Guy Ritchie’s films have always thrived on the juxtaposition of the polished British upper against a criminal working class. His 2019 film The Gentlemen was a riotous delight, blending snappy dialogue, intricate plotting, and larger-than-life characters into a love letter to the underbelly of high society. Expanding that world into a Netflix series, the first episode of Season 1 serves as a confident and entertaining reintroduction to this style. While it treads familiar ground, it does so with enough fresh twists, strong performances, and visual flair to leave you excited to see where this goes.
The episode opens with Edward “Eddie” Horniman (Theo James), a composed British Army captain stationed on the tense Turkey-Syria border. Eddie’s life of disciplined service is abruptly interrupted when he’s summoned home to the sprawling Halstead estate. His father, the 12th Duke of Halstead, is on his deathbed. Upon arrival, Eddie reunites with his family: his flamboyant and deeply irresponsible older brother Freddy (Daniel Ings), their mother Sabrina (Joely Richardson), and sister Charlotte (Jasmine Blackborow). Straight away, we get the set up for the series as Eddie, the second son, inherits the title, the manor, and the vast grounds, bypassing Freddy entirely.
This inheritance upends centuries of tradition and immediately sets the central conflict in motion. Freddy, a cocaine-fueled mess of entitlement and poor decisions, is apoplectic. His rant about biblical birthrights and family betrayal is delivered with such unhinged energy by Ings that it becomes one of the episode’s early highlights, equal parts hilarious and pathetic with Ritchie directing using all of stylised tricks. Eddie, by contrast, is the picture of reluctant duty. Theo James brings a perfect blend of stoic charm and quiet intensity to the role in what could be seen as a dry run for him being the next 007. You believe he’s a man who’d rather return to military service than navigate this aristocratic snake pit, yet he steps up with a sense of refined responsibility that makes him instantly compelling as the reluctant protagonist.
The real fireworks begin when Eddie discovers the source of his family’s hidden wealth and Freddy’s massive debts. Freddy owes a staggering £8 million to the Dixon brothers, a pair of vicious Scouse gangsters led by the unhinged Tommy Dixon (Peter Serafinowicz). The revelation that the Halstead estate sits atop a massive, high-tech cannabis operation run in partnership with the Glass family adds layers of complication and intrigue. Susie Glass (Kaya Scodelario) emerges as a standout presence: sharp, ambitious, and unflinchingly pragmatic. Scodelario nails the character’s cool confidence, making Susie a formidable counterpart to Eddie. Their initial meeting crackles with tension and subtle chemistry, hinting at the complex alliance to come.
What follows is classic Guy Ritchie territory: rapid-fire negotiations, double-crosses, humiliating power plays, and moments of sudden violence. Eddie attempts to liquidate assets, including a prized wine collection, to pay off the debt and protect his brother. Susie intervenes to renegotiate terms, reducing the sum but demanding Freddy’s participation in a deeply embarrassing video. The chicken dance scene, where a coked-up Freddy is forced to strut and cluck like a barnyard bird, is outrageous, cringeworthy, and uproariously funny. It perfectly captures the show’s tone: blending humiliation with dark humor while underscoring how far the once-mighty aristocracy has fallen.
As with all Guy Ritchie productions, the supporting characters add the texture . Regular Vinnie Jones as the loyal groundskeeper Geoff brings gruff authenticity and quiet menace. Giancarlo Esposito appears as Stanley Johnston, a smooth American investor circling the estate like a shark, delivering lines with his trademark gravitas. Even smaller roles, like the Dixon brothers’ entourage, pop with their quirks and accents that add colour to the proceedings.
The episode’s climax is both gripping and shocking. As Tommy arrives to collect payment and oversee the humiliating video, tensions boil over. Freddy’s drug-fueled rage culminates in a shocking act of violence that leaves a body on the estate grounds and Eddie’s carefully maintained control shattered. It’s an ending that raises the stakes dramatically, transforming what could have been a simple debt payoff into a full-blown entanglement in the criminal underworld. Eddie’s expression in the final moments, equal parts horror and dawning realisation, perfectly sets up the series’ central question: Can this refined gentleman survive, or even thrive, in this brutal new reality?
This all works because Ritchie knows exactly what it is: a glossy, witty crime caper that delights in subverting expectations of British nobility. It balances laugh-out-loud humour with genuine tension, strong ensemble performances with stylish direction, and intricate plotting with accessible entertainment. Theo James and Kaya Scodelario anchor the series beautifully, while Daniel Ings steals every scene that he is in as the chaotic Freddy. By the end, you’re fully invested in Eddie’s predicament and the larger power struggles simmering beneath the surface of polite society.
This level of energy, wit, and visual panache, makes The Gentlemen one of Netflix’s most addictive offerings. It’s a refined blend of aggression, elegance, and irreverent fun hooks you from the get go and proves that Ritchie is the master of class clashing crime dramedy.
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