Chris Connor reviews the fourth episode of Slow Horses season 2…
After the bombshell of last week and Min Harper’s death, Slow Horses ups the ante with ‘Cicada’ as the long game of the Russians begins to get clearer and we find out what connects Min and Dickie Bow’s deaths.
The opening sequence plays out in the immediate aftermath of last week with Jackson Lamb interrogating the driver who was seemingly responsible for Min’s death, diving deeper into the Russian involvement than Mick Herron’s source material and played with dry wit with Lamb – played brilliantly by Gary Oldman – having several tricks up his sleeve. This sequence shows how streetwise Lamb is and ahead of those around him.
In Upshott, River’s cover is dangerously close to being blown with Chernitsky the main suspect in Dickie’s death materialising where he is undercover. The main question is how does Chernitsky know the locals, namely the Troppers. The climax of the episode, slightly adjusting events from Herron’s novel, pulls the wool from the audience and will leave many surprised as to who is the Russian traitor with much to be revealed before the series conclusion, exactly what do they have planned for protestors in London ?
One of the other main storylines of this episode sees Lamb and Shirley Dander investigating Nevsky who MI5 wanted to meet with, and finding he has met a sticky end. Shirley here is given more to do affording Aimee Ffion- Edwards the chance to shine opposite Lamb and flesh her out more and prove her worth at Slough House. This storyline and the escalation of several others adds more urgency to proceedings.
With so many storylines intertwining with the additional investigation of Catherine Standish and Louisa trying to get to the bottom of Min’s death, the series manages to largely balance the multiple strands and multiple players involved although audiences will have to work to keep up with exactly who is who. The interplay between Louisa, and Marcus helps give both added depth with the focus on Louisa after Mins death bolstering her character with impressive work from Rosalind Eleazar.
The way in which the stories begin to intersect is cleverly handled, giving the events of the series added purpose and a sense of the direction we might be headed in for the climatic two episodes with the aftermath of Mins death hanging over proceedings throughout.
‘Cicada’ is another strong entry in a fine second season of Slow Horses, which manages the impressive feat of justifying its changes from the source material. The performances and interplay continue to deliver with new additions Marcus and Shirley coming into their own alongside the established members of the Slough House crew returning from season one. The quickened pace pushes the narrative along, moving pieces into place for the final two episodes as the motives of Pashkin, Chernitsky et al become a bit clearer. The multiple narratives are deftly handled, making it clearer how the various strands overlap, and the nature of the different storylines also helps keep the show moving and offers a tonal balance.
Chris Connor
