British crime drama Gangs of London is back for its third season, but after its first series became Sky Atlantic’s second-biggest original drama launch of all time when it hit screens in 2020, does season 3 live up to the hype of its predecessors?
Starring the likes of Joe Cole, Sope Dirisu and Michelle Fairley, the show follows rival gangs in London in the aftermath of the assassination of the head of the city’s most powerful family.
Season 3 of Gangs of London begins with Sean Wallace (Cole) in prison and former undercover cop Elliot Carter (Dirisu) now involved as a bonafide gangster. But things get off to a rocky start as a batch of cocaine is spiked, killing hundreds of people.
The new series is as action-packed and violent as we come to expect from Gangs of London, but critics have now had their say on if it is worth watching.
Is the new season of Gangs of London worth watching?
Digital Spy’s Janet A Leigh gave the new series three stars out of five, noting, ‘Despite the show's strength in offering a more layered insight into its characters, and managing to land one or two of its many twists, season three simply threw too many ideas in at once.
‘The story felt convoluted at times, as it tried to hold space for all its plot points. But overall, it failed to do so in a satisfying way.’
Meanwhile, Michael Hogan of Telegraph said, ‘The high-octane series starts at a million miles per hour but flags towards the end of its eight episodes. Betrayals and double-crossings grow repetitive. Flashbacks become confusing. Characters are constantly ordering hits on one another and placing bounty on rivals’ heads. The ending is underwhelming.’
However, there has been praise from some critics, with Hollywood News’ Kat Hughes writing, ‘Gangs of London started with an absolute bang in 2020, and it is incredible to see that even in its third season, it continues to thrive.
‘Just when you think that the story is all sewn up, the writing team is able to pick apart the seams and stitch an even more intricate pattern. Whilst the show might now be five years and three seasons in, the quality, and its ability to hook the audience, persists.’
Season 3 of Gangs of London starts tonight at 9pm on Sky Atlantic, all episodes are available to watch now on NOW.
Samuel McManus is a senior content creator for Bauer Media, writing celebrity news and features across five of the company’s brands – heat, Closer, Grazia, Bella and Yours. Samuel has worked at Bauer Media since November 2024.