Slow Horses Season 5 episode 2 ending explained: Why were Lamb and his team members arrested?

Apple TV+’s Slow Horses has cemented itself as one of the sharpest spy thrillers on television, adapted from Mick Herron’s acclaimed Slough House novels. With Gary Oldman leading as Jackson Lamb, the show follows failed MI5 agents who are relegated to Slough House, a dumping ground for misfits.

After the shocking premiere that featured a mass shooting orchestrated by mysterious forces, Slow Horses Season 5 episode 2 raises the stakes even further. Roddy Ho’s unlikely romance with Tara takes a sinister turn, Diana Taverner faces new political complications, and a chilling terror plot begins to take shape. But the biggest surprise comes at the end of the episode, when Lamb and his entire team are detained. 

Why was the Slough House team arrested

The climax of Slow Horses Season 5 episode 2 sees Diana Taverner (Kristin Scott Thomas) storming into Slough House with MI5 officers to arrest Roddy Ho and effectively place the rest of the team under lockdown. At first glance, this move might seem like a betrayal, but the reasoning is rooted in bureaucracy and control.

Roddy had just survived an assassination attempt in his apartment, where Lamb and Shirley intervened to stop a sniper sent to kill him. Instead of immediately reporting the incident through official MI5 channels, Lamb chose to keep the matter contained, fearing that “the Park” (MI5 headquarters) would bury the truth and withhold information from his agents. By the time Diana found out, she considered his decision a breach of protocol.

Thus, Lamb and his squad were confined to Slough House, cut off from the outside world with no internet or communications. Roddy, meanwhile, was singled out for questioning because of his direct connection to the attack and the suspicious involvement of his girlfriend, Tara. From Diana’s perspective, this was about maintaining operational secrecy and preventing Slough House from meddling further in an already dangerous investigation. For Lamb, though, the move felt like another attempt to sideline his team just when they were closest to uncovering the truth.

Recap of Slow Horses Season 5 Episode 2: Assassinations, terror plots, and political intrigue

Slow Horses Season 5 episode 2 is packed with developments that set up a volatile season. After Tara drops Roddy off, Lamb ambushes him inside his flat, convinced that the hacker is being targeted. His instincts prove right when the same sniper who killed Rob Trew infiltrates the apartment. With Lamb and Shirley’s help, Roddy narrowly survives, though the assassin escapes with the help of his accomplices. Tara’s betrayal becomes more obvious when it is revealed that she had copied Roddy’s keys, enabling the intruder’s entry.

Meanwhile, Diana receives a late-night visit from disgraced politician Peter Judd, who reveals that the assault rifle used in the mass shooting was stolen from a weapons fair. He pressures her to keep the company’s name out of the public eye, hinting at shady backdoor deals. At the same time, MI5 Director Claude Whelan faces blackmail over a compromising encounter abroad, further destabilizing the agency’s leadership.

The real threat, however, comes from the terrorists. After abandoning their injured comrade, they manipulate a group of disillusioned youths into contaminating petrol supplies with volatile chemicals. The chilling result: cars begin exploding in the streets, setting the stage for mass chaos in London. While MI5 scrambles to respond, Slough House’s enforced isolation means Lamb and his misfits are sidelined—at least temporarily.

The ending of Slow Horses Season 5 episode 2 underscores the recurring tension at the heart of the series. Diana’s decision to detain Lamb’s team highlights the mistrust between the Park and Slough House, but it also sets up an explosive conflict. With London facing a new wave of terror and Roddy’s personal life dangerously compromised, the coming episodes promise high-stakes espionage drama with Lamb’s crew right at the messy center. The next episode, titled Tall Tales, will be released on October 8, 2025, exclusively on Apple TV+ in the United States.