Slow Horses Season 5 Pays Tribute to Heath Ledger's Joker
In Slow Horses season 5, Gary Oldman's character, Jackson Lamb, delivers a line reminiscent of a famous moment from The Dark Knight involving his late co-star Heath Ledger. The phrase, "How about a magic trick?" echoes Ledger's iconic Joker from the 2008 film.
This memorable quote is one of many from The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan's celebrated comic book adaptation that has deeply influenced popular culture since its release. In the film, the Joker slams a man's head into a pencil, making it "disappear," showcasing his chilling sense of violence.
"How about a magic trick?"
Gary Oldman’s homage to Ledger in the Apple TV series highlights the lasting impact of The Dark Knight more than 15 years later. Nolan's film is often considered the benchmark for superhero movies, released alongside the first Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film, Iron Man, which reshaped Hollywood.
Despite nearly two decades and 37 MCU movies, none have matched Nolan’s dark, gripping narrative style, illustrating The Dark Knight's enduring status and possibly explaining recent challenges faced by the MCU.
The writers of Slow Horses appear influenced by The Dark Knight, as seen in the season 5 episode titled “Incommunicado.”
Author’s Summary
Slow Horses season 5 cleverly honors Heath Ledger’s Joker, reaffirming The Dark Knight as a timeless standard in superhero cinema more than 15 years after its release.