‘The Outlaws’ Recap: ‘Season 3, Episode 5’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Rhianne Barreto, Gamba Cole, Eleanor Tomlinson, Stephen Merchant, Charles Babalola, Darren Boyd, Clare Perkins, and Jess Gunning as Rani, Ben, Gabby, Greg, Christian, John, Myrna and Diane in Season 3 of ‘The Outlaws’. (Photo Courtesy of Alistair Heap/BBC Worldwide Americas/Prime Video.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Season Three Finale of ‘The Outlaws’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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One particular trope that appears often in stories about the criminal underworld, in any capacity, is that in order to bring down a true criminal heavy… the antihero must fight fire with fire and put an end to the villain in the most violent manner possible. Which is used because such a dark path feels… natural to us, since such an act is indeed off the beaten path and perhaps happens to be the perfect way to handle street justice in a world we don’t understand. Not to mention, it’s a good escapist concept since deep down we know, that such acts aren’t always commonplace, and that law enforcement tends to get involved when someone truly evil is flexing their muscles upon the world, so that bloodshed can be avoided.

Which is why the Prime Video series, The Outlaws, resonates with us so. Because it features everyday people that we can relate to and plunges them into situations that defy such a trope and speak to how perhaps people might really escape harrowing situations involving bad people, and never was this more evident, than during the show’s season three finale. For this episode brought the Outlaws to the brink, for the Dean was about to escape and they had no idea how to stop him. Not with guards being present at the very home they needed to invade to find the evidence necessary to put him away, and not with dirty cops and double crosses surrounding them. Since Burgess was out for blood and Christian seemingly made a deal with that dirty cop.

So, the Outlaws turned to different methods, that didn’t involve murder to win the day and set up Burgess for a fall… because Christian was in fact, with the Outlaws all the way and wanted to burn Burgess bad. And by using guile and deceit and patience to break into the Dean’s house, and Burgess’ big mouth… they were able to get their hands on the drive in question. Which should have brought down the Dean no problem. But a guy as powerful as the Dean, would have more than one minion and that was why there was another man on the force that was willing to cross lines for a big payday and that brought our antiheros back to the brink. Because the hard drive was smashed, and they were on the run, without evidence to stop a mad man from getting out of jail and harming them.

But a little more guile from Rani, and some bold choices from a hiding perspective, allowed for Diane to record an ugly conversation between the dirty cops and Ben and Rani, and that was enough to have them arrested, wherein they sang and kept the villain behind bars. All of which served as the anthesis for this kind of story. Since different and honest methods brought down one evil dude. Giving rise to a very unique ending to this three-year journey. One that saw no blood shed and saw so many of the Outlaws grow into a new chapter in their lives. Since John and Myrna became close friends and found romantic peace. Plus, Greg was finally a top-tier lawyer and a dad to be since Gabby was going to have his child.

Not to mention, Rani and Ben, went their separate ways because they wanted different things out of life. Ben wanted to settle down and enjoy stability, whereas Rani needed to find herself and really understand her path after sulking about the criminal world for so long and well, that’s where this story leaves us. With everyone on new paths, including Diane and her hero, bringing this chapter to a close but not closing the book on the story, and it will be interesting to see if more seasons of this story lie ahead, of if this was a series finale. But while we wait to see which is which, we can celebrate one great episode. One that defied convention and brought about a satisfying end to a satisfying journey that was unlike any other in the genre.

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