Slow Horses' Future Confirmed: Star Addresses Slough House Fate Post-Season 6

The Slow Horses Season 6 finale marks a significant turning point for MI5's misfits at Slough House, leaving an indelible impact on the team. Following Frank Harkness's devastating attack on Diana Taverner's safe house, the agents are grappling with profound losses, including the deaths of J.K. Coe and, most notably for Roddy Ho, Emma Flyte. With River Cartwright's fate left uncertain after a gripping cliffhanger, the events of Season 6 are poised to redefine the dynamics of the Slow Horses moving forward.

Christopher Chung, who portrays the eccentric Roddy Ho, recently discussed his character's journey through Season 6, shedding light on his evolving relationships and a pivotal personal transformation. Chung highlighted Roddy's often-annoying dynamic with River Cartwright, noting scenes where River's patience is tested by Roddy's blunt yet genuinely helpful, albeit socially awkward, counsel. Chung particularly enjoyed these interactions, which offered a deeper exploration of their relationship since Season 1, where they had not shared much back and forth.

A standout addition to this season was Lenny Rush as Reece, a character so brilliant and funny that he even managed to hold his own against Jackson Lamb. Chung spoke with immense praise for Rush, describing him as a "master of comedy" despite his young age. He recalled a memorable scene at the Suffolk safehouse where Reece's exaggerated spaghetti-eating antics left Chung struggling to maintain composure. Their on-screen dynamic, where both characters share a certain "commonality and brain capacity," created a unique rapport, with Chung feeling protective of Rush on set. Roddy and Reece's dynamic is such that Reece probably perceives Ho as a child too, which contributes to their bond.

Regarding Roddy's responsibility under Jackson Lamb, Chung clarified that it was less about Lamb trusting Roddy with more duties and more about him offloading Reece onto Roddy to manage, as Lamb knows the kid could get in the way of serious business. However, a significant tonal shift occurs within Slough House when Lamb calls Blake’s grave, signaling a serious turn in events. Roddy, despite being told to go dark, embraces this shift, putting on his "agenting" hat and becoming more focused on the mission, understanding the heightened stakes.

The production of the season also involved intricate set designs, particularly the safehouse. Chung revealed that the "destroyed" Suffolk house was a real property that underwent extensive modifications. This included the addition of meters of cinematic reeds for the agents to run through and the replacement of a massive window with shattered glass. He commended director Adam Randall and DOP Eben Bolter for their incredible filmmaking, which brought both beauty and tension to the climactic final episodes, making every decision on the set justified and visually brilliant.

The most profound impact on Roddy, however, stemmed from Emma Flyte's death. Previously exhibiting a morbid fascination with death from a distance—asking Lamb for photos of flattened men—seeing Flyte, someone he knew, had a shared history with, and even fancied, dead physically in front of him shattered his nonchalant worldview. This experience served as a brutal reality check, stripping away his carefree perception of mortality and instilling a new sense of courage. What began with him running away from danger culminated in his return, driven by a fierce resolve that "this is not happening to other people that I know."

Flyte's death directly influenced Roddy's decision to pick up a gun, an act born out of emotional turmoil. While his aim might not have been perfect, Chung emphasized that the raw emotion of the moment affected Roddy’s ability to wield a weapon. In a moment of apparent sacrifice where he ran out of bullets, Roddy created a distraction for Niall Wright’s character, allowing Reece to shoot the assailant in the back. This action, in Roddy's mind, meant he had actually saved the day.

Looking ahead to Season 7, Chung believes the finale sets Roddy on a path to prove himself, stepping up to be "more of a man" in a "Roddy Ho toxic masculinity kind of way." This drive will see him eager to be more front-footed and atone for past transgressions where he feels he has dropped the ball. His ambition is to become the hero in his own narrative, even envisioning a game he has made that relives the beach incident with himself as the victor. The six seasons of Slow Horses are available on Apple TV, with Season 7’s premiere date still to be announced.