“Slow Horses” is based on the “Slough House” series of novels by Mick Herron, and it turns out that the author is, like almost everyone who has watched the Apple TV show, impressed by Gary Oldman’s star performance in the TV adaptation.
Bringing a literary character to life may not be the easiest task considering the expectations of fans and the author, but it has been done long before. Jack Reacher creator Lee Child loves Alan Ritchson’s portrayal of the character in “Reacher,” just to give a modern example. Now, it seems Oldman also impressed Herron with his performance as Jackson Lamb – a notable feat, considering how many great things this series has worked in his favor.
The way the sardonic humor contrasts with the surprisingly realistic human drama in “Slow Horses” sets a truly unique tone. Meanwhile, the action and espionage are handled just as well, making “Slow Horses” easily the best spy show on television. But there’s no doubt that without Oldman, the series simply wouldn’t be what it is. In the role of Lamb, the actor once again demonstrates that his range is off the charts (something everyone has known for decades now). Anyone who saw him in John le Carré’s 2011 adaptation, “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,” will likely have difficulty recognizing Oldman as the careless Lamb, leader of the misfit spies who inhabit Slough House, aka MI5’s dumping ground for such burnouts. The character is an absolute wreck of a man, but the way Oldman effortlessly responds to the spy’s many taunts and insults makes him an absolute joy to watch. As such, it’s not really surprising to learn that Herron is a fan, with the author revealing that he’s actually happy with the fact that Oldman took Lamb in a different direction than his literary counterpart.
Mick Herron considers Gary Oldman’s Jackson Lamb distinct from his own
In 2011’s “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” (one of the most accurate spy films ever made), Gary Oldman played protagonist George Smiley with all the subtlety John le Carré’s storytelling demanded. He was an aging spy, deceptively calm and reserved, who somehow still projected inner strength. Oldman’s Smiley also retained such a refined and appropriate manner that he seemed to represent the last gasps of a certain British phlegmatism that simply does not exist today.
In “Slow Horses”, however, he is a redneck. Or rather, Jackson Lamb is a redneck. A common misanthropic pig, Lamb also proves to be a shrewd detective, fooling his adversaries not by being outwardly timid like Smiley, but by presenting himself as an absolute idiot who betrays none of his hidden tricks. Just compare Oldman’s two fictional spies to convince you that the man is a theatrical prodigy and, as you might expect, author Mick Herron is quite impressed.
During an interview with the Monterey Herald, the author of the “Slough House” series was asked if Oldman’s portrayal of Lamb overwrote his original conception of the character. “No, I think I’m aware that there are now two Jacksons, really,” he replied. “Because there’s mine, which is right on the page, and there’s Gary’s. And I think Gary does some really interesting things with it.” As it were, the writer then explained how the actor actually took inspiration from his previous portrayal of George Smiley to create his version of Lamb, something Herron had never thought of before.
Gary Oldman’s Jackson Lamb is a messed up version of George Smiley
During his interview with the Monterey Herald, Mick Herron explained how Gary Oldman created a different version of Jackson Lamb than the one in the books. “Gary has his additional ideas,” he explained. “He spent, it must have been at least a year of his life, being George Smiley [in ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’]. So he thinks Jackson Lamb is George Smiley who made bad decisions or something, which I find really interesting.”
The author went on to say that while this misfit concept of Smiley is not “something I am trying to do”, he maintains that Oldman “has every right to incorporate this into his portrayal”. He continued, “He does it wonderfully. I couldn’t ask for a better Jackson Lamb. I’m very, very happy with how it turned out.” Who could blame him? Oldman has arguably never been better than he is in “Slow Horses,” which is set to continue its sixth season in 2026 following the departure of longtime showrunner and head writer Will Smith.
Hopefully Oldman isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. As counterintuitive as it may seem, its caustic, jaded spy is somehow the heart of “Slow Horses,” and without him constantly bashing his band of misfits, the Apple TV show just wouldn’t feel the same. Fortunately, Lamb remains in the book series, which now includes nine novels and five short stories. So we hope to have plenty more ingenious insults to come, which should make Herron happy.
