While The Continental has certainly delivered when it comes to giving fans of the John Wick universe new nuggets or lore and worldbuilding to dig into, the series hasn’t quite lived up the relentless action that its blockbuster counterpart is known for.
Here’s the thing: that show already exists and it’s called Gang of London. Created by Gareth Evans (director of The Raid and The Raid 2) and based on the video game of the same name, the series is a gritty & grimy crime thriller that charts the chaos that erupts after the long-reigning monarch of a London-based crime syndicate ends up dead.
Gangs of London might not be as cinematic or visually charged as the John Wick films and the series does lack the magnetism that Keanu Reeve’s performance brings to those movies, but it’s a solid upgrade over most of what you’ll find in The Continental.
Where the official John Wick TV show has moments where it taps into the hype of its source material, its unofficial counterpart is bursting at the seams with them.
While the world has woken up to John Wick in a big way, it’s not a huge shock that most people slept on the first two seasons of Gangs of London.
Action-heavy thrillers like this one just aren’t as mainstream or popular as they once were. Even if it’s not quite a crime, that is a shame. Still, the silver lining to this is that those who are a little cool on The Continental have plenty to look forward to.
The first two seasons of Gangs of London are available to stream on Stan. A third season is in development.