"With the computer system down, an ominous countdown clock up, and chaos reigning at the Park in the middle of a terrorist crisis, Whelan is shown in the opening scene of the first-rate Slow Horses finale holding court from a couch, as if in his therapist's office. "I have three questions," he tells Taverner, who disrespects him too much to say a word: "How, why, and what the living fuck is next? And no answers! Afraid heads are going to have to roll.""
"It is supremely satisfying that the only head that rolls at the end of season five is Whelan's, whose cravenness and stupidity finally catches up to the shameless opportunism that had brought him all the way to First Desk. He's like a much dimmer version of Paul Reiser's corporate sleaze in Aliens, smugly conniving and conspiring against his colleagues, even after they save his life, right up until fate gnashes its teeth."
"Whelan's comeuppance is merely the cherry atop this mostly delicious season finale, which sustains the fast-paced thriller plotting of the last few episodes while keeping the tone light and frequently hilarious. Of course, Whelan is a big part of the latter, as he wanders haplessly around the crippled MI5 headquarters and asks tech experts if they can solve the computer shutdown with antivirus software or a "backdoor patch.""
Chaos engulfs MI5 as the computer system fails, a countdown clock runs, and terrorists seize control. Whelan assumes a commanding posture early on, demanding answers while displaying cravenness and opportunism. His attempts to evade responsibility and outmaneuver Jackson Lamb culminate in a humiliating downfall. The finale combines fast-paced thriller plotting with frequent humor, depicting Whelan wandering the crippled headquarters and offering laughably inadequate technical fixes. Tech staff cannot resolve the shutdown, leaving the terrorists to dictate terms. The narrative balances tense stakes with comic moments while delivering Whelan's poetic retribution.
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