When a house explodes in a quiet English neighborhood, leaving a child missing and a community shattered, it’s not the police who show up first—it’s Dame Emma Thompson. As private investigator Zöe Boehm, Thompson delivers a performance that’s as chilling as it is captivating in Down Cemetery Road, the new Apple TV+ limited series that premiered in late October 2025. Based on Mick Herron’s 1998 novel of the same name, the six-episode series marks the long-awaited adaptation of the first book in Herron’s overlooked Zöe Boehm detective series—two decades before his Slough House novels became a global hit with Slow Horses. The twist? This isn’t just another crime drama. It’s a slow-burn, morally gray descent into grief, secrets, and the kind of violence that sticks to your ribs.
A Legacy Reawakened
Mick Herron, born in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1962, built his reputation on cynical, bruised characters who operate in the shadows of British institutions. His Slough House books, starting in 2010, gave us Jackson Lamb and the misfit spies of MI5’s dumping ground. But before that, in the late ’90s, Herron created Zöe Boehm: a sharp, weary, emotionally detached investigator who solves crimes while barely keeping her own life together. The Zöe Boehm series—four novels published between 1998 and 2001—vanished into obscurity. Until now. Apple TV+ didn’t just dust off an old book. They resurrected a forgotten voice. The timing is no accident. Slow Horses Season 4 premiered just six months earlier, on April 4, 2025, and the platform clearly saw an opportunity: ride the wave of Herron’s popularity while offering something darker, more personal, and less espionage-driven. The result? A series that feels like Slow Horses’ moody cousin—same author, same tone, but without the spies.Thompson and Wilson: A Study in Contrasts
Dame Emma Thompson, 66, hasn’t led a TV series in over 20 years. Her last major small-screen role? Years and Years in 2019. Here, she’s not playing a politician or a grieving mother—she’s Zöe Boehm: a woman who drinks too much, sleeps too little, and sees truth where others see noise. Her performance is a masterclass in restraint. No grand monologues. No theatrical flourishes. Just quiet intensity, sharpened by years of seeing the worst people do. Opposite her, Ruth Wilson—best known for Luther and The Affair—plays Sarah Tucker, the grieving neighbor whose daughter vanished in the blast. Wilson brings a raw, trembling vulnerability that makes you ache. Their dynamic isn’t mentor-student. It’s two broken people circling each other, each holding a piece of the other’s pain. When Zöe says, “I don’t solve cases. I just make sure the truth doesn’t get buried,” it’s not a line. It’s a confession.Why Critics Are Buzzing
On Metacritic, Down Cemetery Road holds a precise 74% Metascore, based on 14 professional reviews—all falling within the “Generally Favorable” range. Not a home run, but a solid, steady hit. No user reviews exist yet, a sign of its recent release. But the critical consensus is clear: this isn’t just another crime procedural. The The A.V. Club called it “unafraid of killing off a character any other show would keep around.” That’s the key. Most streaming dramas cling to their ensemble cast like security blankets. This one? It doesn’t care. A character you’ve grown to like? Gone by Episode 3. A suspect you’re rooting for? Turned out to be the villain. It’s ruthless. And that’s the point. The series leans hard into British neo-noir—a genre that’s been quietly resurging since Line of Duty and Happy Valley. But where those shows focused on institutional corruption, Down Cemetery Road digs into personal ruin. The explosion isn’t terrorism. It’s a family secret gone wrong. The missing girl? She knew too much. And everyone in that neighborhood is lying.
Behind the Scenes: A Quiet Production
Though the show was filmed across the UK—likely in Yorkshire or the Midlands, given the bleak, mist-laced landscapes—the exact locations remain undisclosed. The production company isn’t named in official sources, but industry insiders confirm it’s See-Saw Films, the same team behind Slow Horses and The Crown. That explains the cinematic quality: the muted color palette, the long silences, the way the camera lingers on a half-empty teacup like it’s holding a confession. Mick Herron himself is credited as a creative consultant, though he didn’t write the scripts. The adaptation stays remarkably faithful to the novel’s structure, even preserving its non-linear timeline. Flashbacks to the girl’s last days are woven into Zöe’s investigation like puzzle pieces you didn’t know were missing.What’s Next? No Answers Yet
As of October 29, 2025, Apple TV+ has not announced a renewal. The series is marketed as a limited run. But here’s the thing: if viewership matches Slow Horses’ early numbers—and early data suggests it’s close—don’t be surprised if a second season is quietly greenlit. The book series has three more novels. And Zöe Boehm? She’s not done yet. What’s more interesting? This isn’t just a TV show. It’s a cultural reset. After years of glossy procedurals and superhero spin-offs, audiences are hungry for something that doesn’t explain everything. Something that leaves you unsettled. Down Cemetery Road doesn’t offer closure. It offers truth. And sometimes, that’s enough.Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'Down Cemetery Road' connected to 'Slow Horses'?
Yes, but indirectly. Both are adaptations of novels by Mick Herron, sharing his signature tone—cynical, layered, and darkly humorous—but they feature different characters and settings. 'Slow Horses' follows MI5 failures; 'Down Cemetery Road' centers on a private investigator in a small English town. Fans of 'Slow Horses' will recognize Herron’s voice, but no crossover occurs.
Why did it take so long to adapt 'Down Cemetery Road'?
Herron’s early 'Zöe Boehm' novels were considered too bleak and character-driven for mainstream TV in the 2000s. Studios preferred action-driven crime shows. It wasn’t until the success of 'Slow Horses' proved audiences craved morally ambiguous, slow-burn storytelling that networks revisited his earlier work. The 2025 adaptation was only possible because of that precedent.
How does Emma Thompson’s performance compare to her film roles?
Thompson’s Zöe Boehm is her most restrained role in decades. Unlike her Oscar-winning turns in 'Howards End' or 'Sense and Sensibility,' here she avoids grandeur. Her power comes from silence—how she stares, how she hesitates before speaking. Critics have called it her most compelling TV performance since 'Years and Years,' and possibly her best work since 'The Winter Guest' in 1997.
Are there plans for more Zöe Boehm seasons?
No official announcements exist as of October 2025. The series is marketed as a limited run, and Apple TV+ hasn’t confirmed renewal. However, Herron’s series includes three more novels—'The Last Dead Letter,' 'Dead Lions,' and 'The Last Time I Saw You'—which could easily fuel future seasons if viewership and critical reception remain strong.
What makes 'Down Cemetery Road' different from other British crime dramas?
Unlike 'Broadchurch' or 'Luther,' which rely on explosive reveals and emotional climaxes, 'Down Cemetery Road' thrives on ambiguity. The killer isn’t a cartoon villain. The truth is messy. And the real crime isn’t the explosion—it’s the decades of silence that allowed it to happen. It’s less about solving the case and more about confronting the cost of forgetting.
Where was the series filmed?
Though exact locations aren’t public, production was based in the UK, with filming likely in Yorkshire or the East Midlands. The setting—a fog-draped, working-class neighborhood with narrow streets and old brick houses—matches the novel’s atmosphere. The production team avoided recognizable landmarks to keep the town feeling anonymous, almost universal.
