‘Gangs of London’ Season One is Thrilling
Sope Dirisu in Gangs of London | Credit: AMC+
When the family patriarch of a large criminal organization in London dies, his family, friends, and foes try to fill the void… with explosive results.
Gangs of London is so gritty! It has some of the best choreographed action that I’ve seen in a TV show, and isn’t afraid to show you all of the gore that comes as a result of these violent actions. The show also highlights the complex dynamics within this family, as well as their friends and foes who are trying to take power. The characters don’t know who to trust, which leads to some intense confrontations, even between long-standing allies. Everyone seems to have a secret agenda, which comes into play in the most dramatic of moments.
Every aspect of this makes for some really excellent television. If you’re a fan of the John Wick movies or the show Peaky Blinders, this might be a good next watch for you. There are so many interesting twists and turns throughout this show. Each character is a wild card in their own right, which makes it thrilling to watch. And each episode ends on a cliffhanger that makes you want to keep watching.
Michelle Fairley and Lucian Msamati in Gangs of London | Credit: AMC+
In season one, Sean (Joe Cole) steps up to lead the organization after his father, Finn (Colm Meaney), is murdered. The problem is that there were already divisions forming between the allied criminal organizations, and they’re not a fan of Sean’s managerial style. Without Finn, everything looks poised to crumble. But Sean’s desire to prove his worth and make his mark means that he will attempt to control everything as much as possible.
Right from the beginning, it’s clear that this is a tinderbox primed for an explosion at the smallest spark. While Sean embarks on his quest for justice, even at the expense of the enterprise, others come alongside him to help clean up the mess. Ed (Lucian Msamati), Finn’s longtime friend and business partner, attempts to stay Sean’s hand, but is unable to get him to exercise any sort of restraint. At one point, this results in Sean and his thugs murdering an entire community of people, bringing added heat onto this organization that really didn’t need any more exposure.
We also learn about some of these other criminal enterprises that have found some sort of truce with the Wallaces, but are struggling to work within Sean’s rigid instructions. Lale (Narges Rashidi) is my personal favorite. She is tough and unwilling to allow Sean’s recklessness to impact her business. We learn that everything she is doing in the UK, all of her criminal activity, isn’t for her own wealth or enrichment. Instead, it’s to help her home country of Kurdistan. I loved the inclusion of that detail to help us understand her own sense of morality and the rules that she uses to govern herself.
Each of the characters in Gangs of London is so interesting, each with a rich backstory that helps explain why they are doing what they are doing. Their motivations often clash with one another, and the once-stable truce they had all formed has started to crack under the unstable leadership of Sean. Which, of course, makes for some really exciting television.
Narges Rashidi in Gangs of London | Credit: AMC+
Gangs of London has so many excellent characters and intricate plot lines that I’ve barely scratched the surface of all that this show has to offer. The first season takes us on a dramatic journey that culminates in a shocking final episode. The finale clearly paves the way for future seasons that will surely reveal different sides of the characters that we’ve gotten to know (and even love?) over the course of the season. Everything has changed with this final episode, and I’m very curious to see where season two picks up.
After finishing season one, I can’t wait to jump into this look at these criminal enterprises operating in the heart of London!