Work Drinks

The reveals in this episode are not as clever as it thinks it is, but the overall mystery definitely keeps the intrigue going. Like most second episodes, this feels like what the writers should have been doing before the grand pilot was thought of. The ensemble cast is tiring, especially trying to keep up with the interpersonal drama suite we've heard little about nd been given no real reason to care about. Strong episode that supports the overall premise with better editing and musical cues to allow the show to explore its themes without the overbearing view of the old guard. The mystery continues and the intrigue is impossible to ignore.

This entire episode revolves around a Muslim young man who is kidnapped. He is held in a basement where the kidnappers say they will behead him in the morning. They consider themselves patriots. Sid leaves the offices and tracks a guy, hoping to be able to find the young guy. There is this constant inertia which he must deal with as he confronts his worthless colleagues. Sid is different. She is quite a competent agent and River realizes it. There is something going on with Lamb. He is acting in a rather mysterious way, even though he exudes sluggishness. At the conclusion, Sid is struck by gunfire. This is a very exciting episode.

Episode 2 of Slow Horses starts with a look at our kidnappers. This group of men - the Sons of Anarchy - are fronted by an ex-military man who has killed his fair share of soldiers in his time. They're keeping their victim in the basement, tied up and gagged, with the promise to behead him in the morning. Why? Well, there's still a lot of hostility surrounding the war in Afghanistan. And that's led to an increase in racially charged crime. Naturally MI5 is buzzing with news of this, as Diana shows up to brief the group. Our victim happens to be a Birmingham-born man by the name of Hassan Ahmed. He's nothing out of the ordinary, but the Sons of Albion are obviously not convinced, fuelled by racism. Interestingly, extra intel from Diana (which she doesn't share) seems to hint that there could be more going on here.

Back at the office, Lamb berates Catherine, calling her out for her alcoholism despite her being in AA meetings trying to get sober. Catherine's also haunted by the memories of her past, which we see sprinkled through the episode. Alas, the plot thickens. Slow Horses returns with another good episode, taking the time to flesh out the supporting characters and their various ties to Slough House. Seeing more of Roddy and Catherine is certainly appreciated, while Cartwright's ties to this case are starting to send him down a dangerous path. It's now clear that Sid has been sent to debunk his work and keep an eye on him for MI5 but to what end? Was all of this staged from the beginning? Diana meets with Mr Moody, who feeds back intel about Sid and Lamb's operation. Moody used to be in Slough House for 6 years but when he left, he actually planted a bug in Lamb's office. He knows a good amount of information about the disgraced boss, prompting Diana to take advantage of this. She tells Moody to do some work for him off the book - and demands he get rid of the bug too.

There are lots of question marks hanging over this case but the way this one has played out thus far has certainly been intriguing.

Having endured the tepid introduction, I approached Ep 2 with cautiously lowered expectations... and found them met with rather dispiriting precision.

Slow Horses continues its determinedly measured approach to espionage entertainment, maintaining the glacial pace that distinguishes it from more kinetic offerings in the genre.

Gary Oldman remains the series' saving grace, his Jackson Lamb deploying withering observations and spectacular crudity with the precision of a master craftsman. His verbal evisceration of subordinates provides the evening's sole moments of genuine entertainment, elevating what might otherwise prove entirely soporific.

The supporting ensemble continues their collective portrayal of professional disappointment, though their individual arcs develop with all the urgency of continental drift. One suspects the writers believe they're crafting nuanced character studies when they're merely prolonging the inevitable plot developments that sharper scribes would dispatch within minutes.

Yet something - call it masochistic curiosity or stubborn optimism - compels continued viewing. Perhaps it's the promise that this deliberate construction will eventually yield architectural marvels. More likely, it's the triumph of hope over experience.

The production maintains its polished veneer, but polish alone cannot disguise the underlying sluggishness that threatens to test even the most patient viewer's resolve.

Persistently mediocre, yet oddly compelling.

Gary Oldham is just class in this, a real grotty git of a boss, I hate him, but love his sardonic wit.

As for the show it's going to be another Apple success, not on the Severance level but will be placed nicely for those who understand British humour. This won't be for everyone.

People should really IMDb the cast as it's pretty damn good. Olivia Cooke will be in House of the Dragon for example.

This is not a serious spy drama, or I'm not reading it that way, seems like a Micky take on what happens to those who fall foul of Ml5 and end up at Slough House.

All said and done it's certainly worth a watch and much better than the current crop of new shows.