Slow Horses

Gary Oldman plays the quintessential crusty old curmudgeon, an MI5 spy left over from the Cold War (and ostracised to Slough House), still parrying at shadows, and seeing real threats before anyone else.

This is stylised Cold War spy craft in a modern setting - and it's a very satisfying watch. Another well-realised show that creates its immediate world with details of environment, character (and subterfuge) - the indispensable building blocks of good story telling.

If you're just coming upon this show now that season 2 is released you should do yourself a favour and binge season 1 first - it's a good yarn and will offer a depth of character and situation that will add to your enjoyment

Season 2 appears to have lifted the game in terms of production design and cinematography - it's really paid off and elevated the show above the usual weekly episodic grind TV.

Highly recommended - Oldman and Kristin Scott-Thomas are terrific, as are Jack Lowden and Saskia Reeves.

In my mind Jackson Lamb was Timothy Spall and Katherine Standish was Olivia Coleman and I think they'd have nailed it.

That said the casting is spot on, everyone is great. Also there should be a massive shout out to the location scouts, Slough House is exactly as I imagined it.

The mood, intrigue and pace are as good as Tinker, tailor, soldier, spy.

I have loved the books so much and am so happy that this has not had the over the top Hollywood treatment that these things often do. It's kept the grime and the humour that have made the books so enjoyable.

I'm episode four in and can't stop..

Slow Horses is a pretty good spy thriller that's definitely worth watching. I never read the books so I didn't know much about it but the reviews have been great so I gave it a chance. Gary Oldman is as terrific as ever and leads a very talented cast. Oldman has been so great in so many movies/shows that it's hard to keep track but this is absolutely one of his best performances yet! I have to admit that the first 2 episodes started a little slow and it was hard to get into but by the end of episode 2 it really picks up and from there on out it will keep you entertained and guessing what's going to happen next! It's already been renewed for another 3 seasons (through season 4) which is pretty much unheard of so that right there should tell you how good this show is. If you're looking for a new show to watch and you're into spy thrillers then give this a try...you won't be disappointed!

This is an unusual case where it is better than the book it was based on. The books are SLOW, often going over unnecessary details not relevant to the story. All that is gone in the translation to visual media. The story is tight and while some details have changed, its to better fit with the format.

Production values are top notch and Gary Oldman is great as Jackson Lamb. I don't know where some folks got that this is some woke drama, but the gender and racial makeup is on par with the original source material, so that guy who wrote the review needs to put his big boy pants on and join the real world.

I have seen the first two episodes, and was disappointed only by the fact there will be only six, and then another six. Cast is fantastic, and though the dialog requires higher volume for these American ears, it is well written. I usually wouldn't watch the screen version of a book I might like to read, but I wanted to see this as soon as it came out, and didn't know if the books. I'll definitely read them later though. The theme song. As soon as I heard it, I thought, "Surely they didn't get Mick Jagger"?! But it is, and the song is cool, with relevant lyrics and thematic elements of the score too. I see several reviews complaining about a 'leftist' bent to this one, but all I see is art imitating life with some of the plot lines. I recommend this one, unless you don't like elevated espionage fare. It's good, real good based on the first two hours.