'Slow Horses' season 6 kicks things off with a stunning death, and I'm still in shock

(L-R) Jack Lowden and Sir Gary Oldman in "Slow Horses" season 6 — (Image credit: Apple TV)

The "Slow Horses" season 6 premiere just arrived on Apple TV, and I have to remind myself that this spy thriller series is based on a book. Well, this season, it's two books. But my larger point is: Some decisions are out of the showrunners' hands.

At least, that's what I keep telling myself after watching the premiere on Apple's streaming service.

Don't get me wrong. I love the episode. If I were giving it a review grade (you can check out my full review of "Slow Horses" season 6, by the way), I'd have given it a 4.5 out of 5 stars. It was an excellent premiere. But the show just ignominiously killed off — borderline wrote off — a key character in the series, and I'm frankly still stunned.

'Slow Horses' pays a high Pryce to start season 6

OK, if you've seen the episode, you already know who I'm talking about. If you read the heading above this paragraph, you already know who I'm talking about. But it's time to finally type out the words.

"Slow Horses" killed off Jonathan Pryce. River's grandfather, David Cartwright, is dead.

Jonathan Pryce as David Cartwright in "Slow Horses" on Apple TV — (Image credit: Apple TV)

Now, perhaps I shouldn't have been so stunned by this moment. This show has never hesitated to kill off a character before, and the unwritten rule is that basically, everyone but Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden is in danger of not returning for another season of "Slow Horses."

But Pryce's elder spymaster was such an essential part of earlier seasons. And frankly, Pryce was such an essential part of selling me on this show in the first place. I'd have watched for Gary Oldman alone, but when I saw Pryce was also in the series, I knew it was going to be great.

For a moment, I really thought he wasn't even going to show up in the episode. I really thought he'd die off-camera, never to be seen again. But thankfully, the showrunners gave us and River (Lowden) one last goodbye via a flashback scene. At least they showed some heart with that gesture, because David Cartwright's death is a stark reminder to be prepared for anyone and everyone to die in this show.

Stream "Slow Horses" season 6 premiere on Apple TV

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Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made.