Upcoming Slow Horses Season 4 Scene Will Be A Tragic Callback For Jack Lowden's River

Summary Slow Horses season 4 to revisit River Cartwright's past trauma and train station failure.

New season to potentially redeem River's character and explore his relationship with his grandfather.

River set to be the main focus of season 4, with the show's ensemble cast taking a backseat.

Slow Horses season 4 is set to expand the story of Slough House, yet images from the upcoming season suggest that the show is revisiting one of its main character's lowest moments. Like every other agent in Slough House, River Cartwright finds himself in the undesirable MI5 offshoot because of some previous professional impropriety. However, while his colleagues' indiscretions are firmly in the past, details shared ahead of season 4 suggest that River's trauma is about to be revisited.

All episodes of Slow Horses seasons 1-3 are available for streaming on Apple TV+.

Although he's been relegated to Slough House, River Cartwright has consistently proven himself to be one of the most capable agents on the team. In season 1, for instance, he helps thwart the white supremacist terrorists and save Hassan Ahmed. Season 2 sees River actively enter the field to foil a Russian plot, while season 3 finds him fighting mercenary forces intent on keeping damaging secrets buried. However, while he has come through these tests with various degrees of success, his career has been far from plain sailing – a fact Slow Horses season 4 seems intent on reiterating.

A Slow Horses Season 4 Scene Will See River Return To A Train Station

It's Reminiscent Of His Major Season 1 Failure

Image via Apple TV+

Several photos released ahead of Slow Horses season 4 confirm some key details about the upcoming season. Alongside important information, such as the arrival of a new Slough House agent, the images confirm that one scene will involve River conducting fieldwork in a train station. Judging by his steely expression, the scene will be a tense one, although the precise circumstances are obviously unclear. However, in bringing River back to a train station as part of an operation, Slow Horses season 4 is drawing a clear parallel between the new story and the dramatic events of season 1.

The train station images from season 4 suggest a clear narrative connection to Slow Horses' debut season, potentially bringing the show's and River's stories full circle.

In the very first episode of Slow Horses, River was shown participating in a field training exercise, failing to prevent a fake bomb from exploding on a train at Stansted Airport. Although it subsequently became clear that no one was injured, the incident has continued to haunt River and provided a convenient excuse for sidelining him at Slough House. The train station images from season 4 suggest a clear narrative connection to Slow Horses' debut season, potentially bringing the show's and River's stories full circle.

Related All 18 Slow Horses Episodes, Ranked Slow Horses is one of the best spy thrillers on TV, with very few dud episodes. However, despite its success, some are still better than others.

Season 4 Can Redeem River's Lowest Moment

He Can Finally Make Up For His Training Exercise Mistake

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By placing him in another dramatic situation at a train station, Slow Horses season 4 is potentially laying the groundwork for River to redeem himself for his earlier failure. Although it subsequently became clear that the circumstances around his Stansted exercise were corrupt, River has never been able to distance himself from the debacle. Multiple characters – particularly his nemesis James "Spider" Webb – have brought up the incident, giving River an understandable chip on his shoulder. Revisiting the scene with real stakes on the line will provide a rare chance for closure.

Whereas River's original train station scene was part of a pretend training exercise, the chances are that Slow Horses season 4 will be much more serious. Not only is River's expression in the train station photograph extremely serious, but the show is set to open with a "bombing that detonates personal secrets, rocking Slough House's already unstable foundations" (via Apple TV+). Such a prospect bears an uncanny resemblance to the situation in Slow Horses season 1, potentially allowing history to repeat itself and giving River the chance to make up for past mistakes.

River Will Be The Main Focus Of Slow Horses Season 4

His Character Will Be The Key Focus

Custom Image by Dalton Norman

Although the show's success comes from the strength of Slow Horses' ensemble cast, it seems likely that River will be the main focus of season 4. The previous few seasons have explored personal stories around the likes of Louisa Guy and Catherine Standish, with River not receiving the same level of attention he did in season 1. This seems set to change.

The Slow Horses season 4 book, Spook Street, broadly revolves around River's relationship with his grandfather, whose advancing medical complications and reveal of past secrets have severe ramifications for MI5 in the present. This relationship is a key theme in the book, and it seems likely that the show will repeat this focus. This approach, combined with a visual link to previous River storylines, means that Slow Horses season 4 is likely to be extremely consequential for the character, irrespective of what else happens in the wider story.