Gary Oldman is back in action as the Joes gear up for their next investigation with Slow Horses season 5. Based on Mick Herron's novel series, the Apple TV+ series centers on a group of MI5 agents working in the eponymous branch, infamously known for being the home to rejects and those requiring punishment for mistakes. Oldman leads the Slow Horses cast as Jackson Lamb, the testy-yet-brilliant leader of the group.
Season 5 serves as an adaptation of the 2018 novel, London Rules, in which the city is suddenly rocked by a series of bizarre terrorist attacks, including a mass shooting, all in the midst of a heated mayoral race. Meanwhile, Lamb and the Slow Horses are also caught off guard by Roddy having an elegant new girlfriend, questioning if she is working to destabilize the group.
Once again penned by creator Will Smith and helmed entirely by Saul Metzstein, who previously directed season 3, Slow Horses season 5 kicked off on September 24. Though the lowest score of the five seasons, the latest batch of episodes has continued the show's Rotten Tomatoes success streak, netting a strong 90% approval rating from critics.
In honor of the show's return, ScreenRant interviewed Gary Oldman to discuss Slow Horses season 5. The star offered some insight into how the Apple TV+ spy thriller is the rare streaming series to air annually, as well as how he and the show's team have been adjusting to the major change of Smith departing as showrunner after season 5.
Slow Horses' Quick Turnaround Ensures "The Work Wouldn't Suffer"
In looking at how the team pulls it off, Oldman revealed that the Slow Horses cast and crew spend "nine or 10 months" filming each season, subsequently taking "a short break" before returning. But those 10 months aren't solely dedicated to the season at hand, as Oldman also says the production team find their director for the following season, leading to early preparation.
"The idea is that an audience, as we all know, you watch a show and if you enjoy the show, you invest your time in it, you follow the stories," Oldman explained. "We get to really know these characters. We enjoy these people that come into our living room once a week, and then the show ends, and you've got to wait two years for it to come back, if it is coming back, an example would be Severance. So, I think if the audience likes the show, they invest their time in it, we want to come back and sort of deliver, so that was the thinking that we could get a quicker turnover."
While some might find a concern that this could spread the production team thin, Oldman assures the process makes it so "the work wouldn't suffer" in that effort to bring the next Slow Horses season out quicker. With the added benefit of the show having "one director for the six episodes", it can subsequently "keep it sort of ticking over" to say on track.
Smith's Departure As Showrunner Has Taken "A Little Getting Used To" For Oldman
Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb in Slow Horses season 5
While the show's production schedule continues to be on track for the confirmed seasons 6 and 7, Slow Horses season 5 marks the end of an era as Will Smith's final season as showrunner. As the three-time Emmy winner previously explained, he felt the story arcs closing in season 5 felt like a good point to hand the reins to someone else.
For Oldman, he admits Smith's exit "took a little getting used to" when heading into Slow Horses season 6's filming. But, the Oscar winner also acknowledges that some writers "could go away for two or three weeks and come back with something", while others "need the time to be able to do that", making the show's quicker turnaround a challenge.
However, Oldman also felt that Smith's past as a stand-up comic proved a major benefit for Slow Horses, particularly in moments in which he or others would come to the showrunner hoping to come up with new dialogue "with a bit more punch or a bit more bite". Oldman praised Smith for being able to "go off for 50 minutes and come back" with "four or five alternate lines".
"He has a real skill and I had access to Will, so when I was reading earlier drafts of the script, and they were still in the process of being written, I could text or email Will, or get on the phone with him," Oldman expressed. "So, that took a little getting used to, because there was an ease and a familiarity with him that you don't have with new people coming in."
Despite the initial reservations, though, Oldman shares that the new writers are "finding their feet" with the next two seasons. Confirming that production already wrapped on season 6, the star also revealed that Slow Horses season 7 will begin filming at the end of October, bringing on "a new team", and shared that putting together a new season with the other writers "takes a while".
"It's like anything, you know, hearing the voices of the different characters," Oldman explained. "But I've read the first six early drafts, and they're very good. We've got a great template that we work from, which are the books by Mick Herron, and we really care about the show. We nurse it, we care about the quality of the show."
Oldman went on to tease that those enjoying Slow Horses season 5 will be very pleased with season 6, praising it as being "very good" and that it "delivers well" on some of the arcs set up in the new season. He also confirmed that season 6 is being directed by Adam Randall, who helmed season 4, noting that "if we like someone, we repeat them".
