Slow Horses Season 4 release date, cast, storyline, trailer release, and everything you need to know
The brilliantly dark and witty spy thriller Slow Horses is galloping back for a fourth season on Apple TV+. Based on Mick Herron’s acclaimed Slough House novel series, the show has quickly become one of the streaming platform’s biggest hits since its debut in 2022.
Gary Oldman leads the outstanding ensemble cast as Jackson Lamb, the brilliant but slovenly leader of the Slough House team of disgraced MI5 officers. With three addictive seasons under its belt, Slow Horses is showing no signs of slowing down its momentum as it charges ahead into season four.
The new season promises even more suspenseful twists, sharp humor, and masterful storytelling that have made this one of Apple’s flagship dramas. Buckle up and get ready to return to the seedy underbelly of British espionage.
Slow Horses Season 4 Release Date:
While Apple TV+ has not announced an official premiere date yet, we can make an educated guess based on previous release patterns. Seasons 1 and 2 arrived in April and December 2022, respectively, after filming back-to-back.
Season 3 then came in November 2023, around a year after season 2, once again following straight on from the production of season 4. So it seems likely we’ll see Slow Horses Season 4 hitting our screens in late 2024—potentially November or December if following that annual schedule.
In a December 2023 interview, showrunner Will Smith did tease that the new season would arrive within a year, saying “it won’t be later than this time next year.” So fans can rest assured, even if there is a bit of a wait, that Slough House’s misfits will be back causing chaos for the intelligence services very soon.
Slow Horses Series Storyline Overview:
Slow Horses portrays a dysfunctional team of MI5 officers, shuffled into Slough House, a mundane administrative limbo, following significant professional missteps. Under the erratic leadership of the irascible Jackson Lamb, this motley crew finds themselves reluctantly drawn into perilous, off-the-books cases that threaten to destabilize the entire British intelligence apparatus.
Over the first three seasons, we’ve seen Lamb’s “slow horses” uncover treacherous right-wing conspiracies, Russian sleeper agents, rogue private military operators, and dark secrets buried deep within the heart of MI5 itself. The writers have deftly balanced taut suspense with pitch-black humor and an ever-deepening exploration of the inner lives and tragic backstories of this distinctive ensemble.
At its core, Slow Horses is about rebirth and redemption—the chance for these washed-up losers to reclaim purpose and unravel the tangled webs they’ve found themselves in. With peerless lead performances by Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Jack Lowden, and more, it’s some of the finest acting you’ll see on television.
Slow Horses Season 4 Expected Storyline:
Official plot details for season 4 are still tightly under wraps. However, we do know it will be based on the fourth Slough House novel by Mick Herron, titled Spook Street. The book’s synopsis teases:
“What happens when an old spook loses his mind? Does someone take good care of the senile spy? These are the paranoid concerns of David Cartwright, a Cold War-era operative and one-time head of MI5, who is sliding into dementia and questions his grandson, River, must answer.”
So it seems River Cartwright’s troubled relationship with his grandfather David, both former MI5 legends, will take center stage. The promo hints that a bombing rocking London forces the slow horses into action to investigate and protect David. But which of Lamb’s teams may fall in the process?
The season 3 finale also showed Diana Taverner, the new chief of MI5, after her power grab, already facing blowback from River’s explosive document leak. These seismic revelations about her predecessor’s misconduct will likely continue to send shockwaves.
Slow Horses Series Cast List:
- Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb
- Kristin Scott Thomas as Diana Taverner
- Jack Lowden as River Cartwright
- Jonathan Pryce as David Cartwright
- Christopher Chung as Roddy Ho
- Rosalind Eleazar as Louisa Guy
- Aimee-Ffion Edwards as Shirley Dander
- Kadiff Kirwan as Marcus Longridge
- Hugo Weaving as Frank Harkness
- Ruth Bradley as Emma Flyte
- James Callis as Claude Whelan
- Joanna Scanlan as Moira Tregorian
- Tom Brooke as J.K. Coe
Slow Horses Season 4 Episode List:
Unfortunately, details about the episode titles and synopses for Slow Horses Season 4 have not been released yet. However, based on previous seasons, we can expect a tightly-woven narrative spanning six gripping episodes. Season 4 has already finished filming, so an episode listing with titles may be available closer to the premiere. Season 3 consisted of the following six episodes:
- Episode No. 1: “Strange Games”
- Episode No. 2: “Hard Lessons”
- Episode No. 3: “Negotiating With Tigers”
- Episode No. 4: “Uninvited Guests”
- Episode No. 5: “Cleaning Up”
- Episode No. 6: “Footprints”
Slow Horses Series Creators Team:
British screenwriter Will Smith, who serves as showrunner and head writer, developed Slow Horses for television. Smith has previously worked on Veep, Cash Truck, and Prizefighter.
Producers Jane Featherstone, Jamie Laurenson, Hakan Kousetta, Emile Sherman, Iain Canning, Gail Mutrux, and Smith lead See-Saw Films’ production of the series.
Graham Yost, the showrunner behind acclaimed series like Justified and The Americans, was also on board as an executive producer for the first season.
Directors for season 4 include Adam Randall, who has worked on hit shows like The Feed and I See YouDanny Cohen, a talented cinematographer, captures the cinematic vision.
Where to Watch Slow Horses Season 4?
Slow Horses Season 4 will only be available on that streaming platform when it eventually premieres as an Apple TV+ original series. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to returning viewers.
However, for new fans intrigued by the hype, you’ll need to sign up for an Apple TV+ subscription to get access. The service costs $6.99 per month, but it does offer a 7-day free trial if you’ve never subscribed before.
Once you’ve signed up, you can use the Apple TV app to stream Slow Horses Season 4 and catch up on previous seasons on devices like the iPhone, iPad, Apple TV box, Mac, and some smart TVs, streaming sticks, and game consoles.
Slow Horses Season 4 Trailer Release Date:
An extremely brief sneak peek trailer for season 4 arrived at the very end of the Slow Horses season 3 finale on November 27, 2023. However, Apple has not released that full trailer online yet as of early June 2024.
In the 30-second glimpse, we see quick flashes of the new season’s high-stakes action, including a bombing in London, agents in peril, car chases, and more. Ominously, Jackson Lamb declares, “One of my teammates just died” over the tense footage.
Based on past marketing rollouts, we can likely expect the full official trailer for Slow Horses Season 4 to land sometime in September or October 2024, around 1-2 months before the season premiere later in the fall.
Slow Horses Season 4 Final Words:
After three gripping, darkly funny seasons of Slow Horses, anticipation is at an all-time high to see what dangerous mess Gary Oldman’s incorrigible Jackson Lamb and his team get themselves embroiled in next.
While details are still tightly under wraps, the talent involved and smart source material from Mick Herron’s novel series suggest we’re in for another devilishly entertaining ride full of shocks and brilliant character moments.
With the explosive leaked documents fallout still lingering, the brittle relationship between River and his grandfather taking center stage, and potentially even a major death, Slow Horses is clearly not letting up on the twists and turns any time soon.
Seeing this terrific ensemble, led by the sublime Oldman at his grizzled best, unraveling intricate espionage yarns laced with acid humor, is an irresistible prospect. I can’t wait for Slow Horses to regain its stride and charge back onto my screen later this year.