S04.E06: Hello Goodbye

[Snazzy Daisy]

Synopsis:

Quote

Season finale.

Impossible decisions are faced and sacrifices are made.

Air Date: Oct 09, 2024

 

[Snazzy Daisy]

Slow Horses | S04-E06 | Exclusive Sneak Peek — 'Lower Your Weapons'

 

[aghst]

Dang so MI5 will let Harkness go, which makes his smirking justified.  Not only that, MI5 will get the Saudi Dexters off his case.

But maybe he too old to father a new generation of child soldiers and raise them until they're old.

Maybe he comes back in a later book and season.

River doesn't buy the false pride that Harkness feigned at catching him -- you put a grenade in my hood so don't son me.

Louisa must have a thing for River. She reached into his hoodie to get the grenade when it could have gone off any second.

Speaking of hoodie, Coe just executed Patrice and there's not going to be an inquiry?  No capital punishment in the UK so shooting a man who's already been shot and handcuffed to a radiator is hard to explain.  Not an immediate threat so can shooting him be justified?

Marcus just wasn't a good agent and his gambling addiction was going to compromise him.  Can't believe he made a lucky horse race bet to make the money and buy his gun back.  Sure he just didn't muscle the pawn shop guy and just take his gun back?

Lamb tried to protect Shirley, who has her own issues to work through.

I had to look up curb crawling or the British slang is more kerb crawling, which is someone who goes around looking for street hookers.  Really, that is the compromat that Moira needed to get her job back with a raise and a 4-day workweek?

Seems like other Slow Horses can look for compromat on the First or Second Desk.  Lamb probably has some compromat on Taverner or he could use the same compromat against Whelan.

But I don't think he wants to leave Slough House, since every season so far, his team has carried the day.  He obviously is protective of his agents, no matter how much he belittles them.  Well maybe except for Ho.

 

[sharifa70]

Well, that was…definitely a season that happened.

I liked that final scene between River and Lamb, but even while I’m thinking back on it I’m also thinking that this whole season feels like a waste of a perfectly good Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas.

So this whole season happened because the Big Bad is River’s long-lost bio dad and he wanted River to join the family business? Or something? The Empire Strikes Back did it much better.

I fast-forwarded the Showdown at Slough House. I was just so tired of Patrice and his Poor Man’s T-1000 act. Honestly, I wish it had been Shirley rather than Marcus…

Also: y’all, I am dying right now. I really, really hated Frank Harkness and how he was so wooden, he reminded me of Hugo Weaving. I’m not a fan of Hugo Weaving at all. I pulled up Slow Horses on imdb just now to get the name of the actor who played him so I could snark on the Hugo Weaving Acting School…only to find that Frank Harkness was actually played by Hugo Freaking Weaving. So yeah, I might need to stop crocheting while I watch tv.

 

 

[aghst]

I don't think Harkness was looking for River.  The blowing up of the mall was unexpected and it upset his little world.

Then River came to Les Arbres and he tried to burn him with him inside.

Harkness was improvising, because of the Saudi threat on him and Patrice.  His child soldier army was down to Patrice and he probably thought Patrice wouldn't make it.

Not sure why when they were barricaded upstairs nobody called the Park for backup.  They only had Marcus' gun and the one gun in Lamb's drawers.

So Harkness probably figured he needed every able body he could get, to rebuild his business.

[Xantar]

It seems clear that Marcus went out to fight Patrice knowing there was a pretty good chance he would die. I think the gambling debts caught up to him and he knew there was no way out. 
 

I think I saw River and Louisa kissing in the preview, and if the pattern holds, that means one of them will be dead by the end of next season. 

[aghst]

Well unless they deviated from the books, I'm guessing the character dies in the books.

Some viewers were hoping that Olivia from season 1 was somehow still alive.  But since the actress who played that character is now one of the main characters on House of the Dragon, she's probably not returning any time soon.

Or in season 3, the female agent who was killed in the first episode of the season was also a fairly well-known actress so they thought she'd have a bigger role, not a cameo basically.

Even if Marcus doesn't die in the books, maybe the actor was no longer going to be available to do future seasons or maybe the writers didn't see much more interesting things they could do with the character.

Supposedly Coe is a big character in the books and the actor playing him is a coup for the show to cast.

[pasdetrois]

2 hours ago, aghst said:

the one gun in Lamb's drawers.

As a Southerner, I laughed at "drawers." (Pronounced "draws" down South.)

[abbyzenn]

Marcus does die in the book and Coe did kill Patrice.  That was something I definitely remembered from the book.  I liked Marcus and am sorry to see him go.  

I liked the last scene with RIver and Lamb at the bar.

Liked the season but I think they left a lot of loose ends which I think differs from previous seasons which seemed to have one story line that was wrapped up.  I need to watch the episode again because I don't think it was clear why they had to let Harkness go or what was actually in the letters (maybe I just missed it because I was in hurry to get to an appointment so wasn't paying strict attention to the show) and I don't remember from the book.  

[aghst]

I think the general gist of it is that Harkness had done dirty work for all the agencies including MI5 so if he was captured, all the dirty details would be published on web sites.

Lamb tells Taverner that she's going to have to let him go.

 

[Rickster]

39 minutes ago, abbyzenn said:

Marcus does die in the book and Coe did kill Patrice.  That was something I definitely remembered from the book.  I liked Marcus and am sorry to see him go.  

I liked the last scene with RIver and Lamb at the bar.

Liked the season but I think they left a lot of loose ends which I think differs from previous seasons which seemed to have one story line that was wrapped up.  I need to watch the episode again because I don't think it was clear why they had to let Harkness go or what was actually in the letters (maybe I just missed it because I was in hurry to get to an appointment so wasn't paying strict attention to the show) and I don't remember from the book.  

My fuzzy recollection is that the letters weren’t in the book, at least not explicitly talked about.

Haven’t seen the episode yet.

[paigow]

Harkness played his scene with Taverner just like Yuri Orlov did with Jack Valentine in  Lord Of War

[Enigma X]

I really liked this season. I didn't read the books but saw a few plot details coming a mile away (Harkness being River's father, Marcus dying). I guess I get the reasoning behind letting Harkness go but don't understand the whole doppelganger (do not remember his name). 

[MissLucas]

I'm confused - how did Lamb know that a Saudi Prince was after Harkness? I also find it strange that MI5 used Harkness for some wet work yet nobody knew anything about it. Obviously, he would not be in the files but dirty little secrets with the potential to blow up in your face normally don't disappear like that.

Marcus was a goner the moment he returned with the gun. I don't believe for a minute that he picked a lucky horse. But good for Lamb to get his family the 10 years death-in-service payment.

I'm not sure Coe was right about Marcus being in love with Shirley or if he just manipulated her.The preview showed him still being around. I guess nobody had an interest to have a formal investigation into Patrice's death.

Molly is back at her job and Whelan - to my surprise - kept his.

And yeah, Louisa getting that grenade from River's hoodie pretty much sealed what everybody - except River - already knows.

I'm not a big fan of the villain-is-your-father trope. And I think Harkness was too powerful. The most interesting story about him was probably Yves and how he was pushed over the edge, but there was no time or place for that, too bad. Anyhow, I'm glad the author got that particular trope out of his system. Of course River still has mummy issues, sigh. 

I could have done without that  depressing scene between Granddad and River - the show is depressing enough as it is. I mean River still has a uh.... functional male role model in Lamb. I guess that was the joke about the last scene, dark enough for the show.

Preview looks good! 

[aghst]

I think in those envelopes that Harkness left at Molly's apartment, it detailed the leverage he had over the agencies and also how he needed them to take care of the Saudis for him.

Or else he was going to spill all the compromat.

Again, I think it's possible that Harkness may reappear in a future season.  I assume that he also gets released by MI5 in the books as well.

 

Lamb shits on the Slow Horses but he's protective of them, like him trying to keep Shirley from seeing Marcus' remains.  He also got 10 years of pay for Marcus' survivors instead of the 5 years Taverner wanted to pay out.

Or from end of season two, he secretly put a plaque honoring Min in the church, after Taverner denied his request to honor Min.

[paigow]

Whelan is angry that after paying off a bunch of cops, more people know his secret...

[MissLucas]

1 hour ago, aghst said:

Lamb shits on the Slow Horses but he's protective of them, like him trying to keep Shirley from seeing Marcus' remains.

When Lamb is openly caring it's almost jarring. This is a great interview with Gary Oldman, where he talks about the show in general and how they pulled off that first establishing shot of the mayhem down from the rooftops without cut to Flynt on the phone.

https://www.avclub.com/gary-oldman-interview-slow-horses-season-4

There's so much attention to detail in this show that I often miss because I am wrapped up in the plot. For example when Taverner arrives in the Slough House kitchen we see Lamb holding the Whisky bottle, but the shot is not so much about him drinking - it focuses just for a moment on his bruised knuckles.

[paigow]

Lamb wants to make sure old Cartwright gets paid when River actually gets blown up...

[aghst]

48 minutes ago, paigow said:

Whelan is angry that after paying off a bunch of cops, more people know his secret...

Roddy can use the same compromat to get himself back to the Park.

For that matter, he can share it with everyone else at  Slough House and collectively leverage Whelan

[paigow]

Odd that Lamb left all that cash in an unlocked room. Anybody could take it before police / MI5 secure the crime scene...

[Souris]

Well, that hurt. So many emotional wallops in that episode. 

Damn it, Marcus. 😭  Whyyyyyy?? I loved him and Shirley so much as a team. Coe telling her “He loved you and wanted you to love yourself.” That was a gut punch of a line. And then him killing Patrice.

David telling River “You promised you’d never do this to me” was so heartbreaking and real. 

Lamb finding Sam’s body and grabbing the whiskey to go.

River getting postcards from his mother for his seventh, eighth, and ninth birthdays — and then they stopped. Ouch, that family.

Lamb making sure Marcus’ family got active duty benefits. And getting River bonus pay. Hints of a heart there, like making sure Min got a plaque.

River didn’t get his sorely needed hug, but he did get to drink with Lamb. A better father/son moment there than River had earlier.

I didn’t expect previews for next season, so that was a nice surprise!

“You just dropped a grenade in my hood, don’t fucking ‘Son’ me!”

But what happened to the “shoot to kill” order on River? It just sort of … disappeared. Did I miss something? Did Flyte just shout down that kill team and they got distracted by the grenade and chasing Harkness?

I guess Ghiti is OK and we can stop worrying about her now?

[Snazzy Daisy]

R.I.P Marcus Longridge. You were undeniably brave at the end. 💔

Coe blowing off Patrice’s head after Shirley leaves the room is weirdly satisfying.

Claude’s decision to issue a “shoot to kill” order on River is a stark contrast to Lamb’s willingness to cover for River when he shot Bertrand and left for France.

The “slow horses” are totally disposable. The Park doesn’t care about them. It’s always up to Lamb to care and protect those misfits. Whether it’s about a 10 year active-agent increment or operational bonus or telling Shirley not to go look for Marcus, the important thing is — he cares more than he wants anyone to know.

I guess Catherine Standish is back at the Slough House now. Am so happy! 😊

The “grenade in hoodie” scene is supposed to be intense but it makes me laugh instead — thanks to River moving like a spider getting electrocuted. 😂

Geez, thanks Roddy for letting us know that you’re back on the sex market. 🤣

 

[pasdetrois]

As always, production values and acting talent top-notch. Lovely final scene. And Standish is back.

I can barely stomach Roddy's character, but he's prominent in the books and also reminds us just how loathsome a slow horse can be (with a steady assist from Lamb).

The previews lifted my spirits after days of politics and hurricanes.

[Zaffy]

I binged watch it. I showed a lot of restrain and managed to hold till last week when  I watched the first 5, one each day, and 6th yesterday.

Ok, I think this was the weakest season of the lot. Mind you, I did enjoy the directing and the acting (apart from Agent Smith who I honestly expected him at one point to say "Mr Anderson...") but the story was weak. There were quite a few dumb decisions, dumber than usual.  
So Agent Smith is blackmailing them and they gonna let him loose? Because what? he won't blackmail them again? Huh?
I did like Baltar doing Baltar things in Mi-5, Moira's haircut deserves special credit and it was cool but also creepy how the T-1000 son was acting.

The chemistry of this cast is the best asset of this show and I think currently is the best on TV series world. It is almost up there with the amazing chemistry the Star Trek Next Generation  cast has.

 

[Milburn Stone]

On 10/9/2024 at 10:29 AM, sharifa70 said:

So this whole season happened because the Big Bad is River’s long-lost bio dad and he wanted River to join the family business? Or something?

I loved the finale, but yeah...It took me a while to figure out why he sent an assassin to kill David, but I guess he didn't know David was going senile? And therefore might still spill the beans on Harkness? But then why wouldn't he have had David killed a long time ago? And why did the assassin need to pretend to take a bath instead of just killing David point blank? OK, now I'm confused again...but I still loved the finale.

[Bcharmer]

18 minutes ago, Milburn Stone said:

And why did the assassin need to pretend to take a bath instead of just killing David point blank? 

That's the million dollar question. Why bother going through the charade once David let him into the house? 

[Nozycat]

The assassin wanted to drown David in the bath so it looked like an accidental death?

[aghst]

They were covering their tracks after the shopping center bombing, which threatened to expose them and get them killed by the Saudis.

If he shot David in his home, it would look like an execution of a former high-ranking leader of the MI5 and would draw even more attention.

 

 

[justmehere]

It's been a while since I read the book this season covers, but it feels like this one deviated the most from the original text. I'll need to watch again to get a better feel for it overall. I understand the practicalities of adapting a book, but the first two seasons were quite close to theirs. Last season had some wide deviations, too. 

Re: Marcus and the horse race: I thought he said that he got the gun and that the house was covered, which I took to mean that his wife wasn't going to have to be confronted with foreclosure. He was a good agent, except for the addiction. 

Re: Hugo Weaving: I like him, he's been great in various movies, but his American accent was not good, which was unfortunately distracting. 

This season also felt like it had the least Lamb, which is not a good thing. Again - can't remember the book, if that's how it was or not. Just missed seeing Gary Oldman more.

[aghst]

Andy Greenwald and Chris Ryan speculated that Frank Harkness may be the Spectre in Slow Horses, a perpetual super villain.

Interesting thing was, there was never a scene with Lamb and Harkness this season.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

22 hours ago, Souris said:

 what happened to the “shoot to kill” order on River? It just sort of … disappeared. Did I miss something? Did Flyte just shout down that kill team and they got distracted by the grenade and chasing Harkness?

I think either right before or right after the grenade you hear someone say that the kill order is rescinded. I guess they pretty quickly figured that with his dad trying to kill him that they weren't working together. Although it was annoying that River didn't get to confront anyone about that order.

1 hour ago, Nozycat said:

The assassin wanted to drown David in the bath so it looked like an accidental death?

They said something at one point that the fake River was carrying sedatives. So they were going to drug David while in the bath so he would fall asleep and drown. But I still think that if David and Sam were to die really close to each other someone would be suspicious. Even if it looked like natural causes.

That was an enjoyable but super tense episode. Loved Lamb taking out the assassin with the liquor bottle.

Next season looks interesting. I wonder if Flyte will end up at Slough House for losing 4 dogs in 1 attack.

Edited October 11 by Kel Varnsen

[aghst]

One thing missing this season was someone at the Park trolling the Slow Horses, i.e the "Spyder" Webb role.

 

[sharifa70]

5 hours ago, aghst said:

One thing missing this season was someone at the Park trolling the Slow Horses, i.e the "Spyder" Webb role.

 

Lamb eats Park trolls for breakfast. Compared to his merciless roasting of the Slow Horses, Webb was less Spider and more Dust Mite. I didn’t miss him this season at all.

[Milburn Stone]

So the assassin created a reason for David to come to the bathroom because that was easier than dragging him upstairs to the bathroom?

But then why was lying in the empty bathtub? Even a person with dementia would detect something amiss in a fully-dressed person lying in an empty bathtub. Then It would take the most physically fit person in the world to leap up from that position before David could run out of the room. Then the assassin would have to chase him and drag him back to the bathroom, possibly resulting in bruises and contusions on David's body which would be highly suspicious. So why not just overpower David in the first place and drag him up the stairs if need be?

Edited October 11 by Milburn Stone

[meep.meep]

On 10/9/2024 at 1:56 PM, MissLucas said:

I

I'm not sure Coe was right about Marcus being in love with Shirley or if he just manipulated her.The preview showed him still being around. I guess nobody had an interest to have a formal investigation into Patrice's death.

 

Patrice had killed 4 people on camera when he "rescued" River, and then Marcus and threatened everyone in Slough House so not a big surprise. 

Loved Ho taking Grandpa C into the bathroom.

They made the letters such a big focus and then nothing.

[abbyzenn]

The assassin wasn't laying in the bathtub when David went into the bathroom - he was bending over the bathtub (to turn on the water - remember he said something about drawing him a nice warm bath) when David shot him and therefore he fell into the tub.  

[Kel Varnsen]

2 minutes ago, abbyzenn said:

The assassin wasn't laying in the bathtub when David went into the bathroom - he was bending over the bathtub (to turn on the water - remember he said something about drawing him a nice warm bath) when David shot him and therefore he fell into the tub.  

I was just about to write the same thing. I think his goal was that David would completely buy that he was River and he could tell him to take his pills and get in the bath. The weird thing was if you are a secret assassin why would you carry any ID on you even your fake ID.

34 minutes ago, meep.meep said:

Patrice had killed 4 people on camera when he "rescued" River, and then Marcus and threatened everyone in Slough House so not a big surprise. 

Plus I imagine that letting Harkness go would require a pretty big cover up, especially after the Patrice shootout and Harkness in public with the grenade. So if you are going to cover that up, you don't want another investigation going on at the same time looking into how Patrice died.

[Milburn Stone]

1 hour ago, Kel Varnsen said:

I think his goal was that David would completely buy that he was River and he could tell him to take his pills and get in the bath.

When he ran up the stairs, didn't he say that he was going to take a bath? Or did he merely say he was going to draw a bath? (But even in that case, the assumption anyone would make is that the bath he was drawing was for the man who said "I'm going to draw a bath.".) Even an impaired David might be expected to then wonder why a fully-clothed River was telling him the bath was suddenly for him, David.

(I'm sure I'm missing something.)

[Enigma X]

I thought when David opened the door for the assassin he said something on his way upstairs about David needing a bath and that he was going to draw one for David. I am paraphrasing.

[Souris]

21 hours ago, Kel Varnsen said:

I think either right before or right after the grenade you hear someone say that the kill order is rescinded. I guess they pretty quickly figured that with his dad trying to kill him that they weren't working together. Although it was annoying that River didn't get to confront anyone about that order.

Thank you. There was so much cross-shouting, I couldn't follow most of what was being said.

[Bluesky]

On 10/9/2024 at 10:25 PM, paigow said:

Odd that Lamb left all that cash in an unlocked room. Anybody could take it before police / MI5 secure the crime scene...

If he took it that would have looked like he kept it for himself.