Slow Horses 2022

First season was... mediocre. Flashy production values hide a threadbare plot that tries to do some interesting things but the dialog is really clunky and the story is incredibly messy. It's not outright bad at all but the performances can't really make up for the shortcomings in the writing.

Second season was more of the same flashy, pulpy, mediocre spy thriller fluff. It's not bad but it's not particularly good either.

Third season embraces the pulp, comedy and action a lot more with the writing and the dialog being weak as ever with some incredibly annoying characters thrown in the mix for very little reason but embracing spy cannibalism is more entertaining than watching them try to cook up some weird plot and some concocted half-brained villain. Something the first season tried but didn't quit land well with me. Better than the preceding two seasons but not by too much.

One thing I'll say is people throw around the term "Marvel writing" a lot without pinning down exactly what it is. My definition is writing that thinks it's cleverer than it is, being constantly quippy with characters trying to one-up each other and get the last word in, and not letting moments rest and given gravitas in favour of throwing one last snide joke. This show is "Marvel writing" to a T with characters constantly throwing quips around and characters going at each other and there's no sincerity to any of it. A lot of it feels like writers who wanted to be "clever" by inventing the most convoluted insults imaginable. It doesn't feel "British" more than coming across as irreverent and annoying.

"Slow Horses" delves into the world of the MI5's cast-offs, agents who've fallen from grace, consigned to trivial tasks and dull office work. While the series kicks off with a rather bleak introduction in the first episode, it quickly takes a sharp turn, plunging the team into a high-stakes operation filled with plot twists and surprises. Although the show doesn't reinvent the genre, it skillfully weaves together all familiar elements of spy thrillers, thanks to its well-crafted writing and a compelling ensemble of characters. It may take a couple of episodes to find your footing, but once you're in, you won't want to stop watching. The showrunners also make excellent use of the series' British qualities, adopting a more grounded and less pyrotechnical approach to tension, always underscored by that distinct, dry humor that will never make you burst into laughter, but still maliciously caress your soft spots.

What sets the first season apart is its ability to engage viewers on both sides of the espionage game, leaving us equally invested in the protagonists and antagonists. The second season goes for a more traditional set of villains (the "Russians"), but still manages to deliver solid entertainment. It was great to see again the entire team coming together as a united front to solve the case after all its twists and turns, making for a rewarding viewing experience. Even when you thought the show was sticking to the usual stereotypes, it turns out you had it all wrong. The third season takes the stakes even higher, with the same kind of internal conflicts and intrigues that initially drew me into the series. However, it felt like they went a little overboard with the action sequences. I anticipated the Slow Horses would devise a more intriguing and clever resolution. Instead, the climax unfolds in a surprisingly muscular and somewhat implausible manner. This crescendo in intensity (and implausibility) continues with the fourth season, arguably the bleakest so far. Although the writing, performances, and production value have remained consistent since the show's debut, "Spook Street" felt a little uneven and undercooked in how it unfolds its storylines, feeling at times remarkably intense, at times somewhat anticlimactic. It's also worth mentioning that the role of MI5 behind the curtains, as well as the forced involvement of Slow Horses, is starting to feel rather repetitive.