Gary Oldman Battles to Prevent Long Gaps Between ‘Slow Horses’ Seasons

Gary Oldman believes a key factor behind the popularity of Slow Horses is the short wait time between seasons.

Oldman mentioned that the production team for Slow Horses is committed to maintaining the series’ momentum.

The espionage thriller by Mick Herron is set to launch its next season on Apple TV this September, marking six seasons released over four years. This frequency is in stark contrast to other series, like Apple’s Severance, which saw a three-year hiatus between its first two seasons.

“The challenge is getting people to come back year after year while ensuring the quality remains high,” Oldman explained, expressing astonishment at the lengthy breaks typical in other series.

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At the Edinburgh TV Festival, where he received the Global Icon Award, Oldman described the honor as both flattering and a bit overwhelming. The news was given to him by Fatima Salaria, the festival chair.

In a conversation with Edith Bowman on stage, Oldman shared how the character Jackson Lamb was a perfect fit for him at this point in his career. He enjoys playing Lamb because of his blunt, unfiltered nature.

Looking back on his nearly fifty-year career, Oldman told the gathering of TV executives that he remains hopeful that his best work is yet to come, despite already having won an Oscar for Darkest Hour.

Oldman admitted he usually starts each new role with a mild sense of anxiety, but this wasn’t the case with Slow Horses over the last six years, thanks to a great team dynamic.

He also discussed his method for developing characters, like finding inspiration in a young Brooklynite’s speech for Drexl Spivey in True Romance, or choosing the right costume to craft an iconic look for Lamb.

Oldman humorously noted that his wife chides him for his habit of people-watching, which once led him to covertly photograph a man at a train station who intrigued him. “He will go into my file,” Oldman said, eliciting laughter from the audience.

Upon receiving his award, Oldman was treated to congratulatory video messages from Manchester United legends, including former manager Alex Ferguson, making it a memorable moment for him.