The Watch

How Much Higher Can ‘Slow Horses’ Climb? Plus, ‘Landman’ S2 and ‘Jay Kelly’ Trailers.

·59 min·5 clips
Andy Greenwald is heading to London for secret reasons tied to the spy thriller 'Slow Horses'.
The episode opens with Andy Greenwald teasing a secret trip to London related to 'Slow Horses', setting a casual, insider tone. Chris Ryan then raises a critical question about 'Slow Horses': whether Jackson Lamb's predictable insults and the show's sitcom-like dynamics have become limiting after five seasons. Andy defends the show's consistency, noting its digestible seasons and Gary Oldman's commitment, while Chris points to a specific hotel bar scene in Episode 2 as an example of repetitive humor. They pivot to 'Landman', analyzing its Season 2 trailer, which features Sam Elliott joining the cast and promises higher stakes than the meandering first season. Chris commends the trailer for making the show look plausible, though both hosts recall Season 1's flaws, like Billy Bob Thornton's rambling monologues. Next, they discuss 'Jay Kelly', a George Clooney film about show business, with Chris praising Clooney's charisma in roles where he plays bruised versions of himself. Industry talk follows, focusing on Peter Friedlander's move from Netflix to Amazon as head of TV; they speculate this could diversify Amazon's slate beyond its current procedural-heavy offerings. The hosts analyze Apple TV+'s strategy, noting it has become a baseline for reliable, star-driven television like 'Platonic' and 'Ted Lasso', influencing other streamers. They touch on Paramount's recent moves under Skydance, such as signing James Mangold, and muse on actors like Reese Witherspoon using TV for career stability. Personal media recommendations include the spy novel 'A Shadow Intelligence' by Oliver Harris and the band Geese's new album. The episode concludes with light banter about travel plans and upcoming podcast coverage, including 'Task'.

As heard by us

A London return sparks movie arguments, travel banter, and a grounded look at streaming TV.

The Watch turns a studio catch-up into an easy map of how television now moves through habit, travel, taste, and platform strategy. Chris Ryan's return to London gives the hour its shape, with secret-trip evasions, Instagram food talk, and a zero-pint plan loosening the room…

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Why you'd press play

You get Slow Horses, Landman, Weapons, and streaming-business talk in one loose studio hang.

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