The Gentlemen preserves Ritchie’s hold on the crime genre
- The Gentlemen
- Netflix
- Full season now available
- Created by Guy Ritchie, starring Theo James and Kaya Scodelario.
- Crime & Dark comedy
- TV-MA
Netflix’s “The Gentlemen” is Guy Ritchie doing what he does best. A snappy and fast-talking crime drama, with the difference in this series being the way it explores English high society.
It picks up after Duke Eddie Horniman (Theo James) has fully embraced the Glass crime empire at the end of season one and sees him growing more important within the organisation and getting closer with the boss’s daughter, Susie Glass (Kaya Scodelario).
The series, based on the movie of the same name, continues to keep the energy from the first season, the writing and acting the key parts that make the show worth watching. Using traditional tropes like deals gone wrong, double crosses & character falling to their worst impulses gives the show a strong base to build off and create engaging characters.
The season two premiere starts with Eddie, hurt, in the middle of nowhere, setting him up for a fall. Flashback three months and we see that the duke is carving out more power and the lifestyle is rubbing off on him. He is hosting a shooting party to sort out two deals with an Italian gangster and a lord.
James and Scodelario continue be spectacular leads for the show. Eddie’s spiral downwards into the criminal lifestyle is perfectly played by James. He makes his motivation understandable and sympathetic, wanting the best for his family’s future, while showing the growing influence that the Glass family has on him.
This is shown with his relationship with Susie, who Scodelario makes charming, but still a dangerous and serious player within her family’s business. The duo is fantastic together, bouncing of each other to make every scene they are in exciting to watch.
The writers provide them with excellent material, with this episode dealing with the business growing in Italy and the erratic go between Cico Maldini (Michele Morrone). Cico is a great addition, adding to the tropes of the crime genre to bring out the differences of the series.
Playing against the defining difference of English high society to create unique conversations that only this show can do. For example, Cico goes out of his way to act to annoy Eddie but only getting polite insults back.
The only part that’s changed within the writing from last season is the more serious tone, not to say the humour is gone from this episode, it shows up here and there.
This change comes from the fan favourite character, Freddy only having one scene, which just explains why he’s not around. With this character being the heart of the humour, his absence is missed but the change in tone feels natural.
The Gentlemen season two starts out strong, retaining most of the strengths of season one. Eddie and Susie’s dynamic still provides the series with a pillar that makes the show worth watching. Using Ritchie’s formula and tropes to their advantage, to create an enchanting show that has an absorbing atmosphere. Even with a change in tone and a popular main character missing, the show stays entertaining and worth your time.
