Down Cemetery Road

Sarah (Ruth Wilson) and her husband Mark (Tom Riley) are in the middle of a disastrous dinner party when a neighbour’s house explodes, killing two people and hospitalising a young girl. When Sarah tries to visit the child, however, she’s aggressively told by staff that she’s not there and hurried out of the building. Convinced that something strange is going on, she enlists the help of husband-and-wife private detectives Joe (Adam Godley) and Zoë (Emma Thompson). As more is uncovered, Sarah quickly finds herself in the centre of an intricate conspiracy that extends further than she could have imagined.

This is Down Cemetery Road, an eight-part thriller based on the debut novel of the same name by Mick Herron and executive produced by the team behind Slow Horses (which is also adapted from Heron’s work). Fans of the hit show starring Gary Oldman will likely find a lot to enjoy about Apple TV+’s latest outing. Like Oldman’s Jackson Lamb, Zoë also takes a no-nonsense approach to her work and is unafraid to say exactly what’s on her mind in incredibly blunt fashion. Thompson is nothing short of outstanding here, and viewers will have just as much fun watching her as she seems to be having playing the character. Wilson, too, puts in an impressive performance as Sarah’s situation grows increasingly dangerous. Another notable standout is Darren Boyd as the head of the Ministry of Defence, whose barrage of creative insults aimed at his subordinate (Adeel Akhtar) are some of the best lines in the show.

Although the series’ choice to unveil the government is somehow involved in the explosion early on could be seen as the script showing its cards too soon, this is only the very tip of the iceberg. There’s so much more at play than it initially seems, with each new discovery taking the plot in intriguing and unexpected directions. Everything is tightly paced and presented with stylish flair and a deviously good sense of humour, ensuring that there’s never a dull moment. The superb soundtrack is also deserving of attention.

Down Cemetery Road embodies everything great about Slow Horses. It has a glorious star in Thompson, a sharp sense of humour, and a captivating mystery that will have viewers hooked from the outset. It’s the perfect series to watch while waiting for Lamb’s next case.

Andrew Murray

Down Cemetery Road is released on Apple TV+ on 29^th October 2025.

Watch the trailer for Down Cemetery Road here: