Nothing is Sacred 

It was not long ago that Guy Ritchie cut, The Gentlemen, his best film to date and my favorite film of 2019. When it was announced that there would be a series based on this film, premiering on Netflix, my hopes were high, but my expectations were low. So often these kinds of shows fail on many levels; this show succeeds on every level.  

The Gentlemen (2024) offers a cast of characters who pay a subtle homage to the 2019 film’s cast while holding their own. It would be an understatement to say that finding an actor, other than McConaughey, to fit the role of Mickey Pearson would be an arduous task. A new protagonist is introduced to the cannon, portrayed by Theo James, who brings a Jason Statham-styled acting approach to the series. His character, Eddie Halstead, and his brother Freddie Halstead are an odd couple, contrasting each other with comedic energy. Eddie is a handsome straightfaced serious lad, while Freddie puts one in mind of Hugh Grant’s character from the film with a touch of Charlie, from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I sometimes have a challenging time with films that have a lot of characters to keep up with, but the film and the series are both able to pull this off. The series gives us an array of villains with just enough screen time to intrigue the viewer and leave them wanting more.  

This series offers an alternative to the crime dramas, we have all seen, which revolve around criminals selling hard drugs in a grim universe that offers little escape from the troubles of our own lives. This alternative is an action-comedy that plays up the lives of British cannabis dealers. This is not to say that there are no hard-edged twists and turns, but it leans into its identity. The tone of humor in this show is similar to Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. This point brings up another excellent casting of Giancarlo Esposito, who you may know as Gustavo, of Breaking Bad fame.   

I am ecstatic that this story continues. The final episode opens with the Clipping song, “Nothing is safe” and leaves us with hope for another season. Perhaps season 2 will grant appearances from characters from the film or maybe Bryan Cranston. Whatever the future has for The Gentlemen, we must brace ourselves for humor, witty writing, and violence for this is not a show about gentlemen.