series. The first whiff of spoiler territory is the time to abandon ship.

Personally, I'd highly recommend this if...

you like slow-burn spy drama, with a dry sense of humour.

markw7

Everybodies favourite spy-f#ck-ups are returning the 4th of September with a double header like the other seasons. Please Jesus it steers back towards the first two seasons and not follow in the same direction as the third.

Agent Coulson

Not watching it myself in case there are spoilers.

Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo27sE2fdvs

Agent Coulson

Back tomorrow.

Agent Coulson

Good opening episode to set up the season.

Great to see Ruth Bradley in it.

10000maniacs

Not going to give any spoilers but what a cracking start to series 4.

Highly recommended.

Darrens sister from Love/Hate is in it as Duffys replacement.

Great actress.

OmegaGene

Cartwright on a French adventure was interesting

expectationlost

gauis baltar is a bit silly

De Bhál

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122607351#Comment_122607351

pretty much playing the same role as he did in BSG, a kind of clueless leader type but getting by on good looks or whatever.

Kristin Scott Thomas who plays Diane Taverner is excellent in the role.

It's a good show, although this season I find myself trying to understand what's going on, a lot…but that's probably just me and not the show's fault

cheese sandwich

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122655896#Comment_122655896

I’m the same, but I’ve come to the view that the plots are really just shaggy dog stories that exist to allow the characters spark off each other. I’m not sure what’s going on with the French gang but I suspect in the end it won’t be very important.

ejmaztec

Good to see Agent Smith/Hugo Weaving getting some work. I'm expecting him to call someone Mr Anderson for old time's sake.

bodhrandude

Enjoying this so far a great series.

Spoiler Warning

Why did Duffy kill Douglas at the end of Season 3, he seemed harmless, I felt it an unnecessary killing.

volchitsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122668301#Comment_122668301

Spoiler Warning

I may be misremembering, but wasn't it because they'd been told by either Taverner or Kearney (both equally unscrupulous so I tend to forget which of them did what bad thing in the various seasons once they're over) to make sure that nobody was left to tell the tale afterwards?

But I could be wrong.

Spoiler Warning

Speaking of the character flaws of the various bosses, that is probably why I'm very much enjoying the new First Desk in season 4 - he's so well-meaning and so hapless. I love him! Sadly I suspect he's not destined to win out over Diana in the longer term!

bodhrandude

Anyone get a Simon Pegg vibe from Jack Lowden who plays River, he reminds me of Pegg when he was in Spaced and he does have that same comic timing thing about him.

siblers

It's a good thing they have such a good cast with such great chemistry because the actual plot this season is quite weak, especially compared to seasons1 and 2.

The ending of episode 5 was completely ridiculous but it's still very entertaining, although it feels like not a huge amount has happened and it's now the series finale.

steve_r

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122679701#Comment_122679701

The show is quite faithful to the books, and some of the books are stronger than others. The one thing I would say it that what has been "cut" from this particular one is some of the character moments that would make the story more impactful.

They've also introduced 3/4 new characters this series that are fairly significant so they've had to spend a bit of time establishing those characters.

A longer season would have suited better.

py

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122680122#Comment_122680122

I agree with the above. The book this series is adapted from sort of sets up what lies ahead. It is not going to be an exciting season but there is good character development throughout.

expectationlost

again 'dogs' being rubbish…

greenspurs

Robocop ….. 😏

yabadabado

The ending of episode 5 was ridiculous .

Tabnabs

This season has been a bit poor. With only six episodes it doesn't give it a chance to get much storyline going. It needs ten at a minimum. We need to see the slow horses working as a team and Lamb being a b0ll0x to them all!

TheValeyard

Im enjoying it, but not as well written or entertaining as season one or two. Hoping it doesnt go the way of In The Line Of Duty

volchitsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122668340#Comment_122668340

LOL my last spoiler comment here turned out to be well wrong!! Well, half wrong anyway.

OmegaGene

so I’m guessing river is the son of the lunatic cia man that’s working for the Arabs

siblers

Superb final episode for the most part, still feels like it needed another couple episodes, there was a lot going on in that final episode

Bacchus

Another great season but this season, more that others felt like it would have benefited from another couple of episodes. There was a lot going on and it all wrapped up and tied together neatly in the final episode but yeah I think they could have stretched it out a bit. What the season lacked most was more screen time for Lamb.

TheValeyard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122703872#Comment_122703872

Feel like it's a two part season. That more of this story will be addressed next season or such

Agent Coulson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122706357#Comment_122706357

Yeah I got that feeling as well from the trailer for next the season.

geecee

Loved the way Lamb suggested marriage of convenience comment to Taverner so they could both benefit from death in service!