Gangs of London Season 2 Episode 7 Review: Episode 7
Gangs of London Season 2 Episode 7 breeds more family drama among the Wallaces while Elliot loses his grip on morality. It’s a bloody, fast-and-furious affair, and it effectively sets the stage for what’ll surely be an explosive season finale.
“Episode 7” firmly draws the lines in the sand between Sean and Koba and the rest of London’s key power players. We see Marian align herself against her son while taking Ed, Luan, and Shannon with her. Unfortunately, Billy becomes collateral damage in this mess, and Elliot paints a red bullseye on his back as he still reels from his father’s murder.
ELLIOT: You know how it feels to be powerless. To be a pawn in someone else’s game. The things it makes you do … just to hold on to some kind of life.
As per usual, Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù delivers a gripping, no-holds-barred performance. He dives deep into Elliot, working through the character’s blistering vulnerability while tackling his loosening grasp on morality. Elliot boasts the best arc in the series, objectively speaking. He doesn’t start Gangs of London in the same place as the Wallaces and Dumanis.
He’s blatantly the good guy, infiltrating the Wallace family as an undercover cop to dismantle their dynastic hold on London’s seedy underbelly. However, the more he digs, the more challenging it is to emerge from this world morally unscathed. Dìrísù leans into this, deftly portraying Elliot’s moral struggle in a relatable and downright fascinating way.
You see him struggling while he endeavors to kill Sean and Koba in the French club. He’s presented with plenty of opportunities to kill innocent bystanders who bear witness to his mission. You watch the wheels turn as he quickly weighs the pros and cons of having that innocent blood on his hands. Dìrísù and the writing keep us waiting with bated breath to see whether Elliot descends further into immorality.
MARIAN: Jesus, Billy! I’ve really failed you, haven’t I?
Elliot’s captivating moral crisis results in a definitive choice to join the darkness, with Billy losing his arm. Elliot, at Shannon’s urging, kidnaps Billy to draw out Sean. Brian Vernel’s arresting performance as Billy is always a highlight of any Gangs of London episode. His eyes convey so much even when he has little to no dialogue. If you think about it, Season 1 Elliot would never have risked Billy’s life to end Sean’s.
Pippa Bennett-Warner is another gifted performer who never fails to deliver. Initially, Shannon was on the fringes of her family’s business until she killed Elliot’s partner. Watching her go from dipping her toes in the crime pool to fully immersing herself in this dangerous world has been fun.
Jahz Armando also shines tremendously in “Episode 7,” proving they’re one to watch. Their performance is so raw and honest. You can feel everything they feel as Saba’s life is in peril. Here’s hoping Saba survives next week’s finale.
ELLIOT: Sean and Koba have their teeth in you. And they will not let you go. Ever. They own you now.
Joe Cole perfectly captures Sean’s white-hot rage. Michelle Fairley infuses Marian with an extra helping of stony-faced impassivity as she tries desperately to mask her emotions. You can feel the tension ramp up to an 11 in any scene where Marian must keep her betrayal a secret. All in all, every actor churns out mesmerizing work across the board.
Gangs of London never fails to depict edge-of-your-seat tension onscreen, not only in high-octane action sequences but in dialogue-heavy scenes too. The writers and actors skillfully craft moments bursting at the seams with uneasy tension, holding us in their thrall. “Episode 7” is the perfect example, especially in scenes where characters must conceal life-threatening secrets from their comrades.
It’s a solid penultimate outing that boasts everything this series excels at: unflinching ultraviolence that’ll make any stoic squirm, high-wire drama, and nuanced performances. Bring on the season finale.
Stray Observations:
- BREAKING: Marian Wallace will, in fact, not win the Mother of the Year award. My poor, sweet Billy.
- Hanging up the phone without saying goodbye most certainly feels like a Wallace trait based on this episode.
- We need a spin-off series featuring Bibi Agostini. The way she carried herself with this magnetic self-assurance and level-headedness tells me we need to see how she rules the roost in France.
- I would’ve 100 percent partied it up with the folks singing “…Baby One More Time.” We love Britney Spears in this house. Unfortunately, Elliot’s bloody, violent infiltration ruins karaoke time.
- Did the arm scene remind anyone else of Theon’s dad receiving his little Theon in a box on Game of Thrones? Not because Michelle Fairley has a connection to the series, mind you.
- I need to know Lale’s okay. Currently starting a prayer circle for my badass girl until we see her again (hopefully in the season finale).
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.