The reemergence of Frank Harkness and a suspicious string of murders put Lamb and team on high alert.
What's connected and what's actually just a coincidence? A lot is happening this season. It's easy to assume that every piece of the narrative ties together in some way. That's how the show always operates. Even a tangential concern in the beginning proves to be significant by the end. This season is unique in that it is adapting two books in Mick Herron's "Slough House" series. As such, it's possible that some plot points have nothing to do with each other. That carries the risk of being too much to juggle over the course of just six episodes. It also points out how blinded the characters can be in their thinking. Frank showed up at David's funeral. He's back in London for business. The assumption is that he is involved with the assassinations of former Slow Horses. River is especially blinded by rage for his father. He doesn't refer to him as such. Instead, he's the monster terrorizing his life. Jackson's jealous because he wants that job for himself. No one else can mess with his joes. He needs to be the one tormenting them all the time. They are all threatened right now. None of them should be seen as safe. Their digital presence within MI5 has already been scrubbed. They aren't getting paid. Multiple people are trying to kill them. Jackson sees the flashing warning signs. Everyone else is slow to respond which serves as his latest grievance against their capabilities as agents.
A file was stolen from MI5 records. Frank kills the Dog who retrieved it. He left behind a witness. He needs permission from his new boss, Damien, to proceed. He has no qualms about killing a child to ensure secrets stay buried. However, he leaves enough time for Jackson and River to catch up and also start their pursuit of the child. They track Frank's movements. He's clearly up to something. The file appears to be the list of agents assigned to Slough House over the years. Yet another Slow Horse is killed by the assassins. They take out Moira. They stage the scene as if a gas leak killed her. They are pointedly more careful than how they handled Struan and Kay. They faced no stiffer resistance though. They remark on how easy the job has been so far. They couldn't go after River next though. They had to move on to another name. They don't like being told what to do. They have no choice but to comply. They weren't hired for their opinions. They have a job that must be done. They answer to other people. They won't go rogue. That's in sharp contrast to the Slow Horses. They are constantly bucking Jackson's orders. They lead with their emotions. That gets them into trouble over and over again. River is more volatile than ever before. He positions himself for a showdown with his father. That's not what awaits him at his grandfather's home.
River incorrectly believed Frank was calling him. It made sense to see him as the figure teasing him. Frank only made his presence known once. That was enough. A message is still delivered. River pressures Roddy until he traces the call. Roddy knows to do what Jackson asks of him first. He can do what River asks but needs to point out how difficult it is too. He's not a miracle worker. River needed to cooperate previously. An answer is still provided. That simply reveals new questions. Frank isn't at David's home. Instead, Sid is the one who has been reaching out to River. She never belonged in Slough House. Yet River thought he got her killed for involving her in one of his missions. That established early on the dangerous stakes of this world. Of course, the narrative later let it be known that Sid's life was erased. That meant there was something for the Park to still protect. Diana assigned Sid to monitor River. She couldn't allow him to disrupt her plans. That was just enough of an annoyance to her. She's still paying for that decision. Judd's leverage over her is much more significant. His reputation has already been damaged. He doesn't have much more to lose. And so, Diana is forced into a news interview. She's resistant every step of the way. She is still beholden to others. That's not how she wants to operate. She's the one in charge. She doesn't have the benefits of being First Desk yet. Instead, she's dealing with the cost of all that she had to do to obtain this influence. It's detrimental to the job she wants to be doing.
No one can hide. They may wish to. They want to be protected through their employment with the service. That's not enough. The Slow Horses are the only ones who care about not getting paid. Shirley steals from Kay because she's living paycheck to paycheck. She doesn't want to be out in the field without the guarantee of this benefit. Jackson orders her to do so. Three Slow Horses and a Dog are now dead. The digital and physical files are gone. No one is safe. The final moments promise exciting returns from the past. Sid is the first. Shirley and Standish are set to pick up Louisa. She's tried to move on with her life. However, this work has reared its ugly head once more. Even if these characters wanted out, it's impossible to do so. They signed up for this job. To keep working, they have to endure Jackson's degrading treatment. That lingers even long after they leave. They have to atone for the mistakes from their predecessors. Diana faces that pressure too. She must keep the Park's secrets closely guarded. Transparency is good in some instances. That's been the source of conflict before. But now, the Slow Horses are the ones in the crosshairs. They won't be given the benefit of the doubt like those in good standing at the Park. Jackson can't even trust his joes to go dark like he told them to. He can only do so much to keep them safe. He dislikes people but also needs them to unravel whatever this threat actually is. They must push aside any personal feelings to focus on the task at hand. He understands that. But then again, he has never had much of a personal life worth delving into or sharing with others. He only has the pain of his past actions. He carries that burden alone. Meanwhile, everyone else projects their issues and allows it to impact their work.
