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.

OK. I'm super late on this one, I'll admit it, but finally started Apple TV's "Slow Horses" and, to the surprise of nobody, as everyone else was here a few years ago, it's brilliant.

A bungled training exercise leads promising MI5 agent River Cartwright (Jack Lowden) to be reassigned to Slough House, a purgatory of clerical and busy work, overseen by Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman). A tangential link to the kidnapping of Hassan (Antonio Aakeel), a young Muslim man by the far-right group The Sons of Albion, draws Cartwright, Lamb and the rest of the "Slow Horses" into the rescue attempt, to the annoyance of Deputy Director Taverner (Kristen Scott Thomas).

It's hard not to start a review of the series without talking about Gary Oldman. He has all that spy cache from playing George Smiley to an Oscar nomination in "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" and whilst, Lamb isn't a particularly similar character - hiding his intelligence in a fog of cigarette smoke and bodily gases - he's just a razor sharp. His put downs to the rest of his gang of misfit toys are a highlight of the series. The script in general is wonderful, with many funny lines and clever moments and they build upon what is actually a relatively straightforward case, that is only complicated by the machinations of MI5 higher ups.

It's interesting that the show shows a different side to the MI5 experience. One of bumbling, unprofessional operatives trying to make a difference despite of their own shortcomings and the wider opinion of their competence. The rest of the performers in the cast are also excellent, particularly Lowden and Scott Thomas. There are also small but pivotal roles for Sophie Okonedo and Jonathan Pryce.

I'm in a period where a lot of the shows that I've been watching are out of a sense of obligation to finish, rather than pure enjoyment - but "Slow Horses" was a brilliant breath of fresh air and I'm looking forward to carrying on with it.

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.

There is so little intelligent stuff on TV these days. This gem of a spy series is head and shoulders above most others. Here we wrap up the chase for the Pakistani comedian who has been through utter terror. The Slow Horses, in a rather deranged way, work through the episode to hunt down his location, while Taverner, in her coldest way, would betray them in a second. River knows he must find a file on her in order to keep everyone safe for now. Once again, Lamb (Gary Oldman) steals every scene. Standish continues to give Lamb the third degree about what happened to her husband who it was thought, shot in a bathtub. An apparent suicide. We are given a load of information at the conclusion. We don't know anything about Sid Baker's condition. Lamb says she is dead, but the guy always has an agenda. What a great show.