‘Slow Horses’ Recap: ‘Footprints’

12/27/2023

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb in Episode 306 of ‘Slow Horses’ – ‘Footprints’. (Photo Courtesy of Apple.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Season Three Finale of ‘Slow Horses’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.

These days, spy stories tend to end in a very specific manner. Wherein the stakes are super high, and the spy or spies tasked with saving the world from a great evil, must put everything on the line and deal with great sacrifice to get the job done. Which leads to an epic, intense, action fueled finale… that is bittersweet in nature. Since there is indeed loss, suffering and fresh scars for the hero. For that is the burden they bear for being the faceless saviors of the modern world. Which is indeed a satisfying structure to close out a spy story, one that we enjoy because it reminds us that this is dangerous and scary work that takes a certain mentality and a certain desire.

Which is why the season three finale of Slow Horses, is of note. Because ‘Footprints’ should have followed that edict and offered up a grizzly and sacrificial battle royale to stop Tearney and her MI5 lackeys from winning the day and controlling the narrative. But instead, this season finale turned out to be… everyone’s finest hour really. Wherein heroic moments took place, and the sacrifices involved the villains of the story, and all of that was accomplished… by some sheer grit and determination from the agents of Slough House… to set things right. Which brought about a battle royale at the Facility. Wherein River and Louisa were able to push through the Chieftain forces and position themselves to potentially escape, which they were able to do because of other heroic moments.

Because Shirley and Marcus, finally figured out how to best their attackers. To the point where they were able to best waves of them no problem and that allowed for Shirley to handle rescue operations at the escape shaft while Marcus could finally face a little sourness from his past and deal with Duffy. Which brought about a stunning fist fight between Marcus and Duffy, one that Marcus won with an incredible assist from Louisa. Who made it out of the complex with just River and the file (since Donovan handed it off before dying in his quest to tell the truth), thanks to an explosive assist from Shirley. Bringing an end to the battle at the Facility and giving River a chance to show his father the file in question as he pondered what to do with it, while Jackson Lamb and Standish fought their own battle far away.

Jack Lowden as River Cartwright in Episode 306 of ‘Slow Horses’ – ‘Footprints’. (Photo Courtesy of Apple.)

After all, Hobbs and Sturges dropped by that cozy hostage cottage to handle their end of the deal and ended up fighting for their lives in a brutal manner. Simply because Jackson relied on the resources within the house to create a house of booby trap horrors to distract the attackers long enough… to allow for real violence to take place. The kind that saw both men fall in a painful and torturous manner and where the house took a beating thanks to Roddy’s decision to crash a party bus into it as part of an attempt to be heroic. But what matters most… is that the Slow Horses shined and were truly heroic in nature. Because they managed to fight back against a great evil and topple it. Since River did indeed release the file, despite his father’s harsh advice on keeping it a secret.

Which meant that Sean Donovan did not die in vain, and justice was served for his beloved Alison, and Taverner also advanced to the top at last and that… is about as happy an ending as one gets in the spy genre. Because good really did win the day and put real villains in their place, and while there were some negative and sacrificial moments present here… they were vastly different in scope and tone. Since one involved a grand verbal and emotional showdown between Standish and Lamb, where she asked him to be open at last and where he responded by shattering the visage of her hero, which was enough for her to leave. Not to mention, River fundamentally changed in this tale by really seeing what the spy industry expects of its people and Taverner may have bitten off more than she can chew.

But that aside, this was… a supremely positive episode. One that really showcased what this team can accomplish when it acts like a team, and what these agents are really capable of and that is a wonderful note to end a scary season on. One that was equally amazing as well. For this story was engaging from day one and in many ways… closed several chapters for the members of Slough House. Since old enemies are gone, and their standing within MI5 has to improve, leaving us both excited and nervous for the fourth season ahead. Since it will be great to see what they can accomplish with a little respect, but what Lamb had to say in that teaser was unsettling for certain. But while we wait to see if that is legit or a bit of misdirection, we need to celebrate one amazing season finale from a series that continues to upend the spy genre, by providing us with stories that defy convention and go far deeper than the genre is normally willing to go. Until next season.

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