The sixth season of Slow Horses has arrived with a darker, more emotional chapter for the MI5 misfits of Slough House—and director Adam Randall is opening up about what went into the latest installment.
The six-episode season premiered on Apple TV on September 16, 2026, with Randall directing the entire season. Based on Mick Herron’s novels Joe Country and Slough House, the new season follows the Slow Horses as they become caught in a dangerous game of retaliation and revenge.
The premiere immediately raises the stakes. River Cartwright, played by Jack Lowden, is dealing with the death of his grandfather, David Cartwright, while the team discovers that former Slough House agents are being targeted. The storyline also brings back Hugo Weaving’s Frank Harkness, reconnecting the season with River’s complicated family and professional history.
Randall said the new season deliberately pushes the series into darker territory while preserving the humor that has become one of its defining qualities. According to the director, the comedy comes naturally from the characters and performers, even as the action becomes more brutal and consequential.
But Randall’s comments about Lowden have generated attention beyond Slow Horses. Asked about the possibility of Lowden becoming the next James Bond, Randall said he knows no more than the public but believes the actor has many of the qualities needed for the role. He highlighted Lowden’s ability to combine dramatic intensity, action and humor, describing that balance as what could make him a strong choice.
The comments follow recent public support from Gary Oldman, who has also expressed enthusiasm for Lowden as a potential Bond. However, no official casting decision has been announced, and reports indicate that the next Bond remains unconfirmed.
For now, Lowden remains at the center of Slow Horses, where River’s evolving story continues to provide one of the show’s most personal threads. As season six unfolds, the combination of espionage, family conflict, dark humor and high-stakes action promises another complicated chapter for the Slough House team.
