Gangs of London Review: A Trip to the Country Takes a Dangerous Turn (Season 1 Episode 5)
As we check back in with Darren, the young traveler who killed Finn Wallace without understanding the chaos it would cause, the first half of Gangs of London Season 1 Episode 5, feels like it’s going to be a quiet, contemplative walk through the country.
Unfortunately for Darren and everyone around him, things prove to be much more complicated than they expected.
An opening flashback shows us that Darren, like any other kid with an overbearing father, just wanted a way out. He and his friend thought they would take the money and escape.
Of course like any other kid, he didn’t stop to consider the consequences of his actions. And wow, did they all catch up with him in this hour.
He and his father’s right-hand man Mal are staying at a farmhouse in the country while they wait for a boat to come and take them away.
We are introduced to Evie, the woman who runs the house. When Darren discovers her secret basement full of weapons and ammo, it’s clear there’s more to Evie than meets the eye. She knows Darren is hiding out because he’s killed someone, she just doesn’t know who.
As Mal hounds him about the rules and he whines about the lack of Wi-Fi, we learn he doesn’t quite grasp how much danger he’s in.
Darren is your basic short-sighted teenager, so it’s hard to connect with him or feel any sympathy for him. Despite Mal’s pleas, Darren is frustratingly unfazed by the damage he has brought on his family.
Darren’s father Kinney is the lone survivor of Sean’s massacre of the traveler camp back in Episode 2. He’s wounded and on the run from the police, but makes his way to the farmhouse.
He discovers the mercenaries sent for Darren at the local pub, tries to get there first, but he’s too late and all hell breaks loose.
The sheer amount of carnage unloaded on this country farmhouse is unnecessary. For all this team knew, they were being sent after a teenager, his caretaker, and maybe a few locals. It’s painfully clear someone was trying to send a very loud message.
The close quarters of this shootout makes it more intense than the others. There are quiet cat and mouse moments that draw viewers to the edge of their seats.
These aren’t your average country locals, as we learn they’re weapons dealers armed with automatic rifles and plenty of ammo.
For a brief minute we think some of the locals may get out of this, but ultimately they’re no match for a well-trained private army.
As Darren watches the people he’s come to care about slaughtered, he finally gets the full impact of his decision.
Kinney struggles to get his son to safety, but that was never going to happen. The two are killed just as we started to hope this misguided boy would find freedom and a fresh start.
However, that’s not the real gut punch. The whole episode we’ve been led to believe that these were Sean’s people, but a phone call reveals that it was Jevan who sent these mercenaries. He tells them he has another job involving another son.
On Gangs of London Season 1 Episode 4, we meet Jevan as the representative for The Investors, a group of rich people who have invested in the Wallace Organization, so they can have their shady money laundered.
While his threat against Alex on Episode 4 was very clear, these mercenaries are using similar tactics to the crew that ambushed Sean, so which son is Jevan going after?
Now we’re left wondering if it was Jevan and his investors who had Finn killed or if he was just covering up for someone else?
This is absolutely the best episode of the series so far. The simplicity of the storytelling in focusing on Darren, Kinney, and the farmhouse, highlighted how good this show can be when it slows everything down.
As sad as the end of Darren’s story is, it does help the overall plot to have some closure.
This hour also leaves us anticipating Gangs of London Season 1 Episode 6, as we’re still wondering about the aftermath of the attacks on the Wallace family.
What did you think of this episode of Gangs of London? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Stephanie Holland
Stephanie Holland is a nerdy lover of Star Wars, Disney, Doctor Who, Arrowverse, Star Trek and WWE. Is living the dream of turning a lifelong obsession with TV into an actual job. Still waiting for a reboot of the '80s classic Small Wonder.