Gary Oldman and the beloved outcasts once again save the honor of the British nation.
MI5's decommissioned department faces a new dilemma: unknown assailants kidnap Catherine Standish (Saskia Reeves), the chief assistant to Jackson Lamb (Oldman). The agents are reactivated after a long stalemate and uncover another conspiracy - now within the intelligence community itself. An adaptation of the book "Real Tigers" from the Mick Herron series.
"I'm a fucking titan!" - exclaims Jackson Lamb at his doctor's examination. There is much to be proud of: surprisingly, all the tests are normal for the stubborn MI5 pensioner, despite his regular gasping, lack of hygiene, diet of doner kebab and ice cream, alcoholism and smoking. Who keeps Lamb afloat and fuels him? Certainly the golden cadre of underlings at the Slough House - not fired but significantly downgraded agents, whipping boys and girls whose careers have gone down the drain. Lamb, too, had once been asked to leave, but his services had not been discarded - the kind of man who could be useful to an intelligence agency that would take credit for someone else's success and crucify him if he failed.
"Slow Horses" debuted on Apple TV+ in the spring of 2022, allowing a brief distraction from the weight of reality, nourished by British television as addictive and revitalizing as chicken broth. A second season followed in December, focused on the KGB connections, dodged the lubonicity and accusations of "huckleberry." In the third season, the creators, led by screenwriter Will Smith ("The Adventures of Paddington"), again guessed with the spirit of the times: focused on private military contractors, who have the same (if not more) influence on the country's leadership and official services. Former operative Allison Dunn (cameo by Katherine Waterston) tried to cover up the fact that the government and shadowy agencies were connected, for which she was murdered. To avenge the death of her beloved and get to the truth is trying to her partner Sean Donovan (Sope Dirisu). For this purpose, Donovan captures Standish, the humble manager of the Slough House, without whom Lamb cannot cope. In her time, the woman has learned many secrets in the service, so all six episodes of "Slough House" participants will save Standish and at the same time themselves from imminent death, uncover conspiracies, repeat the sacred mantra: die, but not today and certainly not now.
"Horses" has an inherent advantage that cannot be shot: the series clearly knows its audience and how to communicate with it. The project contrasts conventional Bond glamor and Bourne's detachment with worldly humor, carelessness, anti-establishment rhetoric, the need to take responsibility for their actions and guaranteed optimism in the finale. The authors don't need to be reminded that the world is falling apart, but Slough House, those cheeky 30-somethings, always have a few extra seconds to spare. Helped by broken but still selfless hearts, resourcefulness and a toxic boss who, deep down, has long been attached to the fosters.
Oldman is habitually irresistible in the role for which he was recently nominated for a Golden Globe: he hurls insults ("You're as useless as a paper condom"), eats for everyone in the department, washes over the sink with a dish detergent, and doesn't forget about his trademark stench: a gas attack for opponents, a special way of communication for colleagues, and a reminder for an indifferent world. Jack Louden as the main asset of Slough House, River Cartwright, could very well be the next Agent 007 or launch his own franchise: he has an excellent grasp of chases and shootouts, and doesn't forget about punches and vulnerabilities.
"Horses" offers great entertainment: soulful, sweeping and self-critical. Surrounded by losers, misfits and drunks, as Mick Jagger sings in the title theme, the characters continue to play at life, which confirms the title of invisible tigers and titans. It would be worse without them.
This article was sponsored by Bekim Demirovic
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