Summary

• Slow Horses delves into divisive issues, set to push boundaries in season 4 with character Peter Judd's controversial connections.
• Political themes intertwined with complex character relationships make Slow Horses a topical and resonant thriller series.
• Judd's alliance with Taverner raises uncomfortable questions, suggesting a dark side to British Intelligence on Slow Horses.

After stories involving Russian oligarchs and illegal British overseas operations, Slow Horses season 4 will be more resonant – and provocative – than ever.

While Slow Horses' primary focus has always been the relationships between its core characters and telling a gripping main story, the show has always had an acute awareness of topical political and social concerns. In season 1, for instance, the show focused on right-wing terrorists involved in an anti-muslim plot – a story which, in light of recent events, only seems more relevant. Specific arcs like this have established the show as a particularly topical thriller. However, ahead of Slow Horses season 4's September 2024 release, the show may be about to enter a new era of pertinence – largely because of one recurring character.

Peter Judd Can Potentially Make Slow Horses Season 4 Very Controversial

He's Been An Important Presence Throughout

As one of the most important recurring characters in Slow Horses, Peter Judd will likely feature once again in season 4. Over the course of the show, Judd has risen from an obscure backbench MP in the British parliament to foreign secretary with ambitions to become Prime Minister – demonstrating his ruthlessness along the way. Despite reg in season 3, there's no sense his story is finished. In many ways, these traits make him no different from other politicians – fictional or otherwise. However, what marks Judd out – and potentially makes the next chapter in his story particularly incendiary – is his connection to far-right radicals.

In Slow Horses season 1, Judd was a central player in the plot to kidnap Hassan Ahmed thanks to his ties to Robert Hobden and the Sons of Albion. In later seasons, he has proven himself to be an anti-immigrant populist, stirring racist sentiment in order to further his own political career. In this way, Judd is not dissimilar from many real-world figures in both Britain and America. This alone could be enough to make the next chapter in his story inflammatory. However, recent events in the UK mean that Judd's character will be under the spotlight even more than usual – with potentially serious consequences.

The Current UK Political Climate Makes Peter Judd More Relevant Than Ever

Recent Events Give His Story Even More Resonance

Right-wing populism and extremism has been a growing political problem for many years – reflected by how realistic Slow Horses season 1's story felt back in 2022. However, events over the summer across the UK have made a character like Peter Judd appear even more dangerous, as well as sadly more realistic. In the aftermath of a tragic triple-child murder in the North-Western town of Southport, disinformation and appropriation resulted in right-wing riots erupting across the country. In many cases, these clashes were fueled by political figures with uncanny similarities to Judd.

In the context of a real-life climate where multiple politicians are being accused of doing exactly this, Judd may have inadvertently become the most culturally significant character in the entire series...

The fact that Slow Horses season 4 will come out so soon after these real-world tragedies makes the next stage in Judd's story feel potentially more true to life than ever before. While it's unclear what role he might play, he has hitherto shown his willingness to exploit hatred and division for his own political gains. In the context of a real-life climate where multiple politicians are being accused of doing exactly this, Judd may have inadvertently become the most culturally significant character in the entire series – even if he does represent the dark side of politics.

Slow Horses Needs To Address Judd And Taverner's Alliance

It's An Increasingly Uncomfortable Aspect Of The Show

One detail of Judd's story that is only becoming more discomfiting as real life makes him increasingly resonant is his relationship with Diana Taverner. As the series has progressed, Judd and Taverner have developed a complicated dynamic, ranging from out-and-out rivalry to an uneasy partnership. Both are incredibly ambitious figures with few scruples if it means achieving their ultimate goals. At the end of Slow Horses season 3, Taverner seemed to get the upper hand as Judd was forced to resign following the Tiger Team debacle.

However, the fact that Taverner has shown herself so willing to work with someone so toxic while working at the summit of British Intelligence speaks to something rotten at the core of her character. In many ways, Taverner has never been forced to reckon with some of her most amoral actions – including elevating someone as dangerous as Judd if it meant helping her. With recent events highlighting how dangerous rhetoric of the sort propagated by Judd can be, Slow Horses should seriously consider stating definitively that Taverner made a terrible mistake by working with him.