Long before Mick Herron captured audiences with his “Slow Horses” spy novels, which Apple TV so brilliantly adapted, he penned a compelling series of crime thrillers featuring Zoë Boehm. This Oxford-based private investigator, known for her sharp wit and derisive charm, served as a fascinating precursor to the beloved yet abrasive spymaster Jackson Lamb — though with significantly better personal habits!
Given the widespread acclaim for “Slow Horses” — a truly satisfying watch for anyone who appreciates smart genre fiction — it was only a matter of time before Herron’s earlier works received the same treatment. Enter “Down Cemetery Road,” an exciting new eight-episode series now streaming on Apple TV (with its first two episodes having just premiered). This adaptation tackles Herron’s debut novel from 2003, also the inaugural story in the Zoë Boehm saga.
To ensure this new series resonates with fans, several strategic decisions were made. Perhaps predictably, “Down Cemetery Road” leans heavily into the signature tone and style of “Slow Horses,” rather than strictly adhering to its original literary roots. Morwenna Banks, a talented writer from the “Slow Horses” team with a strong comedic background, helmed the adaptation. Her approach skillfully shifts the narrative away from the book’s darker psychological melodrama, infusing it instead with a vibrant, witty, and often darkly humorous edge.
An intentional, though perhaps foreseeable, alteration involves the character dynamics. In the initial novel, Zoë Boehm played a more secondary role, serving as a somewhat reluctant guide in detective work to the story’s true protagonist: Sarah Trafford, an intelligent, stifled, and intensely obsessive homemaker. For the television adaptation, Boehm’s presence has been significantly amplified, giving both characters equal screen time and adding a delightful buddy-film dynamic that echoes the spirit of shows like “Killing Eve” or even “Thelma & Louise.”
The immense success of “Slow Horses” also delivered a significant win in casting: the incomparable Emma Thompson stepped into the role of Boehm, with the equally brilliant Ruth Wilson taking on Trafford. This casting coup is undeniably a joy to behold, as both actresses deliver captivating performances. However, this star power also contributes to the show’s overall mixed bag, a sentiment that extends to “Down Cemetery Road” as a whole.
The plot ignites with a violent explosion at an Oxford residence, followed by the baffling disappearance of a young girl who resided there. Sarah Trafford, stuck in a dreary dinner party nearby, finds her evening dramatically — and mercifully — cut short by the blast. She soon becomes consumed by the need to find the missing girl, drawing both herself and Boehm into a dangerous web involving shadowy government conspiracies and brutal covert operations.
Herron’s signature biting humor and meticulously constructed farcical plots are certainly evident. However, while the novel delves deeply into Trafford’s personal struggles and inner demons, the series opts for a lighter tone. Despite moments of intense violence, the adaptation downplays her traumatic past, attempting to soften and normalize her character. This dilutes her complex motivations, transforming her into more of an intrepid, albeit somewhat superficial, amateur detective and adrenaline seeker, rather than the deeply conflicted woman battling for meaning in her life that she was in print. While Ruth Wilson masterfully embodies this adapted version of Trafford, her formidable gravity and intelligence might have been better suited to the book’s fiercer, more psychologically rich portrayal.
Indeed, Ruth Wilson’s portrayal highlights a character whose motivations are notably lighter and less burdened compared to her literary counterpart.
This desire to emulate the lively, satirical charm of “Slow Horses” permeates “Down Cemetery Road,” from its spirited musical score to its scenic backdrops and even its comedic action sequences. Characters who were already a bit bumbling in the book become even more so: a detective is made profoundly inept, a husband ludicrously buffoonish, and an overly deferential bureaucrat now sports a neck brace for added comedic effect. We’re treated to jokes involving toilet paper and crumbling cookies, while the series-exclusive cat-and-mouse pursuits, though tense, lack the startling, dizzying originality of the novel’s plot twists.
For viewers unfamiliar with the original novel, these changes are largely irrelevant. Even for those who have read it, the series is generally executed with elegance and features more than competent acting (though Adeel Akhtar’s portrayal of the obsequious bureaucrat might be a bit over-the-top). “Down Cemetery Road”—whose evocative title is drawn from a Philip Larkin poem—stands as a high-quality dark-comic thriller, arguably even more consistently enjoyable than its source material. However, this enjoyment comes with the caveat that the narrative stakes have been somewhat diminished, resulting in a more conventional, albeit polished, product. In today’s crowded streaming landscape, dark-comic thrillers are certainly abundant.
Nevertheless, one element in “Down Cemetery Road” truly shines: Zoë Boehm. Emma Thompson’s remarkably confident performance makes every moment she’s on screen a genuine pleasure, leaving viewers eager for more. While the limited number of novels and their intricate plots might not naturally lend themselves to a lengthy television run for Boehm and Trafford, Morwenna Banks has already demonstrated a readiness to adapt the source material. Perhaps further creative adjustments could pave the way for a continued journey with these captivating characters.