The Outlaws is a British comedic crime thriller series from Stephen Merchant, the co-creator of the UK hit: The Office. What starts out as a comedy morphs into a legitimate thriller centered around seven interesting and unique characters. As the series progresses, we see that this group of misfits is more nuanced than they initially appear to be.
The storyline regularly shifts focus and offers glimpses into each of the characters' lives, families, and communities, drawing viewers in with each insight. Tackling serious topics involving criminal activity, gangs, and drugs, the series balances this out with wry comedy. If you're in for an eclectic mix of crime, drama, and comedy; this series could just be the one for you.
The Outlaws is a co-production between Amazon Studios and BBC One. It was co-created by Stephen Merchant and Elgin James, with Merchant serving as director, writer, and executive producer under his Four Eyes Productions banner.
Stephen Merchant is an English comedian, director, writer, and actor. He's probably best known for his work with Ricky Gervais as the co-writer and co-director of the BBC smash hit The Office (which of course was later adapted into an even more successful NBC series). He's also worked on Extras and Life's Too Short and was the co-creator of Lip Sync Battle. Merchant also performed as a stand-up comedian and has appeared in various theater shows and films, including Logan where he played the pale-skinned mutant Caliban. He's won two Golden Globe Awards, three BATFA awards, four British Comedy Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award.
Elgin James is an American writer, producer, filmmaker and musician. He directed the indie drama Little Birds, and served as co-writer on the film Lowriders. He also co-created the Sons of Anarchy spin-off series Mayans M.C.
Where Can You Watch The Outlaws?
All six episodes of the first season of the series are available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. The series originally premiered on BBC One in the U.K. in 2021, so our friend in England surely got a head-start in that regard.
Starting on August 6, all six episodes of Season 2 will be available on Amazon Prime Video. The second season previously aired on BBC One in the U.K. this past June.
Do You Need an Amazon Prime Video Account To Watch The Outlaws?
For US audiences, you need an Amazon Prime Video account to watch both seasons of The Outlaws. For those wondering, a one-year subscription to Amazon is $139, for new members, you can get your first 30 days of Prime for free, and after that, a monthly subscription goes for $14.99 a month.
What Can We Expect From The Outlaws?
The Outlaws is a comedic thriller series set in the English town of Bristol and follows a group of seven strangers from various walks of life who are brought together to undertake a community payback sentence for committing various minor crimes. Their punishment is to work together to clean up an abandoned local community center.
But while they're serving their sentence, the group is embroiled in a more serious criminal undertaking after discovering a bag of cash hidden in the ceiling of the community center. With seemingly nothing in common, the mismatched group of characters is forced to work together to decide what to do with the cash. The problem is that the owners of the cash are part of an organized crime gang, who will stop at nothing to get it back and exact their revenge on the ‘thieves’.
Merchant has a history of humanizing his characters and The Outlaws is no exception. Although each character is very much playing a 'type', we see glimpses of what's happening under their crass demeanors as the series progresses. In addition, each character often hints at their own pain, embarrassment and turmoil, which helps makes them far more relatable for the audience watching.
The series stars Merchant, Christopher Walken, Gamba Cole, Rhianne Barreto, Clare Perkins, Darren Boyd, Eleanor Tomlinson, Jessica Gunning, Nina Wadia, Charles Babalola, Tom Hanson, and Aiyana Goodfellow.
Here's the Official Trailer for The Outlaws
Amazon released the official trailer for the series on March 2. It gives viewers a good luck at what they can expect from the pitch black British crime comedy.
Amazon released the official trailer for Season 2 on July 11.
What are Some Other Shows Like The Outlaws?
The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window - This comedic thriller was created by Rachel Ramras, Larry Dorf ,and Hugh Davidson. Kristen Bell plays the lead role as Anna a shut-in alcoholic with a tendency to down her medication with a glass of wine. When she witnesses a murder in a house across the street, she thinks she may have just gone completely mad. The series, which parodies films such as The Woman in the Window and The Girl on the Train offers eight episodes and also stars Michael Ealy, Tom Riley, Mary Holland, Cameron Britton, Shelley Hennig, and Samsara Yett.
The Flight Attendant - This HBO Max series is a black comedy starring Kaley Cuoco as a reckless alcoholic flight attendant who wakes up one morning in the wrong hotel, in the wrong bed, and with a dead man lying next to her. Unable to recall what happened the night before, she questions if she's the killer. The show also stars Zosia Mamet, Griffith Matthews, and Rosie Perez. Created by Steve Yockey, the wickedly entertaining show will keep you on your feet for all eight episodes.
Only Murders in the Building - This Hulu mystery-comedy series created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman, focuses on three strangers who share an obsession with true crime. The first season premiered on Hulu back in August 2021. The strangers happened to be played by Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez who each come from different walks of life. When there's a suspicious death in their apartment building, they decide to investigate the death and start their own podcast. The series has been renewed for a second season after it received critical acclaim for its comedic and fresh approach to crime fiction.
Misfits - A British science fiction comedy-drama series that follows a group of young offenders sentenced to undertake community service similar to The Outlaws. However, unlike The Outlaws, the group obtain supernatural powers when a strange electrical storm hits during their service. The show first premiered in 2009 and ran for a total of five seasons. Starring Antonia Thomas, Iwan Rheon, Lauren Socha, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, and Robert Sheehan in the first season, the show saw the introduction of various new characters and also saw some favorites leave the show over the next four seasons.