Slow Horses‘ fifth season continues to showcase how much the MI5 leadership is in desperate need of change. Apple TV’s hit spy drama has dived into the world of espionage with a specific focus on the British Security Service agency, MI5.
However, the series does provide an interesting perspective on MI5 through the lens of a handful of misfit agents who have been exiled by their employer to the neglected Slough House branch. But as much as Slough House has its problems, it’s become abundantly clear that MI5 is not in great shape either.
Claude Whelan Is The MI5 First Desk
When Slow Horses began in 2022, Ingrid Tearney was operating as the leader of the organization. However, Tearney appeared to be occupied with other duties, which often left the daily handling of the agency up to Diana Taverner, the so-called Second Desk, or Deputy Chief of the organization.
In season 4, Claude Whelan took over as the new First Desk, with Taverner retaining her position, and Tearney exiting abruptly. Whelan appears to be well-connected with members of government, which seems to have helped him land his new role.
Claude Whelan Is Woefully Incompetent As The Head Of MI5
However, Claude Whelan is not fit to lead MI5. Initially, Whelan arrived with the intention of creating a more honest and transparent version of the organization under his leadership. But quickly, it appears as though Whelan has abandoned this idea after struggling to deal with issues swiftly and efficiently.
In this way, Whelan wants to protect himself and his career prospects into the future, but it comes at the expense of his supposed morality. Worse than this, however, is the fact that Whelan appears to completely lack the skills required to lead an agency like MI5.
He’s not particularly clever, insightful, strategic, or stealthy. Meanwhile, agents like those in Slough House repeatedly outsmart and outmaneuver him, while his second-in-command manages to lead the organization despite Whelan getting in the way.
Diana Taverner May Be Unlikable, But She Knows How To Run MI5
With that, it seems very clear that Diana Taverner is the obvious choice to lead MI5. With years of experience under her belt, and effectively acting in that role throughout parts of Tearney’s tenure and the entire duration of Whelan’s run, Taverner is overqualified.
She clearly has her own agendas, and her ambition has seen her attempting to land the role for some time, but Whelan was never a good fit for the agency, and he has been more trouble than he’s worth. Taverner, on the other hand, has the skills and the ruthlessness to pull it off.
In addition, her view of Slough House may be remarkably low, but her respect towards Jackson Lamb, the head of that department, ensures that their future collaborations could potentially be more fruitful than in previous seasons of Slow Horses.
