Review: The Outlaws

The Outlaws is the latest show from Stephen Merchant, Bristolian and co-creator of The Office. The show follows seven very different people from across Bristol completing their community service together, watched over by their supervisor Diane (Jessica Gunning). In episode two the group find a bag of cash at their community service placement and the action picks up from there.

The real strength of The Outlaws is in the unlikely groupings created between the seven outlaws that develop over the course of the show

All of the main eight actors are incredible and the real strength of The Outlaws is in the unlikely groupings created between the seven outlaws that develop over the course of the show. First, there is Rani (Rhianne Barreto), the ‘studious Asian good girl’ as she puts it in the first episode, and Christian (Gamba Cole), a ‘bad boy’ who takes care of his younger sister. The pair have excellent chemistry that is evident right from the start of the show, as well as tension caused by their different backgrounds and Christian’s unwillingness to accept Rani’s help.

There is also the very odd pairing of Lady Gabby (Eleanor Tomlinson), aristocrat and influencer, and Greg (Stephen Merchant), an awkward and incompetent lawyer. Their connection begins in episode two when Greg gets Lady Gabby out of jail. Although it is a very different relationship from Rani and Christian’s, they also work very well together with a genuine friendship forming between the two characters. The final grouping is a trio of Frank (Christopher Walken), an ex-conman living with his daughter and grandchildren, Myrna (Clare Perkins), an activist ‘who tore down that statue of Edward Colston,’ and John, a struggling businessman and ardent right-winger. These three are the ones who find the cash and have to wrestle with the ethical question of keeping what is almost certainly dirty money of some kind.

There are also standout performances from all of the supporting cast

As well as these main characters, there are also standout performances from all of the supporting cast. In particular, Christian’s sister Esme (Aiyana Goodfellow) is fantastic and brings real emotion to her role as a struggling teenager being drawn in by gangs. Then there is John’s father John Halloran Senior (Ian McElhinney) who gives a great performance, especially in scenes with Boyd where the two convey a complex and strained father-son relationship.

The final character is Bristol itself, with Merchant saying ‘f or The Outlaws, I wanted Bristol to be another character in the show. Although a lot of filming takes place in Bristol, the city is often doubling for somewhere else.’ This definitely comes across in the way the show uses local humour and references to really ground it in Bristol. As a Bristolian, I especially appreciated these nods to the city, such as Frank being released from ‘Wellington Hill’ prison — presumably an allusion to the real-life Horfield prison and named after a street not far from where I live. Then there is the ‘Gert Burger’ that Lady Gabby visits in episode two with its name taken from the West Country phrase ‘Gert Lush’ meaning very nice.

The Outlaws deals really well with more serious issues facing Bristol, especially when it comes to class and racial divisions throughout the city

There are also multiple cameos from local Bristol actors and comedians. My favourites were from Stuart McLoughlin, one half of theatrical double act Living Spit, and from Jayde Adams, a Bristolian stand-up comedian and actor. Additionally, The Outlaws deals really well with more serious issues facing Bristol, especially when it comes to class and racial divisions throughout the city. In particular, its handling of drug addiction and the problem of county lines gangs in the city is very good and nuanced.

My one criticism of the show is that it is a little too stereotypical in places, mainly in the first few episodes. Specifically, some of John’s lines where he is playing up the right-wing bigot aspect of his personality felt very cliched — almost like they could have been written by an AI coming up with the most right-wing things possible. Overall, though, I loved the show, with its perfect blend of comedy and genuine heart-racing drama. There are still many loose ends to be tied up and I can’t wait to see where The Outlaws goes in series two.