The Gentlemen S1 E1: How Good is the Storytelling?


Hi Reader,

Hope you're having a productive day! Over the weekend, Netflix dropped Guy Ritchie's The Gentlemen series onto its platform. As a fan of Ritchie's filmmaking style and storytelling, I had to check it out!

Old-fashioned storytelling is needed now more than ever, so the question is, how does the first episode stack up?

Like with Dune 2 the other week, I focused on a spoiler-free breakdown of what I think works and what doesn't from a storytelling perspective!

Overall, my takeaways are that:

  • It's a well-made series with a high production value and an emphasis on its characters.
  • It gives us a gritty and entertaining crime drama taking place in an unfamiliar setting - a blend of British aristocracy and gangland criminals.
  • It's mainly dialogue-driven, with action thrown in to surprise or punctuate important story beats.

For more insights on what worked and what didn't (and why), check out my new YouTube video on this topic! Let me know if you've seen it and what you think!

Thank you, Reader, for reading. Here's wishing you an amazing week full of creativity and success! Stay creative!

Neil

www.neilchasefilm.com

Check out my Gothic horror-western novel, Iron Dogs, available in eBook, print, and audiobook.

**My emails may include affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure and privacy policy here.

113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2205
Unsubscribe · Preferences

Neil Chase

Neil Chase is a story and writing coach, award-winning screenwriter, actor, and author of the horror-western novel, Iron Dogs. Neil believes that all writers have the potential to create great work. His passion is helping writers find their voice and develop their skills so that they can create stories that are both entertaining and meaningful. If you’re ready to take your writing to the next level, join the email list for writing tips and inspiration!

Read more from Neil Chase

Hi Reader, Hope you're having a great day! So I came across a trailer for Hellboy: The Crooked Man, and as a fan of both the comics and the previous films, I had some thoughts. It's interesting that a film based on a well-known IP is being released without much fanfare, and seemingly on a much lower budget. The thinking in Hollywood seems to be, "We'll take a try it and see approach." I've seen comments online criticizing the trailer for its "fan film" look and the lack of a big name star in...

Hi Reader, Hope you're having a productive week! Watching the Venom The Last Dance trailer the other day, I had some thoughts about sequels. Most films these days are based on existing intellectual property (IP), which means they tend to be sequels, remakes or reboots of existing films or stories. The way the studio execs see it is, "If it worked once, it can work again!" But is that true? From a storytelling perspective, it might be, IF: It tells a complete stand-alone story. It takes...

Hi Reader, Hope you're enjoying the weekend! I watched the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice trailer the other day, and had a few thoughts from a storytelling perspective. 1988's Beetlejuice is a horror-comedy classic that fires on all cylinders from a storytelling standpoint! And the upcoming sequel - made 36 years later! - might have you asking, "Will it be any good?" The way I see it, it stands a good chance if it gives us: Real character development for the main characters - new and returning. A...