Follies

After Ep 5's triumphant demonstration of what Slow Horses could achieve, the season finale delivers a rather deflating reminder of the series' tendency toward self-indulgence. What should have been a taut conclusion instead meanders through predictable plot mechanics with frustrating deliberation.

The episode suffers from a peculiar bloating that transforms necessary resolution into tedious obligation. Revelations arrive with all the surprise of scheduled announcements, whilst supposedly climactic moments feel more perfunctory than genuinely thrilling. One suspects the writers confused thoroughness with dramatic satisfaction.

Gary Oldman remains watchable, though even his considerable charisma cannot entirely disguise the episode's structural shortcomings. Supporting characters revert to their earlier plot-device tendencies, delivering exposition with workmanlike efficiency rather than genuine conviction.

The production values maintain their customary polish, yet cannot compensate for pacing that feels distinctly misjudged. Scenes that should crackle with tension instead lumber toward foregone conclusions with pedestrian inevitability.

Whilst competent enough to avoid complete disappointment, this finale represents a missed opportunity to capitalise on the previous episode's considerable momentum.

A serviceable conclusion that fails to match its predecessor's excellence. I am not rushing to catch Season 2.

Great story! And action Oldmans character Lamb is hilariously funny character that comes out with great one liners!

The two characters Louisa and Min are also hilarious When their car runs out of petrol, the banter between them is funny!

A damp squib to end an excellent season, a severe disappointment. The usual cut and thrust and sharp dialogue is there, the plot just fizzles into a predictable void of nothingness. On the plus side, a strong platform is laid for, the already commissioned, season 2.

Hopefully I will experience no second betrayal.

The first 15 minutes of the series was very good as was the last 15 minutes of this episode . It has just been the rest of the series that was all just a bit bland and mundane. Holey socks are only funny for so long. I can't help but think that thd late Sam Kelly would have been great as Lamb, looking similar to a role Kelly played in Inspector Morse but Oldman does this well. Despite being well known, I have never recognisably seen him in anything else.

Good quality drama is hard to do and there are some good moments here that were previously missing.

The story wraps up well and things are left open for the second season (at the time of writing, series 3 and 4 are also planned).

I had considered ending it here but it is wet Sunday afternoon so will binge on season 2 and hope the quality ending here is retained in the second season.

Episode 6 is a satisfying finale. A big establishment cover-up is a pretty realistic outcome, if a tad frustrating, but writer Will Smith and director James Hawes do a very clever job of keeping it in tune with the realistic, banal way they've portrayed espionage throughout the entire series. It wraps up the kidnapping case, but also still leaves some mysteries on the table for series two, which is surprisingly and excitingly previewed at the end of the episode.

The cards being kept close to the chest mainly involve the history between Lamb, Standish (Saskia Reeves) and the body in the bathtub. Like a carrot on a string, it's been baited so many times throughout the series that it feels a little sneaky to keep it all back for the next one, but it doesn't detract too much from what has been a really enjoyable, darkly comedic drama. The final episode continues with the show's wonderful habit of undercutting excitement - Lamb falls asleep as he and River stake out Taverner, Min and Louisa run out of petrol as they chase down the bad guys - and it feels like it ends where it had always planned to. It never felt like the show was losing its way or getting too muddled, even if there were some episodes that felt like they could have merged into one. It's measured and calm, and even as it pulled back on the amount of jokes per episode as the drama kicked in, the wry, dry humour permeates the entire series and feels really in tune with the show's vibe. It's a real shame that Olivia Cooke wasn't utilised more; Sid's spunkiness and the could-they/will-they potential with Lowden could have offered the show a bit more genuine camaraderie (on top of Min's hapless and terrible, but quite sweet, flirting with Louisa). Perhaps she'll return for the second season - the hints are a touch heavy-handed that this might be the case - but her absence in the latter episodes felt palpable after such an auspicious beginning.