‘The Outlaws’ Recap: ‘Episode 1’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the series premiere of ‘The Outlaws’.
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We view crime and the people who commit crimes in quite the negative light in our modern world and understandably so. After all, crossing the line and doing something illegal is in essence, a turning of one’s back on everything that society holds dear. Which in essence makes the person that chose to cross the lines we politely asked them not to, a pariah of sorts. To the point where they are often shunned by so many and passed over for jobs once they’ve served their time… because they are marked, they are outlaws, and they can never be trusted again. But while there is merit to turning our back on people who did that to the rules that the rest of us abide by… that’s really not the correct way to view crime or criminals at all. Because not every person that went to jail and served time or was ordered to community service via probation, is the second coming of John Wayne Gacy or the Unabomber.
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No, instead, they are people. That found themselves in a tough situation and made a tough choice. One that changed their lives in a manner that few will understand, and to top it all off, there is fair chance that their crime wasn’t committed out of some stereotypical attempt to stick it to the man or punish society. They simply broke the law and got caught, and it is important to recognize that reality and that not every crime out there is ripped from the pages of a Mickey Spillane novel or a trendy crime drama on prime-time TV, and that not every criminal is some monster that deserves to be cast out of our world and forgotten for making the decision to steal a Baby Ruth out of hunger. If anything, that need to better understand the reality of crime in our world is top of mind today… because Prime Video is now host to a brand-new series that explores that other side of the equation in The Outlaws.

Which is a show that introduces us to a woman named Rani that appears to have it all. After all, she’s young and intelligent and about to get into Oxford University, which means a bright future is ahead of her. That is until, a secret is revealed about Rani. In that… she has a bit of a shoplifting habit and when we catch up with her, here, that habit has finally brought great trouble into her life since it’s led to her arrest. Which of course, has put her future in jeopardy. And her only hope at this point in reclaiming her future, is to complete the community service plea deal the district attorney sent her way and well… that move is going to change her life in ways she never thought possible. Since she will now be exposed to aspects and realities of the world she’s never known before and meet people she never thought she’d ever engage with and well… that’s quite the powerful setup for this journey.

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Because it really does expose to us, how quickly our lives can change courtesy of a bad decision and how those that commit crimes come are truly everyday people from all walks of life... that crossed the line and are now paying the price. Since there are others in Rani’s community service group that simply don’t seem to belong there. For instance, there’s John. A businessman desperate for redemption that is picking up trash alongside Rani, who stole because she was bored and unchallenged in life. And there’s Gregory, an everyman that one would never expect to see in this kind of situation. But he is and he is doing the best he can at this point in his life. Plus, there’s Frank, an older gent that should be hanging out with his grandkids but is completing the last step of a prior sentence by working with these folks, and he’s not the only older person present in the group. Since activist Myrna has been ordered to pay her penance to the state by picking up trash, and we have to talk about Lady Gabriella Penrose-Howe. A socialite that cannot believe she’s in such a scenario but will of course use it to her Instagram’s advantage.
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But we would be foolish to not discuss Christian as well. Since his journey in this tale is powerful and sobering since he’s trying everything within his power to put his mistake behind him and forge a better life for himself and his family. Which is of course… easier said than done, since his environment isn’t exactly conducive to growth. But bearing witness to his plight the plight of everyone else in this group… really does give the viewer pause. For it is proof positive that the central theme of this show is spot on and that really does transform one’s perspective regarding how we should view those that have committed a crime and perhaps cut the vast majority of them some slack. Since they are trying to do better and make themselves and others whole again and that isn’t an easy task with the stigma of being a criminal surrounding them.

However, while those elements really do present us with a fresh and original and engaging story that explores an aspect of life, we don’t give a lot of thought to, there are other wonders to be found in this story as well. Such as the fact that the acting present here is downright phenomenal. Since Rhianne Barreto (Rani) and Gamba Cole (Christian) outright shine when they’re on screen and sell their respective character’s plight with a raw honesty that draws you in. Plus, Stephen Merchant (Gregory) and Christopher Walken (Frank) steal every scene and moment they’re in with their immense talent and to top it all off, the show is a ton of fun as well. Since Stephen Merchant and Elgin James’ scripts are designed to make this a lighthearted affair that allows for us to process the gravity of the subject manner in a way that doesn’t overwhelm and well… in the end, this is simply a brilliant series premiere. One that plunges us into a powerful and moving and plucky story that demands our attention and leaves us craving more and it will be quite incredible to see how these characters grow and where their journeys take them… as they do their best to put the pieces of their lives back together. Until next time.

To learn more about the genesis of this series and its stars, check out our interviews with Stephen Merchant, Elgin James, Rhianne Barreto, and Gamba Cole.

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