'Slow Horses' pays subtle tribute to Gary Oldman’s 'The Dark Knight' co-star Heath Ledger

'Slow Horses' Subtly Honors Heath Ledger

The writers of Slow Horses have seemingly included a subtle tribute to Heath Ledger in the show's fifth season. This nod appeared in episode five of the Apple TV series.

Gary Oldman's Connection

Gary Oldman stars as Jackson Lamb in Slow Horses. He also famously portrayed Lt. Gordon in Christopher Nolan’s 2008 classic The Dark Knight. In the new season, there's a moment where these two worlds intersect.

Tribute Scene Analysis

In episode five, Lamb becomes irritated with a colleague and says,

“When you talk, I wanna stick a pencil in my eye and headbutt the table!”

Fans believe this line is a clever reference to a memorable scene from The Dark Knight, where Ledger’s Joker confronts criminals by asking, “How about a magic trick?” and then slams a pencil into the table.

“I’m going to make the pencil disappear.”

When challenged, the Joker forces his head eye-first through the pencil, saying,

“It’s gone.”

Remembering Heath Ledger

Ledger tragically died at 28 before The Dark Knight premiered. His performance earned him a posthumous Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, securing his place as a cinematic legend.

Summary: The fifth season of Slow Horses features a subtle homage to Heath Ledger’s iconic Joker, cleverly woven through Gary Oldman's character, linking two beloved performances.

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NME NME — 2025-11-08

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