Apple TV's longest-running hit series returns in September. The new trailer reveals not only the release date but also the return of a character whose fate has been uncertain since the first season. And it marks the start of a particularly packed fall lineup.
Apple TV has released the trailer for the sixth season of "Slow Horses." The streaming service's announcement states Wednesday, September 16, 2026, as the worldwide release date. The first glimpse of the season was already available in June, though without a date at that time.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Season 6 will launch worldwide on September 16, 2026 with the first episode.
- Six episodes will be released weekly, the last one on October 21, 2026.
- Olivia Cooke returns as Sidonie "Sid" Baker.
- The series adapts two of the original novels: "Joe Country" and "Slough House".
- New to the ensemble is Lenny Rush, winner of a BAFTA TV Award.
What the new season tells
The focus remains on Jackson Lamb, played by Gary Oldman – the head of the British domestic intelligence agency's department to which agents are relegated after serious errors. The sixth season puts the team itself under pressure: Diana Taverner embroils them in a game of retribution and revenge that could prove fatal for everyone involved.
Narratively, the season draws from two books by Mick Herron, the sixth and seventh volumes of the series. The fact that two novels are combined into six episodes represents a closer relationship than in previous seasons – suggesting a faster pace.
Apple's announcement particularly highlights the return of Olivia Cooke. Her character was introduced in the first season and seriously injured; since then, her fate has remained one of the series' loose ends.
An ensemble with unusual density
Alongside Oldman, the cast includes Kristin Scott Thomas, Jack Lowden, Saskia Reeves, Rosalind Eleazar, Jonathan Pryce, and Hugo Weaving. New to the cast is Lenny Rush, who has already won a BAFTA TV Award.
The fifth season garnered the production nine Primetime Emmy Award nominations, including one for Best Drama Series, as well as nominations for Oldman and Lowden. Two of the five seasons so far have achieved a perfect score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
Why the date is noteworthy
September 16th falls within a timeframe that Apple is particularly busy with releases this year. The streaming service has announced more than a dozen films for the fall, and the thriller "Last Seen," directed by a German, will launch during the same period.
The weekly schedule until October 21st stretches the series over five weeks – long enough to carry the program into late autumn. For other programming, see the August program guide.
The most reliable title in the catalog
Among the series that Apple has launched and canceled over the years, "Slow Horses" is the most consistent case: six consecutive seasons, on an annual basis, and a seventh season was already confirmed in the summer of 2025, long before the start of the sixth.
For you as a subscriber, this means exceptional planning security. With many streaming series, the decision about whether a show will continue isn't made until after the season finale; here, the continuation is confirmed before the current season even starts. That's the practical difference between a flagship title and the rest of the catalog.
Five weeks until the final
Starting on September 16th and concluding on October 21st, the season runs exactly into the timeframe in which the September event and the new devices will also be available in stores.
Is the weekly release schedule of "Slow Horses" enough for you, or would you prefer to watch all six episodes at once? Tell us in the comments how you watch seasons like this.
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