Gangs of London Season 2 Episode 4 Review: Episode 4
Gangs of London Season 2 Episode 4 shines a light on Luan and his terrifying race against time, which culminates in a final explosive moment. If there’s one takeaway from this outing, it’s hell hath no fury like a desperate Luan.
It’s easy to root for characters like Luan and Lale — for them, having power is more about protecting loved ones and distributing essential resources than it is about status or pecking order. That’s not to say other characters, such as Elliot and the Wallaces, aren’t worth supporting. However, in Luan’s case, family is everything to him. We don’t know much about him save his love for his wife and daughters.
LUAN: They took everything from you. Your power. Your principles. And then your son. When will you fight back?
That’s what makes Luan’s struggle to save Mirlanda in “Episode 4” so gut-wrenching. The writers have methodically constructed the deep bond between Luan and his loved ones. However, the emotional heft ostensibly comes from Orli and Eri Shuka’s real-life marriage. Both performers utilize their inherent love for one another to deliver truthful, gripping performances.
Luan has some of the best fight sequences in Gangs of London, and the episode churns out a doozy with that muddy, bloody brawl. There’s no ceiling for how high the stakes can go in this series. A prime example is watching a man fight for survival to save his wife from a slow, painful death while trapped underground. It’s messy and unflinching — a perfect encapsulation of this show.
Orli Shuka proves he’s a powerhouse performer, physically and emotionally. Luan’s all-consuming love is palpable, almost tangible. It’s immersive. Shuka pulls you into his scenes in “Episode 4” and makes you feel his pain. As an actor, you’ve done your job if you can elicit any world-shifting reaction from your audience.
MARIAN: What they did to Alex is the reason you keep fighting. Till you’re the one calling the shots.
Lucian Msamati always delivers on the performance front. “Episode 4” finds Ed undergoing a necessary transformation. So far, Season 2 hasn’t been kind to him, notably with the loss of his son and the estrangement of his daughter. Luan pushes Ed in the right direction, and we finally witness Ed buck the system that’s failed him.
We don’t see what happens to Ed after Sean and Lale attack Koba, but there’s a good chance he’ll return to fight another day later in the season. That said, Ed’s “betrayal” will undoubtedly put Koba down the warpath as he’ll endeavor to destroy anyone Ed holds dear (Shannon and Danny).
“Episode 4” sees a handful of intriguing character shifts like Ed’s. For example, Marian appears to lay the groundwork for a potential showdown with her own son. Elliot tries desperately to secure safe passage with his father from London without tipping off the Investors. Even young Saba might seek revenge after her uncle’s murder.
SEAN: Tell him tonight was just the start. Tell him Sean Wallace is coming for him and everything he touches. I’m taking London back.
Admittedly, Luan’s narrative is the highlight of this episode, along with Sean’s explosive attacks. While this is the season’s strongest outing thus far, some parts fell flat, plot and pacing-wise. Hopefully, we’re building to something monumental in the back half of Season 2. Knowing Gangs of London, there’s unbridled chaos, bloodshed, and gory action waiting for us in the wings.
Stray Observations:
- We all need a partner like Luan — one who’ll fight tooth and nail, shed blood and tears, to ensure our safety. If there’s a Husband of the Year award, he’s winning it this time.
- Watching Mirlanda struggle to break free from an underground coffin is enough to make anyone with spatial issues squirm in their seat.
- Billy committed one of the most selfless acts on a show of this nature by leaving baby Roze in the church. He didn’t want her to wind up like the Wallaces, which is incredibly touching.
- Does Marian plan on squaring off against her son in the fight to seize control of London? Gotta love some family infighting!
- Not enough Elliot for my taste. He’s inarguably one of the most compelling characters in the series, especially from a moral standpoint. I need more of him wrestling with his inevitable descent into moral ambiguity.
What did you think of this episode 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.