‘Slow Horses’: Christopher Chung Explains Why Roddy’s ‘Pissed off’ About His Assignment

While River (Jack Lowden) and Sid (Olivia Cooke) spend the third episode of Slow Horses Season 6 on the run from assassins who may be targeting either of them, Roddy (Christopher Chung) ends up in the last assignment he’d ever want: Babysitter. TV Insider spoke with Chung about that. Warning: Spoilers for Slow Horses Season 6 Episode 3 ahead!

With former members of Slough House ending up dead, the current team goes dark and splits up. Shirley (Aimee-Ffion Edwards) and Catherine (Saskia Reeves) pick up Louisa (Rosalind Eleazar) from her new workplace and save Moira (Joanna Scanlan) from an attempt on her life. Coe (Tom Brooke) ends up picking River and Sid up on the road. Diana (Kristin Scott Thomas) sends Flyte (Ruth Bradley) to Slough House because she filled Lamb (Gary Oldman) in about the victims when the Park didn’t want him to know. Flyte’s response? It’s right out of Mick Herron’s Joe Country (on which the season is based, along with Slough House): “With the greatest lack of respect, ma’am, f**k you. And f**k your job.”

Meanwhile, Lamb and Roddy find Reece (Lenny Rush) to see what he knows about who killed his father, a former Dog of the Park. And as a result, Roddy ends up having to keep an eye on Reece, especially when Lamb stops by Diana’s to confront her about what’s happening to his joes.

Apple TV

Roddy is “pissed off” about that, Chung tells TV Insider with a laugh. “I think the thing though as well is Roddy is such a power player in many ways, and he does see Reece as someone that’s beneath him and a little kid. And I think the funny thing is Lenny’s character, Reece, feels probably the same way about Roddy. They’re just two kind of — I mean, Reece is actually a child, but Roddy is a man, but he’s actually a man-child, so I think they’re a kind of perfect match for the season for comedic value anyway. But I don’t think he was thrilled to be assigned to look after Reece.”

Those scenes exemplify what makes Slow Horses so good — yes, it’s dark, but it’s perfectly balanced with humor. That also contributes to the early renewals that the Apple TV thriller constantly receives. It’s already been picked up through Season 8, which they’re currently filming.

Related

'Slow Horses' Season 9: Book, Cast, Premiere Date, Trailer, More Details

“It’s the way that it resonates globally. I think people are drawn to the show because first and foremost, it’s a character piece, so you want to tune in and see where these characters are at that point in time and what scenarios and escapades they get up to,” says Chung. “Secondly, I think the characters are relatable. They’re not aspirational in any way. They’re all kind of failures, but they are the underdogs, and they do tend to succeed at what they’re doing in a very grand way, I should say. I think that’s a point of access for the audience so they’re able to really put themselves into the circumstances that the slow horses get themselves into.”

He continues, “It’s not so far away as if you were a James Bond or going to Monte Carlo. It’s London, it’s very gritty and dirty, and there’s a homeless guy on the street, and there’s a dog pissing in the trash. It’s all the things that you see in London on a day-to-day basis. I think that kind of relatability is a really strong access point for the audience and the reason why people keep coming back to watch it over and over again.”

Slow Horses, Wednesdays, Apple TV