First Look
First look: Slow Horses series 5
The fifth series of Slow Horses is coming to our screens this autumn and, if the trailer’s anything to go by, we can expect more sharp-tongued, slow-burn tension and nail-biting drama from MI5’s most gloriously dysfunctional unit.
So, what’s going on in Slough House this time around? Read on for our round-up of everything you need to know about Slow Horses series 5, including its plot, cast and release date.
Who’s back, and who’s joining the cast?
The core team returns, of course. Gary Oldman is back once more as Jackson Lamb, the foul-mouthed, flatulent, but fiercely sharp head of Slough House. Jack Lowden resumes his role as River Cartwright, still carrying the weight of ambition and trauma in equal measure. Kristin Scott Thomas returns as the steely Diana Taverner, while the rest of the gang – including the likes of Rosalind Eleazar, Saskia Reeves, Christopher Chung, Ruth Bradley and Jonathan Pryce – are all back in their respective roles.
New to the cast this time is Ted Lasso’s Nick Mohammed, stepping in as Zafar Jaffrey, a flashy and fast-rising political figure with an eye on Downing Street.
Who’s behind the camera now?
Behind the scenes, much of the trusted creative team remains in place. Will Smith continues as lead writer and executive producer – although series five will mark his final run as top dog. Smith has overseen every season since the beginning and his sharp adaptation of Herron’s novels has been key to the show’s success, blending black comedy and political intrigue in a way few modern dramas manage.
Direction this season is led by Saul Metzstein, who previously helmed episodes in earlier series.
Plot: what happens in Slow Horses series 5?
Based on Mick Herron’s novel London Rules, the new season sees the ragtag gang of underdog spooks tangled up in yet another complex covert crisis. There’s a new threat on the horizon, more strange goings-on in the capital, and – if you can quite believe it – Roddy Ho even gets a girlfriend.
The story opens with a new romantic entanglement for Roddy Ho, Slough House’s least likely ladies’ man. When his glamorous new partner enters the picture, suspicions quickly arise – not least because of Roddy’s well-known lack of subtlety, charm or basic social skills. At the same time, a string of bizarre and unsettling events begins to ripple across London. From cyber interference to potential acts of domestic terrorism, the signs all point to something more organised and dangerous. Naturally, our antiheroes are sent in to investigate.
As ever, the stakes are high, the humour is biting, and the smell of stale takeaways and institutional failure still clings sadly to the walls of Slough House.
How were things left at the end of the last series?
Series four was as brutal and bleak as it was brilliant. Frank Harkness, River Cartwright’s long-estranged father, was finally unmasked and arrested, but whether justice will stick is still in question. The aftermath of the season’s revelations left MI5’s upper echelons rattled, and Slough House more fractured than ever. River himself had to reckon with a betrayal that cut deep, while Lamb remained typically unfazed by the chaos around him.
When and where can you watch Slow Horses series 5?
The fifth series premieres on Wednesday 24th September 2025, exclusively on Apple TV+. As with previous seasons, the first two episodes will be available straight away, with the rest rolling out weekly until 22 October. All episodes will be available to stream globally through the Apple TV+ app. If the past few series are anything to go by, expect critics and fans to dive in immediately, and for Apple to once again dominate mid-autumn buzz.
Can the show keep up the pace – or even top it?
It’s a tough task. Slow Horses has been consistently excellent since it launched, with all four previous series earning universal praise for top-drawer writing, pacing and performances. Gary Oldman, in particular, continues to relish his role as Lamb. And Will Smith’s scripts keep finding new layers in Mick Herron’s world.
With London Rules providing a sharp and timely piece of source material, and Roddy stepping forward into the mess, this latest run has every chance of hitting the same highs – if not higher. The fact that it’s Smith’s swansong as showrunner adds an extra weight, and perhaps even a bit of sentiment, to this outing. And while it might be goodbye for now from some familiar names, it’s not the end of the road. Series six and seven are already in development, so Slough House isn’t shutting up shop just yet. They may be slow, but these horses aren’t bound for the glue factory just yet.
Will you be tuning in to the new series of Slow Horses? Let us know in the comments below…
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