Summary

• Gary Oldman shines as Jackson Lamb in Slow Horses, showcasing his talent in the spy-thriller genre.
• Slow Horses offers a darkly comic look at MI5's inner workings, building momentum as a top spy show.
• Oldman's role in Slow Horses lays the groundwork for a potential return to his iconic George Smiley character from Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

With Apple TV+'s Slow Horses, Gary Oldman has firmly established himself as one of the best actors in the spy-thriller sub-genre – finally paying off what many fans feel is his best hero role. As the acerbic and flatulent Jackson Lamb, Oldman is the beating heart of Slow Horses. Yet while he is an undoubtedly unorthodox spy, there are some surprising connections between Oldman's role in the hit series and an earlier part that helped pave his way.

Over 18 episodes, Slow Horses has slowly built momentum as one of the best spy shows on the small screen. Following the misadventures of Slough House – an unglamorous off-shoot of MI5 – the show offers an often darkly comic look at the inside workings of the intelligence agency, examining how power play between individual personalities and confusion can often dictate events. In this regard, it is a thematically-similar accompaniment to an earlier Gary Oldman project – one which is yet to fully realize the actor's potential as a spy hero, despite a great setup.

Gary Oldman's Slow Horses Role Is Finally Fulfilling His Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Potential

Even though there are several differences between the two characters, Gary Oldman's performance as Jackson Lamb is proof that he is finally fulfilling the potential of his role in Thomas Alfredson's acclaimed 2011 thriller, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. The movie, which received multiple Oscar nominations, saw the actor bring legendary literary creation George Smiley to life. So effective was Oldman's portrayal that he received a Best Actor nomination.

However, despite Tinker Tailor's success, the movie exists in isolation. Even though original author John le Carré wrote several Smiley novels, others of which have also been turned into films, Oldman is yet to reprise his much-celebrated role from 2011. As a result, his potential within the genre was at risk of being wasted – until the arrival of Slow Horses. Despite being set in an earlier era of espionage and being very different tonally, Slow Horses represents a clear thematic continuation of the 66-year-old's previous work. For fans who wish to see Oldman back in the mysterious world of intelligence, Slow Horses is even more of a treat.

Slow Horses Means Oldman Can Play George Smiley Again

Given that 13 years have ed since Tinker Tailor, fans were justifiably losing hope that they would get to see Gary Oldman return to George Smiley. However, Slow Horses has provided some evidence that, even without any concrete news, the potential is still there. Not only has Slow Horses reiterated his aptitude for playing aging spymasters – albeit two who come from very different traditions – but his continued commitment to the show demonstrates how much Oldman enjoys these characters. Should a sequel to Tinker Tailor ever be made, it's not unreasonable to suggest Oldman would be interested in returning.

A further factor in Oldman's prospective return to Smiley is the fact that the original character turns up in multiple stories suitable for film. Not only does Smiley feature in a series of novels set before and after Tinker Tailor, but the book itself actually forms the first part of John le Carré's so-called Karla Trilogy – a trio of novels revolving around Smiley's battle against his Moscow counterpart, codenamed "Karla". With such a wealth of story options, Gary Oldman has plenty of opportunity to return to the Tinker Tailor series.

Slow Horses Is A Great Gary Oldman Spy Franchise – Even Without Smiley

Following the success of Tinker Tailor, potential plans for sequels were unsurprisingly proposed by several parties. In 2016, for instance, Oldman himself even went so far as to suggest that there was a script for an adaptation of Smiley's People that would continue the character's story after the 2011 thriller. However, with the rights to the character having reverted to John le Carré's estate, a follow-up with the original personnel seems increasingly unlikely.

However, even if Gary Oldman never gets to revisit the character, his performance as Jackson Lamb in Slow Horses is a more than worthy replacement. In many ways, the series' focus on the politics at play within MI5 is highly reminiscent of le Carré's style, with explosive action often taking a backseat to intrigue. There are even parallels between Lamb and Smiley himself, with both characters struggling to deal with turbulent personal lives and feeling more comfortable within the world of espionage. As a result, even though it's a very different story, Slow Horses is a great alternative spy saga for Oldman that more than delivers on his Smiley potential.