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

'Slow Horses' Subtly Honors Heath Ledger in Season Five

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

Gary Oldman, who stars as Jackson Lamb in Slow Horses, also played Lt. Gordon in Christopher Nolan’s critically acclaimed 2008 film The Dark Knight. In this episode, elements from both works intersect.

A Memorable Scene Echoes Heath Ledger’s Joker

In a moment of frustration, Oldman’s character exclaims, “When you talk, I wanna stick a pencil in my eye and headbutt the table!” Fans have interpreted this line as a clever homage to a famous The Dark Knight scene featuring Ledger’s Joker.

“How about a magic trick?”

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

As tension rises, the Joker slams his head onto a pencil on the table. “It’s gone.”

This iconic scene originally shows Ledger’s Joker intimidating criminals by pretending to perform a magic trick, culminating in a violent act with a pencil.

Legacy of Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger passed away at 28 before The Dark Knight was released, but his performance earned him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, immortalizing his role.

Ledger won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his unforgettable portrayal of the Joker.

This tribute in Slow Horses respectfully nods to Ledger’s lasting influence on cinema and fans alike.

Summary: The fifth season of Slow Horses features a subtle but meaningful tribute to Heath Ledger, cleverly connecting Gary Oldman's current role with Ledger's iconic Joker character.

Would you like the tone to be more formal or conversational?

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NME NME — 2025-11-08

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