Films So Good

Finishing the fifth season of Slow Horses reminded me why it remains one of my favorite series. Many TV shows tend to decline after a few seasons, but for me, the fifth season was unexpectedly strong. The plot was engaging, packed with sharp humor and memorable quotes, and took a refreshing approach by not focusing exclusively on River Cartwright.

We saw far less of Cartwright’s relationship with his grandfather, and he wasn’t constantly placed at the center of the action. That shift allowed other characters to develop. For example, through Roddy Ho’s (Christopher Chung) interrogation scenes, we gain a much deeper understanding of his character.

In this context, it was especially satisfying to see Aimee-Ffion Edwards given more room.

With Marcus Longridge (Kadiff Kirwan) killed off in the previous season, Louisa Guy (Rosalind Eleazar) taking sick leave, and Jackson Lamb openly doubting Cartwright’s abilities, Shirley Dander’s role expanded significantly—effectively making her the driving force of Slow Horses. She recognized the danger to Roddy Ho’s life and saved him, confronted the villains one-on-one, and even helped save the mayor. Edwards captures the full range of Shirley’s character superbly, giving the audience a portrait of someone who is completely burned out yet still skilled enough to recklessly push forward.

What’s next for Aimee-Ffion Edwards:

Beyond her return in the already confirmed sixth season of Slow Horses, Aimee-Ffion Edwards also stars in the recently released The Revenge Club, alongside Martin Compston and Douglas Henshall. The series follows six lonely, recently divorced strangers who meet at a support group. Instead of healing, they form an unlikely alliance and plot revenge against those who betrayed them. She will also appear alongside Daniel Mays in the British true-crime drama Believe Me, written by Jeff Pope.

Photo from episode 05X06

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