Guy Ritchie's gangster drama The Gentlemen, now in its second series, has been named one of the best things to watch on Netflix by The New York Times. The publication included the show in its latest guide to the best Netflix offerings earlier this month.
The series is a spin-off of Ritchie's 2019 crime comedy of the same name, which starred Matthew McConaughey as an American drug lord in London attempting to sell off his cannabis empire.
Why critics and audiences love it
The New York Times explained the show's appeal: "The point is cleverness and looking cool, though, mostly the movie is about Ritchie's own conspicuous pleasure directing famous actors having a lark, trading insults, making mischief."
Theo James stars as Eddie Halstead, a British aristocrat who inherits a dukedom, the family's crumbling estate, and, unexpectedly, a weed empire. The Halstead estate is home to a massive underground cannabis operation, and Eddie runs afoul of criminals played by Hugh Bonneville and Giancarlo Esposito. Kaya Scodelario plays Susie Glass, an antiques dealer whose front conceals her role as the head of the Glass criminal syndicate and Eddie's eventual business partner.
Viewer reactions
One Reddit user recommended the show, writing: "So I don’t know how many of you prefer British setting royalty drama, but I kinda enjoy them and have to say the Gentleman is one of the finest out there. It is easily at par with Peaky Blinders (minus the final season). It’s just brilliant, watch it."
Another said: "Just watched the Gentlemen, both seasons, and oh my god. This might be the best piece of storytelling I have seen on Netflix in a while. A remarkable, wild ride! Won’t be getting any sleep tonight."
"The best thing Netflix has produced in a very long time," declared a viewer on IMDb. "A majority of the stuff Netflix puts out is mediocre at best, and most of it you forget after watching because it's just mush. Most of it feels like it's purely just to keep the content machine flowing. The Gentlemen feels totally different and might actually be one of the greatest shows I've seen, and it's only the first season."
Ratings and future series
Both series are highly rated on Rotten Tomatoes, with the second series (87%) scoring higher than the first (75%). Reacting to the second series finale, one viewer said: "The ending elevates the entire saga into Shakespearean heights."
The first two series are streaming on Netflix now. Showrunners confirmed in August that a third series is in production, and the original 2019 film is available free on ITVX.
