As the episode begins, we see that a guy is hung upside down from a tall building and Sean Wallace (Joe Cole) is staring down at him. Sean is promised that he has been told everything but he isn’t willing to let the kid go. He dumps gasoline on his victim who says they ran when they spotted the Rolls. The victim promises that they didn’t mess with anyone before Sean lights a match and sets the guy on fire. Then, we jump back one week earlier and see a young man sitting with a gun and a cellphone. He receives a text message titled job telling him to go to Flat 607 at Melton Commons. He leaves and meets up with a friend before getting into a red vehicle. They drive to the complex and discuss the victim who is supposedly a pedophile.

We find out that the hitman, Darren, only has three bullets and he hopes that will be enough. He heads inside the rundown apartment complex and looks for flat 607 before finding a key waiting for him. He goes inside of the room while his pal, Ioan (Darren Evans), gets spooked outside when several people walk by. He is harassed by the other guys and they damage the vehicle he is driving. The troublemakers run away when Jack O’Doherty (Emmett Scanlan) arrives with Finn Wallace (Colm Meaney). Finn goes inside while Jack decides to speak with the guy in the red vehicle outside. The terrified boy pretends he is waiting for his girlfriend but Jack doesn’t believe that. The guy in the car calls Darren and tells him not to do it since they lied about the victim’s identity.

It is too late though. Finn is shot and killed through the door’s peephole. Jack hears this and begins running in that direction but he is run over by the red vehicle. Darren finishes Finn off before returning to the vehicle. Ioan steps on the peddle and they get away from the scene immediately. After that, Ed (Lucian Msamati) and Shannon Dumani (Pippa Bennett-Warner) meet with Marian Wallace (Michelle Fairley) with others. Sean takes a bath upstairs and his mother enters and picks up his pants. Alexander Dumani (Paapa Essiedu) hangs out with Danny (Taye Matthew) who pretends to be a police officer on his radio. They prepare for Finn’s funeral before Shannon notices that Alex is packing a firearm. She doesn’t like it but he feels it is necessary until they find out who killed Finn.

Mark (Adrian Bower) watches as the others arrive and get patted down before being allowed inside. Sean goes through his notes before chatting with his brother Billy (Brian Vernel) about his father and the record he gave him as a present. That continues until Alexander joins them. Alex tries to get Sean to pull it together but he responds that he can’t shake the hand of the person who killed his father. Sean is told that he can burn every kid from that estate but it won’t help him find out who killed his dad. Alex promises that he and his dad will not fail Finn. After that, Sean, Alex, and Ed sit down with their business partners. One man brings up the fact that they’re losing money and another says she has 80 kilos of product sitting at the docks. Ed says they needed to shut everything down and they did so to help find out who killed Finn.

He says he will find out who did it and they will be punished. Alex lets everyone know that business will continue as normal at dawn. Lale is told that her money will be laundered in time, Wong says his cargo will arrive at usual, and Nasir is told his father’s trade routes are secure. After that, Sean checks on his mother and looks inside of his father’s coffin. Ed thanks everyone for coming before Sean enters and joins them. Sean isn’t ready to let business return to normal and says the tap should stay off. He places the bullet on the table and demands to know who killed his father. Meanwhile, Marian takes Billy a belt and puts it on for him. Sean tells everyone that they can starve until he gets the answer he is looking for. Nasir speaks with Alex outside of the boardroom.

He says that whatever is going on is between himself and Alex’s father. Next, Lale (Narges Rashidi) tells her partner to divert the boat and send it somewhere else. Next, we see a man collecting hidden money. That man, Elliot Finch (Sope Dirisu), passes by the church as Sean and the others approach. A flower falls from the vehicle carrying the casket so Elliot picks it up and puts it back. Then, he heads to the pub and speaks with Jim (David Bradley). Elliot is told that it is a funeral and not a job interview so he should know his place. Alexander, Ed, and Mark chat about Jack who hasn’t been seen since Finn was killed.

Lale is told that the docks are completely locked down making it impossible to get anything in or out. Marian greets people inside of the church. Jacqueline (Valene Kane) arrives and Marian invites her to sit with them in the family pews but she isn’t willing to do that. Sean tries to get her to do the same and he offers to sit between Jacqueline and her mother. This convinces her to change pews. Meanwhile, members of the Albanian Mafia led by Luan Dushaj (Orli Shuka) arrive outside. Alexander meets with a detective who gives him CCTV footage from the night of Finn’s murder. Ed asks Luan if it is wise for him to be at the funeral but Luan is surprised he wasn’t invited. He explains he wants to know that their agreement is going to be honored.

Sean interrupts and Luan introduces himself. Sean isn’t happy to see him though. He tells him to sit down and pay his respects. When they leave, Luan insults Sean saying he would burn cities to convince the world he is a man. Meanwhile, Elliot and Jim are surprised when the Albanian gang members enter the pub. Elliot chats with them briefly and it doesn’t go well. He throws a glass at them before leaving the pub. During this time, Ed speaks to the attendees at the church. When the service ends, Alexander and the others check the CCTV footage before Elliot joins them. Elliot believes he recognizes the van so they play it back again. He says it is Besmir who happens to be one of Luan’s boys. He explains that Besmir is in the pub downing shots right now.

Mark is told to follow him and not to mess it up. Mark decides to take him out but Elliot tries to talk him out of that. Mark hits him in the privates and they continue to the pub. A brawl takes place inside the pub. Elliot beats up and kills a bunch of people from chasing after Besmir. The chase comes to an end when Besmir falls and hurts his leg. He pulls out a small knife in hopes of keeping Elliot away from him. Elliot takes the knife and begins asking about Jack. Besmir says they were picking up their score when they heard gunshots. He says that Jack is awake too. Two gang members arrive before Elliot tries to convince Besmir to take him to Jack. Next, Sean speaks about his father at the church.

During his speech, Luan leaves. Alex watches from the doorway as they leave. Elliot is driven in a van while he holds Besmir hostage. They eventually stop and get out. They head inside a building where a man had a gun hidden under his table. They go downstairs and walk through a tunnel of shorts. They enter a door before Elliot finds Jack. He tells him to get up so he can take him to the Wallaces. Besmir is killed before Luan steps in with some gang members. Luan says he didn’t know about Jack being there and he agrees to let Elliot take him. Elliot is told to never come to Luan’s place with a weapon ever again. Jack is taken to a cab and he tells Elliot that he messed up. He goes on about the nobody kids and says it was a Red Nova.

He begins telling Elliot the license plate number before we jump back to Darren and Ioan. They have been hiding because they’re worried about people finding out what they did. Darren explains they’re on their own now. Kinney Edwards (Mark Lewis Jones) exits his camper and is followed by several others. He bashes a guy who has been working on his vehicle before breaking his leg. The victim is asked about his brother who allegedly had a gun and put a bullet in someone. He is told to find both of them. Sean gets upset when he finds out that Luan and his men took Jack. He wants an explanation. However, Ed believes they’re turning partners into enemies.

As for Sean, he says he isn’t interested in peace and Marian agrees with him. Jack is brought inside and Elliot is allowed to stay. Sean interrogates Elliot and finds out what he did. Jack is given a shot so he can sleep through the night. Sean takes Alex’s gun and points it at Elliot’s head. Elliot tries to explain that he works for Jim and Sean but Sean doesn’t believe it. Elliot gives Sean the plate number and that calms everything down. After that, Elliot returns to his father and gives him some money. He tells him that he might not be able to visit next week since work is picking up. Elliot pretends to wrap his father’s hand since he was a boxer and they chat about women.

Elliot agrees to watch television with his father before he goes to bed. Ioan checks his phone while Darren sleeps. He steps out of the room and calls Pat before apologizing about the car. Ioan tells him that they messed up and that he tried to stop it. We see that Kinney is with Pat and has been listening to the conversation. Ioan tells them where he has been hiding. Elliot gets a text message after that. He rushes out while Kinney tries to get to Darren and Ioan. Elliot arrives in time to see a car pull away with the boys and another one follows it. Elliot goes into the building and looks around. He finds Pat speaking about Ioan and Kinney. It appears a man has done the deed and taken a trophy with him. Elliot approaches the man with the bag and spots Ioan dead in a nearby bathtub.

A fight breaks out. Elliot eventually kills his attacker but Pat has a gun pointed at him. Pat puts the gun down before Elliot asks where the guy in the car was taken. He leaves and meets up with a woman who wants to know what he did. He says he did what he needed to do before we find out that he is working undercover. Elliot pleads with Vick to not turn this into nothing. Elliot leaves before we see Kinney in a vehicle speaking with Darren. He tells him to say nothing to no one. Darren is taken away in another vehicle. Next, Lale spies on Nasir’s guard who works for Asif. Lale says she wants her girls ready. Luan visits the apartment and wants to know who lived there. Meanwhile, Sean stands on top of a building with the bullet that killed his father.

Jack is awoken by Ed seconds later. Jack is told that money was found on Finn’s body. Ed says he is tired of being the one holding all of this together. Jack says that they’re going to find about everything and her eventually. Jack says they’ll want to know why they never told them. Jack says he can’t move his arm and Ed says he knows. Ed pulls out a blade and slices Jack’s arm. He is left to die.

 

Gangs of London Review

I was expecting a lot more from Gangs of London with the excellent scores and reviews elsewhere. Personally, I felt it was a bit long-winded and unbelievable. At times, it was silly really. The Elliot character is easily the most unrealistic undercover detective or cop I’ve seen in a television show. Sure, the show has a lot of weird deaths and tons of blood but the story doesn’t cut it. The opening episode was far too long and it didn’t really hold my attention. There is no need for episodes that last an hour and a half so please make them an hour or less because my attention span can’t take it.

At this point, I could care less if I watch the next episode or not. I may for the sake of this website but I will likely look for something more entertaining to watch in my free time. If this is the quality we’re going to get, I can’t see myself sitting down and binge watching this show. The camera angles are bad, the characters are unbelievable, and I am not a fan of the 10 minute fight scenes.

I’d give the opening episode a 6 out of 10 and that is probably generous. Sometimes, the scores on IMDB and elsewhere give me the suspicion that it is a pay for play scheme or something.