The Gentlemen is a TV-MA thrill ride that trades in high-end weed, creative executions, and more profanity than a locker room—it’s quintessential Guy Ritchie, which means it is definitely not for the middle school crowd.
If your teen is eyeing The Gentlemen on Netflix, know that it’s a stylish cocktail of graphic violence, constant swearing, and a massive drug empire. With Season 2 set to drop on September 3rd, 2026, the stakes are expected to get higher and the body count will likely follow suit. It is a sharp, entertaining watch for older teens who can handle the "cool crime" aesthetic, but it is a hard pass for anyone sensitive to blood or drug-centric plots.
The Gentlemen isn't just a spin-off of Guy Ritchie’s 2019 movie of the same name; it’s a full-on expansion of that universe. The premise is peak Ritchie: Eddie Horniman inherits his father’s massive country estate only to find out it’s the literal floor for a massive industrial weed empire.
The show thrives on the contrast between high-society manners and low-life brutality. It is visually stunning, the tailoring is impeccable, and the dialogue is fast. But beneath the velvet smoking jackets is a lot of gristle. If your kid is into Peaky Blinders or Succession, they’ll recognize the DNA here—power struggles, family legacy, and people doing very bad things in very nice rooms.
Screenwise Parents
See allSince Season 2 is set to release on September 3rd, we’re currently looking at trailers and teasers to see where Eddie and Susie Glass go next. Based on the finale of the first season, they are no longer reluctant partners; they are the new bosses.
The upcoming season will likely lean into the global expansion of their business. From the first looks, the production value hasn't dipped, and the tone remains "dark comedy meets high-stakes thriller." Expect more elaborate heist-style sequences, more eccentric British villains, and almost certainly more creative ways to dispose of bodies. It looks like the show is doubling down on the "partnership" dynamic, which is the real heart of the series, even if that partnership is built on a mountain of cannabis.
Drugs are the engine of this show. We aren't talking about kids smoking joints behind a gym; we’re talking about a multi-million pound agricultural operation. The show doesn't really moralize about weed—it treats it as a commodity, like oil or gold.
If you’re okay with your teen watching a show where the "heroes" are drug lords, the bigger thing to track is the violence. It’s stylized, often funny in a dark way, but it can get visceral. We’re talking fingers in boxes, shotgun blasts, and the occasional "message" sent via physical trauma. It’s not "torture porn," but it’s definitely not sanitized.
The biggest conversation to have here isn't about the weed—it’s about the glamorization of the lifestyle. Guy Ritchie is the master of making criminals look like the coolest people in the room.
- The Cost of Entry: Ask your teen what Eddie actually loses as he gets deeper into the business. He starts as a "good guy" trying to protect his family and ends up... well, somewhere else.
- Class and Power: The show makes a huge point that the "legitimate" aristocracy is just as crooked as the drug dealers. It’s a cynical view, but one worth picking apart.
- The Dialogue: If they’re watching this, they’re hearing the C-word. A lot. It’s used as a comma in this world. If that’s a dealbreaker for your household, this show is a non-starter.
Q: What age is The Gentlemen appropriate for? The sweet spot is 16 and up. While some 14 or 15-year-olds who have seen other R-rated crime dramas might handle it fine, the combination of graphic violence, heavy drug themes, and constant high-level profanity makes it a solid "older teen" pick.
Q: Is the show The Gentlemen connected to the movie? It’s set in the same world and shares the same vibe, but it features a different cast and characters. You don't need to have seen the original movie to follow the show, but watching both gives you a better sense of the "Ritchie-verse."
Q: How much violence is actually in it? It’s frequent and occasionally graphic. While a lot of the violence happens off-screen or is played for dark humor, there are plenty of scenes involving blood, shootings, and physical intimidation that earn the TV-MA rating.
Q: Does the show promote drug use? It glamorizes the business of drugs—the power, the money, and the logistics—more than the use of them. Most of the main characters are businesspeople rather than users, but the entire plot revolves around the production and sale of illegal substances.
The Gentlemen is top-tier entertainment if you like your crime dramas with a side of British wit and a lot of blood. It’s a masterclass in style, but the content is heavy. If your teen is ready for it, Season 2 is set to be the big TV event of early September. If they aren't quite there yet, steer them toward something like Sherlock for the wit without the weed empire.
- For more high-stakes drama, check out our best shows for high schoolers list.
- If they love the British crime vibe but need something slightly tamer, look into Knives Out.
- Get more recommendations for gritty dramas
