Slow Horses
Spoilers are ahead for Slow Horses season 4, episode 4, “Returns.”
As the pair work to track down the Cartwright men, Taverner uncovers another insidious thread.
In episode 4, the truth aboutRiver and Frank’s connectionfinally comes out.
Previously, viewers only saw glimpses of Frank.
Thankfully, Frank gets more than a few lines of dialogue in episode 4.
New episodes ofSlow Horsesseason 4 premiere on Wednesdays on Apple TV+ through October 9, 2024.
Custom Image by Kate Bove
Wanting to tie up loose ends, he threatens to kill Frank on the spot.
Standing in the rain, the pair discuss the fact that Lamb outright lied to Flyte.
Lamb has no need to hide the truth.
Slow Horses is an adaptation of CWA Gold Dagger Award-winning Mick Herron’s first novel in the “Slow Horses” series, which follows a team of British intelligence agents who serve in a dumping ground department of MI5 – Slough House. Gary Oldman stars as Jackson Lamb, the brilliant but irascible leader of the spies who end up in Slough House due to their career-ending mistakes.
Taverner’s frustration is hardly surprising; after all, it’s always Lamb and River who cause trouble.
Lamb insists that he told Flyte the truth on that one.
David had been at Catherine Standish’s (Saskia Reeves) flat.
The delicate dance between the two MI5 agents yields very little results for either party.
During the alleyway chat,Lamb assumes Standish still has custody of David Cartwright.
Realizing that Lamb is getting her nowhere fast, Taverner leaves.
Standish’s replacement, Moira Tregorian (Joanna Scanlan), offers her some tea.
It’s possible Standish’s MI5 days aren’t officially over.
Judging by her involvement in the Cartwright situation, it seems Standish doesn’t know how to walk away.
It’s possible Standish’s MI5 days aren’t officially over.
Judging by her involvement in the Cartwright situation, it seems Standish doesn’t know how to walk away.
Ever-determined to find First Desk and explain what happened, David slips away into the rain.
Before the trio leave, Chapman explains what he knows about Lavande.
Still, he recounts in great detail what happened that day.
After arriving in France, Chapman drove an MI5-supplied car to the compound.
In the flashback, Les Arbres is only a slightly more lively place.
Unfortunately, Flyte’s excuses are pretty weak.
To make up for what’s happened, Flyte is tasked with locating David Cartwright before Lamb.
Essentially, Flyte didn’t want to bombard her superior with bad or lackluster news.
Taverner assures Flyte that communication is key.
In fact,poor communication is precisely why Taverner didn’t gel with the former Head of the Dogs.
While Flyte agrees to do better, Taverner threatens to fire Flyte if she makes another blunder.
To make up for what’s happened, Flyte is tasked with locating David Cartwright before Lamb.
Whelan has a much different perspective on the matter.
In episode 3, Whelan approaches Giti with a new assignment.
The First Desk tasks the sharp-witted agent with searching for more ready-made identities and connections.
That ID belonged to a cold body called Adam Lockhead.
Chapman instructs Standish to cause a distraction while he works to peel David away from the hotel lobby.
After securing David, Chapman wants to leave the country.
As the Flyte’s men pull up, Standish races to find a fire alarm and pulls it.
Frank Harkness, meanwhile, had also planned to intercept River.
Instead, he watches the chase unfold.
Ultimately, Flyte fails to catch River Cartwright.
As he tells Lamb, he’s just stopping by to pick up his flight fund.
Evidently,hardened MI5 operatives like Chapman all have some cash lying around just in case things go south.
With both MI5 and Harkness on his tail, Chapman knows that it’s time to disappear.
Before he leaves, Chapman tosses back a drink.
Slow Horses season 3 was the most action-packed installment of the show yet.
Here’s what happened in the ending and how it impacts season 4.
Once he’s secured the flight fund from a loose ceiling tile, Chapman hears something strange outside.
Gun drawn, he investigates the fire escape when Harkness' assassin comes bursting through the window.
Instead of outright killing Chapman, the assassin tortures and beats him.
Normally, that would be a massive misstep, but River is on a mission.
In the compound, River had come across a striking mural and photographed it for evidence.
Although Bertrand’s mother hadn’t drawn the mural, she knew the woman who had.
After comparing the drawings in the box to the mural at Les Arbres, the connection feels pretty undeniable.
So far,Slow Horsesseason 4 has really hammered home the fact that David raised River.
