Slow Horses has been a massive hit for Apple TV+, and if its main star, Gary Oldman, gets his way, the spy series won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. The show revolves around the agents of Slough House, a place where MI5 service personnel go following career-ending blunders. Thus far, three seasons of Slow Horses have aired, all of which have garnered acclaim from critics. Now Oldman, who plays the head of Slough House, Jackson Lamb, has voiced his desire to see the series continue for several more years, which will come as good news to fans of the show.
The TV series, which first debuted in 2022, is based on the Slough House novels by Mick Herron, with each of the three seasons adapting a different book in the series. Season 4 of Slow Horses is currently in the works, and in a testament to the show’s popularity, a fifth season was recently greenlit. With plenty of material still yet to be adapted, Slow Horses has the potential to keep going for years to come, which is certainly what Gary Oldman would like to see.
As it stands, there are currently eight books in Herron’s Slough House series, which started with Slow Horses in 2010. Oldman recently commented on Slow Horses‘ future and his fondness for playing the character of Jackson Lamb, sharing his hopes that he can play him for many more years to come. About the possibility of adapting more of Herron’s novels, Oldman said, “If they’re happy to keep us on the air, then I’m very happy to do this and do all eight books.”
Oldman also revealed that Herron has written a ninth novel, which has yet to be released but is something he would also like to see adapted. “Who knows?” Oldman pondered, “Maybe it’ll be nine books, and I’ll be happy to play Jackson Lamb [in all of them.]” The actor’s enthusiasm for Slow Horses and his eagerness for the show to continue beyond season 5 is incredibly encouraging. After all, Oldman is the face of Slow Horses, and his commitment to the project makes the prospect of adapting all nine books far more tangible than it would otherwise be.
In the age of streaming, Slow Horses‘ season 5 renewal is something that is rather unprecedented for Apple TV+, especially given that season 4 has yet to begin airing. The move demonstrates just how much faith Apple has in Slow Horses being a hit for the next couple of years. Additionally, the streamer clearly believes that, with the show, they have a strong property that will keep attracting viewers and winning over critics. What it also means is that the likelihood of Gary Oldman’s nine-season wish being fulfilled is fairly strong.
Herron’s novels have already proven to be ideal for TV adaptations, especially with the involvement of Will Smith as showrunner and Oldman in the lead role. The fact that there are several other Slough House books still yet to be adapted will no doubt delight Apple executives, who, owing to the show’s undeniable popularity, will be hoping to continue making the show for as long as it continues to be profitable. Of course, Slow Horses‘ continued popularity is far from guaranteed, but as long as viewers keep tuning in, there’s no reason the show can’t reach the nine-season milestone.
Of course, if Slow Horses were to cross the season 9 mark, it would be a massive achievement. Only a handful of TV shows make it past the first few seasons, and even fewer run for nine years or more. Certainly, in terms of streaming, the idea of a series reaching nine seasons is rare. Most streaming shows bow out after one or two runs of episodes, either because of cancelation or story-driven decisions. In 2024, a TV show crossing the three-season mark is somewhat of a rarity.
The fact that Slow Horses has managed to make it to five seasons is, therefore, something that’s worth celebrating in itself. It would be excellent if the series broke the current trend and stayed on screens for years to come. However, the more seasons that are made, the more likely the show is to experience a drop in quality. Then again, in the short time it’s been around, Slow Horses has proven to be one of the most consistently reliable shows on TV; if any show can make it to nine seasons and still be good, it’s Slow Horses.