With the spy thriller now in its sixth season, we've produced a definitive ranking of Mick Herron's brilliant characters as they are presented in the TV series – not accounting for their presentation in the books.
Now, without further ado, read on for our full ranking of the 15 best characters in Slow Horses.
*Warning – contains spoilers for seasons 1-5 of Slow Horses*
15. Joanna Scanlan as Moira Tregorian
This mismatch between Moira and her surroundings at Slough House in season 4 make her a joy to watch and a comedy standout. It's bumped her above a number of other stellar supporting characters to appear on this list, despite her limited screen time thus far (she is set to return in season 6).
However, she is perhaps too straight-laced, lacking in both screen time and edge, to make it into the top tier of this and beyond number 15.
14. Kadiff Kirwan as Marcus Longridge
His very presence on this list is testament to that – there are plenty of characters, even pretty central ones, who didn't make the cut. However, his tragic death at the end of season 4, while shocking and affecting, did mean we missed out on learning more about him and his past, getting to know him on a deeper level beyond his dynamic with other characters.
He is, ultimately, more memorable than Moira, and the way his death has continued to reverberate and carry weight in the show bumps him above her on the list.
13. Hugo Weaving as Frank Harkness
The biggest argument against his character is that he has thus far been presented as a bit of a cartoon villain, lacking in any real depth or originality. However, the biggest argument for him is that he's played by Hugo Weaving.
He's more entertaining to watch than Moira or Marcus, or indeed a number of characters above him on this list. If he just had a bit more development and a more rounded sense of individuality, he would be soaring.
12. Jonathan Pryce as David Cartwright
However, as his arc came into sharper focus in season 4, and he was given more depth, the character became more of a tragic figure, and thus more interesting.
However, we can't say his entertainment value is higher than some of the other characters on this list, and his earlier lack of development means he is still outside of the top 10.
11. Olivia Cooke as Sidonie Baker
Now, we know that is the case, as Sid returns in season 6. We won't give anything away about her role in the new run yet, but we can say that as in season 1, Cooke is a very welcome presence, at times feeling as though she was never gone. Her performance is warm and likeable, yet she hasn't lost some of the barbed nature she possessed in season 1. Her dynamic with River is particularly strong, building off their chemistry in the show's first run.
Ultimately, Sid can't go higher on this list at this point, simply because she hasn't made her presence felt enough, and her character isn't so dynamic or original as to make up for that. However, Cooke's performance is strong enough, her role in season 6 is bulky enough, and the character crucial enough to the story as a whole, even during her absence, that she lands in number 11, above some of the more supporting figures.
10. Dustin Demri-Burns as Min Harper
Demri-Burns was so charming and fun here, so his leaving stuck in fans' minds in a way few other shorter-term characters have done. Min is the show's biggest loss thus far, and while Demri-Burns's comedy background was clear from the off, his dramatic chops cannot be understated, and they made him someone we could all truly root for.
The trouble is simply that he was killed so early on, and therefore his significance to the show is slightly lessened as time goes on. It's hard to put him above any of our remaining Slow Horses (bar the returning Sid), so he settles in at number 10.
9. Aimee-Ffion Edwards as Shirley Dander
Of all the characters listed thus far, Shirley feels like the most original creation, a figure you'd be hard pressed to find in another series. Admittedly, her bristly nature has meant that she is often defined more by her relationships with the other Slough House members, and kept her a little bit at arm's length in the earlier seasons.
We have a feeling that Shirley will continue to climb its way up the list as her character gets rounded out and she becomes more of a crucial lynchpin in the Slough House team, but for now she lands above Min, but doesn't break into that upper stratosphere.
8. Saskia Reeves as Catherine Standish
She's not just workmanlike though. Sakisa Reeves makes her both a heartfelt and humorous presence, and her complex past makes her a fascinating, complex and original character. Her relationship with Shirley, who also struggles with addiction, was a particular highlight in season 5, and her perpetual exasperation at what goes on around her makes her consistently entertaining.
Ultimately, as an unsung hero, she often has less bombastic or memorable moments than some of the others, accounting for her position below the top seven.
7. Rosalind Eleazar as Louisa Guy
Her dynamics the likes of with River, Min and Marcus have been some of the best on the show, yet she is also a force in her own right, who we would happily watch go off on her own mission. Sure, she'd grumble along the way, but unlike some of the others we'd understand her gripes – like Standish, she is so often a source of sense in this insane world, something which is sorely needed.
All of this makes her a real contender to head to the top of the list, but admittedly in recent seasons her absence from the series has somewhat diminished her impact. In season 5 she left the Slough House team in the first episode, and while she is set to return in some capacity in season 6, her significance to the show has been blunted by her stop-start appearances and out of the blue departure.
6. Christopher Chung as Roddy Ho
Most shows in their sixth season would feel the need to make a character as central as Roddy slowly start to develop a heart, to become more palatable to the general audience and show some growth. The fact that Slow Horses refuses to do so, and continues to revel in his refusal to change, is part of why fans embrace the show as much as they do.
This makes him utterly crucial to setting the tone of the series, even if his lack of internal depth does keep him from the top spots.
5. Tom Brooke as JK Coe
Since then, he became one of the shining stars of season 5, with Tom Brook utilising his excellent comic timing to great effect, while also making the character a constant enigma. He is utterly unpredictable but in a quiet, subtle way, in a role which could have been overplayed by another actor.
The character's depth means he lands just ahead of Roddy, but if you're looking for entertainment value, there's a character who was introduced at the same time as him who somehow manages to outdo him.
4. James Callis as Claude Whelan
Claude's entertainment value is off the charts, in large part down to James Callis's terrific comic timing and delivery. His dynamic with Taverner is absolutely delicious, and while he feels like a totally original creation, he is also expertly observed.
As the show's funniest character, Claude clocks in at number 4. He just couldn't possibly beat Diana Taverner to the punch - not again.
3. Kristin Scott Thomas as Diana Taverner
Taverner is in no way an agent of rectitude, but someone who sees the world in all of its shades of grey, and will certainly act in the interest of the country and the agency – just not, necessarily, before her own interests. The fact that we don't see as much of her across the series only makes her more intriguing.
We can never quite know what she's thinking, in part thanks to Scott Thomas's brilliantly cutting portrayal, and that makes her that rare character where you never quite know what she's going to do next. It's thrilling to watch, meaning she lands near the very top of the list, even if she can't dethrone the show's two most central characters.
2. Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb
Like with Roddy Ho, Jackson is not a character who is looking for redemption, or who we are likely to see 'change his ways' anytime soon. Even his small moments of kindness or open humanity, such as securing Marcus's salary for his family or having a drink with River at the end of season 4, are couched in barbs and hostility. Perhaps the best thing about Lamb, beyond being one of the funnier characters on the show while also carrying a sense of darkness, is that you always sense he has an ace up his sleeve and a plan in place – you just don't know what that plan is, or how it will impact the others.
All this to say, Jackson is easily the most original character the show has to offer, and the most crucial to its success (thus far). To have him any lower on this list would be criminal. Even not ranking him at number one will be contentious, but there is one character who pips him to the post.
1. Jack Lowden as River Cartwright
It turns out, yes, we absolutely can, because River is the best character in Slow Horses history. His dynamic with Lamb may ultimately be the show's secret sauce, meaning it wouldn't work nearly as well without both of them and their duelling personalities but, the reason River heads to the top of this list is his humanity.
Because of this, it can often be underestimated just how funny River can be, how entertaining he is both in action sequences and in back and forth discussions. He may be the straight-man to Lamb's comedian, but he is not a cut and dry action hero. Instead, he's deeply flawed, egotistical and often reckless, yet someone we root for all the same.
Slow Horses is available to stream on Apple TV. Season 6 will be released from 16 September. Start your seven-day free Apple TV trial.
Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
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