‘Gangs of London’ Recap: ‘Episode 7’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Seven of ‘Gangs of London’.
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It is definitely safe to say, that the AMC series, Gangs of London, has provided us with a supremely refreshing take on how the criminal underworld operates in fiction. A feat that this series has accomplished by not offering up a stylized or glorified look at how this world functions. Instead, we’ve been treated to an angry universe within our own, one that doesn’t have a safety net in the slightest for the people that choose to exist within this world, nor is there any sense of rules or regulations for that matter as well. There is only money and power and a grand sense of survival of the fittest and that’s led to some powerful and intense storytelling, the kind that has left us wondering… as to whether or not any semblance of the everyday world can exist within this angrier one.
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Which is a question that the next episode in this intense franchise opted to explore, all by having us spend a little time with the now broken Wallace clan. For they are besides themselves in this tale, since their power meant nothing after all and they’re on the run when we catch up with them here, holed up in a safehouse and seemingly licking their wounds whilst they ponder upon their next move. But it doesn’t take long for this story to reveal that kicking back and waiting isn’t something this family is good with and that part of their sabbatical from the world, revolves around the fact that they have a captive in their midst. Specifically, the waitress that took a shot at Sean at the end of last week’s episode and well, dear old mom at the least… is hoping to use some old school tactics to get the waitress to talk.

The kind that involved musical and physical torture. To the point where the waitress had sliced up feet from the broken glass the family put beneath her toes and bruises and missing teeth and everything in between. And the sheer savagery of this display, motivated Sean to ponder upon if by chance, there was a better way. If civility might in fact, motivate her to talk. Which in turn, motivated him to call Elliot to help him investigate her life and her past and well, what they turned up was quite fascinating. In that, she had kids, and she kept a boatload of guns in her home and was well-trained thanks to her military past and well, learning all of this gives Sean a different kind of leverage when he returns home, since now he can use kindness and understanding and her family to try and get through to her… and eventually he manages to do just that 

Since she tells Billy Wallace the fact, that her employers explicitly asked that the hit happen before the Dumani boys arrived at the dinner, a revelation that leaves everyone unsettled and oddly hopeful. Because for a brief moment there, it appeared as though good elements from our world were indeed going to come into play in this universe. Since civility and kindness brought forth progress and answers for Sean and if it worked here, perhaps it could work elsewhere. But alas, that thin sliver of hope that this universe might have something good going for it faded the instant the waitress opted to take Billy hostage. For it once again reminded us that anything goes in this universe and that if she can get that close to taking out what was once the most powerful crime family in London, others will soon follow… a sobering fact that was hammered home in the closing moments of this tale. 

Because the knowledge that the Dumanis might have some involvement in this whole mess, prompted Sean to come out of hiding and visit Alex at the family’s headquarters and unfortunately any questions he has about Ed and Alex’s knowledge and involvement in this will have to wait. For someone swiped an important payment, one that will undoubtedly make it seem as though the Wallace family is intentionally abusing its power. Leaving one to wonder, who exactly is going to such great lengths to see them fall, since now we know Jevan is more interested in keeping the money flowing and well, all this ending does is leave us counting down the minutes until next week’s episode. So, we can hopefully see who is working to destroy the Wallace family and why they are so eager to rise to power in a world where anything goes. Until next time.

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