‘Slow Horses’ Pulls off a Surprise Emmy Win for Directing, Beating Out ‘The Pitt’ and ‘Pluribus’

Awards season predictions rarely go exactly according to plan, and this year’s Emmys delivered one of those genuinely unexpected turns in a category stacked with heavy hitters. Between star-powered contenders and buzzy freshman dramas, the Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series race looked like it could break in several different directions heading into the ceremony.

‘The Pitt’ entered the night as one of the season’s biggest overall winners, and Noah Wyle’s directing nomination for the show’s “12:00 P.M.” episode gave the medical drama another strong contender across categories. Meanwhile, ‘Pluribus’ creator Vince Gilligan carried his own significant buzz into the category, especially after finally breaking his personal Emmy curse elsewhere in the ceremony.

None of that ultimately mattered once the directing trophy was announced. ‘Slow Horses’ won Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series at the Emmys, with Saul Metzstein taking home the award for his work on the episode “Scars,” edging out a field that also included Salli Richardson-Whitfield for both ‘The Gilded Age’ and ‘Task,’ along with Hanelle M. Culpepper for ‘Paradise.’

This marked Metzstein’s first Emmy win, and it continues what has become something of an annual tradition for the British spy drama. According to Variety, this now makes three straight years that ‘Slow Horses’ has claimed either the writing or directing trophy in the drama categories, a streak that speaks to just how consistently the show has impressed Emmy voters despite rarely being the most talked-about contender heading into ceremony night.

Saul Metzstein wins the #Emmy for Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series for “Slow Horses” pic.twitter.com/Ypt3VRsgY2

— Television Academy (@TelevisionAcad) September 15, 2026

‘Slow Horses’ follows the members of Slough House, a dumping ground within MI5 for disgraced agents who’ve made significant mistakes during their careers, all operating under the unpredictable leadership of Jackson Lamb, played by Gary Oldman. The show’s ability to blend genuine tension with dark humor and morally messy characters has helped set it apart within an increasingly crowded prestige spy-thriller landscape.

Variety’s own awards coverage flagged the win as one of the night’s bigger surprises, noting that Metzstein managed to sneak past showier nominees like Wyle and Gilligan to take the category. That framing underscores just how competitive this particular race looked on paper, making the actual result feel like a genuine departure from expectations.

First trailer for ‘SLOW HORSES’ Season 6.

Releasing September 16 on Apple TV. pic.twitter.com/lktVB8KP8v

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) August 18, 2026

While ‘Slow Horses’ didn’t walk away with major series or acting wins this year, its consistent recognition in the craft categories highlights just how respected the show has become among industry voters specifically for its writing and direction. The series previously claimed the Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series trophy back in 2024, giving it a now well-established pattern of behind-the-camera recognition even when the bigger awards go elsewhere.

With ‘The Pitt’ taking home Outstanding Drama Series and Noah Wyle repeating as Lead Actor, and ‘Pluribus’ picking up wins for Rhea Seehorn and Vince Gilligan, this year’s drama categories were genuinely spread across multiple shows rather than dominated by a single sweep. That spread made Metzstein’s win for ‘Slow Horses’ feel less like an afterthought and more like proof that Emmy voters are paying close attention to craft, even when a show isn’t generating the loudest headlines elsewhere.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!