Slow Horses and the 5 best political thrillers to watch on Apple TV+

Since launching in 2019, Apple TV+ has become notable for its wide variety of TV shows. From Emmy-winning comedy hit Ted Lasso to a score of limited series, the streamer offers some fun originals with an emphasis on science fiction tales. Yet there are some good political thrillers to check out exclusive to the streamer, and these shows have enough of those thrills to get you going! Here are six to enjoy.

Slow Horses

Based on the series of novels, this show is an excellent spin on the spy thriller. Slough Horse is a branch of MI5 that’s home to agents who have massively screwed up and their careers near over. It’s overseen by the rude, insulting, slovenly, gaseous Jackson Lamb. Yet somehow, these screwups fall into dangerous missions that can lead to more serious events. 

Slow Horse has a nice edge with some dark humor abounding, mostly thanks to Gary Oldman’s scene-stealing performance as Lamb. It plays on the inner politics of MI5, which is less interested in safeguarding the UK and more on politicians keeping themselves out of the fray. Each season has a good overall story arc that has fewer true action thrills and more character development, yet Oldman alone makes it all worth watching. 

Hijack

Idris Elba turns in a terrific leading role in this thriller, which plays out in “real time.” He’s a passenger on a flight from Dubai to London when it’s hijacked by a mysterious group. You’d expect Elba to be some secret operative but he’s just a simple business negotiator who uses those skills to try and settle things. 

Archie Panjabi is the main cop on the ground navigating this with major arguments on what happens when the plane reaches another country’s airspace. There are also some twists and turns, and the fact each episode focuses on one hour of the flight amp up the thrills. Elba’s star power is the icing on the cake for this thriller, which surprisingly takes flight for another season. 

For All Mankind

This show is more sci-fi, yet the political aspects are tremendously fun. One of Apple TV+’s first series poses a simple but gripping question: What if the Soviet Union landed a man on the moon first in 1969? From there, history is altered, beginning with Ted Kennedy beating Richard Nixon for the Presidency in 1972 and a new space race igniting.

The alternate history is fantastic as each season jumps ahead about a decade with a montage showing a world where the USSR exists in the 2000s, Europe has taken different paths and a female President is in the White House. There are so many compelling characters facing the challenges of space exploration and any history buff will get a kick seeing how the political world could have changed forever with one alteration. 

Tehran

This Israeli series is marvelous in the thrills and accessible for English-speaking audiences. Niv Sultan is an Iranian-born Mossad agent who's sent undercover in Iran to sabatoge their defense system. When things get rough, she hides out with her estranged family. Soon, her dual heritage has her wrestling with both her faith and which country she's truly loyal to.

The first season is terrific showing the impact of the ancient conflicts in the Middle East and Sultan showcasing her difficult loyalties. Season 2 gives her a new mission with Glenn Close providing star power as a British Mossad agent. As a third season is coming, this is a powerful tale that keeps you guessing where our heroine will end up.

Echo 3

Another show inspired by an Israeli series, this pure action romp, has a scientist in Columbia kidnapped by militants. Her brother (Luke Evans) and his fellow Delta Force teammate (Michiel Huisman) go to rescue her despite some beef with each other over a mission gone badly. They have to navigate a lot of red tape while their target endures months of painful imprisonment. It tackles issues involving foreign policy and higher-ups willing to turn a blind eye to some outrages for political gain, forcing our soldiers to break a lot of rules. The action is well done, and the actors are compelling while making you think about how it takes breaking the rules to see justice done. 

Manhunt 

This limited series focuses on one of the most shocking crimes in American history: The assassination of Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth (Anthony Boyle). The show bounces around the time of the Civil War, showcasing the efforts by Lincoln to emancipate the slaves, bring the war to a close, and try to mend the nation. Then it flashes to the national manhunt for Booth who discovers too late he’s not seen as a hero. 

History buffs will enjoy this as it feels like a modern thriller of a dark time for the U.S. Manhunt is helped by a top cast and some great production to make it feel like an amazing story more powerful as it’s based on real life.