The Gentlemen is a hard TV-MA—it is Guy Ritchie at his most unfiltered, which means plenty of creative swearing, stylized blood-splatter, and a plot centered entirely on a multi-million dollar weed empire. If you are vetting this for a teenager, know that the "posh" setting doesn't dilute the "crime" part; it just makes the violence happen in nicer rooms with better tailoring.
The Gentlemen is a stylish, fast-paced crime saga that is great for older teens (16+) who can handle heavy profanity and "cool" depictions of the drug trade. It is a spin-off of the 2019 movie, but you don't need to see the film to follow the show. For families looking for something less intense, check out our best shows for kids list.
The premise of the series is classic Guy Ritchie: Eddie Horniman (Theo James) inherits his father’s massive country estate only to discover it’s the front for a massive cannabis empire run by Susie Glass (Kaya Scodelario). It is a "fish out of water" story where the fish turns out to be a shark.
The appeal here is the aesthetic. It is high-end, witty, and moves at a breakneck speed. For a certain kind of teenager, the appeal of the "smartest guy in the room" archetype is massive. Eddie isn't a bumbling aristocrat; he’s a former soldier who is surprisingly good at being a criminal. That competence-porn is what makes the show addictive, but it’s also what makes the criminal lifestyle look incredibly seductive.
If you’ve seen Snatch or Sherlock Holmes, you know the drill. The violence in The Gentlemen is frequent but often "fun." It’s stylized, edited with quick cuts, and usually punctuated by a sarcastic one-liner. It doesn't have the grim, lingering dread of a show like Breaking Bad, but it does have moments of genuine brutality—think fingers being lost or people being fed to animals.
The dialogue is the other big hurdle. The f-word is practically a comma in this world. It isn't used in a particularly aggressive or sexual way most of the time; it’s just the background noise of the British underworld. If your household has a low tolerance for "language as punctuation," this is a non-starter.
While the first season wrapped up Eddie’s transition from Duke to drug lord, The Gentlemen Season 2 is set to drop soon, and the trailers suggest the stakes are moving from the English countryside to the global stage.
Based on the first teaser, we can expect Theo James and Kaya Scodelario to return as the central power duo. The upcoming season looks like it will expand the empire, likely bringing in more international players and, by extension, more high-octane set pieces. From the trailer, the visual style remains as sharp as a Savile Row suit, and the snarky, rapid-fire dialogue hasn't slowed down. It is expected to double down on the "aristocracy vs. the underworld" theme that made the first season a hit.
The biggest thing to track here isn't the body count—it’s the glamorization. Every character in this show is exceptionally well-dressed, drives a beautiful car, and lives in a palace. The "bad guys" are often the most charismatic people on screen.
If your teen is watching, the conversation isn't about "don't do drugs"—it’s about the "myth of the gentleman criminal." The show does a great job showing that even with the fancy suits, these people are trapped in a cycle of violence that they can’t actually control. Ask your kid: "Does Eddie actually seem happy now that he’s in charge, or does he just seem busy trying not to get killed?"
- The Cost of Entry: Eddie starts the show wanting to get his family out of the drug business, but by the end, he’s the one running it. At what point did he stop being a "good guy" trying to save his brother?
- Style vs. Substance: Guy Ritchie uses music and fast editing to make violent scenes feel like a music video. Does that change how you feel about what’s actually happening to the characters?
- The "Posh" Shield: Does the fact that they are dukes and lords make their crimes feel "cleaner" than if the show were set in a city alleyway? Why does the setting change our perception of the crime?
If your teen is into the fast-paced, "clever crime" vibe but you want to dial back the TV-MA intensity, there are better entry points.
- For the "Smartest Guy in the Room" vibe: Try the Sherlock Holmes series (the BBC one with Benedict Cumberbatch). It hits the same British wit and visual flair with a lot less gore.
- For the heist/caper energy: Ocean’s Eleven is the gold standard for stylish crime that stays in the PG-13 lane.
- For the British underworld context: If they are older and can handle the grit, Peaky Blinders is the prestige-TV cousin to this show, though it is significantly darker and less "fun."
Q: Is The Gentlemen okay for a 14-year-old? It is a stretch. Most 14-year-olds have seen this level of violence in video games, but the sheer volume of profanity and the central theme of running a drug empire make it a better fit for 16 and up. If they do watch, it’s a good time to talk about how media makes crime look "cool."
Q: Do you need to watch the movie first? No. The show takes place in the same "world" but follows entirely different characters. It’s a clean slate, though fans of the movie will recognize the general vibe and the "Glass" crime family name.
Q: How much drug use is actually shown? Surprisingly little. The show is about the business of drugs (growing, shipping, money laundering) rather than the consumption of them. You’ll see the massive "weed farms" under the estates, but you aren't watching characters spiraling into addiction.
Q: Is there a lot of nudity or sexual content? There is some, but it isn't the focus. There are occasional scenes in clubs or suggestive situations, but the show is much more interested in guns and suits than it is in romance. It’s "Guy Ritchie" energy, which is usually more about "the boys" doing "lad things."
If you’ve decided The Gentlemen is a bit too much for right now, we’ve got you.
- Check out our digital guide for high schoolers for shows that hit that maturity sweet spot.
- Explore the best shows for kids to find something the whole family can actually agree on.
- Find more shows with this specific vibe
The Gentlemen is great television—it’s funny, it’s gorgeous to look at, and the acting is top-tier. But it is also a show that treats the drug trade as a high-stakes chess match played by very attractive people. For an intentional parent, the win isn't necessarily banning the show; it’s making sure your kid sees the "checkmate" coming for the characters long before the credits roll.