The following contains spoilers for the Slow Horses season 4 finaleHugo Weaving, who portrays the villain Frank Harkness on Slow Horses, addresses his possible return to the show in season 5. The jaw-dropping season 4 finale ends with the big revelation that Frank is River’s father. Frank successfully blackmails MI5 to get himself released off-screen, leaving his fate open-ended. Slow Horses season 5 is already in the works and will premiere on Apple TV+ at a later date.
Weaving told GamesRadar+ that even though he “can’t really talk about that” in regards to his potential Slow Horses return, he’d encourage readers to find answers in the source material. In the book, Harkness does return. The idea of reprising his role also appeals to Weaving, personally. The actor revealed that he would like to explore Harkness’ relationship with his estranged son, River, in the future. Here’s what he said:
I can’t really talk about that but suffice to say people who have read the books knows that Frank does return. At the end of the finale, Frank does kind of get away with everything and lives to see another day. So, you have to ask ‘will we see him again?’
Presumably we might.I would like to see how his relationship with River develops. Jack Lowden is a fabulous actor, and he gives River a great humanity. It was a real pleasure working with him.
It’s Only the Beginning
The Slow Horses season 4 finale leaves things on a haunting note. Frank is far from finished, as the character admits that this is only a beginning for him. With the revelation that River is his biological son, there’s so much more to explore between the two of them. It’s unlikely that season 4 will be an end to Frank Harkness’ story arc, since it certainly isn’t in the books.
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Frank Harkness’ Plan & Connection To River In Slow Horses Season 4 Explained
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As a sinister father figure, Frank has fathered many sons and raised them to be killing machines. His effort to recruit River is expected, which could lead to an interesting source of conflict for River. On the other hand, River, being the one son that rebels against Frank, is something very unexpected for the villain. While it seems that Frank will be going away for a little while, Weaving’s comments all but confirm that he will come back, and his return will be very intense.
Our Take On Frank Harkness’ Future On Slow Horses
More Frank Harkness Please
Based on Spook Street, season 4 of Slow Horses is the spy show’s most personal to date. The twisted family history makes up for what the show has been lacking. Weaving’s sociopathic villain is also a crucial part of the series. Frank is sinister and dangerous but also a father. As a villain, Frank is very sophisticated.
River being one of his sons makes everything personal. Season 5 will trace the aftermath and see how the revelation affects River. Even though Frank is a sociopath, and River has nothing in common with his other sons, the core relationship between the two is still father and son. The personal element might just make the upcoming seasons of Slow Horses even more brutal than season 4.
Source: GamesRadar+
Slow Horses is an adaptation of CWA Gold Dagger Award-winning Mick Herron’s first novel in the “Slow Horses” series, which follows a team of British intelligence agents who serve in a dumping ground department of MI5 – Slough House. Gary Oldman stars as Jackson Lamb, the brilliant but irascible leader of the spies who end up in Slough House due to their career-ending mistakes.
- Release Date
- April 1, 2022
- Seasons
- 4
- Streaming Service(s)
- Apple TV+