Apple TV+'s Slow Horses is one of the most popular and acclaimed spy thrillers currently streaming. Adapted from the bestselling novels by author Mick Herron, the series has earned massive praise for its grittiness and the cast's gripping performances, leading to multiple season renewals. However, after Season 5, the show is set to take a new direction, seemingly under new leadership. 

And this intriguing change in the upcoming season could also break one of the series' oldest traditions, a risk that seems all the more exciting.

So far, Apple TV+'s Slow Horses has followed a simple formula, with each season adapting one of author Mick Herron's spy thriller novels. However, Season 6 is set to break that pattern by adapting two novels instead of the one-book-per-season timeline they had been following so far. The upcoming season will draw from Joe Country (2019) and Slough House (2021).

The new storyline will follow Jackson Lamb as he hunts the man responsible for the death of one of his agents, adapting the events of Joe Country. At the same time, Diana Taverner will face mounting challenges in her role as First Desk. The season will also see Lamb become entangled in a dangerous conspiracy that threatens the future of Slough House.

The format change also comes alongside a major creative shift behind the scenes. As announced last year, longtime showrunner Will Smith stepped down after Season 5, with Gaby Chiappe taking over for Season 6. Ben Vanstone is expected to assume showrunning duties for Season 7. While a change in leadership always carries the risk of disrupting a successful series, it also presents an opportunity to elevate the show even further. Slow Horses Season 6 premieres on September 16, 2026, on Apple TV+.

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Meanwhile, fans looking for another spy thriller can turn their eyes towards a compelling show on a different, or perhaps, unfamiliar, streaming platform.

Unfamiliar is a spy thriller series that premiered on Netflix in February 2026. Shortly after its release, the show became an instant success, dominating the streaming platform and securing a spot in Netflix's Top 10. The series follows former intelligence agents Simon and Meret, who have been living in Berlin with their teenage daughter for nearly 16 years.

However, their quiet life is shattered when their past catches up with them and old enemies come looking for revenge. Forced back into a dangerous world, the couple does everything in their power to protect their daughter. This six-episode thriller is available to stream on Netflix while viewers wait for either a second season of Unfamiliar or the return of Slow Horses.

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What do you think about the format change in Slow Horses? Let us know in the comments.