Compare The Paper, Season 2 vs Slow Horses, Season 6

The season draws sharp criticism for treating fabricated quotes and manipulated photos too lightly, with one reviewer especially bothered by the lack of meaningful repercussions.

The season’s recurring focus on who accepts blame, who ducks it, and how institutions pass responsibility upward remains a satisfying part of the show’s cynical workplace machinery.

Ned’s characterization is a sore point for some critics, who find his ethics, competence, and behavior contradictory enough to make the season’s central relationship harder to trust.

The established personalities still feel sharply defined, from River’s impulsiveness to Lamb’s abrasive competence and Roddy’s ego. Reviewers praised how well the cast understands those ingrained flaws and rhythms.

At least one critic finds the season short on memorable, quotable lines even when the writing is otherwise clever or likable.

The quick, acerbic dialogue remains a standout, with razor-sharp exchanges and dry wit surviving the season’s darker turn. Reviewers especially praised how the banter keeps tension from becoming monotonous.

The all-at-once episode drop is criticized as making the season easier to consume quickly but also easier to forget.

Reviewers repeatedly celebrated the show’s unusually reliable yearly cadence. The fast turnaround is seen as a major advantage because the story and characters stay fresh in viewers’ minds.

The ten-episode season is repeatedly seen as too short for such a large ensemble, forcing the show to choose between romance, journalism, and supporting characters.

Six episodes continue to feel like a sweet spot for this series. Critics praised the format for avoiding filler, preserving urgency, and still leaving room for plot and character beats.

One major criticism is that the central relationship becomes so ambiguous that the reviewer cannot tell what direction the show wants the audience to follow.

The central hunt is easy enough to follow, but combining two novels creates moments where several storylines compete for attention. Some reviewers found the middle stretch harder to track even though the season ultimately pulls the strands together.

The show’s blend of warmth, cringe, and broad farce works for some reviewers but feels wobbly or over-sanitized to others, especially when darker or more bizarre behavior lacks a sharp comic payoff.

Most critics thought the show still balances brutality, grief, sarcasm, and absurd comedy remarkably well under the new showrunner. A few dissenters felt the humor had dulled, but the broader tonal identity remains intact.

The finale is viewed positively for giving the investigation a workable conclusion while ending the romance on a hopeful, continuation-friendly note.

The final cliffhanger is divisive: some reviewers found it breathless and brilliantly effective, while another called it a cheap send-off. Its ability to create urgency for Season 7 is not in doubt.

Season-level momentum is mixed: one reviewer thinks the back half improves substantially, while another feels the final stretch stumbles after a strong run.

Most full-season reviews found Season 6 exceptionally propulsive, particularly from the second episode onward. The biggest tradeoff is that the speed can crowd out quieter emotional scenes or make the middle harder to follow.

Writing is strongly polarized: supporters call it clever, sharp, and smart, while critics describe it as unfocused, overly safe, or lacking a clear thesis.

Despite the showrunner transition, the writing was broadly praised as sharp, polished, witty, and structurally confident. The strongest reviews felt the two-book adaptation was seamless, while a few critics missed some of the old comic bite.

For supporters, this is a warm workplace sitcom with real ideas and strong laughs; detractors argue that too many jokes miss for the show to fully satisfy as a comedy.

The season continues to stand out as a distinctive spy thriller by mixing bureaucratic drudgery, messy fieldwork, dark comedy, and grounded danger. Reviewers repeatedly framed that blend as something rival shows do not quite match.

The oversized ensemble is a recurring frustration. The cast is frequently praised, but romance-heavy plots and limited episode space leave several supporting characters sidelined or fighting for attention.

Several critics liked how Season 6 spreads plot and development around the ensemble, but others felt the large cast and returning favorites sometimes squeeze regular characters out of focus.

The best episodes are praised for starting with simple workplace problems and escalating naturally into chaos. A harsher take says the story-of-the-week structure feels empty when the larger mission fades.

The premiere earns praise for efficiently setting up several threats and emotional threads at once. Reviewers also noted that the show can juggle disparate material with surprising smoothness.

Season 2 gets credit for moving relationships forward, giving Mare growth, and deepening several recurring characters. Detractors argue that some arcs remain stagnant or recycle the same relationship conflicts.

Returning characters are pushed into new emotional and professional territory, with River’s grief and old relationships receiving particular attention. Reviewers generally welcomed the way the season develops familiar people without rewriting who they are.

The local-journalism premise gives the comedy real substance for many reviewers, especially around ethics, resources, and public trust. Others think the show retreats into safe sitcom territory just as those ideas become interesting.

The season uses grief, disposability, loyalty, and institutional neglect to deepen its spy-story mechanics. River’s mourning and the fate of discarded agents give the thriller more emotional and thematic weight.

Chemistry is one of the season’s biggest divides. Many reviewers find the ensemble increasingly comfortable and Ned and Mare warm or natural together, while others see little spark or feel the romance weakens once they become a couple.

Returning pairings—especially Jack Lowden with Olivia Cooke—were a major highlight, while new character combinations also brought fresh energy. The ensemble’s ability to bounce between bickering, affection, and danger remains a core strength.

Storytelling reactions range from praise for a stronger investigative spine and relationship progression to complaints about half-baked arcs, random weekly plots, and a central romance that absorbs too much oxygen.

The broad consensus is that Season 6 tells a strong, often excellent story with personal stakes and relentless danger. More skeptical critics found the core chase repetitive or the underlying mystery merely solid rather than exceptional.

Many reviewers find the newsroom increasingly warm, likable, and easy to spend time with, though a few actively dislike major characters or find certain romantic behavior toxic.

The Slow Horses remain a collection of abrasive, damaged misfits that viewers have nevertheless grown deeply attached to. That affection makes the season’s danger and deaths hit harder.

The unresolved Ned-and-Mare ending is treated as a useful setup for another season, leaving their relationship in a deliberately unsettled place rather than closing it off.

Most critics found the twists and cliffhangers extremely effective at keeping momentum high and setting up Season 7. A minority disliked the final cliffhanger as a send-off even while acknowledging its impact.

The central relationship is handled as an intentional balancing act, with the season taking risks by moving Ned and Mare forward quickly and then testing the relationship.

The season’s drama was widely praised for feeling tense, consequential, and emotionally charged. River’s grief and the threat against Slough House give the espionage plot a more personal edge.

Season 2 is generally seen as more confident outside The Office’s shadow, but reviewers disagree on how fully it has escaped familiar archetypes, callbacks, and relationship patterns.

Season 6 pays off long-running threads, revives earlier characters, and pushes the larger series story forward. That stronger reliance on prior seasons rewards established viewers more than newcomers.

Pacing is contested: one reviewer likes how quickly episodes move, while another finds the episodes sluggish and underpowered.

Most reviewers thought individual episodes moved briskly and efficiently, especially once the season gets going. One premiere review found the opening chapter slower and more cumbersome than usual.

Performances are generally viewed as a strength: the cast is described as solid and increasingly comfortable, with the second season giving several actors more room to settle into their roles.

Most critics thought the ensemble was operating at a very high level, with several calling the cast’s work among the strongest the series has delivered. Even more mixed season reviews still tended to praise the performances.

Alongside the satire, the season is praised as heartfelt, giving its newsroom comedy a warmer emotional layer.

Grief, loss, and old relationships give Season 6 more emotional weight than a typical chase-driven thriller. Several reviewers found the deaths and River’s vulnerability genuinely affecting, though one felt the relentless pace left too little room for intimacy.

The season is widely described as easy to keep watching; multiple reviewers call it an easy binge, and one said they simply did not want to stop.

At least one reviewer watched all six episodes in a single sitting, matching the broader sense that the compact, propulsive season is easy to tear through quickly.

The season earns praise for a well-articulated debate about public shaming and how media judgment can spill from private behavior into public consequences.

The pressure created by a hostile media figure and Taverner’s public exposure fits naturally into the season’s political machinery. One reviewer specifically praised that political-media dimension for feeling tangible.

The journalism portrayal sharply divides reviewers: one calls it an accurate picture of digital-era news, while another finds its ethics and newsroom behavior badly divorced from reality.

The season often earns praise for making violence feel painful, messy, and grounded, but one critic objected to assassins becoming implausibly ineffective when the plot needed the heroes to survive.

Comedy is the biggest fault line. Many reviewers call Season 2 funnier, sharper, or laugh-out-loud effective, while others find the broad farce scattershot, safe, or simply not funny enough.

The caustic workplace comedy and Lamb’s insults still land for most critics, even against a much bleaker story. A few reviewers felt the one-liners were less sharp than in earlier seasons, so the comedy is not universally seen as peak form.

Interest in another season is notably high. Multiple reviewers explicitly want Season 3 or several more seasons, even when they acknowledge flaws in the current run.

Enthusiasm for more Slow Horses remains extremely high among positive reviewers, with some openly hoping the series continues for many more seasons.

Some critics applaud the season for moving past stale will-they-won’t-they formulas, while others feel it still recycles too many familiar Office-style patterns.

Opinions split sharply on freshness. Many critics loved the unpredictability and personal stakes, while dissenters thought the show was recycling familiar faces, chase mechanics, and a formula that has become predictable.

The roughly 20–25 minute episodes are praised for keeping jokes moving without making the newsroom stories feel crammed.

The roughly 45-minute episodes were praised for feeling lean and fast without seeming starved of story. The runtime helps the season keep pressure on the plot while avoiding obvious filler.

One strongly positive review credits the season’s smart writing with consistently delivering the laughs.

The scripts retain the series’ signature sarcasm, wit, and efficient plotting even after the lead-writer change. Reviewers who focused on the writing found the handover impressively smooth.

The finale is praised as hopeful and memorable, with Esmeralda’s undercover material singled out as one of the season’s funniest moments.

The closing stretch drew some of the strongest praise of the season, with multiple critics calling the penultimate episode and finale gripping, brutal, and among the show’s best set pieces.

Rewatchability is a clear weakness in the more skeptical reviews, which see the season as pleasant comfort viewing but far below The Office’s repeat-viewing pull.

The dense plotting and brisk pace encouraged repeat viewing for some critics, including one who immediately watched the whole season again. Another called it the easiest season to rewatch so far.

Most reviewers find the season pleasant, charming, or genuinely funny, with several calling it a strong comfort watch. A smaller group sees it as merely fine or too forgettable to rise above crowded comedy competition.

Even reviews focused only on the premiere generally found it a strong, enjoyable return. Full-season critics repeatedly described the run as compelling, riveting, and easy to stay engaged with.

One reviewer calls the series an underrated gem that deserves more attention, suggesting strong appeal for viewers willing to invest in its character-driven newsroom comedy.

Longtime devotees are still well served by the familiar rhythms, callbacks, and returning faces, though one critic warned that viewers less invested in the formula may crave something fresher.

Early critical reaction is described as largely positive, especially around the comedy and stronger identity, but the same coverage acknowledges notably harsh dissent.

Early critical reaction was overwhelmingly positive, with roundup coverage describing Season 6 as one of the series’ strongest outings and highlighting its pace, writing, and performances.

The supporting cast is one of the clearest strengths, with Lisa Gilroy, Sabrina Impacciatore, Tim Key, Jon Lovitz, Melvin Gregg, and others repeatedly singled out for laughs and scene-stealing energy.

New and returning supporting players were widely praised, with several reviewers saying the additions strengthen the ensemble. Harry Lloyd, Lenny Rush, Kyle Soller, MyAnna Buring, and others drew especially positive notices.

The leads are a major asset, with Domhnall Gleeson praised as a strong comic anchor and the central performances helping carry the season even when stories wobble.

Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden remain major anchors, with reviewers praising Oldman’s lived-in comic menace and Lowden’s more vulnerable, physically demanding work. Both are repeatedly described as delivering some of their strongest material.

New characters and a broader newsroom ecosystem help the season feel like its own populated comedy world rather than a thin extension of Dunder Mifflin.

The season continues to expand the grimy MI5 ecosystem while keeping its institutional rules, rivalries, and history central to the plot. One review specifically praised the sharp world-building behind the character arcs.

Hugo Weaving’s American accent drew one of the sharpest individual complaints, with one reviewer calling it the worst they had heard from an Australian actor.

The chase scenes, fights, and later set pieces were repeatedly described as inventive, breathless, and unusually cinematic. Several reviewers felt Season 6 pushed the action to a new high without losing the show’s grubby identity.

The season’s imagery drew strong praise, from its rain-soaked London atmosphere to more cinematic framing and a cold blue-green palette. Reviewers saw the visuals as a meaningful part of the darker mood.

Season 6 leans heavily on the show’s history, bringing back old characters and unresolved consequences while preserving the established tone through a leadership change. Reviewers often saw that continuity as a strength.

Adam Randall’s direction was repeatedly credited with making the season feel more cinematic, darker, and more intense. His handling of action and visual atmosphere drew especially strong praise.

The quicker mockumentary cutaways are specifically praised for improving comic timing and helping short reaction moments land more effectively.

Although Season 6 combines and alters material from two Mick Herron novels, critics generally felt it preserves what makes the books and series distinctive. The adaptation changes were usually seen as thoughtful rather than damaging.

Defense spending, institutional compromise, media influence, and financial irregularities give the spy plot a recognizable contemporary edge. Critics who highlighted this material found it persuasive rather than decorative.

Twists, returns, deaths, and reversals are among the season’s most consistently praised pleasures. Several critics described the run as unusually unpredictable and packed with major turns.

One reviewer found the recurring Sony game placement noticeable enough to become distracting rather than invisible background detail.

The season is praised as a worthwhile successor to The Office because it increasingly develops its own comic identity rather than functioning only as a nostalgia extension.

The Joe Burrow-related episode thread is singled out as absolutely hilarious, giving the season’s sports material a strong comic payoff.

The assassins, constant pursuit, and uncertainty over who will survive create sustained tension across the season. Reviewers frequently described the run as gripping, anxiety-inducing, and hard to look away from.

Kyle Soller and MyAnna Buring’s assassins were widely praised as cold, menacing threats, and Hugo Weaving’s Frank remains formidable. One negative review argued that the killers are underwritten and occasionally made implausibly incompetent.

Season 6 is repeatedly described as the show’s bloodiest and most brutal run, yet positive reviewers felt the violence serves suspense and consequence rather than empty shock value.

The shabby, ordinary environments remain part of the show’s charm, and the premiere’s shipping-container setting received specific praise for its sad, lived-in detail.

Rain, muted gray-blue tones, wide surveillance-like compositions, and everyday locations give the season a colder, more cinematic look. Reviewers generally felt the visual shift suited the darker story.