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The Worst Episodes of Slow Horses

Every episode of Slow Horses ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Slow Horses!

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Follow a dysfunctional team of MI5 agents—and their obnoxious boss, the notorious Jackson Lamb—as they navigate the espionage world's smoke and mirrors to defend England from sinister forces.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    Slow Horses Season 1 Episode 1 - Failure's Contagious
    7.5/10(5402 votes)

    #1 - Failure's Contagious

    S1:E1

    River Cartwright is ousted from MI5 and finds himself in a place worse than purgatory: Slough House, dumping ground for failed spies.

    Director:James Hawes
    Writer:Will Smith

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  2. Slow Horses Season 1 Episode 2 - Work Drinks
    7.7/10(4533 votes)

    #2 - Work Drinks

    S1:E2

    River and Sid join forces. A misfired gun has dire consequences.

    Director:James Hawes
    Writer:Will Smith

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  3. Slow Horses Season 5 Episode 1 - Bad Dates
    7.7/10(3179 votes)

    #3 - Bad Dates

    S5:E1

    A mass shooting rocks London, intensifying a testy mayoral race. Shirley believes one of the Slow Horses was the target of an attempted hit.

    Director:Saul Metzstein
    Writer:Will Smith

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  4. Slow Horses Season 2 Episode 2 - From Upshott with Love
    7.8/10(3398 votes)

    #4 - From Upshott with Love

    S2:E2

    Lamb liaises with a Russian defector who may hold a clue to sleeper agents. River is on the trail of a ruthless assassin.

    Director:Jeremy Lovering
    Writer:Morwenna Banks

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  5. Slow Horses Season 1 Episode 4 - Visiting Hours
    7.9/10(4080 votes)

    #5 - Visiting Hours

    S1:E4

    Taverner sends the Dogs to hunt down Lamb and the Slow Horses. River holds the secret to saving the gang.

    Director:James Hawes
    Writer:Morwenna Banks

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  6. Slow Horses Season 2 Episode 1 - Last Stop
    7.9/10(3691 votes)

    #6 - Last Stop

    S2:E1

    Jackson Lamb is on high alert after a former spy is found dead. Min and Louisa are tempted by an offer from outside Slough House.

    Director:Jeremy Lovering
    Writer:Will Smith

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  7. Slow Horses Season 5 Episode 2 - Incommunicado
    7.9/10(2675 votes)

    #7 - Incommunicado

    S5:E2

    Lamb intercepts an assassin. Taverner receives a key piece of intel about the Abbotsfield shooting.

    Director:Saul Metzstein
    Writer:Will Smith

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  8. Slow Horses Season 1 Episode 3 - Bad Tradecraft
    8.1/10(4344 votes)

    #8 - Bad Tradecraft

    S1:E3

    Slough House is the unlikely venue for a secret romance, but events take a dark turn when a dangerous encounter becomes deadly.

    Director:James Hawes
    Writer:Will Smith

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  9. Slow Horses Season 4 Episode 2 - A Stranger Comes to Town
    8.1/10(2902 votes)

    #9 - A Stranger Comes to Town

    S4:E2

    A naive agent makes a discovery about the Westacres bomber. Lamb suspects that David knows more than he's letting on.

    Director:Adam Randall
    Writer:Will Smith

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  10. Slow Horses Season 4 Episode 3 - Penny for Your Thoughts
    8.1/10(2821 votes)

    #10 - Penny for Your Thoughts

    S4:E3

    River is trapped in France. Back at Slough House, the Dogs have come for Lamb.

    Director:Adam Randall
    Writer:Morwenna Banks

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  11. Slow Horses Season 4 Episode 4 - Returns
    8.1/10(2769 votes)

    #11 - Returns

    S4:E4

    Taverner is desperate to hide dangerous secrets. River seeks answers at his grandfather's house.

    Director:Adam Randall
    Writers:Jonny Stockwood, Mark Denton

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  12. Slow Horses Season 5 Episode 3 - Tall Tales
    8.1/10(2680 votes)

    #12 - Tall Tales

    S5:E3

    An act of sabotage grinds London to a halt. Taverner interrogates Roddy. Coe is convinced a destabilization strategy is at play.

    Director:Saul Metzstein
    Writer:Sean Gray

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  13. Slow Horses Season 1 Episode 5 - Fiasco
    8.2/10(4044 votes)

    #13 - Fiasco

    S1:E5

    The Slow Horses must disappear to avoid capture by MI5. Lamb and River head to The Park to outwit Taverner.

    Director:James Hawes
    Writers:Jonny Stockwood, Mark Denton

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  14. Slow Horses Season 1 Episode 6 - Follies
    8.2/10(4184 votes)

    #14 - Follies

    S1:E6

    Taverner and the Slow Horses attempt different approaches to locate the kidnappers and Hassan. Ho makes a shocking discovery about Sid.

    Director:James Hawes
    Writer:Will Smith

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  15. Slow Horses Season 2 Episode 3 - Drinking Games
    8.2/10(3370 votes)

    #15 - Drinking Games

    S2:E3

    River gets cozy in the Cotswolds while searching for a sleeper agent. Min discovers Russian drinking games are the most brutal of all.

    Director:Jeremy Lovering
    Writer:Morwenna Banks

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  16. Slow Horses Season 2 Episode 4 - Cicada
    8.2/10(3320 votes)

    #16 - Cicada

    S2:E4

    Louisa makes her move on Pashkin. Catherine makes moves of a different kind when she plays high-stakes chess with a sinister stranger.

    Director:Jeremy Lovering
    Writers:Jonny Stockwood, Mark Denton

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  17. Slow Horses Season 3 Episode 1 - Strange Games
    8.2/10(3518 votes)

    #17 - Strange Games

    S3:E1

    A romantic relationship in Istanbul ends badly. Lamb hits the panic button when one of his Slow Horses fails to show up for work.

    Director:Saul Metzstein
    Writer:Will Smith

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  18. Slow Horses Season 5 Episode 4 - Missiles
    8.2/10(2721 votes)

    #18 - Missiles

    S5:E4

    Flyte sets out to find Roddy's girlfriend. The gang is dispatched to two different campaign events to prevent another attack.

    Director:Saul Metzstein
    Writer:Edward Docx

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  19. Slow Horses Season 3 Episode 2 - Hard Lessons
    8.3/10(3259 votes)

    #19 - Hard Lessons

    S3:E2

    River has to steal something out of the Park to save a life. Lamb realizes a stranger game is afoot.

    Director:Saul Metzstein
    Writer:Will Smith

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  20. Slow Horses Season 3 Episode 4 - Uninvited Guests
    8.3/10(3134 votes)

    #20 - Uninvited Guests

    S3:E4

    Tearney makes a bold move. The Slow Horses assist the Tiger Team, unaware of their hidden agenda. Lamb and Ho take a road trip.

    Director:Saul Metzstein
    Writers:Jonny Stockwood, Mark Denton

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  21. Slow Horses Season 6 Episode 1 - Circle of Life
    8.3/10(1764 votes)

    #21 - Circle of Life

    S6:E1

    River braces for his grandfather's funeral. Lamb looks into the death of an ex–Slow Horse.

    Director:Adam Randall
    Writer:Gaby Chiappe

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  22. Slow Horses Season 6 Episode 2 - Daddy Issues
    8.3/10(1357 votes)

    #22 - Daddy Issues

    S6:E2

    The reemergence of Frank Harkness and a suspicious string of murders put Lamb and team on high alert.

    Director:Adam Randall
    Writer:Edward Docx

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  23. Slow Horses Season 6 Episode 3 - Resurrection
    8.3/10(1236 votes)

    #23 - Resurrection

    S6:E3

    Ex–Slow Horses return to the fold as assassins close in. Taverner faces the fallout of her TV interview.

    Director:Adam Randall
    Writer:Sophie Goodhart

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  24. Slow Horses Season 4 Episode 1 - Identity Theft
    8.4/10(3447 votes)

    #24 - Identity Theft

    S4:E1

    A London bombing puts Taverner under pressure. When River grows concerned for his grandfather, Louisa encourages him to go for a visit.

    Director:Adam Randall
    Writer:Will Smith

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  25. Slow Horses Season 5 Episode 5 - Circus
    8.4/10(2750 votes)

    #25 - Circus

    S5:E5

    Lamb debriefs River and Coe. Roddy is pulled in to help decipher a piece of code as the destabilization strategy nears its final stage.

    Director:Saul Metzstein
    Writer:Will Smith

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Failure's Contagious" is the worst rated episode of "Slow Horses". It scored 7.5/10 based on 5402 votes. Directed by James Hawes and written by Will Smith, it aired on 4/1/2022. This episode scored 0.2 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Work Drinks".