REVIEW #169 Top Boy (4 Seasons)

Top Boy consists of 4 seasons, the first two are known as Top Boy: Summerhouse and since Netflix have taken over the rights the next two seasons are just Top Boy. Set in the council flat estates in London, the series follows Dushane as he works to reach the top of the drug gangs in his estate, known as Summerhouse. But we also see the estate from an innocents perspective, through Ra’Nell in seasons one and two and then Ats in the following seasons. 


I believe that Top Boy is the most realistic depiction of drug gangs in London, showing the dark reality of poverty and organised crime within the inner estates. The cast perform excellently and what I like the most is how the series acts as a platform that gives first time actors their chance to shine, producing talents such as Letitia Wright and Michael Ward but also showcasing the abilities of the two leads Ashley Walters and rapper Kano, who play Dushane and Sully respectively. The drama is the perfect blend of action and tragedy, so much so that after Channel 4 dropped the series Drake worked with Netflix to reprise Top Boy, bringing back the main cast. The storyline is gripping in all four seasons with the writers constantly managing to up the stakes and provide realistic progression for its main characters. The character development, particularly in regards to Dushane and Sully, is amazing and your opinions on the characters certainly shift as each season passes. The cinematography definitely improved once Netflix picked it up, obviously the budget would have been larger but also the technology has come along way since the second season aired in 2013. I would recommend this crime drama to anyone, it’s realism is it’s best feature but the amazing performances and gripping storylines make it a must watch! A fifth and final season has been announced and I can’t wait to see how they end the story for Sully and Dushane. 


Thanks for reading.

Callan

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