Compare Slow Horses, Season 6 vs Dark Matter, Season 2

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

5 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

A long two-year break is criticized as especially harmful for a dense story that asks viewers to remember complicated rules and identities.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

Character reactions vary by storyline; one reviewer specifically finds Blair somewhat annoying even while remaining interested in her arc.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

2 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

One negative review found some dialogue interchangeable, especially when the scientist characters gather to explain ideas.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

4 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

The ten-episode season can feel overextended to critics who think too much time is spent on emotional material at the expense of thrills.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

6 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

The mix of family melodrama, sci-fi, and action does not always cohere; one critic says the tone frequently dissolves.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

Longer runtimes sometimes make already busy storylines feel unwieldy rather than more substantial.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

5 supporting reviews · Mixed evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

The multiverse and Box concept continue to feel distinctive, with one reviewer calling the core idea extremely unique even while wanting more exploration.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

8 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

The season’s deliberate pace divides reviewers. Some appreciate its meditative character focus, while others call it slow, inconsistent, or overloaded with setup.

10 supporting reviews · Mixed evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

2 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

The final episode improves its pace and delivers gripping scenes, but some reviewers still see the overall ending as too little, too late.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

3 supporting reviews · Mixed evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

Several reviewers liked that Jason no longer dominates every storyline, giving Amanda, Ryan, Leighton, Blair, Daniela, and others more meaningful space.

4 supporting reviews

Slow Horses, Season 6

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

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

Renewal sentiment is split: some critics strongly want a third season, while others feel the story should have stopped earlier.

4 supporting reviews · Mixed evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

7 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

Writing reactions are polarized: some praise the expanded saga and realistic emotional scenes, while others criticize redundancy, structural confusion, and exposition.

3 supporting reviews · Mixed evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

12 supporting reviews · Mixed evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

A few episodes find welcome comedy and farcical energy, but at least one critic strongly dislikes the show’s generally glum lack of levity.

3 supporting reviews · Mixed evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

2 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

Variant-heavy plotting is the most repeated concern. Multiple Jasons, Ryans, Amandas, Leightons, and worlds can make identity and location difficult to track.

15 supporting reviews

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

7 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

Action is used selectively but can land very well, especially in tense chase sequences; one finale set piece, however, was criticized as poorly staged and narratively empty.

5 supporting reviews · Mixed evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

2 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

The scientific premise borrows from real quantum theory, but experts cited in the source also make clear that a human-scale Box remains far beyond real-world feasibility.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

2 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

Standalone or capsule-style episodes are among the most praised parts of the season, while multi-thread episodes can feel crowded and scattered.

6 supporting reviews · Mixed evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

3 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

The cliffhanger is memorable and often described as unsettling or jaw-dropping, though some reviewers dislike how heavily it depends on another season.

4 supporting reviews · Mixed evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

5 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

Many reviewers found the grief, paranoia, lost-family scenarios, and relationship material deeply affecting, although some thought the show occasionally strains too hard for tears.

8 supporting reviews · Mixed evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

The season’s strongest praise centers on deeper character work, grief, marriage strain, regret, and the way alternate lives reshape familiar people.

15 supporting reviews

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

Reviewers generally found the characters’ motivations consistent with prior choices, while also noticing deliberate parallels between different versions of Jason.

2 supporting reviews

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

2 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

Episode-level direction earns praise for energetic cross-cutting and strong immersion in the low-tech alternate world.

2 supporting reviews

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

Although Season 2 moves beyond the novel, one reviewer praised the new material for expanding the story in an authentic way.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

8 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

The expanded ensemble benefits from effective pairings, with Ryan and Amanda specifically praised for solid chemistry.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

4 supporting reviews · Mixed evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

Individual episodes can be gripping and well-paced, especially around major chases and reveals, though some reviewers find the slower stretches overextended.

2 supporting reviews

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

This is the strongest area of consensus: reviewers repeatedly value the season’s focus on identity, regret, technological responsibility, grief, belonging, and the consequences of choice.

22 supporting reviews

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

3 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

Major reveals around Daniela’s violence, the Box reappearing, and new navigation rules are repeatedly treated as effective surprises.

3 supporting reviews

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

2 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

The season is often praised for taking Season 1 consequences seriously, especially the duplicate Jasons and the expanded roles of supporting characters.

4 supporting reviews

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

The quieter family and marriage scenes are frequently described as the season’s best material, even by reviewers less interested in the multiverse mechanics.

2 supporting reviews

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

2 supporting reviews · Mixed evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

The finale is a common weakness: even reviewers who like the season often see the unresolved ending or final image as underwhelming.

4 supporting reviews

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

7 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

Chase scenes, unsettling variant encounters, and darker thriller beats still provide strong tension even in a more character-driven season.

3 supporting reviews

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

12 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

Overall story reactions range from outstanding and more satisfying than Season 1 to messy and unnecessary, reflecting a genuine split over the off-book continuation.

23 supporting reviews

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

6 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

Performances are one of the clearest strengths, with multiple critics saying the cast keeps the dense multiverse story emotionally grounded even when the plotting becomes hard to follow.

10 supporting reviews

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

The shift from pure reality-hopping toward espionage and character drama works very well for some critics and less well for viewers wanting a tighter sci-fi thriller.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

Individual storylines can be sharply written, with Amanda and Ryan’s material specifically praised as excellent.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

Early audience response remained highly enthusiastic despite the two-year break between seasons.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

The season launched to very strong reported critical reception, with sources describing near-universal early praise.

2 supporting reviews

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

Reviewers generally like the season’s expanded multiverse rules and low-tech world details, although some wish the alternate worlds were stranger and more visually distinct.

7 supporting reviews

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

The production design is praised for supporting the show’s varied worlds, especially the restrained low-tech Chicago setting.

2 supporting reviews

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

3 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

The alternate realities are praised most when small environmental differences create unease rather than relying only on spectacle.

2 supporting reviews

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

3 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

Overall enjoyment varies sharply: enthusiastic reviewers call the season captivating and improved, while harsher critics find it overcomplicated and short on fun.

5 supporting reviews · Mixed evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

13 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

The central cast earns some of the season’s strongest praise, including awards-level enthusiasm for key lead performances.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

The broader ensemble is a major asset, with reviewers praising the cast as award-worthy and crediting supporting players with sustaining interest.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Slow Horses, Season 6

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Dark Matter, Season 2

Visual-effects work is considered competent, though one reviewer notes the season uses expansive VFX more sparingly than before.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

2 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Slow Horses, Season 6

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Dark Matter, Season 2

A nearly sign-language-centered episode and an older deaf character were welcomed, though one critic disliked shots that obscured the signing.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Dark Matter, Season 2

Editing is singled out as a major improvement, especially for finding expressive beats in body language, faces, and silent interactions.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Slow Horses, Season 6

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Dark Matter, Season 2

Season 2 substantially expands the Box mythology, including its internal mechanics, navigation rules, and ability to reconnect realities, which many reviewers find fascinating.

5 supporting reviews

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Slow Horses, Season 6

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

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

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Slow Horses, Season 6

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Dark Matter, Season 2

The marriage between Jason and Daniela becomes a central dramatic engine, and several reviewers consider that domestic tension more compelling than the technology itself.

4 supporting reviews

Slow Horses, Season 6

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Dark Matter, Season 2

The show continues to deliver striking alternate-world imagery and storm sequences, with multiple reviewers praising its visual spectacle.

2 supporting reviews

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

6 supporting reviews · Mixed evidence

Dark Matter, Season 2

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

2 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

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Slow Horses, Season 6

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Dark Matter, Season 2

The season’s scientific explanations are credited with helping general viewers understand some of the quantum ideas behind the Box.

2 supporting reviews

Slow Horses, Season 6

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.

2 supporting reviews

Dark Matter, Season 2

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Slow Horses, Season 6

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Dark Matter, Season 2

Music choices are repeatedly praised, with reviewers highlighting strong needle drops and an upgraded soundtrack.

3 supporting reviews