TV · in order
Slow Horses Watch Order
Slow Horses spans 6 seasons (2022-2026), each adapting a Mick Herron novel in order: Slow Horses, Dead Lions, Real Tigers, Spook Street, London Rules, and season 6 (September 16, 2026) covering Joe Country and Slough House together. Season 7, adapting Bad Actors, is already renewed.
Slow Horses Watch Order: complete list
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Why this order?
Slow Horses is television's most reliable machine: a six-episode season nearly every year, each one adapting the next Mick Herron novel in publication order. That makes the watch order trivial (release order, always) and the book mapping the actually useful information. Season 1 adapts Slow Horses, season 2 Dead Lions, season 3 Real Tigers, season 4 Spook Street, and season 5 (2025) London Rules. The rhythm briefly doubled in 2022, when seasons 1 and 2 both aired in the same year.
Season 6 premieres September 16, 2026, running weekly through October 21, and it breaks the one-book pattern for the first time: it compresses two novels, Joe Country and Slough House, into one season. If you are a read-ahead-of-the-show person, that means two books before September, not one. Season 7 is already renewed and will adapt Bad Actors, the eighth novel, though it has no date yet.
For readers starting the books after loving the show: Herron's novels are best in publication order, same as the seasons, and the series also includes novellas (The List, The Marylebone Drop and others) that the show has so far only mined for texture rather than adapted outright. Jackson Lamb's flatulent misanthropy survives the page-to-screen crossing intact in both directions; where the show and books diverge is mostly in which characters survive, so spoiler-averse viewers should stay exactly one book behind the screen, not ahead of it.
How many episodes is Slow Horses?
Slow Horses has 36 episodes across the 6 series entries tracked in this guide.
- Slow Horses Season 1 6 episodes 2022
- Slow Horses Season 2 6 episodes 2022
- Slow Horses Season 3 6 episodes 2023
- Slow Horses Season 4 6 episodes 2024
- Slow Horses Season 5 6 episodes 2025
- Slow Horses Season 6 6 episodes 2026
Timeline 2022-2026
Every entry by release year: rows that share a year are a cluster, and the long droughts are called out on the rail.
- 2022 12
- 2023 3
- 2024 4
- 2025 5
- 2026 6
Where to play it today
- All seasons stream on Apple TV (formerly Apple TV+); season 6 lands weekly from September 16, 2026
Availability changes often and varies by region - links search each platform for Slow Horses.
Frequently asked questions
How many Slow Horses seasons are there?
Six: seasons 1-5 aired 2022-2025 (six episodes each), and season 6 premieres September 16, 2026, running weekly through October 21. A seventh season is already renewed but undated.
Which book does each Slow Horses season adapt?
In order: season 1 = Slow Horses, season 2 = Dead Lions, season 3 = Real Tigers, season 4 = Spook Street, season 5 = London Rules, and season 6 = Joe Country plus Slough House (two novels in one season, a first for the show). Season 7 will adapt Bad Actors.
When does Slow Horses season 6 come out?
September 16, 2026 on Apple TV, with six episodes weekly through October 21, 2026. Uniquely, it covers two Mick Herron novels: Joe Country and Slough House.
Should I read the books before watching?
You do not need to; the show stands alone. If you want to read along, publication order matches season order, and staying one book behind the screen avoids spoiling character fates, which is where the show and novels diverge most.
Is Slow Horses season 7 confirmed?
Yes, renewed and set to adapt Bad Actors, the eighth novel, but with no announced date. Given the show's near-annual rhythm, 2027 is the natural expectation, not a promise.
What order do I watch Slow Horses in?
Straight release order, seasons 1 through 6. There are no specials or side stories; every season is six episodes and each one flows directly into the next.
Last verified · Sources: en.wikipedia.org, apple.com, tvmaze.com, Wikidata
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