Quick Read
- Slow Horses Season 5 premieres on Apple TV+ on September 24, 2025.
- The season spotlights Roddy Ho and leans more into comedy than previous installments.
- Political tensions flare as the London Mayoral election approaches, with new character Zahar Jaffrey entering the fray.
- The finale promises explosive action and dramatic twists.
- The series has been renewed through Season 7.
Slow Horses Season 5: A New Chapter in British Espionage
The well-worn corridors of Slough House are buzzing again. On September 24, Slow Horses returns to Apple TV+ for its highly anticipated fifth season, inviting viewers back into the world of MI5’s most unorthodox outcasts. For fans of the gritty, darkly comic British espionage series, this season promises not just more of what made the show a hit, but a bold new direction that’s bound to surprise even the most seasoned sleuths.
Roddy Ho Takes Center Stage in a Season of Laughs and Suspicion
What’s immediately striking about this new chapter is its shift in tone. While previous seasons balanced suspense and dry wit, Season 5 leans harder into comedy. Gary Oldman, who anchors the show as the irrepressibly crude Jackson Lamb, teased to The Hollywood Reporter that the latest installment is “more comic than ever.” The reason? The spotlight falls squarely on Roddy Ho, the series’ resident computer whiz and social misfit, played with wild energy by Christopher Chung.
The plot is set in motion when Roddy—long the butt of jokes for his hapless attempts at romance—suddenly appears with a mysterious and glamorous girlfriend (brought to life by Hiba Bennani). This unexpected development sends ripples of suspicion through Slough House. Is Roddy finally lucky in love, or is something more sinister afoot? Jackson Lamb and his ragtag team can’t help but dig deeper, convinced that their colleague’s new relationship is anything but ordinary.
Departing from the Books: Twists, Turns, and Political Intrigue
Fans of Mick Herron’s acclaimed novels will recognize the bones of the story from “London Rules,” but as author Herron himself confirmed at a recent BFI screening, the adaptation takes considerable creative liberties this time around. “There are a lot of interesting departures from the book which I enjoyed. Some of which I instigated…” Herron revealed, hinting at surprises even for those who have read every page (Good Housekeeping).
One of the season’s most timely threads is its political backdrop. The action unfolds against the fevered lead-up to a London Mayoral election, with tensions between the left and right boiling over—a reflection, perhaps, of the world outside the screen. In this charged atmosphere, an armed gunman opens fire in a crowded street, pulling one of the Slow Horses into the eye of the storm. The line between the personal and the political blurs, and every member of Slough House is forced to confront their own allegiances.
Nick Mohammed (of Ted Lasso fame) joins the ensemble as Zahar Jaffrey, the newly minted Mayor of London. Mohammed described his character to RadioTimes as “vain” and “grandstands a lot,” admitting that comparisons to real-life politicians are inevitable but that Jaffrey is “an amalgam of different politicians.” His arrival adds a new layer of complexity—and, no doubt, more than a few complications.
Style, Substance, and the Return of Iconic Characters
Of course, it wouldn’t be Slow Horses without the show’s signature style. Kristin Scott Thomas reprises her role as Diana Tavener, MI5’s razor-sharp Second Desk, making a statement in her now-iconic camel mac—a sartorial foil to Lamb’s ever-grubby coat. The contrast isn’t just visual; it’s a reminder of the delicate balance between order and chaos, authority and rebellion, that defines the series.
The chemistry between cast members, including Jack Lowden, Jonathan Pryce, and Hugo Weaving, remains electric. But it’s the interplay between Oldman’s Lamb and Chung’s Roddy Ho that steals the show this season. Their odd-couple dynamic injects both humor and heart, even as the stakes rise ever higher.
An Explosive Finale and the Promise of More to Come
If there’s one thing Slow Horses fans have come to expect, it’s that the season will end with a bang—sometimes literally. Season 5 is no exception. Nick Mohammed teased an “intense action sequence” in the final episode, promising plenty of twists and turns right up to the closing credits. “I think everyone will appreciate that Slow Horses ends in quite an explosive way,” he said, echoing the sentiments of viewers who’ve followed the show’s rollercoaster arcs from the start (AOL).
The release format is designed to keep fans hooked: the first two episodes drop on September 24, followed by weekly installments until October 22. It’s a model that builds anticipation—and, if the buzz is any indication, the payoff will be worth the wait.
The future looks bright for Slough House’s misfits. Not only has Apple TV+ already renewed the show for a sixth season, but a seventh is also in the works. In a television landscape crowded with spy dramas, Slow Horses stands apart—equal parts razor-sharp satire, character study, and edge-of-your-seat thriller.
Why Slow Horses Still Matters
As the world grows more chaotic and the lines between hero and antihero blur, Slow Horses continues to resonate. It’s a show about outcasts finding purpose—and, sometimes, redemption—in a system that’s all too eager to forget them. It asks tough questions about loyalty, power, and what it really means to do the right thing.
For longtime fans and newcomers alike, Season 5 is a reminder that even the slowest horse can still win the race—especially when the rules keep changing.
Assessment: Slow Horses Season 5 is a bold evolution for the series, deftly blending sharper humor with urgent political commentary and breakneck action. By centering on Roddy Ho and embracing the unpredictable, the show reinvents itself while honoring its roots, proving that reinvention and relevance go hand-in-hand in the ever-shifting world of modern espionage.