If you want better rewatch value
Choose Young Sherlock, Season 1. It scores 5.0 vs 2.5 for rewatch value, with a 4.0 overall score.
The Gentlemen, Season 2 Review
Bottom Line
Choose it for Theo James, Eddie-Susie chemistry, lush production and a darker crime arc. Skip it if you want Season 1’s breezier comedy, cleaner plotting or a convincing Bella romance.
Best for
Viewers who like stylish British crime drama, morally darker character arcs, sharp performances and high-end production design will get the most from Season 2.
Not for
Viewers who mainly loved Season 1 for breezy comedy, compact plotting or lighter caper energy may find this season slower, busier and more brutal.
Verdict
Season 2 pushes The Gentlemen into darker, more ambitious territory, and the strongest reviews think that evolution finally gives Eddie’s rise real dramatic weight. Theo James and Kaya Scodelario remain the core draw, backed by confident production design, glossy cinematography and several tense late-season set pieces. The tradeoff is sprawl: the Italian expansion, political maneuvering and side quests can crowd one another, leaving the first half slower and some relationships underdeveloped. Critics are especially split on whether losing some of Season 1’s comic energy is a smart maturation or a loss of charm. Even with those structural problems, the season is widely seen as entertaining and leaves strong momentum for Season 3.
Feature Scorecards
Summary
58 reviewed features-
Very positive 4.5-5.035 (60%)
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Positive 3.5-4.49 (16%)
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Neutral 2.5-3.410 (17%)
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Negative 1.5-2.44 (7%)
Pros highlights
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Story reactions range from ecstatic to sharply negative. The strongest consensus is that Eddie’s darker arc works, while the sprawling criminal web and side quests can make the season feel uneven.
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Interest in more episodes is high: several reviewers say they cannot wait for Season 3, and news coverage treats the early renewal as reassuring and deserved momentum.
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The central performances are a major consensus strength, especially Theo James’s darker Eddie and Kaya Scodelario’s controlled Susie. Ray Winstone also draws repeated praise for Bobby’s authority.
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Eddie’s evolution from reluctant participant to ambitious crime boss is one of the most consistently praised elements. Reviewers also note stronger growth for several supporting characters.
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Suspense is a consistent strength once the season gets moving, especially in the forest action, the home assault and the back half’s betrayals. Several reviewers describe late episodes as tense or heart-pounding.
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The darker tone is mostly welcomed as a meaningful evolution, though some miss Season 1’s breezier comedy. The best reviews praise how seriousness and absurdity still coexist.
Cons highlights
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Pacing is one of the clearest fault lines: many praise the strong back half, while several reviews criticize a tentative first half, meandering detours or rushed subplots.
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Clarity is uneven: some reviewers find the season easier to follow than Season 1, while others say the many deals, factions and MacGuffins overload the story.
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The Eddie-Bella romance is a recurring weakness, often described as rushed, underdeveloped or unconvincing. A minority view finds Bella a fitting match, but Eddie and Susie’s connection draws far stronger enthusiasm.
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Audience response is mixed in the numbers: Season 2 rebounded strongly in week two and topped charts, but several writers flagged a steep decline from Season 1.
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Dialogue is divisive: some praise its clipped, zippy confidence, while harsher reviews call it clumsy, over-written or trailer-like rather than natural.
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The roughly two-and-a-half-year wait is widely treated as a problem, with writers linking it to weaker launch viewership and welcoming plans for a shorter gap before Season 3.
Cast & Creators
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Edward HornimanTheo James receives overwhelming praise for making Eddie’s darker transformation convincing, controlled and emotionally richer. A small minority finds his brooding too one-note or inert.
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Susie GlassKaya Scodelario is widely praised for Susie’s cool precision and for her charged chemistry with Theo James. One negative review blames awkward dialogue for limiting her performance.
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Bobby GlassRay Winstone is repeatedly praised for Bobby Glass’s authority, eccentricity and scene presence, with one reviewer calling him markedly better than in Season 1.
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JeffVinnie Jones is a recurring standout, praised for Geoff’s quiet loyalty, action presence and unexpected softness. Multiple reviewers call his work among the season’s best.
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DirectorGuy Ritchie’s contribution is mostly praised for confident visual style, darker ambition and genre energy, though some critics see familiar mannerisms and reduced swagger.
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Lord HawthorneHugh Bonneville earns near-uniform praise as Lord Hawthorne, with reviewers calling him amusing, full-bodied, enjoyable and moving.
Compared With Category Average
Compared with other TV Shows, this product is above average in product placement, character consistency, age appropriateness, near average in story quality, humor, below average in release schedule, romance quality, episode length.
Comparison summary
58 compared features-
Above average 0.4+ pts higher37 (64%)
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Same as average within 0.3 pts12 (21%)
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Below average 0.4+ pts lower9 (16%)
Largest category differences
| Attribute | This product | Category average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| product placement | 4.5 | 2.4 | +2.1 |
| character consistency | 5.0 | 2.9 | +2.1 |
| age appropriateness | 4.5 | 2.6 | +1.9 |
| language level | 4.0 | 2.3 | +1.7 |
| release schedule | 1.7 | 3.3 | -1.6 |
| ending satisfaction | 5.0 | 3.5 | +1.5 |
| violence level | 4.6 | 3.2 | +1.4 |
| romance quality | 2.3 | 3.6 | -1.3 |
Consider This Instead
If you want better plot clarity
Choose The Beast In Me. It scores 5.0 vs 3.1 for plot clarity, with a 3.8 overall score.
If you want better villain quality
Choose Run Away, Season 1. It scores 4.9 vs 3.0 for villain quality, with a 3.8 overall score.
If you want better dialogue quality
Choose A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Season 1. It scores 5.0 vs 3.2 for dialogue quality, with a 4.5 overall score.
Compared in Reviews
Products reviewers directly compared with this model, grouped into quick takeaways.
Breaking Bad
- Similar: character transformation Eddie’s darker transformation is compared favorably with Breaking Bad’s character arc.
Goodfellas
- Similar: gangster-comedy sensibility The show is likened to a comic-book-generation version of Goodfellas.
Ozark
- Compared: crime-drama tone The reviewer contrasts the show with the grittier mob-drama mode of Ozark.
FAQ
Is Season 2 better than Season 1?
Several reviewers think the darker character work, stronger story and higher stakes improve on Season 1, while others miss the earlier season’s lighter comedy and tighter simplicity.
What is the biggest strength?
Theo James’s transformation as Eddie and his chemistry with Kaya Scodelario receive the most consistent praise, closely followed by the cinematography, costumes and production design.
What is the biggest weakness?
The most repeated complaint is overcrowded plotting and uneven pacing, especially in the first half and in side quests that either drag or rush important emotional turns.
Is it still funny?
Yes, but the humor is darker and less dominant. Some reviewers like the balance, while others specifically miss Freddy, Jimmy and the breezier comic energy of Season 1.
How violent is Season 2?
It is notably bloodier, with beheadings, torture, gunfights and a brutal finale. Positive reviewers say the gore stays exciting rather than merely excessive, but the season is clearly for mature audiences.
Does the Eddie-Bella romance work?
Mostly not for the reviewers who discuss it. Their courtship is often described as rushed or underdeveloped, especially compared with the stronger Eddie-Susie dynamic.
Is it easy to binge?
Yes. Multiple reviewers describe the eight roughly hour-long episodes as an easy weekend binge, even when they criticize the season’s pacing or complexity.
Sample Expert Reviews We Analyzed
These are a few of the reviews included in our analysis.
Video Reviews
Article Reviews
forbes.com
The Gentlemen' season 2 did not start strong, but now it's building momentum on the Netflix top 10 list, and that bodes well for season 3 in...
- Review score
- 3.8
elitetraveler.com
From Pétrus to Masseto, here’s a closer look at the bottles of wine being poured in The Gentlemen season two. Discover now.
- Review score
- 4.5
variety.com
The Gentlemen' Season 2 has seen a 48% jump in viewership in the second week of release.
- Review score
- 4.7
macobserver.com
Freddy’s final choice changes the Horniman family’s balance of power in The Gentlemen Season 2. Here is how the Gospel John confrontation...
- Review score
- 4.2
cbr.com
After The Gentlemen suffered a bad streaming start to the second season, the Guy Ritchie hit is back in the top spot on Netflix.
- Review score
- 4.3
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