‘Gangs of London’ Review: Corin Hardy Takes Over The Hyperviolent Crime Saga For Season 2 & Mostly Delivers The Goods

theplaylist.net:

Episodes 1 and 2 of “Gangs of London’s” second season cut the path for Episode 3, where the story begins in earnest. This is typical of most television shows with scope and pretense: If we make it through the first one or two hours of expository material, we’re rewarded for our patience with the part where things start getting good.

What a treat. “Gangs of London” starts out well enough in its return to air, a sharp contrast to so much of what runs on premium cable and streamers, but Corin Hardy, taking over showrunner duties from series creator Gareth Evans for the latest round of frenetic mob mayhem, holds in reserve the season’s “what” until “Episode 2’s” final minutes.

At best, this is a venial sin, but at worst, the “what” in question hinges on a reveal that viewers who’ve never seen a thriller before will consider a “spoiler.” On the other hand, anyone with even a passing awareness of what comprises “dead” in high-tension tales of backstabbing conspiracy probably suspects that the climactic character death in “Gangs of London’s” first season was a red herring.