TV REVIEW Slow Horses... a thoroughbred of TV shows, and it's funny
If Slow Horses was true, I'd be the first to come knocking on its grim-looking door at Slough House to offer them congratulations. But what would one say to spy boss Jackson Lamb, played by Gary Oldman, other than, “How on earth are you still alive?” followed by, "We'd like to donate your body to medical science…”
I have already binge-watched the entire six episodes of series four. Of course I'm not proud of that. It's what children do, but the show is completely addictive. After watching series four, I started to devour more of the first season -- much like Lamb would tackle a Chinese takeaway. And who doesn't like a character who puts their feet on a desk? “Yes, what is it?!”
As you can tell, I’ve abandoned the normal way I would look at a show – that’s with only one eye open, and a sharpened pencil at the ready.
My only misgiving about the series is that it's not made by terrestrial television here. That said, Apple TV has done an outstanding job with the drama, giving it a lavish budget to spend on a peerless cast and eye-popping action sequences.
Although I may not have called the shopping centre where the opening bomb attack happened, West Acres, which sounds like an unloved nursing home.
The show is a true ensemble. Although it has five-star actors, such as Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas, often the plot is driven by one of the “horses”. Everyone has a side. Christopher Chung’s desk bound spy, Roddy, has a much-used, self-preservation switch. Who can blame him?
There were two stand out performances in the fourth season – and their characters are related. Jack Lowden’s River Cartwright is the grandson of Jonathan’s Pryce’s senior spook, David who, in this season, has dementia, something you never want to have when you're being interrogated by Jackson Lamb.
Let’s not forget that Slow Horses is also a dark comedy, evidenced by the new “First Desk” Claude, a chump of the highest order who must have the members of COBRA in stitches. Please tell me these people don’t exist.
There’s endless comic value in the occupants of Slough House. When one of their own goes missing across the channel, Marcus (Kadiff Kirwan) says, helpfully, “France is big!” – just the sort of analysis that gave us the edge over the KGB.
The autumn TV season is up and running in full tilt, with quality drama and docs popping out of the schedule everywhere.
Oliver Attwood's Bad Boyfriends packs a punch to the bad boys (Image: ITV)The surprise of the week came in the guise of Olivia Attwood’s Bad Boyfriends (ITV2 Sun).
Attwood is a reality star, and everything that comes with it, but here she appeared to be doing something worthwhile, highlighting just how reprehensible your average boyfriend can be.
Once I got over the shock, it was bizarrely entertaining, especially with the likeable Pete Wicks presenting the blokey half of the show called “Brotopia”. The programme was actually a fake to trap the men – which wasn’t difficult.
We had “man children”, “commitment phobes”, along with serial flirts.
One girlfriend alleged her fiancé did no housework. He replied: “That's what you’re here for!” And he meant it. His family will be proud.
What’s to be done with this lot?
Leave them on this holiday island until they can behave properly. In the meantime, partners, find someone else.
window.topArticlesScript="https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/js/dist/article-top-articles20240903.min.js"The Towers (ITV, Mon) had largely passed me by, so some catch up may be required here, because this drama has one of the grittiest gang violence scripts I’ve seen.
It opened with a tragic knife slaying, with close-up camera shots -- and sound effects – as the attack on the teenager took place. Grim viewing, indeed.
The local population, from the “towers” nearby, were understandably cynical when the police called in neighbourhood reps for a meeting when all they wanted was evidence.
One police officer despairs to her superior, played by lead Gemma Whelan: “There are knives effing everywhere.”
Moments later, one of the boys involved, who has been working for the drug gang, steals a mobile phone while passing on his electric bike.
It’s all too now.
The tension from actor Jimmy Akingbola’s scenes as an undercover cop is worth a watch alone. How long can he get away with it?
Finally, and slightly less convincing, was the return of Grace (ITV, Sun), held together by John Simm’s highly watchable performance in the lead role, along with Robert Glenister’s enigmatic, volatile antiques dealer.
You don’t get many of those to the pound.
Tonight’s second episode, however, promises much high drama, after Simm’s estranged wife Clare apparently offered the detective and his pregnant partner Cleo (Zoe Tapper) the thoughtful gift of a burning baby doll in a pram delivered to their door.
Maybe strike Clare from the baby shower list for now.
STEPHENSON'S ROCKET What Katie did next... do we care? (Image: ITV)What is the imperative to keep making programmes about Katie Price? Channel 5 is at it again tonight with a new documentary, Katie Price: Where Did The Money Go? (C5, Sun)
I think we could speculate quite accurately about that answer.
Still Channel 5 and ITN will give the viewer a definitive version of how to fritter away, sometimes throw away cash.
It strikes me that if TV companies stop paying her huge fees, sometimes in hundreds of thousands, she would have to find a more modest way of making a living.
As it stands, we're simply rubbernecking an accident, while wondering how it all happened.
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TV REVIEW Slow Horses... a thoroughbred of TV shows, and it's funny
TV REVIEW Slow Horses... a thoroughbred of TV shows, and it's funny
TV REVIEW Slow Horses... a thoroughbred of TV shows, and it's funny
TV REVIEW Slow Horses... a thoroughbred of TV shows, and it's funny
TV REVIEW Slow Horses... a thoroughbred of TV shows, and it's funny
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