TV Show review
Review basis: 5 seasons · through October 29, 2025
April 1, 2022 · TV-MA · Returning Series
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
Slow Horses follows disgraced MI5 agents banished to the rundown Slough House office as they stumble into real national security threats under their crude, flatulent boss Jackson Lamb. The five-season Apple TV+ series delivers dark British humor, sharp espionage plotting, and satire on intelligence bureaucracy and political self-interest drawn from Mick Herron's novels. Occasional storylines involve far-right extremist groups or contemporary social divisions that some conservative viewers flag as left-leaning framing, though these remain secondary to themes of personal failure and institutional incompetence.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Slow Horses.
Woke representation / casting
Multi-ethnic cast in contemporary UK intelligence roles with some audience-noted patterns of competent non-white agents alongside white antagonists; fits modern London without swaps or overt signaling.
Woke political dialogue
Satirical takes on MI5 leadership failures and populist politicians (especially right-leaning caricatures); cynical anti-establishment tone dominates over explicit progressive messaging.
Identity-driven story themes
Stories prioritize spy tradecraft, loyalty, addiction, and bureaucratic incompetence; minimal arcs centered on gender, race, or sexuality.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Sharp portrayal of intelligence service rot, political interference, and populist right-wing figures as disruptive forces; classical liberal skepticism of power rather than modern activist framing of patriarchy, whiteness, or systemic oppression.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant. Stays close to the source novels.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Niche conservative reviews and viewer posts call out far-right villain tropes, perceived anti-right bias, and specific season 5 social elements as progressive or gender-neutralizing; remains limited rather than broad outrage.
Creator track record context
Mick Herron's novels repeatedly satirize conservative politicians and post-Brexit issues from a liberal perspective; remaining writers and directors show mild or no identity-driven patterns.
Production
