Slow Horses director just revealed that there is a huge clue about what actually happened to River Cartwright in the season 6 ending. The final moments of the Apple TV spy drama see Jack Lowden’s River return to his grandfather’s house, where Sid is staying. Hoping to surprise her, he quietly enters the kitchen and starts preparing a drink. But River changes his mind about making tea and reaches for a bottle of wine instead. He also moves a crowbar off the table. Then, almost out of nowhere, his hand starts shaking. He struggles to stay upright before collapsing to the floor, gasping for breath. And that’s how the season 6 ends. The crowbar is definitely an important part of the mystery in Slow Horses, with earlier clues suggesting it could be linked to River’s suspected poisoning. But director Adam Randall has now explained how the final scene was carefully put together, with even the smallest details helping to build tension. The hidden clue in River’s final scene Credit: Apple TV One of the most unsettling things about River’s collapse is how long it takes to happen. That slow build-up was completely intentional. Speaking to Radio Times, Randall said, “I really wanted for you to know something was wrong, because we were taking so long with absolutely nothing happening. It’s almost the most wonderful happy ending. It’s sort of heartbreaking that it isn’t.” He added, “I just remember going in there on my own and sort of thinking about, ‘What would you do?’ You get the tea, and then you maybe feel a bit embarrassed that you’re making tea. You really fancy her, ‘What are you making tea for? She’s up there, go get the wine out.’” Randall continued, “And so I sort of did a little walk around on my own in that kitchen, and then Jack came in, and we talked it through, and then he throws ideas in, and we just tried to stretch it out as long as possible.” The music provides another clue to the ending The music also plays an important part in making the scene feel strangely peaceful, even as River begins to collapse. Randall explained, “Then I really wanted to use this Nick Drake song because it was a little callback. We used Nick Drake at the end of season 4, but also it’s got this lovely quality, that track, where there’s a sort of sweetness and it’s kind of upbeat, but it’s really melancholic.” He continued, “And the way to use that music where it’s sort of diegetic, and then it’s not, and to be as subtle as we could with what was happening with his hand. How little can we get away with before…” The contrast is what makes the sequence so uncomfortable. Randall wanted to keep the signs of poisoning subtle rather than making the scene overly dramatic. Randall also explained why the production chose to keep the scene so restrained, despite how serious the events are. He said, “And what’s so interesting about that is it’s a very dark season, lots of things go wrong for various people. So you’re not expecting for it then to be the darkest and then it just ends. It’s shocking and it’s a risk, really. But [it is in the book], and it’s important. It’s an important part of the story.” So, the signs that something was terribly wrong were there before River collapsed. How clever! For all the latest film and TV updates and hot takes, like our Facebook page. Post navigation Next story
