Coming in April to Prime Video (formerly Amazon Prime Video) is a ‘new to the US’ series: The Outlaws.
If you’re looking at that thinking “Why is there a link already if it hasn’t aired yet, that’s because The Outlaws already aired back in October 2021 in the UK on BBC One. So if you have not seen it, don’t click on that link, right? Right.
Crime Convicts
From the log-line:
The Outlaws is a comedy thriller about a disparate group of lawbreakers thrown together to complete a community service sentence. Seven strangers from different walks of life are forced to work together to renovate a derelict community center. When one of their number gets dragged into a dangerous world of organized crime, they unite in ways none of them thought possible. The series stars Rhianne Barreto (Hanna, Dixi) as Rani, Gamba Cole (Hanna, Guerrilla) as Christian, Stephen Merchant as Greg, Christopher Walken (Severance, The Deer Hunter) as Frank, Eleanor Tomlinson (Poldark, The Nevers) as Lady Gabriela, Darren Boyd (Trying, Fortitude) as John, Clare Perkins (The Wheel of Time, Suspicion) as Myrna, and Jessica Gunning (Back, Fortitude) as Diane.
The series is about seven minor criminals in Bristol (due West from London on the coast) who have been convicted of vandalism, shoplifting, sex in a public area, racially motivated attacks, and so on. Over the course of the six one-hour episodes, though, we find out that most of the crimes aren’t really what they seem.
Sure, some totally are what they seemed, like a shoplifter really has a kleptomania issue, and Christopher Walken’s Frank is really a criminal. But at the same time, the series makes an effort to show us the complexity of these characters. How did a straight laced kid with all As and acceptance to Oxford become a klepto? Is the entitled white CEO actually as much of a pedantic casual racist and mysogynist as he seems? Why does the perennial protester who stole a police pop-up have a photo of a dead officer on her wall?
The Queer Is Here
Now. There is a queer. The Lady Gabriella Penrose-Howe (aka Lady Gabby) is an Instagram Personality, as well as being an heiress, who has a lot of problems. She’s been convicted of vandalizing her girlfriend’s car, after following her home and deciding she was cheating. Regardless of if that’s actually the case, the story we get about Lady Gabby isn’t as simple as “bad breakup fight.”
We get more than a cursory glimpse into the dysfunctional family structure of Gabby’s life, which all leads to how she ended up in that situation in the first place. We meet her father, we hear how she feels about him and he about her. We see her struggle.
But Lady Gabby’s story isn’t one of redemption. At least not in season one. Her story is about the beginning of realizing a person needs to change themselves. It comes with all the mistakes and missteps and just plain stupid things we all do.
Eleanor Tomlinson is perfect in the role, giving equal time to the absurdity of being an ‘internet celebrity’ as well as the struggles of keeping one’s own humanity when the world objectifies you.
Check out “The Outlaws”
You can see Outlaws right now if you get BBC One. For those in the states, check it out on Prime Video on April 1st. There will be a second season and it doesn’t end on a cliffhanger!
Screener Review On The Outlaws
With equal parts laughter and crime, The Outlaws is worth the watch. Seven somewhat pathetic people find their lives intertwined when they stumble into organized crime, and have to become the actual criminals they’ve been called.
