River braces for his grandfather's funeral. Lamb looks into the death of an ex-Slow Horse.
No one escapes Slough House. MI5 doesn't hand out second chances to agents who've messed up. The only way out is to quit or die. Both options have been depicted previously. Jackson Lamb considers it his job to make life miserable for those assigned to work for him. He doesn't care about them. Nevertheless, he's protective of his joes. He knows they will run off to commit some idea of noble service believing in the greater good of their mission. It won't change their fate. River believed everything would change after he saved Claude Whelan's life. Absolutely nothing has. In fact, his life has gotten worse. David has died. River previously struggled to actually feel things. He was committed to his job. He always showed potential. It was never enough to look past the punishment Diana gave him at the start of the series. So long as she's in charge, he will remain at Slough House. River takes his anger out at Jackson. His boss is the reason why he hasn't returned to the Park. He didn't put in a good word. Jackson was defending Slough House's right to exist. He had to use his blackmail on Whelan to maintain his ability to be left alone. No matter what though, drama enters the lives of the Slow Horses. They are never truly allowed to relax. They are being targeted once more. That's the mission that opens this season.
The drama begins with a blast from the past. No one missed working alongside Struan Loy. He was more annoying and useless than any of the other Slow Horses. He had no redeemable qualities as an agent. In two quick scenes, the narrative communicates that his life is just as miserable as ever. No one respects him. He's still trying to get people to invest in his projects. It's not impressive in the slightest. It's quite sad actually. His ideas are going no where. And yet, he's targeted and killed because of his connection to Slough House. Jackson doesn't mourn. He appreciates the heads up that one of his former joes was killed. He investigates and concludes that it was murder. He still doesn't let River or Flyte think they've done a good job. He's not trying to pump up their egos. He was heinous towards them when he was getting paid. Now, he's expected to do his job without getting any benefits. Diana writes it off as a clerical error. One prompted by upgrading systems. Jackson calls out the obvious lie. He knows better. He knows what Diana is capable of. She's put dastardly plans into motion in pursuit of becoming First Desk. She's finally achieved that position. Despite that, she still finds herself having to answer to other people. She doesn't like that. Plus, it's clear she's not operating with all the information she needs to be effective at her job.
The assassins even mention that they are working for a mysterious boss. This is just a job for them. They don't have an order to follow in who to kill next. They just pick at random. Roddy's tasked with checking in on the other former Slow Horses. That includes people who have never even been consequential to the show. Kay White is killed. That establishes a pattern. It's not as significant as Struan's return. His purpose is to die. At least he's a familiar face. That makes the stakes clear right away. With Kay, it's simply obvious that all of this is escalating quickly. River becomes the next target on the list. It's not because of any prominence he has. It doesn't matter that he's in mourning. He's on the verge of going half-cocked on a mission anyway. He just needs a reason. That arrives with the sudden appearance of his father, Frank Harkness. River lost one father figure only for another to appear. David expressed that he would miss River the most. Outside of work, River can't process any of his emotions. He can't feel. He goes along with the script. The funeral has to be covert despite everyone basically knowing David worked for MI5. It's openly talked about. Jackson has the distinction of laughing about the absurdity. He doesn't go along with the show. It's disrespectful to the grief actually talking place. And yet, Jackson monitors River as he breaks away from the ceremony.
It's an act of desperation when River jumps onto Frank's car hoping to stop him. He's powerless against his father. Frank has no qualms about punching his son in the throat to ensure a getaway. He makes his presence known. He ensures River sees him. It's not symbolic. He's not trying to offer some grace. It's all meant to unnerve. It suggests he's the mysterious benefactor whose money Peter Judd used last season that was later confiscated by MI5. That's news to Diana. It sends her spiraling right away. She too must keep a lid on her emotions at all times. She can't allow any uncertainty in. The country needs to have confidence in its security agency. That's the image she must project. That all stands in contrast to the lack of professionalism that defines Slough House. It's exemplified by their leader. Jackson dismisses the rejects as incapable. His team is being targeted. That ignites something new. His lack of transparency is at risk of coming back to hurt him too. One comment from Diana is enough to shock Standish with the truth about Charles' death. Jackson keeps so many secrets. They would cause so much pain. He doesn't feel like sharing. In fact, he's surprised when his agents actually listen to him and respond how he wanted. That's not enough to get them out of trouble. A whole new life of disarray is upon them. This plot carries the potential of resonating even more deeply with the stories and characters that came before. Life keeps forging ahead. The characters can't remain stuck. That's the only way they know how to live. That's the inherent contradiction of the show too. The Slow Horses are rejects because they don't know how to process anything in their lives. The commitment to the job is noble but horribly misplaced. And now, it threatens to come at all of their expenses.
