There are a lot of shows like "Slow Horses." We’ve all seen countless procedural and spy shows.
And yet, there are almost no shows quite like "Slow Horses." This show has unequivocally been one of the best shows on TV this decade. While many spy thrillers exist, and many are also good, "Slow Horses" is one of a select few that could claim to be the best spy thriller show ever.
Slow Horses seasons 1-4 are streaming on Apple TV Plus
For those who don't know, this Apple TV Plus show stars Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb, a washed-up MI5 agent in charge of the rejects in Slough House. While these disgraced agents aren't supposed to be involved in any missions, they have a habit of getting stuck in places they don't belong ... often because of something River Cartwright (Jack Lowden) did.
There are a few hallmarks of this show. The British wit is excellent, and it's often as funny as it is thrilling. The seasons are also largely self-contained and a bit of a slow burn, but the six-episode format leads to impeccable pacing. Season 4 just wrapped up, and seasons 5 and 6 are already in the works.
So whether it's espionage thrillers you're looking for or a show about people who could stand to be a bit better at their jobs, these are the best shows like "Slow Horses" to watch while you wait for season 5.
'Psych'
Shawn Spencer (James Roday Rodriguez) and Burton Guster (Dulé Hill) might take home the pineapple when it comes to chaotic crime-fighting duos. The series "Psych" hinges on fake psychic Shawn Spencer, who assists the police in solving homicides alongside his more pragmatic, yet no less eccentric, sidekick Gus.
The show has a much more on-the-nose goofy comedic styling than the dry humor of Slow Horses, but Shawn and Gus get into an equal amount of trouble. Though plenty of characters question their methods, Shawn and Gus almost always solve the case — they’re just really dramatic about it. Steve Franks created the show that stars Timothy Omundson (Carlton Lassiter), Corbin Bernsen (Henry Spencer), and Maggie Lawson (Juliet O'Hara).
Watch on Peacock or Prime Video
'Breakout Kings'
You can’t get much more of an unconventional crime-fighting team than convicted felons who get time off their sentences to catch down escaped convicts. "Breakout Kings" is an offshoot of "Prison Break" — and even features OG character T-Bag’s second escape from prison (and subsequent recapture).
Naturally, the team recruited by two U.S. marshals doesn’t always play by the book, making for an interesting twist on each week’s capture. The Matt Olmstead and Nick Santora-led series only lasted two seasons, and it’s one of the lesser-known genre shows. However, it’s still worth a watch. The show stars actors like Domenick Lombardozzi (Ray Zancanelli), Jimmi Simpson (Lloyd Lowery), Malcolm Goodwin (Shea Daniels), Laz Alonso (Charlie Duchamp), and Serinda Swan (Erica Reed).
'Sherlock'
Sherlock Holmes is the king of out-of-the-box detectives. Like Slow Horses, BBC’s "Sherlock" takes an unconventional approach to the procedural genre with plenty of dry British humor. Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock Holmes is a certifiable genius — but he’s also an addict. There’s certainly a method to his madness, but his personality quirks don’t tend to win over the people in his life, and his lone-wolf approach often alienates him from his sidekick Dr. John Watson (Martin Freeman).
"Doctor Who" duo Mark Gattis and Steven Moffat created the series that stars Una Stubbs (Mrs. Hudson), Rupert Graves (DI Lestrade), Mark Gatiss (Mycroft Holmes), Andrew Scott (Jim Moriarty), and Louise Brealey (Molly Hooper). Though the series ran from 2010 to 2017, the show only has 15 episodes (though each is movie-length).
Watch on Hulu
'Leverage'
The concept of stealing from the rich and giving to the poor naturally lends itself to some maverick-type characters. Each episode of the show "Leverage" follows a heist led by grieving dad and alcoholic Nathan Ford (Timothy Hutton) who is a former insurance investigator.
The team consists of grifter Sophie Devereaux (Gina Bellman), hacker Alec Hardison (Aldis Hodge), retrieval specialist and muscle Eliot Spencer (Christian Kane), and thief Parker (Beth Riesgraf). To boot, Spencer has a very British-like dry demeanor (with a bit of a hot-headed streak). Chris Downey and John Rogers created the series that scored a resurrection on Prime Video nearly a decade after its 2012 ending.
Watch on Freevee
MI-5
The British series "MI-5" (formerly known as "Spooks") is basically a more competent version of "Slow Horses," as it centers around a team within the same MI-5 agency. David Wolstencroft created the fairly traditional procedural show in 2002, which lasted a whopping ten seasons until 2011. However, like most British shows, there are only a handful of episodes each season, leading to a total of 86 episodes.
The show hinges on more do-or-die terrorist threats to national security than its fairly spoofy counterpart "Slow Horses." The spy team is led by Peter Firth’s Harry Pearce and includes notable British actors including Matthew Macfadyen, Keeley Hawes and David Oyelowo. Firth is the only cast member that appears in all 86 episodes.
Watch on BritBox (via Prime Video)
'The Night Manager'
Mick Herron's "Slough House" books are great, but John le Carré is still the best spy thriller author. Unfortunately, the 1979 series "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" isn't streaming, but thankfully, you can watch "The Night Manager" on Prime Video. The six-part miniseries follows Jonathan Pine (Tom Hiddleston), a former military officer turned Cairo hotel night manager as he is swept up in an international conspiracy involving infamous arms dealer Richard ‘Dicky’ Onslow Roper (Hugh Laurie).
This has some incredible British acting talent that can go toe-to-toe with the best "Slow Horses" has to offer. Alongside Hiddleston and Laurie are Olivia Colman as Angela Burr, manager of a Foreign Office task force tasked with bringing down Roper and Tom Hollander as Roper’s right-hand man.
Watch on Prime Video
'The Old Man'
“The Old Man” is another great espionage thriller with a supremely talented elder leading man. The show stars Jeff Bridges as Dan Chase, a former CIA operative just trying to enjoy retirement. When an intruder breaks into his Vermont home though, he knows that FBI Assistant Director for Counterintelligence Harold Harper (John Lithgow) is hunting for him.
Season 1 was a big hit for fans of spy thriller shows and season 2 seems to be similarly beloved, though albeit not quite so critically acclaimed. In the latest season, Chase has to save his daughter Emily (Ali Shawkat) in Afghanistan, and he has to team up with Harper to do it.
Watch on Hulu
