19 Best Jackson Lamb moments from Slow Horses

Jackson Lamb, portrayed by Gary Oldman, is the standout character in the acclaimed Apple TV series Slow Horses. As the head of Slough House, a department for disgraced MI5 agents, Lamb is known for his sharp wit, blunt demeanor, and unconventional methods. Throughout the series, Lamb's moments of brilliance, humor, and toughness leave a lasting impact on both his team and viewers. This list highlights 19 of the best Jackson Lamb moments, showcasing his unique blend of intelligence, sarcasm, and loyalty. Please note that the entire article is based on the writer's opinion. Reader's discretion is advised.

19) Jackson Lamb's introduction

Jackson Lamb's introduction might be one of the funniest in a thriller show. In the first scene of Jackson Lamb, he wakes up with the sound of his own fart. He’s literally the opposite of a suave spy. He’s sloppy, rude, and smells like he hasn’t showered in weeks. But within minutes, you realize he’s the smartest person in the room.

18) He is one of the best spies in the show

In season 1 of Slow Horses, Gary Oldman's character, Jackson Lamb is the one who finds out first that Kristin's character, Diana Taverner, head of MI5, was the one behind the whole kidnapping plan as he found traces of her covering her tracks so that no one could reach her. However, Lamb recognized her attempt to cover her tracks and found the main culprit.

17) Jackson Lamb shuts Roddy Ho with a simple shut up

In season 3 of Slow Horses, Jackson takes Roddy Ho ( Christopher Chung) to go on a lookout for Catherine Standish ( Saskia Reeves). Chung's Ho tries to thank him for taking Roddy on an on-field operation as he is a hacker and doesn't get out of Slough House much. However, as he tries to do that, Lamb quickly shuts him up with a simple shut up.

16) His many ways of berating his team of slow horses

In season 3 of Slow Horses, Gary Oldman's Jackson Lamb berates his team for making mistakes and for always being found in the middle of mishappenings. He confesses in front of them that he wants a team of agents but is stuck with the slow horses. Even though he is sometimes harsh to the team, he also looks out for them.

15) Lamb shuts down River when he asks for help

In season 3 of Slow Horses, Jack Lowden's River Cartwright gets trapped in a warehouse and asks for Gary Oldman's Jackson's help as the men outside the warehouse have guns but Lamb quickly shuts him down by telling him that he is busy. Although frustrated, Lowden's River doesn't argue and just says its okay, the matter might resolve on its own.

14) Only Jackson Lamb has the right to call his team with demeaning names

In season 4 of Slow Horses, Emma Flyte (Ruth Bradley) calls the slow horses rejects to which Gary Oldman's Lamb tells her that they don't like being called rejects. Flyte then asks what he calls them and Jackson, nonchalantly tells her that he calls them rejects showcasing that they are his team of losers and only he gets to call them that.

13) Doesn't shy away from taking digs at the MI5

In Slow Horses, as Gary Oldman's Jackson Lamb finds out a bunch of MI5 agents have been following him for a while, he in his sarcastic and revolting way comments on how he thought spooks were supposed to be stealthy but they aren't as he outsmarts them. This comment highlights Lamb's observational skills as a spy as he is still better than many who work in the Regent's Park.

12) Jackson Lamb puts Roddy Ho in his place

In Season 3 of Slow Horses, Jackson Lamb puts down Roddy Ho (Christopher Chung) with his blunt comment of double-checking the CCTV footage as he is sure Ho might have missed some crucial information. As we have seen Chung's Roddy being over-confident about his hacking and spying skills throughout the series, Lamb's sometimes revolting and blunt comments keep him a little grounded.

11) Jackson Lamb comes to Catherine Standish's home unannounced

We have seen several times Jackson Lamb disregarding and going unannounced to Standish’s house in Slow Horses. In season 4, to find out about the whereabouts of the Cartwrights, he gives Standish another of his unannounced visits to gather information about River and his grandfather so that he can help solve the problem.

10) Jackson Lamb and his sarcastic comments for his team

In the show Slow Horses, Gary Oldman's Jackson Lamb never shies away from demeaning his team of misfits. In season 1, hilariously comments on how they are too slow to understand anything and compares teaching them to teaching a dog where Norway is. This is one of Lamb's popular quips from season 1 that highlights his blunt and sarcastic personality.

9) Jackson Lamb doesn't have time to take a shower

In season 4 of Slow Horses when Emma Flyte ( Ruth Bradley) asks him indirectly to take a shower, he quickly puts her down by saying he doesn't mind it but as he has already lost a team member and taking a shower doesn't seem the most important thing in his priority right now.

8) Jackson Lamb buys his double noodles with River Cartwright's money

In season 2, Jackson Lamb shows his investigative skills and why he is considered one of the best. He decodes Min Harper’s last message, that too while eating his double noodles which he buys with River Cartwright’s money. This scene showcases Lamb’s observational skills and his disregard for other important things like table manners.

7) Jackson tricks Kelly Tropper

In season 2, Jackson Lamb proves that he is one of the best spies of MI5 as he tricks Rebecca, the driver who is thought to have killed Min Harper with her car. However, Jackson, in place of providing her safety, tricks her into telling him about her connections with the Russians and whether she killed Min or not.

6) Jackson brings Nick Duffy's car back

In season 2, Jackson steals the head of tactical unit Nick Duffy's ( Chris Reily) car and brings it back to Regent's Park. However, he is stopped at the gates of the MI5 building and surrounded by Duffy's men with guns. Jackson, being ignorant about his surroundings, keeps singing 500 Miles by The Proclaimers until Nick Duffy comes and asks him to get out of the car, and is arrested.

5) Jackson's farewell gift for River

In season 2 of Slow Horses, as the team at Slough House is going through footage to find out information on their ongoing investigation, River Cartright (Jack Lowden) joins them and asks to fill him in. Jackson, without losing a second taunts him on his job interview with Elessar and then flips him off which he says is his farewell present from him.

4) Jackson Lamb hilariously puts down Emma Flyte

Season 4 of Slow Horses is filled with Emma Flyte (Ruth Bradley) and Jackson Lamb's sarcastic conversations. One example would be when Bradley's Emma is sent to Slough House and Jackson remarks that people are sent to Slough House for only two reasons- One of them is if they are absolute losers, which Emma finds revolting and rude and snaps back at him. However, Jackson doesn't hold back and tells her the second reason that is if they have pissed someone off which makes Emma go silent as there was some truth to it.

3) " ..But They’re My Losers." - Jackson

At the end of season 1, Diana Taverner ( Kristin Scott Thomas), surprised by Lamb's effort to save his slough house members, quips in an amused tone that Lamb cares about his team. However, he makes it clear to her that all of them are a bunch of absolute losers. But adds at last that they are his losers, confessing in his own way how much he cares about them.

2) Jackson Lamb's loyalty to his team

In Season 4 of Slow Horses, Jackson is called upon to identify the body of River (Jack Lowden) in his grandfather's house. Jackson lies to the police and tells them it is River's dead body so that they don't look for him and he can finish his task in France without MI5 tailing him. This is one of the rarest and best moments where Lamb shows his concern and supports his team members without them asking for it.

1) Jackson Lamb's speech for his team

In Season 1 of Slow Horses, Lamb and his team try not to get captured by MI5 agents sent by Taverner. As they all meet, Lamb confesses that he is not very good at giving speeches but as the moment is big and they might not see each other again he wants to give one. After a moment of silence, Lamb in his blunt and sarcastic way, calls the slow horses ' a bunch of losers' and says working with all of them has been one of the lowest and most disappointing points of his career.