Gangs of London is a British action thriller television series that premiered on April 23, 2020, on Sky Atlantic, distinguishing itself in the crime drama genre with its intense focus on London’s criminal underworld. Created by Gareth Evans and Matt Flannery, the series evolved from a 2006 video game concept into a narrative-rich TV format exploring the diverse cultures and ethnicities within the city. Evans chose the television medium to allow for deeper character development and side stories, creating a more immersive experience than a film franchise could offer. The first season’s nine episodes set the stage for a gripping tale of power, revenge, and survival.
The critically acclaimed series has garnered strong ratings and viewer engagement, with Season 1 earning an impressive average of 8.4 on IMDb. Initially exclusive to Sky Atlantic in the UK, the show has since expanded its availability to include AMC+ in the United States and Netflix globally. The series has been praised for its performances, narrative complexity, and meticulously choreographed action sequences. The story plunges into the chaos unleashed by Finn Wallace’s (Colm Meaney) shocking murder, tracing the shifting alliances and brutal betrayals that ruthlessly redefine London’s criminal hierarchy in the wake of his death.
Unraveling Finn Wallace’s Death
Season 1 of Gangs of London begins with the assassination and robbery of Finn Wallace, patriarch of the powerful Wallace crime syndicate. The perpetrators, young Welsh Travellers Darren Edwards (Aled ap Steffan) and his friend Ioan (Darren Evans), remain unaware of their target’s identity. In the aftermath, Finn’s son Sean (Joe Cole) becomes obsessed with finding his father’s killers, determined to cement his position within the Wallace organization despite the turmoil engulfing London’s criminal underworld.
Elliot Finch (Sope Dirisu), a low-level enforcer eager to prove himself, brings Alex Dumani (Paapa Essiedu), Sean’s closest confidant, intelligence about the van used in the abduction of Finn’s driver, Jack O’Doherty (Emmett J. Scanlan). He reveals that the vehicle belongs to an Albanian gang. During a violent confrontation with the Albanians, Elliot tracks down the van’s owner and takes him captive. The prisoner drives Elliot to their hideout where Jack is being held. Upon arrival, the Albanian kingpin, Luan Dushaj (Orli Shuka), unexpectedly appears but allows Elliot to leave with Jack.
Elliot delivers Jack to Sean and explains that, according to Jack’s account, a couple of traveler youths killed Finn. While pursuing the youth’s car, Elliot enters an apartment building and discovers Ioan (Darren Evans), the young driver, dead, with the killer still on the premises. After a brutal struggle, Elliot overcomes Ioan’s killer. He subsequently meets with Detective Inspector Victoria ‘Vicky’ Chung (Jing Lusi), who reveals that Elliot is an undercover police officer tasked with dismantling the Wallace organization from within.
In his apartment, Jack is visited by Edward ‘Ed’ Dumani (Lucian Msamati), Finn’s right-hand man and Alex’s father. Ed confronts Jack about the money found on Finn’s body and questions him about the events of that tragic night. To protect Finn’s secrets and ensure they remain undiscovered, Ed administers a paralytic substance before slitting Jack’s wrists, staging the scene to appear as a suicide. Before leaving, Ed takes one final look at Jack, ensuring no loose ends remain and the family’s reputation stays intact.
In Turkey, Asif Afridi’s (Asif Raza Mir) drug smugglers fall victim to a heist by another group. These drugs are then trafficked into London, where it becomes evident that this rival faction was operating under orders from Lale (Narges Rashidi), the leader of a Kurdish freedom fighter cell. In a private meeting at a bakery, Ed Dumani meets with, who hands him an envelope containing evidence of one of Finn Wallace’s well-kept secrets. Luan then asserts that he has fulfilled his part of their arrangement and expects the Wallace organization to reciprocate.
During lunch, Sean is approached by Kinney Edwards (Mark Lewis Jevanes), the leader of a group of Welsh travellers. Kinney presents Sean with his son Darren’s phone and confesses that Darren killed Finn, but emphasizes that his son received the contract from an unknown party and was unaware of Finn’s identity. Sean permits Kinney and his men to leave and assigns Elliot to monitor his drug-dependent brother, Billy (Brian Vernel).
That night, Billy slips away from Elliot’s surveillance and convinces some of Lale’s men to sell him drugs. Now aware of who hijacked Asif’s heroin, Billy triumphantly informs Sean. Meanwhile, having already moved Darren to safety, Kinney remains steadfast in his refusal to surrender his son. In response, Sean and his crew storm the Travelers’ camp, opening fire mercilessly and devastating the settlement. They slaughter everyone except Kinney, who narrowly escapes, bloodied and grief-stricken.
A flashback to 2014 in Turkish Kurdistan reveals the root of Lale’s vendetta against Asif. Years earlier, Asif had betrayed her organization by handing her husband over to the Turkish Army, who tortured Lale’s husband to death. Upon seeing her husband’s mutilated body, she vowed retribution against Asif. In the present, Lale reveals that her drug operation serves to finance the Kurdish independence movement in Turkey.
Rising Threats New Partnerships
Marian Wallace (Michelle Fairley), Finn’s widow, hires a private investigator to delve into her late husband’s affairs. The investigator uncovers that Finn spent GBP 36 million on a yacht and GBP 180 million on a private island, both named “Floriana” (Arta Dobroshi) after his Albanian mistress. This revelation intensifies Marian’s grief and sense of betrayal. Meanwhile, Detective Vicky interviews Leonora (Arita Sadiku), a neighbor of Floriana, who reveals that Floriana disappeared the night Finn was murdered and was pregnant with his child.
While alone with Ed’s daughter Shannon (Pippa Bennett-Warner), Elliot kisses her but promptly withdraws, claiming he’s married. During a transaction to transfer funds back to her homeland, Lale receives an urgent call from her sister Dilsa (Gem Carmella), warning that Sean’s hitman is moments away from striking. Prioritizing her cause over her family, Lale commands the money transfer to proceed. Fortunately, Elliot, with Ed’s backing, neutralizes the would-be assassin.
At the airport, Sean confronts Lale about the stolen drugs. He compels her to share her personal tragedy, revealing the hardships she has endured. Sean then discloses that her money never left London and, in a dramatic display of power, sets it ablaze before her eyes, reducing her efforts to ashes. Despite this devastating blow, Sean proposes an alliance with Lale, pledging to help her organization surpass Asif’s empire and secure dominance in London’s drug trade.
At Wallace headquarters, Ed presents Alex with incriminating photos from Luan—images documenting the brutal execution of an Albanian family, ordered by Finn and executed by Luan. This ruthless act secured Luan’s trust and facilitated a clandestine agreement with Finn to launder half a billion pounds, enabling Luan’s ambitious development project in London’s competitive real estate market.
Meanwhile, Asif discovers Sean’s partnership with Lale and instructs his son Nasir (Parth Thakerar), a mayoral candidate, to deliver a compelling speech urging citizens to stand united against the city’s criminal elements. After confiding in Shannon about the tragic loss of his wife and child in a vehicular accident, Elliot is paired with Mark (Adrian Bower) for an assignment at a formal banquet.
Later that day, Jevan Kapadia (Ray Panthaki), the intermediary between the anonymous investors and the Wallace organization, informs Ed Dumani that the investors prefer the composed and strategic Alex Dumani over the impulsive Sean Wallace for leadership. Meanwhile, Detective Vicky Chung’s investigation into Floriana’s disappearance leads to a horrifying discovery—Floriana is being held captive in the basement of Leif.
During a new assignment, Elliot is instructed by Mark to torture a thief. Elliot’s hesitation raises Mark’s suspicions about his true identity. Their task is interrupted when Sean summons them to a meeting with Luan. Luan informs Sean that Finn had committed to laundering a substantial sum of money for him and insists that Sean honor his father’s agreement.
Before Sean can respond, a sniper targets him, but Mark sacrifices himself by shielding Sean and is fatally wounded. Elliot rescues Sean but sustains a gunshot injury. Sean takes Elliot to his residence, where his sister, Jacqueline “Jackie” Robinson (Valene Kane), performs life-saving treatment. Later, an assassin named Tove Fransen (Laura Bach) attempts to kill Sean, but Alex intervenes, wounding her and thwarting the attack.
Killers Hunted Investors Emerge
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In the aftermath of the massacre at Kinney’s camp, Darren Edwards and his guardian, Mal (Richard Harrington), seek refuge in a secluded farmhouse owned by Evie (Caroline Lee-Johnson ), a weapons manufacturer who shelters orphaned teenagers. Meanwhile, Leif Hansen investigates the ravaged Traveller camp and discovers Kinney’s phone beneath a trailer, revealing Darren’s location through their text exchanges. Observing Leif’s actions, Kinney discreetly retrieves a shotgun and embarks on a determined journey to reach his son before the mercenaries arrive
As Leif assembles his elite mercenary team to eliminate Darren and they descend on the safe house, Kinney reaches Evie’s farmhouse just ahead of them. During the mercenaries’ assault, several teenagers are killed, highlighting the brutality of the attack. Kinney, Darren, Mal, Evie, and the remaining teenagers barricade themselves inside, preparing to defend against the heavily armed attackers.
One by one, the defenders are systematically cut down by the tactical assault, leaving only Kinney and Darren alive. Through the basement’s concealed tunnel, they manage to reach the docks where a scheduled boat is just arriving to aid their escape. However, the relentless Leif, having anticipated their move, tracks them down and executes Darren and then Kinney in cold blood, showing no mercy.
After eliminating Kinney and Darren, Leif contacts his client, who is revealed to be Jevan, to confirm the mission’s completion. Jevan acknowledges the success and instructs Leif to return to London for another assignment. He cryptically mentions the need to eliminate “another son,” implicitly referring to Sean. This directive underscores the Investors’ intent to reshape London’s criminal hierarchy by removing Sean from power.
During the meeting with Luan, immediately following the attempt on Sean’s life, Ed confronts Jevan and uncovers that he is the orchestrator behind the assassination attempts. Jevan manipulates Ed by leveraging Alex’s life, compelling Ed to keep the information secret. A week later, Sean, Billy, and their mother are holed up in a safe house, interrogating Tove for information.
Choosing to share his intelligence about Jevan exclusively with Alex, Ed meets with Luan and agrees to honor Finn’s arrangement granting Luan permission to develop one tower in London. Ed also discloses that he’s aware the tower project and financial backing are connected to Uche “Mosi” Mossanya (Richard Pepple), the Nigerian crime lord.
When Alex learns that Sean and his family are torturing Tove, he withdraws in protest. Together with his father, he meets with Jevan to assume control of the Wallace empire, unaware that Marian’s private investigator is documenting their meeting with photographs. Back at the safe house, Tove has confessed to Billy that her employer wanted to carry out the hit on Sean only when Ed and Alex were absent.
When Tove seizes an opportunity to escape, holding Billy at knifepoint, Marian intervenes with lethal force, shooting her dead. With Billy having divulged what he extracted from Tove, Sean furiously confronts Alex demanding answers, but Alex vehemently denies any knowledge of the plot. Just then, Alex receives an urgent notification that the funds they had laundered for Luan as part of Finn’s agreement have been compromised.
Truth Revealed Family Divided
As Elliot deepens his investigation, he determines that Jevan is executing the hits while someone more powerful is orchestrating from behind the scenes. He shares this insight with Vicky and also discloses that another undercover officer, driven by a personal vendetta over stolen drugs, has him under surveillance, complicating his already precarious position.
Meanwhile, Asif decimates Lale’s warehouse, with Lale emerging as the sole survivor. Despite Mosi’s arrival in London, Sean instructs Lale that their retaliation against Asif must be postponed. Driven by greed, Mosi carves a bloody path through London’s financial district. Terrified of Mosi, Luan approaches Ed, who bluntly informs him that the money has vanished and Mosi is now Luan’s problem to handle.
After discovering photos of Ed and Alex outside Jevan’s office, Marian travels to Ireland to visit her sister Niamh Quinn (Frances Tomelty) and Colin (Ian Beattie), seeking reinforcements. Ed confides in Alex that Finn had intended for him, not Sean, to take over the organization. When over GBP 1.5 billion disappears, Alex suspects Finn orchestrated the entire scheme. Upon her return to London, Marian alerts Sean about Ed’s clandestine meetings with Jevan.
That night, Sean and Marian confront Ed and Alex about Finn and his secrets. Ed reveals that Finn had planned to abandon his family and business to live on a private island with his mistress, Floriana. Alex then discloses that their investors had Finn killed for attempting to leave and were behind the assassination attempts on Sean. Furthermore, Finn had initiated the GBP 1.5 billion theft before his death.
Ed finally admits the devastating truth: neither the investors nor Finn wanted Sean to lead the organization. Furious at this betrayal and feeling deeply wounded, Sean shoots Ed in the leg and orders the Dumanis to leave under threat of death. Aware that the investors are now targeting him, Sean takes refuge in one of his apartments, contemplating his next move.
As Elliot waits for Vicki, DCI John Harks (Garry Cooper), his superior overseeing the undercover operation within the Wallace organization, approaches him with alarming news: Anthony (David Avery), another undercover officer, has been discovered and is being held captive by the Wallaces. Elliot locates Anthony, but Colin executes the officer before his eyes. Elliot then kills Colin and flees the scene.
Desperate to eliminate Mosi, Luan strategizes an ambush but finds himself ambushed instead. However, Mosi anticipates this move and turns the tables on Luan, capturing him instead. During the confrontation, Mosi threatens Luan’s family, particularly his daughter Bukoroshe, by tracking her location through Luan’s phone. This provocation pushes Luan into a state of intense rage. Fueled by the instinct to protect his family, Luan manages to overpower and kill Mosi and his men, surviving the encounter against all odds.
Violent Endgame Elliot’s Choice
Determined to recover the stolen money, Alex resolves to track down Floriana, suspecting Finn might have set up an account in her name. Meanwhile, Floriana and her baby successfully escape from Jevan’s basement with Lale’s help, and Sean orders the demolition of Wallace Tower. He joins forces with Alex to strike the shadowy investors where it will hurt them most.
Elliot is arrested and interrogated by individuals appearing to be British intelligence, though their exact identity remains unclear. The interrogator, Agent Joseph Singer (Cornell John), informs him of DCI Harks’ death and demands to know Sean’s whereabouts. Despite intense questioning and coercive tactics, Elliot remains steadfast, revealing little information.
The narrative then shifts to the events of the previous day. Jevan is captured and executed by the Investors, who throw him from his apartment window, demonstrating their ruthless control. Meanwhile, Asif Afridi’s son, Nasir, after winning the mayoral election, is assassinated by Lale during his victory celebration. Disguised as a journalist, Lale leaves Nasir’s mutilated body for Asif to discover.
Marian Wallace meets Ed Dumani in a graveyard, where they draw guns on each other. Ed shoots Marian, seemingly killing her. Vicky Chung visits Shannon Dumani, attempting to recruit her as an informant. Shannon realizes Elliot’s undercover status and, in a fit of betrayal and anger, shoots Vicky dead.
Elliot confronts Sean, who has discovered Elliot’s true identity through Anthony’s phone. Elliot admits his undercover role and expresses his intent to dismantle Sean’s operations. Alex arrives intending to kill Sean but hesitates. Seizing the moment, Elliot shoots Sean. It’s revealed that the Investors coerced Elliot by threatening Shannon and her child, compelling him to act against Sean.
As the police close in, Alex kills DCI Harks to facilitate his escape. Elliot is subsequently arrested and taken into custody. Back in the interrogation room, Agent Singer reveals they’ve been tracking the Investors for years but acknowledges their pervasive influence. He releases Elliot, who now possesses diplomatic immunity as a representative of the Republic of Panama.
