Real Tigers by Mick Herron

#154: Slow Horses, season 3

Hi readers,

I’m fascinated by the things that get their hooks in me. Last year, it was Mick Herron’s series of spy thrillers known as “Slough House.” I wrote about book 1 Slow Horses, book 2 Dead Lions, and the series-adjacent book The Secret Hours. I became a huge Herron fan over the course of a few short months as I binge-listened to the books back-to-back. I’ll buy anything he writes and I plan to catch up on his non-Slough House books.

Today I want to talk about Slough House book 3 and its adaptation, season 3 of the Apple TV+ series Slow Horses. I’ll give some overall thoughts on the book and the show and then discuss a couple spoilers.

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The book

The highest praise I can give this book is that it kept me wanting more. More time with each of the characters, more of the intricate plots, more of the political maneuvering, shifting loyalties, and juicy backstabbing that are the trademarks of this series. The plot was never dull, always unpredictable, and surprising in a way that wasn’t so twisty that it felt manipulative. Herron is good to his readers.

In Real Tigers, the rejects of the British Secret Service (aka “slow horses”) are once again in over their heads. One of their own has been taken hostage and the ‘nappers have made their demands known, but not their intentions. They want the slow horses to break into a secure MI5 facility and retrieve classified documents. But things are never what they seem and the situation quickly gets out of control.

Listen, if my previous articles haven’t convinced you, allow me to reiterate one more time that this series has a brain. The wit is sharp enough to cut stone and Gerard Doyle’s audio narration performance adds the indispensable element of droll British sarcasm. If you aren’t an audiobook fan, this series might turn you into one.

The show

I didn’t love this season and that could be a “me” problem. I might be enamored with the books to the point that it’s hard to enjoy an adaptation. This season made some brilliant choices and some baffling ones. If there are show lovers and defenders out there, please make yourselves known!

Here are a few specific spoiler-y thoughts on the book and the show that I hope illustrate my point.

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Spider’s Web

James ‘Spider’ Webb is a great character in the first two books, but his severe injury in book 2 puts him in a coma for all of book 3. I was pleased to see that Freddie Fox, who was so smarmy in the first two seasons, was brought back for season 3. His involvement in the private sector provided consequences for his season 2 screw up and allowed him to continue messing with River. Brilliant choice.

Killing him off the way they did? Baffling choice. I was hoping that hit only put him in a coma, but he seems quite dead.

Unrealistic shootouts are not compelling action

These are suspenseful spy thriller novels and this season leaned way too hard into gun action. I found all of the shootouts boring. They reminded me of scenes from The Mandalorian where the bad guys can’t hit anything and the good guys have unlimited ammo. Do shelves of documents provide adequate cover from assault rifles? Would two handguns successfully hold off an entire unit of automatic weapons? Do handguns have unlimited ammo? I was so distracted by the logistics and plausibility that I couldn’t enjoy it. It felt off brand.

Plot heavy, character light

When I think about some of my favorite television shows (Ted Lasso, The Bear, Game of Thrones), they are the moments in between the big plot moments that I love the most. I love the character moments, the conversations, the quiet, emotional scenes with the swelling music. It’s fun to spend time with a group of people who have a vibrant dynamic and who have tension beyond the things happening to them.

In Slow Horses, River’s relationship with his grandfather David does this really well. There’s generational conflict with young, scrupulous River maintaining noble ideals vs. the battered grandfather who has been through the ringer and knows what it takes to survive (literally and politically). Standish and Lamb also have a compelling dynamic with her sobriety, his alcoholism, and their shared past with Charles Partner.

But as great as those are, I want more. Six episodes isn’t enough time and I wish the creators weren’t focused so much on getting through the plot. I wouldn’t mind a filler episode or side quest or bottle episode focused on two to three characters. A day in the life of Roddy Ho could be a hilarious and insane episode! Roddy Ho After Hours! I worry the creators aren’t planting enough seeds for future seasons.

Am I crazy? What did you think of season 3? Have you started reading the books yet?

Thanks for being here,

Kyle

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