A three-time Emmy winner, Apple TV’s Slow Horses is one of the most clever, consistent, and innovative espionage dramas on television. Driven by Gary Oldman’s commanding turn as the slobbish taskmaster Jackson Lamb, the show not only adopts a unique approach to its intriguing spycraft, but it also stays engaging thanks to its quick production turnaround. And with no end in sight, Slough House may stay open indefinitely.
Apple TV has renewed its superb, star-studded spy series for not one, but two, more seasons. The news of its future came just ahead of Slow Horses’s Season 6 premiere on Sept. 16, 2026. Between the show’s winning formula and its short, frequent seasons, it’s no wonder it’s set to continue for a while longer. It remains a reliable part of Apple TV’s lineup, proving the streamer’s in-house programming is some of the best TV currently has to offer.
‘Slow Horses’ Subverts Spy Drama Tropes With Its Winning Formula
Created by Will Smith, Slow Horses is based on Mick Herron’s British spy novel series of the same name. Each season adapts a new book, with the plot centering on an eclectic group of disgraced MI5 intelligence agents who’ve been demoted and relegated to thankless, low-stakes desk work at Slough House, a room for remedial, cast-off employees. The motley crew is led by Jackson Lamb (Oldman), a crude, caustic, and slovenly veteran spy who uses reverse psychology to motivate his apathetic underlings.
Unlike most spy dramas that overwhelm the senses with fast-paced action, high-tech weaponry, and epic globe-trotting thrills, Slow Horses refreshingly subverts the traditional genre tropes and offers viewers a much more granular, unglamorous take on the profession. Instead of the high-flying action seen in spy shows like Lioness, Slow Horses focuses on the daily protocols and painstaking process of actual intelligence work, defined by repetition and routine that eventually leads to big case-breaking clues.
While that may sound unappealing on paper, Oldman and new Bond favorite Jack Lowden give extremely compelling performances as the agents in Slough House gradually overcome their poor reputation and become effective spies. The show also boasts action that ramps up from the dingy desk-work and bureaucratic decay, giving viewers plenty to sift through during its brisk six-season (and counting) run.
‘Slow Horses’ Will Continue Through Season 8
Around four years after its 2022 debut, Slow Horses is unveiling its sixth season. Part of its winning formula is limiting each season to just six episodes, streamlining the narrative and preventing boring filler. That triumphant setup also ensures viewers do not have to wait two or three years between seasons, a frustrating trend that continues to plague streaming shows. For instance, Slow Horses released its first two seasons in 2022, eight months apart. Since then, viewers have rarely had to wait longer than 12 months for a new season, and they haven’t gone a full 13 without new episodes. Slow Horses gallop fast, indeed.
Between the rapid production and high-quality results, it’s no surprise that Slow Horses holds a stunning 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Drilling deeper, there has been almost no drop-off throughout the series, as Season 1 holds 95% approval; Season 2 100%; Season 3 98%; Season 4 100%; and Season 5 96%. Beyond the tremendous performances and subverted spy show conventions, most critics praise the tonal shift from the low-stakes, mundane office tedium to the visceral, high-stakes tension and suspense of the corresponding fieldwork. In 2026, Slow Horses earned nine Primetime Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series.
On July 8, 2025, Apple TV renewed Slow Horses for Season 7. On Sept. 15, 2026, the popular spy series was green-lit for Season 8. At this rate, Slough House isn’t closing its doors anytime soon. That’s a testament to how great the show is, and it gives audiences even more to look forward to beyond this current TV season.
