'Slow Horses Meets Line Of Duty' Thriller Series Has Apple TV's Best Duo

Published Oct 18, 2026, 5:00 PM EDT Memory Ngulube joined Screen Rant in April 2024 as part of the Movies and TV team. Since then, she has written for the Perennials and Streaming team, covering a wide range of topics from new releases to old movies and TV shows. Memory is currently a Classic TV writer. Before joining Screen Rant, Memory was a freelance copywriter who specialized in email marketing and social media management. While she enjoyed her job, her true passion was always movies and TV. When she isn’t writing for Screen Rant, Memory can be found reading, baking (which is one of her passions), or watching her favorite K-drama. Apple TV has quietly become one of the most reliable destinations for intelligent thrillers, with shows like Slow Horses proving that there is room for eccentric spies in espionage stories. Then there's BBC's Line of Duty, returning next year after a six-year hiatus, proof that audiences can't resist a gripping procedural drama. Combining the best elements of these two remarkable shows sounds almost too good to be true, but Apple TV’s eight-part thriller comes close. Based on the 2003 novel by Mick Herron, best known for his Slough House novels, and adapted for TV by Morwenna Banks, who brought Slow Horses to life, Down Cemetery Road is one of Apple TV’s most slept-on series. The show follows private investigator Zoë Boehm (Emma Thompson) and inquisitive neighbor Sarah Trafford (Ruth Wilson), whose lives become entangled after an explosion in an Oxford suburb leads to questions about a missing child. Down Cemetery Road, in more ways than one, deserves the same acclaim as Slow Horses; the two shows share many similarities, both adapted for TV by the same person and inspired by Mick Herron's literary works. Sadly, that hasn’t been the case for this underrated Apple TV series. Its incredible leading duo certainly deserves more love. Emma Thompson & Ruth Wilson Combine For A 10/10 Leading Duo In Down Cemetery Road A leading duo can make or break a TV show. Thankfully, many great TV pairings throughout history prove that two is better than one, from Psych’s Shawn and Gus to Sherlock’s Holmes and Watson. Though Down Cemetery Road's Zoë and Sarah aren’t among the world’s most famous TV duos, their chemistry and camaraderie make them one of the most compelling partnerships in recent memory. Thompson brings a distinctive blend of dry humor, cynicism, and intelligence to Zoë. While most TV detectives seem to have a modicum of control over their lives and work, Thompson’s Zoë has a prickly personality and an eccentric approach to solving problems. Wilson provides the perfect counterbalance to Thompson. Sarah begins as an ordinary woman whose curiosity about a missing child grows into an urgent determination to uncover the truth. Zoë and Sarah do not start as best friends in Down Cemetery Road. In fact, Zoë blames Sarah for her husband’s death and initially writes off her concerns about the conspiracy. However, as the series goes on, the duo grows closer because of their need to solve the mystery and find out what happened to the little girl who went missing during the explosion. The most important factor that makes Zoë and Sarah a perfect duo is their chemistry. The two characters play off each other with ease; they're yin and yang. While Zoë is cold and methodical, Sarah is warm and isn’t afraid to dive headfirst into a situation. Down Cemetery Road Is One Of Apple TV's Most Underrated Shows While Apple TV original shows such as Severance, Slow Horses, and Silo have attracted considerable attention, the streamer's catalog also contains titles that deserve a much larger audience. Down Cemetery Road is a particularly strong example, as it remains relatively unknown, despite having Thompson and Wilson leading the cast. Down Cemetery Road has a lot going for it, from its cast to its engaging mystery. However, it wasn’t particularly well received by audiences, who gave it a 58% Rotten Tomatoes score compared to critics’ Certified Fresh 81% rating. The divide between critics and viewers undoubtedly affected its standing in Apple TV's catalog. And yet, despite its issues, Down Cemetery Road is simply a joy to watch. Sure, not everything in the series is executed perfectly, but the cast and the show's dark humor make up for its relatively few shortcomings. The mystery thriller may not have the immediate cultural footprint of Severance or Slow Horses, but for viewers who enjoy smart mysteries anchored by excellent performances and intimidating villains, Down Cemetery Road is precisely the kind of under-the-radar series that deserves a place on their watchlist. Release Date October 29, 2025 Network Apple TV+ Showrunner Morwenna Banks Down Cemetery Road is a suspense thriller following the investigation of a missing child after a house explosion. A neighbor and private detective delve into the mystery, uncovering hidden secrets and a military conspiracy, which disrupts the quiet suburbs of South Oxford.