The show has earned widespread critical acclaim across its five-season run, with critics and fans praising the series' gripping and realistic portrayals08:16, 27 May 2026Devotees of gritty crime dramas – particularly British offerings – should look no further for their next binge-watch, as we've uncovered an absolute gem.‌Currently streaming on Netflix, this critically acclaimed series remains criminally underrated despite boasting Ashley Walters and Kane Robinson in the lead roles, supported by a stellar ensemble cast featuring Malcolm Kamulete, Giacomo Mancini, Shone Romulus, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Jasmine Jobson, and Simbi Ajikawo.‌Created and written by Ronan Bennett, Top Boy unfolds on the fictional Summerhouse estate within Hackney, East London. The drama chronicles the lives of two drug dealers while exploring the brutal reality of gang warfare plaguing the capital.‌Comprising 32 episodes across five series, Top Boy first landed on screens in October 2011, followed by a second run in 2013, before Channel 4 pulled the plug in 2014.The show's fortunes changed dramatically after catching the eye of Canadian rapper Drake. In 2017, Netflix announced it would be reviving the series, with Drake and his production company coming aboard as executive producers.‌Walters and Robinson were confirmed to reprise their roles, and the rest, as they say, is history, reports the Express, reports the Liverpool Echo.Between 2019 and 2023, Netflix delivered three further series of Top Boy, with the original two seasons made available on the platform under the title Top Boy: Summerhouse.The show's official synopsis reads: "This drama takes viewers into the housing estates of East London. There is tension between the drug gangs that operate almost openly and those who strive to live honest lives against the odds in the crime-riddled area.‌"That tension is explored through the interlocking stories of 20-something drug dealer Dushane, who is determined to become the area's Top Boy, and good-natured but vulnerable teenager Ra'Nell, who is forced to grow up quickly following his mother's breakdown and enforced absence."The program combines elements of a tense gangster thriller with subtle social realism, some tenderness, innocence and humor."Top Boy boasts a remarkable critics' approval rating of 97% across all five seasons on Rotten Tomatoes - an average that is extraordinarily challenging to achieve. The series has also earned an 84% audience approval rating throughout its run on the review aggregator platform.‌Having garnered universal praise across all five seasons, one critic noted of the series: "From the opening... this has been television drama at its outstanding best."A further critic said: "The performances from cast members old and new simmer and flare brilliantly. Deeply steeped in place in a way that few other urban dramas are, it's a must-see."‌While a third reviewer added: "It is not a flattering portrait of our times, but as a TV drama, it is up there with the best - tense, gripping and relentless."One reviewer reflected on the series finale: "British TV won't be the same without a new Top Boy season to look forward to, but the show's impact will remain everlasting: every character, every big narrative twist, every loss."Meanwhile, another critic wrote: "Top Boy is an ongoing masterpiece, the kind of show that will make your day and ruin your whole night."‌Fan reactions mirror this praise, with one viewer sharing: "This has to be the best set of series I've ever seen. Having lived close to that kind of lifestyle, I found myself on a rollercoaster of emotions."It's gripping, high speed pace carries the observer through a multitude of current, social issues. Sexual orientation, drugs, grief, love, poverty and teenage life. Plus much more. It's as close to real life as it gets."Another admirer said: "You need to watch this. This show is phenomenal. Everything about it feels so real. Great cinematography, outstanding performances from the actors and really compelling story lines."Article continues belowOne devoted Top Boy fan added: "Finally. A Stupendously, Gripping and true depiction of the gangster life and underworld of Britain. Masterful. No black and white, biased nonsense that's plagued the UK TV screens for so long."The director executed a phenomenal task and the actors, many of them who have absolutely NO acting experience does what so many drama brags cannot. Act."