Bad Tradecraft – Min Harper (Dustin Demri-Burns) describes the kidnapping of Hassan Ahmed as “bleak.” Louisa Guy (Rosalind Eleazar) says the Sons of Albion will sure kill Hassan. Min agrees because their demands have not been met. He asks Louisa if she thinks Lamb is in the loop. She says he probably doesn’t care but could find out. He tells her that Roddy Ho (Christopher Ho) told him Lamb utilizes “password” as his password. They agree to a couple of shots before heading back to the office.

Tipsy, Louisa struggles to unlock the office door. Min takes over but doesn’t do any better. They make it as far as the stairs before he lays a kiss on her. When she seems distracted, she asks if his technique is wrong. She claims to have heard a noise. They try again, but  this time, both hear the noise. They gradually ascend the stairs to Lamb’s office, where nothing out of the ordinary is detected. He suggests they go to his place, but she wants to do another sweep. They are attacked by someone in a ski mask. Min and the suspect go crashing down the stairs on the floor. After checking his pulse, she says his neck was probably broken during the fall. Min curses when he sees the suspect’s face.

At St. Stephen’s Hospital, a broom is utilized to block a door. Someone peeps through the bottom of the door.  Hobbs (Chris Coghill) sits in a chair when he receives a text that reads, “Cartwright secure, basement level.” River Cartwright (Jack Lowden) places his shoes in a pillowcase. Hobbs asks someone if he needs help. He suggests he go to the reception desk for assistance when a struggle ensues. Cartwright peeps underneath the door to see what is going on. He gets in a position to attack when Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman) opens the door. Lamb retrieves Cartwright’s cellphone from Hobbs. When he sees Cartwright stop to put on his shoes, he tells him to delay as long as he needs.

Cartwright stops at the reception desk to ask about Sidonie “Sid” Baker (Olivia Cooke), but Lamb urges him to leave. Reluctantly, he does as he asks while explaining how he should check on Sid. Lamb tells him that she is still in the operating room. He scolds him for riding with Sid in the ambulance. Cartwright claims he thought Sid wouldn’t make it. Lamb tells him that Regent’s Park sicced Hobbs on him after utilizing his ID to call in the shooting. Cartwright questions Lamb about how he figured out he was at the hospital. Lamb admits Ho found out while he was obeying his order to monitor Regent’s Park’s alerts. As Lamb pulls out of the parking lot, two black vehicles pull up in front of the hospital. The occupants hurry into the hospital.

Zeppo (Stephen Walters), Curly (Brian Vernel), and Moe (Sam Hazeldine) watch the news. Hassan Ahmed (Antonio Aakeel) removes wooden planks concealing a room, with an opening in the ceiling.

At Regent’s Park, Diana Taverner (Kristian Scott Thomas) receives a call from Nick Duffy (Chris Reilly) who informs her that Cartwright has escaped. She orders him to find him.

As Lamb pulls in front of the Slough House, Cartwright asks why he brought him there. Lamb reminds him of who’s his boss. He demands to know why he and Sid were following Robert Hobden (Paul Hilton). Cartwright explains how he discovered something on Hobden’s laptop that could be associated with the Sons of Albion kidnapping. Lamb if he identified the shooter. He explains how the thought the suspect feared he would identify his voice because he never spoke. They enter the office to find the suspect, Jed Moody (Steven Waddington) who attacked Min and Louisa lying on the stair landing. Lamb tells Min and Louisa that Jed shot Sid. Louisa asks, what was the motive for the shooting.

Cartwright tells her about what went down at Hobden’s flat. She informs Lamb there were signs of Jed being in his office. Lamb asks where they were earlier. They admit to being in the pub. He discovers an envelope, a bug, and two cellphones, one of which has a single incoming call. Cartwright suggests he ring the number back. Lamb sarcastically says it would have never crossed his mind. A woman answers the phone.

When Seb (Edmund Kingsley) answers the door, Hobden asks to see Peter Judd (Samuel West). Hobden threatens to contact the tabloids if Peter refuses to speak with him. Seb opens the door for him to enter. Peter pretends to be thrilled by his visit and sends Seb away while he speaks with Hobden in private. As soon as Seb is out of earshot, Peter demands to know the purpose of his visit. Hobden explains how he wasn’t answering the phone. He openly admits to refusing to answer his calls. Hobden informs him of an MI5 agent trying to kill him at his flat. Peter questions why MI5 would want his laptop. He says it is because his laptop has information about Hassan’s kidnapping. Peter asks him why he should care about a Muslim getting kidnapped. Hobden warns him about what could happen to his political goals if Hassan dies.

Diana meets Lamb along the canal. She asks what kind of game he is playing. He reminds her of their agreement to lend Sid for a “run-of-the-mill op.” She assures him Sid was supposed to watch Hobden around the clock. Correcting her, he says it was Hobden but Cartwright who Sid was to monitor. When he demands to know more about her investigation, she reminds him of her status as Second Desk. He forces out flatulence. She covers her nose. He tells her about Jed’s body laying on the stair landing in his office. She asks who killed Jed. Laughing, he blames Jeb’s death on loose shoelaces. He threatens to notify the police from Jeb’s cellphone, with her phone number.

She comes clean about speaking with her about the MI5 ops to eliminate the nationalists. She claims there is a proven link between the Sons of Albion and other groups. He accuses her of strategizing a fake scheme to have the Sons of Albion kidnap and kill a Muslim. He says Hassan will never be killed because someone in the group is an MI5 agent. He reminds her of what happened to Sid and Jed. He asks her if she believes Hobden is connected somehow. She admits Hobden was at the Frontline Club, where she met her brother. He asks if she is concerned about Hobden having a recording of their conversation.

Peter asks Hobden if he can validate his claim of MI5 being involved. He says MI5 believes he has something on his laptop. Peter scolds him for potentially leading MI5 to him. Hobden suggests he alert them of the kidnapping being fake. He sarcastically asks if he should make an announcement in the House of Parliament. When Hobden reminds him of how long they have known each other, Peter calls him a “has-been” to who he should no longer be connected to him.

Lamb tells Diana her lax behavior is unusual for someone who is responsible for strategizing a false flag Muslim kidnapping. She assures him that the Sons of Albion will not go through with it. He reminds her of the group’s core message. She informs him that Hassan is the nephew of Pakistani Mahmud Gul who Lamb knows. He suggests she end it before Hassan is beheaded.

When Curly closes his eyes, Zeppo questions how he can sleep when what is about to happen. He complains about not getting any sleep since the kidnapping. Moe suggests he sing Hassan a lullaby. He mutes the monitor when Hassan makes a loud noise. A panel breaks causing a loud noise. Zeppo and Moe rush to the basement to find Hassan near the vent screaming for help.

Lamb assures Diana that Hassan will die if the group discovers what she has done. She tells him the ops called for no phones. He demands she immediately calls it off. She orders him to knock on the door of the house, where Hassan is being held. He asks how the agent will know it is over. She says the agent will recognize his legendary face. When he refuses, she threatens to go after the agents who were present when Jed died. He still refuses to get involved. She asks if he would change his mind if their target was Catherine Standish (Saskia Reeves). He assures her that Standish was home when Jed died. She threatens to connect Standish to the death of Charles Partner (James Faulkner). He reminds her that nothing came of the investigation. She says more evidence may come forward. He warns her to not go there. He offers to do it in exchange for Standish’s records and protection for his agents. Before he leaves, she apologizes about Sid. He makes a joke of it before leaving.

Hobden pleads with Peter to listen to what he has to say. He explains how the MI5 will take credit for saving Hassan while painting the Sons of Albion as vicious murderers. When he threatens to utilize a photo, Peter punches him in the face. Peter assures him that the photo of his doing a Nazi salute is not real but staged. He blames it on being stupid, young, and drunk. He orders Hobden to leave his home or else. Seb asks if he wants Hobden followed.

Hassan has been restrained. Zeppo dares him to sleep.

Lamb returns to the Slough House to retrieve Jed’s gun. Lamb orders Cartwright to go with him and Louisa and Min to follow behind them. He informs them that they are going to help save Hassan.

When Diana arrives at Regent’s Park, she orders Nick to move in when Lamb knocks on the door. He gives the agents a go.

Lamb is heading to the place, where Hassan is being detained. Cartwright asks if he removed an envelope full of cash from Zed’s body. He suggests it is getaway money. Lamb admits the envelope held 1500, a key, and a passport. Cartwright accuses him of planning to hide in Switzerland. Lamb jokingly asks why he is talking to him about getaway plans. Cartwright says to have an excuse to kill him. Lamb says he is probably right.

Diana watches the surveillance footage when Agent Singh (Bally Gill) approaches to alert her of a call from the Home Office. She refuses to take the call.

Zeppo, Larry, and Moe play cards. Larry (David Walmsley) comments about how lifeless Hassan has been. Moe assures him it is because he is bound to a chair. Lifting Hassan’s mask, he asks him to acknowledge if he can breathe. When Curly returns, Moe makes a joke about him crying. Curly asks Moe about his regiment. Moe asks why he wants to know. He reminds him of what he said about murdering towelheads. Picking up an ax, Curly asks Moe if he ever utilized it. Moe orders him to lay the ax down. He claims it feels awesome holding it. Moe reminds him of Simmonds being in control. Curly swings the ax.

Lamb pulls in front of the apartment. He cocks Zed’s gun. Cartwright asks the purpose of the gun when his job is to just knock on the door. As he approaches the door, he stops to pet a cat. When he knocks on the door, it swings open. Cartwright, Min, and Louisa jump out of their vehicles. Cartwright enters the apartment to find blood splattered everywhere. Moe’s decapitated head lies on the dining table as the episode comes to an end.

 

Slow Horses Review

While I am not fond of the premise, the episode was decent. Information begins to surface that gives you a different perspective of who really are the bad guys. I still believe the writing is a bit lazy, with much of the same old, same old.

I was under the impression that Diana’s scheme would backfire, but not in this manner. I assumed Curly was Diana’s contact and wasn’t expecting him to slaughter everyone.

The cast does fairly well for what little it has to work with. There are a few scenes in which the dialogue is overused, with little to no action. Lamb and Diana’s scenes felt as if they were never going to end. The same for Hobden and Peter.

If you are looking for a realistic depiction of an MI5 spy story, look elsewhere. As the United Kingdom currently faces a range of national security threats, the show focuses on right-wing extremism. A different route would’ve been the better option. Even a TV series geared toward the terrorist group, al Qaeda would have been more realistic.

The episode deserves a 6. Get more Slow Horses recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by clicking on the link.