Top Boy

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  • Netflix
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  • Netflix
  • Netflix Standard with Ads

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Overview

Two seasoned drug dealers return to the gritty street of London, but their pursuit of money and power is threatened by a young and ruthless hustler.

Media

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Top Boy enters the BFI National Archive | Arike Oke and Reinaldo Marcus Green in conversation

Cast

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Actor Avatar
Micheal Ward
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Kane Robinson
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Ashley Walters
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Araloyin Oshunremi
Creator:
Ronan Bennett
Fist Air Date:
2019-09-13
Episode Runtime:
undefinedm
Production Companies:
DreamCrew, Cowboy Films, SpringHill Entertainment
Genres:
Action & Adventure Crime Drama
Keywords:
ambition betrayal crime criminal criminal underworld drug dealer friendship gang violence gangster london, england resilience rivalry survival
More Show Details

Vote Average: 8.0/10

Vote Count: 154 Votes

Show Popularity: 10.5708

Show Status: Ended

Show Type: Scripted

Spoken Languages: English

Review

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  1. Insomniacs Reviews
    9 Based on 1 Votes
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    ⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 9/10 THE SUMMARY The gritty, neon-soaked revival that proved you can’t keep a good kingpin down. After Channel 4 pulled the plug on the original series, Netflix (with a massive nudge from Drake) brought *Top Boy* back to life in 2019, shifting the scale from local London estate drama to a visceral, international crime epic. We follow Dushane and Sully as they return from exile and prison to reclaim their throne in Hackney, only to find a new, hungrier generation—led by the calculated Jamie—waiting for them. It’s a Shakespearean tragedy dressed in a puffer jacket, exploring loyalty, cycles of violence, and the crushing weight of the "Top Boy" crown. THE PROS The tension is a 100% authentic win; this show doesn't just build suspense, it suffocates you with it. The central duo of Ashley Walters (Dushane) and Kane Robinson (Sully) is a total win for anyone who loves complex, "lived-in" characters—their brotherhood is a sincere, heartbreaking mess of love and betrayal. Michael Ward’s introduction as Jamie was a masterclass, giving us a "villain" who is really just a kid trying to provide for his brothers, making every confrontation feel like a visceral moral dilemma. Its biggest win is its unapologetic honesty; it treats the Hackney streets with a regal respect, capturing the slang, the fashion, and the struggle without ever feeling like a caricature. It is the "Go To" for a genuine belter that combines high-stakes drug warfare with a sincere look at social decay. THE CONS It hits a 9/10 because it’s a "Must Watch" titan of British TV. However, the archive can be a total head-scratcher for purists who loved the smaller, "kitchen sink" realism of the original *Summerhouse* era; the Netflix seasons occasionally veer into "international drug cartel" territory that feels a bit more like a Hollywood thriller than a London estate drama. It misses the 10/10 mark because some subplots—like the Moroccan or Irish gang arcs—can feel like a bit of a languid maze that distracts from the core drama back at Summerhouse. For some, the unrelenting bleakness is a bit of a damp squib if you’re looking for any shred of hope in the finale. THE VERDICT A 9/10. It is a genuine, cold-blooded, and profoundly brilliant triumph. While I was slightly gutted by some of the character exits, the show’s refusal to give us a "happy" ending makes it 100% authentic. It is a bit of a let-down if you hate subtitles or slang you have to work to understand, but as a celebratory explosion of modern British grit, it is a regal vault essential. It remains the show that taught us that being the "Top Boy" usually means you’re just the person with the most to lose. INSOMNIAC TRIVIA • The Drake Connection: Drake didn't just fund the show; he discovered it on YouTube years after it was cancelled. He was so obsessed with the archive that he spent years personally lobbying Netflix to bring the original cast back. • Acting Newbies: Many of the show’s most visceral performances came from people with zero acting experience. For example, Araloyin Oshunremi (Stefan) was spotted by a casting director at a barbershop and told to audition on the spot. • Real-Life Bars: Little Simz, who plays Shelley, and Dave, who plays the terrifying Modie, are two of the UK's biggest rappers. Dave’s casting was so sincere that he reportedly stayed in character on set to keep the "Modie" energy alive. • Sully’s Silence: Kane Robinson (Kano) has witty-ly admitted he finds playing Sully exhausting because the character carries so much internal trauma; he often requested fewer lines to let Sully’s visceral expressions do the talking. • Hackney Roots: Despite being set in the fictional "Summerhouse Estate," the show was primarily filmed in the Samuda Estate on the Isle of Dogs and the De Beauvoir estate in Hackney to maintain that 100% authentic East London feel. THE VIBE Like a cold night in a Hackney stairwell with the smell of cheap weed, expensive cologne, and the distinct, electric scent of a motorbike approaching too fast. It is raw, stylish, and deeply uncomfortable.

TV Show Poster

Season 1

10 Episodes

Air Date: 2019-09-13

TV Show Poster

Season 2

8 Episodes

Air Date: 2022-03-18

Dushane wants to expand his empire beyond the streets. But with a huge investment, partners abroad and family crises, more money means more problems.

TV Show Poster

Season 3

6 Episodes

Air Date: 2023-09-07

Sully takes charge, pushing Dushane to cash out, but with a new order comes new challenges, threats, and consequences.

Videos

Top Boy enters the BFI National Archive | Arike Oke and Reinaldo Marcus Green in conversation

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Reviews for

Top Boy

Comment (1)

  1. Insomniacs Reviews

    ⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 9/10

    THE SUMMARY
    The gritty, neon-soaked revival that proved you can’t keep a good kingpin down. After Channel 4 pulled the plug on the original series, Netflix (with a massive nudge from Drake) brought *Top Boy* back to life in 2019, shifting the scale from local London estate drama to a visceral, international crime epic. We follow Dushane and Sully as they return from exile and prison to reclaim their throne in Hackney, only to find a new, hungrier generation—led by the calculated Jamie—waiting for them. It’s a Shakespearean tragedy dressed in a puffer jacket, exploring loyalty, cycles of violence, and the crushing weight of the “Top Boy” crown.

    THE PROS
    The tension is a 100% authentic win; this show doesn’t just build suspense, it suffocates you with it. The central duo of Ashley Walters (Dushane) and Kane Robinson (Sully) is a total win for anyone who loves complex, “lived-in” characters—their brotherhood is a sincere, heartbreaking mess of love and betrayal. Michael Ward’s introduction as Jamie was a masterclass, giving us a “villain” who is really just a kid trying to provide for his brothers, making every confrontation feel like a visceral moral dilemma. Its biggest win is its unapologetic honesty; it treats the Hackney streets with a regal respect, capturing the slang, the fashion, and the struggle without ever feeling like a caricature. It is the “Go To” for a genuine belter that combines high-stakes drug warfare with a sincere look at social decay.

    THE CONS
    It hits a 9/10 because it’s a “Must Watch” titan of British TV. However, the archive can be a total head-scratcher for purists who loved the smaller, “kitchen sink” realism of the original *Summerhouse* era; the Netflix seasons occasionally veer into “international drug cartel” territory that feels a bit more like a Hollywood thriller than a London estate drama. It misses the 10/10 mark because some subplots—like the Moroccan or Irish gang arcs—can feel like a bit of a languid maze that distracts from the core drama back at Summerhouse. For some, the unrelenting bleakness is a bit of a damp squib if you’re looking for any shred of hope in the finale.

    THE VERDICT
    A 9/10. It is a genuine, cold-blooded, and profoundly brilliant triumph. While I was slightly gutted by some of the character exits, the show’s refusal to give us a “happy” ending makes it 100% authentic. It is a bit of a let-down if you hate subtitles or slang you have to work to understand, but as a celebratory explosion of modern British grit, it is a regal vault essential. It remains the show that taught us that being the “Top Boy” usually means you’re just the person with the most to lose.

    INSOMNIAC TRIVIA
    • The Drake Connection: Drake didn’t just fund the show; he discovered it on YouTube years after it was cancelled. He was so obsessed with the archive that he spent years personally lobbying Netflix to bring the original cast back.

    • Acting Newbies: Many of the show’s most visceral performances came from people with zero acting experience. For example, Araloyin Oshunremi (Stefan) was spotted by a casting director at a barbershop and told to audition on the spot.

    • Real-Life Bars: Little Simz, who plays Shelley, and Dave, who plays the terrifying Modie, are two of the UK’s biggest rappers. Dave’s casting was so sincere that he reportedly stayed in character on set to keep the “Modie” energy alive.

    • Sully’s Silence: Kane Robinson (Kano) has witty-ly admitted he finds playing Sully exhausting because the character carries so much internal trauma; he often requested fewer lines to let Sully’s visceral expressions do the talking.

    • Hackney Roots: Despite being set in the fictional “Summerhouse Estate,” the show was primarily filmed in the Samuda Estate on the Isle of Dogs and the De Beauvoir estate in Hackney to maintain that 100% authentic East London feel.

    THE VIBE
    Like a cold night in a Hackney stairwell with the smell of cheap weed, expensive cologne, and the distinct, electric scent of a motorbike approaching too fast. It is raw, stylish, and deeply uncomfortable.

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