A Cinematic Bombshell: Why Top Boy Series is a Must-Watch...
A series focusing on drugs, crime, and thrillers is almost always a great pick. Drugs, in particular are always interesting especially as most drug-related series are reflection of realities of happenings in our streets and others reflection of what already happened with some notable drug lords.
Watching El Chapo and The Penguin, I knew I would enjoy this series immediately. I started and I paid keen attention in seeing how this series will unfold.
Top Boy is a British series that's centered on two characters from fictional Summerhouse estate; Dushane acted by Ashley Walters and Sully acted by Kane Robinson trying to climb up the ladder and gain respect in the vicinity as bosses in the game. The series also explores how life runs in some of the crime-ridden housing estates with their constant dealings in food (a slang for weed or indian hemp) and the constant scout for young boys who will be their shotters( meaning someone who will be selling the drugs in the street for them).
It is was a series i would have gladly given a rating of 9/10 because it is one of the most compelling series I've seen in a while, second only to The day of the Jackal. However, my personal bias of having both top characters die at the end of brings down my rating to a solid 8/10. Thatnotwithstanding, Top Boy is a series with wonderful plot, beautiful setting and of course packed loads of lessons - remember I watch series based on ones that offer dual purpose, lol - Entertainment and Lessons.
Top Boy series began with a focused ambition of the two friends to dominate the drug trade in their vicinity and beyond, but it's always not possible to take out your personal lives from businesses as it just finds a way to reflect in your business somehow. It wasn't all about crimes, I think it's a deeper overview of loyalty, battling poverty and survivals.
With Dushane, the calculative assassin always looking for the best way and Sully, the explosive and volatile one who is quick to resort to violence. There also were some supporting characters I won't fail to speak about because of their 'perfectionism';
Micheal Ward as Jamie who is a calculated rival to Sully and Dushane but despite the business he's into, never thinks twice for the benefit of his brothers even to the extent of killing his right-hand man not primarily to prove himself to Dushane and Sully, but because his brothers were against relocating.
Nah nah, I wouldn't cease to state my displeasure in the way Jamie was killed, but then in the end, it all reinforces the lesson that the path of violence is never a good road to ply, one who rides with the guns gets done/ killed with the guns too.
There also was Jasmine Jobson as Jaq, a loyal member of Dushane’s crew who later got her mind thwarted by the death of her sister which was from an overdose of same drug she deals on. She now battles her next move which was to protect her relationship while raising the child her sister gave birth to and bailing out from the drug business.
Screenshot From My Phone
Top Boy series' cinematography and setting were also something very appealing to watch. The camera work was really outstanding with the urban-rural setting enhancing the authenticity.
The soundtracks used in the series is also something amazing to talk about. It was a combination of British raps and Afrobeat which further complemented the storyline of the series.
I was thrilled when season 4 episode 1 started with Gbona by Burna Boy, hehehe, you needed to see the way I replayed that scene numerous times just to sing along, lol.
Another song worth mentioning was Roadents by Cristale because of the perfect smooth flow of the song and its use in perfect spot... It was a wonderful scene also.
About the lessons it's packed with...
I can't forget the always reassuring response of Dushane's "It will be" when asked, "If everything is alright?", even when he's passing through life's turbulent periods, something I'm definitely entering the year with.
A reminder that complaining doesn't solve any problem, what solves problems is leaving your comfort zone .
Ending of Season 4 episode 7 was like hell being let loose on Dushane Hill, perfect definition of bombshell.
With his warehouse getting robbed by Curtis taking all his foods (weed) and P's (money) for Lauryn he doesn't even care about. Reuben, the firearms dealer firing the solicitor he got for him which invariably means he was ready to trade Dushane to get out of prison for his son, Noah then his mum died in his absence despite his brother Chris Hill trying to reach him before then, all happening at the same time.
Sully at a point was overwhelmed with the type of life they've been living and was forced to ask Dushane,
Is it worth it? All these running up and down trying to get to the top ever since we were kids, is it really worth it?
Further telling us that a moment of reflection is always an important aspect of human living.
It was an unwritten rule for the drug dealers to settle their indifferences internally by any means without involving the feds. At a point, Jamie had the upper hand over Sully and Dushane, with no other way out, Dushane broke the code behind Sully's back and set him up for the feds using the help of their brother's friend, Attica.
Sully, though not cool-headed always knew what is right and what's wrong and he told Dushane, "This thing you did, it was wrong!Just because we didn't lose, doesn't mean we won".
Reminding us to always know when to draw the line with pursuing our ambitions, we shouldn't just do everything within our power even breaking our codes just to actualise our goal but rather, know when to admit defeat.
Evil doing is just a cycle that goes around with everyone pertaining in it paying for his or her crimes somehow on the long run.
Finally, let me leave you with a thought-provoking question: Who killed Sully?
I personally have three theories...
I'm thinking Jaq because that way she gets the pass she wants and can comfortably focus on her life anyway she wants it since with Dushane's death, Sully was the only one ahead of her in the gang lifestyle.
I'm also thinking it was the Irish family trying to get revenge for Sully killing their bosses
Also, I'm thinking it's the Si gang, Jamie's gang group not just trying to get revenge for Sully killing their boss but for also humiliating their current boss when Jaq stole the foods (weeds) and Kieron made up story it was them just to protect Jaq.
Of course Dushane died, guess who killed him? Watch the series to find out!
Thanks for reading and have a nice day ahead 👍
Posted Using INLEO