The Outlaws

I'm a red blooded American from Missouri and the strangest thing happened to me when I saw the film Shaun of the Dead. I went down the rabbit hole of British TV and movies and came out a better person. Life is doom and gloom in on the telly *as the Brits say* in America 24/7 on a loop and it is exhausting. These kind of shows you can just turn on and have a good time. It doesn't shy away from serious issues, but it takes them on differently than American TV and that is why British TV for the win. If you like British TV you'll like this. If you don't wtf are you watching it for?

Who doesn't love a group of misfits that are not really badies but a little bit naughty.

I like the Breakfast Club but for adults feel and wow, Christopher Walken rocks up. I was sold!

The Outlaws is a programme about a group of people who have been sent to take part in community service for their wrong doings. You have a typical set of different characters from varied backgrounds. We see each story unfold under the over arching message that if friends stick together, they can get through anything. No matter our differences as people.

That's always a nice thing to be reminded of isn't it?

Especially at this time in the world.

Merchants skills for making an all round great production really shine here. A great mix of comedy and thriller with the writing and performances managing to not get too cringe, when at times it could have. Though also not airing on the side of fluffy either.

Funny yet a little gritty to keep you hooked. This is a really good show and look forward to series two.

Awesome writing, well performed and a new fav actress in Jess Gunning.

This is a very pleasant show, it is a good change to all the hardcore action, sex and drama on modern TV.

If you need to give your brain a holiday and let a show just be easy watch this, occasionally very funny.

Having read some other reviews complaining they didn't get as many laughs as they were expecting, I'd like to clarify; The Outlaws is not a sitcom. It is a dramedy or comedy-drama. I think people have seen Merchant's name, thought of The Office and Extras and thus misunderstood the idea behind this series.

Some of the humour is around social disparity, inequality and issues of race and class. That these topics are both explored in the dramatic theme and at times joked about does not make the show "woke" or "PC" as some reviews are suggesting....that's just some people's reaction to anything mentioning these issues in any context and one of the characters is based on the white, middle-class, rage-baited tabloid reader stereotype (though goes on to become more multi-faceted and sympathetic as the story and characters develop), so that's where those reviews are coming from.

The Outlaws delivers a masterful blend of tension, action, emotion and Merchant's signature style of comedy, which tends to be a mix of self-deprecation, irony and social observation. Each of the characters has something to like, something to sympathise, something to dislike and something to laugh about.

As with any series, I'd say always give it at least two episodes before you make your mind up - the pilot is always going to be the weakest link because it has to set everything up which follows.

This one is well worth the patience to pursue.

The 1st ep might be a bit on the slow side while setting up what's in store with the following eps.

Steven unselfishly doesn't make himself the hero or even the main character. He dips in and out adding comic relief and giving all the actors a decent back story. He doesn't even give himself the best comedic scenes as there is plenty other light relief from some of the other actors from a fairly complex and dark story line and keeps you guessing till the end.

The adding of the absolute icon of Christopher Walken is class.

A defo binge worthy series.

If you don't like this then you need to take a look in the mirror and question your life choices.