Tribute to Heath Ledger in "Slow Horses" Season 5
The writers of Slow Horses seem to have slipped a subtle nod to Heath Ledger into the fifth season of the Apple TV spy comedy series. This reference appears in episode five, blending the worlds of the show and the 2008 film The Dark Knight.
Gary Oldman's Dual Connection
Gary Oldman stars as Jackson Lamb, the lead character in Slow Horses. He also famously portrayed Lt. Gordon in Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed film The Dark Knight. This shared link between the show and the movie sets the stage for the tribute.
The Tribute Scene
In episode five, Oldman's character grows frustrated with a colleague and exclaims:
“When you talk, I wanna stick a pencil in my eye and headbutt the table!”
Fans believe this is a sly homage to a famous scene from The Dark Knight, where Ledger’s Joker threatens mobsters by slamming a pencil into a table, asking:
“How about a magic trick? I’m going to make the pencil disappear.”
The Joker then forcefully pushes his head through the pencil, declaring:
“It’s gone.”
Heath Ledger’s Legacy
Heath Ledger tragically passed away at 28, before The Dark Knight premiered in 2008. His performance as the Joker posthumously earned him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, cementing his iconic legacy.
Summary: Season 5 of Slow Horses delivers a clever tribute to Heath Ledger’s memorable Joker by referencing a famous pencil trick scene, linking Gary Oldman’s roles across the two works.