Jack Lowden Trades Gary Oldman for Colin Firth in Apple TV’s Next Detective Thriller to Rival ‘Slow Horses’

19 hours ago 4

Published Feb 10, 2026, 12:54 PM EST

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After squaring off (and occasionally getting verbally flattened) by Gary Oldman in Slow Horses, Jack Lowden is lining up a very different kind of heavyweight co-star for his next Apple TV project. This time, it’s Colin Firth — and the pairing signals another prestige swing for the streamer’s ever-growing thriller lineup.

Back in April 2025, Apple TV confirmed it was moving forward with an adaptation of Berlin Noir, the acclaimed detective novels by Philip Kerr. A few months later, it was revealed that Lowden would star as Bernie Gunther, bringing the iconic detective to life in a series focused on his early years — specifically 1928 Berlin, long before history fully darkens the city’s doorstep.

Now the project has landed its second major casting announcement. Firth will play Paul Lohser, a brilliant but deeply prickly murder detective with the Berlin Police. Meticulous, anti-social, and wildly different from Bernie in both temperament and worldview, Lohser nonetheless becomes Gunther’s partner — and, crucially, his only real shot at catching a serial killer targeting society’s most vulnerable victims. It’s a classic odd-couple setup, elevated by two actors who specialize in making tension feel effortless.

How Good Is 'Slow Horses'?

As for Lowden's other spy series, Slow Horses has been a juggernaut for Apple since its release in 2022, and a critical darling too. Collider’s review stated that Slow Horses Season 5 didn’t try to outdo the seismic highs of the previous season, but instead leaned into a more back-to-basics approach that played directly to the show’s strengths. While the stakes were less personal than Season 4’s Cartwright family bombshell, the series remained compelling by emphasizing character dynamics, workplace paranoia, and the slow-burn unraveling of a seemingly smaller conspiracy. Carly Lane wrote:

If Slow Horses Season 5 proves anything, it's that even an installment of this show that favors a back-to-basics approach is still definitely worth tuning in for. The cast has firmly settled into their roles — you never thought you'd be so happy to hear Jackson Lamb's flatulence again — and the narrative's emphasis on Slough House means that we're treated to different character combinations that bode well for the show's longevity. Given that a renewal has already been secured through Season 7, it's clear that Slow Horses isn't going anywhere, and thank goodness for that.

Slow Horses is streaming now on Apple TV. Stay tuned for more updates on Berlin Noir.