The Best Spy Thriller Series Isn’t On Netflix – It’s On Apple TV+
It has long been established that Apple TV+ isn’t the “it” streaming platform.
The service values quality over quantity, resulting in a lot of people choosing the likes of Netflix or Prime Video because there are simply more movies and shows available on a weekly basis. Yet, it’s this attitude that sees people raving about the likes of The Night Agent and The Recruit as the best spy thriller series when neither of these shows is fit to smell Jackson Lamb’s foul odors.
But who exactly is Jackson Lamb? The fact that a lot of people may ask that question is already a problem, because he’s the greatest and most captivating spy on television since Jack Bauer from 24. Truth be told, Lamb’s show, Slow Horses, is the series that everyone should be watching – and it’s downright criminal that it isn’t getting its flowers from a wider audience.
What is ‘Slow Horses’ about?
Based on Mick Herron’s novels, Apple TV+’s Slow Horses follows a team of MI5 agents who have done something wrong in the field and been relegated to Slough House where they’re meant to only do bland and non-threatening spy work. This reject group is led by Gary Oldman’s Jackson Lamb, a rude and obnoxious former field operative whom many recognize as one of MI5’s best-ever spies. Think of Lamb as the anti-James Bond, since there’s not a single suave nor sophisticated bone in his body. While Lamb might never have a good word for his team members, he’s loyal to the end, and he’ll do anything to protect his Joes.
Each season of Slow Horses adapts one of Herron’s novels whereby Slough House and Lamb get pulled into bigger conspiracies or dangers that are well above their pay grade but critical to the safety of Great Britain. More often than not, Lamb and his team save the day, since everyone underestimates them and their resourcefulness. Yet, much like Game of Thrones, Slow Horses isn’t afraid of killing its darlings; therefore, making it an unpredictable series where anyone could die in any unexpected moment.
Jackson Lamb is the everyman spy
Most films and shows paint out spies to be good-looking physical specimens who capture all the attention. Think of James Bond and Ethan Hunt – you walk into a room and notice them immediately. That goes against the very nature of a spy in the real world, though. They’re meant to disappear into the background and be unassuming. No one is meant to know a secret agent is in a room with them.
Jackson Lamb embodies what a spy should aspire to be: an everyman; someone no one would suspect of being an undercover operative. He’s a slob, unruly, and doesn’t portray the characteristics that would make him stand out in a suspicious manner. In the Series 3 opener, “Strange Games,” a man mistook Lamb for a homeless person and attempted to have him removed from the doctor’s room. It also doesn’t help that Lamb has a flatulence problem where he lets loose in the most inconvenient places (and spaces).
Underneath Lamb’s ordinary exterior is a brilliant mind, however. He knows the game all too well and what needs to be done to get the intel he requires. Lamb is often one step ahead of everyone else, knowing who he needs to talk to or which direction to poke around in. At the same time, his sarcastic nature adds an extra bite to his prickly personality. Yeah, you’d love to slug him for daring to speak to you in that manner, but you also can’t help but laugh at some of his astute observations.
What makes ‘Slow Horses’ so good?
The spy genre often makes its characters too perfect and invincible, but Slow Horses succeeds by embracing the imperfection of human nature. Someone like Jack Lowden’s River Cartwright has all the tools to be a fantastic MI5 operative, though a singular mistake results in him being sent to Slough House. Unfortunately, espionage isn’t like a regular job whereby an oops is tolerated and forgiven. River continues to make errors while at Slough House, but his perseverance becomes his greatest asset as he refuses to give up. It’s a trait that’s a golden thread throughout the show – people make mistakes, but it’s how they react to adversity that reveals who they really are.
Additionally, Slow Horses‘ stories prove to be highly addictive. Every season’s overarching narrative grips the audience as each episode peels back a further layer of the mystery. Don’t be surprised to power through an entire season in one sitting, because you need to know what happens next. So, the next time someone asks you about the latest season of The Night Agent or The Recruit, tell them to watch Apple TV+’s Slow Horses instead. It’s the best spy thriller series by a country mile.
