When you produce a hit show as certifiably British as Slow Horses, you’re going to have to accept that anything remotely similar will be compared to the excellent spy series moving forward. That’s what I’d say Apple TV+ has come to terms with, based on the new trailer for its show Down Cemetery Lane.
The show will premiere on the platform (which I’ll happily call the best streaming service out there right now) on 29 October with two episodes, before continuing weekly from them. It’s got quite a huge name to anchor it, too, in the form of national treasure and Oscar-winner Emma Thomas as an offbeat private investigator who lands a pretty massive case.
Thompson’s character is Zoë Boehm, an abrasive PI who knows how to get results – even if she’s used to dealing with fairly simple cases of infidelity and lies. When she’s approached by Sarah Tucker (Ruth Wilson) about a mystery in her area, the story turns out to be bigger than she can predict.
Sarah was a neighbour to a house in an Oxford suburb that exploded in mysterious circumstances, and is confused about the coverage she’s seen, which doesn’t line up with what she saw. In particular, along with two dead bodies, she’s convinced that a child living in the house hasn’t been accounted for – and the trailer makes it clear that she’s on to something.
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There’s clearly some sort of government cover-up happening, and Sarah will also clearly end up on the run as she seeks to expose it with Zoë’s help – and Thompson seems to be chewing the scenery in enjoyment at the fun role. She’s as sardonic as anything I’ve seen, and you wouldn’t bet against her taking notes from Gary Oldman’s iconic turn as Jackson Lamb in Slow Horses.
There’s that comparison again – but Apple TV+ does invite it by saying the series is from some of the same creative team, so can you really blame me? Anyway, if this looks like your cup of tea (and I bet it does), you’ve only got a few weeks to wait before being able to check it out.
