If “Bridgerton” gave British stately homes a new lease of life with a sprinkle of Regency charm, “The Gentlemen” has injected them with a criminal dose of cool.
The Guy Ritchie show, which stars Theo James as a Duke gone bad opposite Kaya Scodelario’s gangland heiress Susie Glass, returns to Netflix for its second season today with more guns and more glamor. But it’s the series’ unabashed Britishness – delivered via the afore-mentioned country estates interspersed with panoramic shots of the London skyline – coupled with a slick script and stand-out action sequences that have made the show so popular. (It has already been renewed for Season 3).
“Americans are obsessed with the British, whether we want to admit it or not,” says Jonathan Glickman, CEO of Miramax and an executive producer on the “The Gentlemen.”
(Leaning into the theme, the Season 2 premiere took place on Wednesday at the medieval Guildhall in London, with actors clad as Vinnie Jones-inspired groundskeepers patrolling both ends of the red carpet with dogs.)
“The Gentlemen’s” DNA can be traced back to Ritchie’s own appreciation for the country’s culture and history. “He’s his own version of Eddie Horniman,” explains costume designer Loulou Bontempts, who says the director takes a keen interest in the smallest costuming details, even down to fabric. “Tailoring is so important,” she says. “And the history behind British aristocracy and British quintessential country dressing. You know, there really are rules.”
