With Slow Horses now in its fifth season and at the height of its popularity and critical acclaim, it seems only fitting that another Mick Herron novel would receive a series order.
Down Cemetery Road is based on the first of Herron’s novels centered on character Zoë Boehm (although she doesn’t become as central a character until the later books), starring Emma Thompson as Boehm and Ruth Wilson as Sarah Tucker.
The series premiered on Apple TV just before Halloween, and Watch With Us immediately fell in love with it, even though it’s been overshadowed by other shows, both very good (Pluribus) and very bad (All’s Fair).
Here’s why Down Cemetery Road is a mystery show worth watching right now or any time of the year.
It’s a Dynamite Role for Emma Thompson
Emma Thompson doesn’t do TV very often, which is why it’s a requirement to tune in when she decides to helm a small-screen series. Thompson plays the show’s caustic detective Boehm, full of the kind of wry wit and biting humor that drew fans to Slow Horses. The Howards End actress is especially great in this role because she relishes delivering all the sharp dialogue the writers give her. Her character is extremely to-the-point and abrasive— to other characters’ occasional aggravation, of course.
Zoë Boehm is just a smart-ass, and Thompson doesn’t hide from showing her worst qualities. Her character bears both cynicism and vulnerability, as she is colored by grief from her past. This fusion of personality traits doesn’t make her just entertaining to watch as she slings one-liners around with the greatest of ease, but also incredibly empathetic. Plus, she shares fantastic chemistry with her co-star, Ruth Wilson, who holds her own in every scene she shares with Thompson.
The Fantastic Writing Draws You In
Thankfully, it isn’t just Thompson who gets the best-written character on Down Cemetery Road while supporting actors are forced to flounder with underwritten roles and poor dialogue. The entire cast of characters on the series is stellar, and in addition to being a compelling crime thriller, it is also an effective character-driven drama.
When other aspects of the show might fall short, the characters are consistently there to hold the line. The show’s primary writer, Morwenna Banks, also just happened to work on Slow Horses, so she knows exactly what she’s doing. She makes sure that not only are characters given great dialogue, but they also go through genuine character development.
‘Down Cemetery Road’ Is Full of Twists and Turns
The premise of Down Cemetery Road involves a freak house explosion that occurs in Sarah Tucker’s quiet, South Oxford neighborhood, the aftermath of which coincides with the disappearance of a little girl. Suspicious of the confluence of circumstances, Tucker teams up with no-nonsense private eye Boehm to get to the bottom of things, landing them in the middle of a chilling conspiracy.
It works wonders how each episode of the series includes a major twist in events and a cliffhanger to boot, keeping audiences with their fingers on the “Next Episode” button — a challenge, since for now only four episodes have been released as of press time. Ultimately, the simple house explosion that ignites the narrative includes government cover-ups, tampered evidence and a wide-reaching plot that extends far beyond any suburban unrest. It’s the stuff great mystery shows are made of, and Down Cemetery Road has the goods to be a worthy successor to genre classics like Prime Suspect with Helen Mirren and Broadchurch with Olivia Colman.
‘Slow Horses’ Fans Will Love ‘Down Cemetery Road’
Emma Thompson in Down Cemetery Road Matt Towers /©Apple TV+ / Courtesy Everett Collection
Mick Herron’s novels are infused with the same kind of punchy one-liners and smarmy humor that fans of Slow Horses have come to expect and adore from the series starring Gary Oldman. Now, Emma Thompson gets to be the one conveying such darkly comic lines, and it helps that Morwenna Banks also has a background in comedy writing.
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While the Bohem book series is really more of a psychological drama, Banks adapts Down Cemetery Road in a way that plays up the black comedy elements. Thus, the series excels as a hybrid of dark humor and crime drama, making an engaging series that is just as buoyantly entertaining as it is mysterious and thrilling.
Why Is No One Watching ‘Down Cemetery Road’? I Have Some Theories
Ruth Wilson in Down Cemetery Road Matt Towers /©Apple TV+ / Courtesy Everett Collection
So why isn’t anyone watching it? Since its debut in late October, Down Cemetery Road has already disappeared from the pop culture radar. That’s partly Apple TV’s fault — the streamer keeps churning out hit after hit, from the buzzy new show Pluribus with Rhea Seehorn to the return of the critically acclaimed comedy, Palm Royale, with Kristen Wiig. There’s also more mystery shows than ever, with Netflix leading the pack this weekend with The Beast in Me, with Claire Danes as a mystery author investigating her up-to-no-good new neighbor, Matthew Rhys.
Whatever the reason is, it’s not good enough. Down Cemetery Road deserves your time and attention right now. It’s mid-way through its eight-episode first season, which is the perfect time to binge a few episodes and catch up before the finale on December 10. It’s also a perfect late-fall mystery show to obsess over that will keep you from going out into the cold.
