Gangs of London Review: Episode 1 and Episode 2 (Season 2 Episodes 1 and 2)
**Content warning: Mention of suicide**
Gangs of London Season 2 Episodes 1 and 2 prove this series is still in top form and is just as bloody, brutal, and unflinching as ever. It’s not for the faint of heart.
“Episode 1” takes place one year after Elliot shoots Sean, and things are simultaneously vastly different and more of the same. The Wallace clan goes into hiding to lick their wounds, so the outing spotlights the other major players of London’s most prominent gangs. We also meet new characters, including the menacing and formidable Koba, played perfectly by Waleed Zuaiter.
Gangs of London perpetually dances on the razor’s edge, and this season is no different. Every moment is rife with tension, making viewers sit in discomfort while these characters interact onscreen. Even the nonviolent scenes always feel like they’re on the brink of violence. With Sean Wallace ostensibly in the ground, the stakes are higher than ever as rival gangs compete to thrive under the enigmatic and uncompromising “investors.”
Alex is now in charge, with the Wallace family firmly dethroned. Dumani Finance is flourishing, by all accounts, but the investors aren’t pleased with Alex’s performance. The violence and bloodshed, particularly in “Episode 1,” shows how dispensable human life is, notably to these investors.
Alex taking his life is a tragedy and devastating to us viewers. We’ve accompanied him on his journey since the pilot. Paapa Essiedu doles out a riveting, visceral performance. You feel Alex’s pain. Seldom do we see Black mental health presented on TV, particularly for Black men. While the better alternative would’ve been for Alex to join forces with Elliot in taking down the investors, Alex feels there’s no way out. That’s how dire this situation is.
Lucian Msamati also delivers standout work, namely in “Episode 2.” We rarely see the great Ed Dumani crack, but the snowballing of absorbing his son’s suicide, his daughter’s refusal to mend fences with him, and the weight of running an empire on his shoulders finds him breaking in a significant way. It’s gut-wrenching, and Msamati portrays Ed’s pain beautifully, showing us a vulnerability we haven’t seen before.
Brian Vernel is one performer who conveys so much without uttering a word. He’s pretty underrated, in this reviewer’s opinion. Vernel shines in “Episode 2” as we see Billy embark on a perilous, potentially fatal mission for the family. He largely steers clear of the brutality and bloodshed on the show, but vengeance is on his brain. Those final moments between him and Elliot, and, finally, his brother Sean, are mesmerizing.
Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù is always a highlight for me. Elliot is my favorite character, and it’s nice to see he’s not entirely desensitized to the violence and gore inherent in this universe. He possesses an intriguing complexity, and his having one foot in each world is such a fun duality. Dìrísù displays Elliot’s heart, grit, and vulnerability with aplomb and nuance.
Of course, I’d be remiss if I omitted the titan that is Michelle Fairley. Marian started as a quiet, observant enigma but quickly demonstrated her ability to go toe-to-toe with any towering figure in London’s seedy underbelly. Fairley never misses a beat.
Luan is another favorite of mine, and watching him kick ass never gets old. Orli Shuka is impressive and fearsome in these scenes. The bonkers, white-knuckled, balls-to-the-wall fight sequence at the end of “Episode 1” is as memorable as anything from Season 1. Gangs of London undoubtedly presents some of the best fight choreography in media history, and that’s not hyperbole.
They’re almost always difficult to watch but undeniably inventive and intricate. They somehow incorporate different genres and elements. Sometimes, these fights feel as though they’re plucked straight from a slasher. Other times, a psychological thriller tinged with horror. It all imparts the transience of human existence and how easy it is to snuff out a life.
The Sean Wallace reveal isn’t entirely unexpected, but surprising in a different way. The writers do an excellent job of building up to this bombshell, notably with the subtle and swift appearances of the mysterious red car that attempts to run Elliot over and kills Koba’s driver. While his survival is inexplicable, the series will hopefully fill in the blanks in next week’s episode.
Overall, the Gangs of London two-part season premiere is a volatile, brash, in-your-face outing that reimmerses you in this world before you can think twice about it. It’s like dunking your head in ice-cold water. The characters continue to be fascinating and layered, and the interplay between them, especially the dialogue’s subtext, makes for a rich character study.
It’s a bona fide bloodbath, complete with gangs and guns, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Stray Observations:
- Don’t mess with Luan. Remember Mosi and his crew and how Luan made quick, brutal work of them? On another note, the tension leading to Luan facing off against Koba and his goons is enough to keep anyone on the edge of their seat.
- Alex’s suicide is genuinely upsetting. While he dabbled in plenty of illegal financial activity, he ostensibly had a stronger moral center than most of the characters on the show.
- Luan has some of the best fight sequences. Bold and bloody — just how we like ’em.
- Poor Billy finally gets to participate in all the family fun and winds up with a gunshot wound and almost drowning. We must protect him at all costs.
- How the hell did Sean survive? I was positive the bullet pierced his cheek and went through the back of his head. It looked like he had lost a significant amount of blood.
- I’m curious to know what Lale’s been up to for the past year. Here’s hoping we see her in episode three.
- Hell hath no fury like a Marian Wallace scorned.
What did you think of these episodes of Gangs of London? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Gangs of London streams new episodes every Thursday on AMC+.
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Melody McCune
Melody loves TV. Maybe too much. Besides being a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV, she's the Managing Editor for Geek Girl Authority, an Independent Contractor for Sideshow Collectibles, and a Senior Writer for Eulalie Magazine. Additionally, she has bylines in Culturess, Widget, and inkMend on Medium. To top it all off, she's a critic for Rotten Tomatoes and CherryPicks.