Slow Horses Season 5 Pays Tribute to Heath Ledger's Joker
In Season 5 of Slow Horses, Gary Oldman’s character Jackson Lamb makes a joke closely resembling a famous line delivered by Heath Ledger’s Joker in the 2008 film The Dark Knight. The line, "How about a magic trick?", recalls the Joker’s chilling moment where he forces a man’s head into a pencil, making it "disappear."
The Dark Knight’s Lasting Influence
The Dark Knight, directed by Christopher Nolan, premiered the same year as Marvel's first MCU film, Iron Man. It remains a defining superhero movie and a benchmark for comic book adaptations, praised even after nearly two decades. Despite the MCU’s massive growth with 37 films, none have quite matched Nolan's masterpiece, which continues to captivate audiences and influence storytellers.
Homage in Slow Horses
Gary Oldman, who co-starred with Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight, appears to pay subtle tribute to Ledger's iconic Joker performance through his dialogue in Slow Horses. The season 5 episode titled "Incommunicado" hints that the writers remain inspired by Nolan’s film.
"How about a magic trick?"
This homage adds an extra layer of connection between the two works and honors Ledger's lasting impact on film culture.
Author's Summary
Slow Horses season 5 features a clever nod to Heath Ledger’s Joker, showing how Nolan’s The Dark Knight still resonates years later in modern television storytelling.