Gangs Of London Season 2 Review – More violence, less sense

Episode Guide

In the time that Gangs of London dropped on Sky in the past few years, it was the largest premiere on the channel for quite a while. The intense violence, fascinating characters, and fast-paced storyline were perfect recommendations.

It’s never easy to follow up a great season with an equally compelling and thrilling follow-up. in several aspects, Gangs of London does fall into the trap that says “more is better” in the case of gore and violent violence. It does this by compromising the fundamental elements that make a compelling story as well as a narrative that unravels with the slightest bit of examination.

While watching at the moment, the episodes are simple to consume and digest however, if you step back and take a look at the larger picture, cracks will definitely start to appear.

The plot unfolds one year following Sean Wallace’s demise. Asif is now in control of the streets and has brought in his new lapdog Koba to instill fear in other criminal gangs and to keep them under control. But a rebellious force is behind the scenes, with the intention to shake this new world order from its unstable place.

In the middle is Elliot who’s currently working with Miss Kane but largely because his father was kidnapped and he’s begging for his return. In the end, he’s inevitably entangled in the whole gang conflict yet again, just at the moment that Billy Wallace returns to London after a lengthy absence.

From there the show offers some wonderful twists into the mix one at the conclusion of the episode and another at the conclusion of episode 6 however it is unable to create a coherent and readable plot. The plot is so full of twists throughout the show that at the end of the show, you’ll have more to fill the same space as The Shard in London!

The police are nowhere to be seen and crime scenes are filled with a wealth of evidence scattered around which could be easily traced back to the groups. In addition, later on, there’s a scene in which the character takes a dead body out of the back seat of a vehicle to the trunk of a fuel station… with CCTV cameras operating all over the place. These kinds of inconsiderate and unprofessional pieces of worldbuilding get you off the show. It’s an unfortunate thing because there’s plenty of good stuff to be found here.

Koba particularly is the real star of the show. He’s a formidable antagonist, and totally unpredictable. He’s dangerous and brutal with returning players like Marian and Luan have plenty to play with this season.

But the main draw will be the action. There’s a myriad of action sequences scattered throughout the season and episode 6, specifically trying to recreate the barn scene from season one with a lengthy and drawn-out battle that lasts for an average of 15 to 20 minutes. It also features a great home invasion shootout and will leave you on the edge of your seat.

While the action is enjoyable but the narrative leaves many things to be left to be. As opposed similar to John Wick 3, which is able to keep the same narrative, putting the action in the center, Gangs of London Season 2 is a frenzied attempt to enjoy its cake and have it all.

In the attempt to create an elaborate narrative, the story gets ruined by a myriad of flimsy plot twists and leaps in logic. I’m not saying that it’s bad it’s worthwhile to watch. Individually each episode is a good popcorn-smoking spectacle however, in terms of the longevity of the show, Gangs of London struggles to replicate the success of its first season.