The Gentlemen Recap Season 1 Episode 8 ‘The Gospel According to Bobby Glass’

I like Eddie. I like the push pull of his aristocratic upbringing and his desire for a more adventurous and profitable life. I like how the show managed to develop his character through eight episodes, into the whip smart mastermind Bobby Glass trusted enough to bring in to his business as an investor. What bugged me a bit was how Susie’s character development was handled alongside Eddie’s. 

Susie has been running Bobby’s weed empire, it seemed, for years, whilst Bobby did his stint in prison, with his own private chef and his birds, and his power perfectly intact. Susie called herself an employee, just a soldier who did what her father told her to do, but she was far more than that. She held the operation together. So why was she part of Bobby’s scheme to see if she and Eddie were willing to put some skin in the game? She has been doing that. She ran the business and never shied away from the violence when she felt it was necessary. She has always had skin in the game. The one Bobby needed to lead toward what he truly wanted was Eddie, not Susie. He was right to recruit Eddie, of course, but he was very lucky that his daughter Susie took his manoeuvring as well as she did. He called Eddie a general – what did he think Susie has been this whole time?

If I viewed Bobby’s actions more charitably, I could probably argue that he thought of Susie as his little girl. Once he saw someone who could be by her side in executing what needed to be executed in his business, he decided to grab the opportunity. Bobby was a father at his core and he loved Susie, he did not want her to have to bear the burden of the business alone. He also wanted someone else to deal with some of the more unsavoury aspects of the business that he did not want his daughter to have to touch. But, was this how Bobby’s reasoning was presented in the finale? Not so much. 

All right, rant over, let’s get on with the recap. The Gospel asked for, and received, permission from Susie to exact justice from the Hornimans. However, a phone call with Bobby forced her to change her mind, and she sent men to help out. The ever loyal Geoff spotted The Gospel and his men in the woods, and so Eddie was able to prepare the defense of the manor. 

Only, there was no need. Bobby Glass made a deal with The Gospel that was good enough to get him to leave his brother’s killer alone. Now Eddie had a debt to him, and he calmly told Eddie what he wanted in return. He wanted Eddie to work with Susie to make sure she got the best deal for their weed empire. He claimed he was retiring, that he would accept offers in excess of 150 million, and that he wanted the bids by the end of the week.

That was immediately suspicious. Henry Collins estimated that the Glass weed business brought in approximately two and a half billion pounds a year. Why would Bobby sell it for as little as 150 million? Eddie may not have known how much revenue the business actually made, but Susie certainly did. Was that why she did not fight her father with this decision? Was she suspicious that it was an act from the beginning?

The first prospective buyer was Stanley Johnston, who has been nipping at the Glass empire all this time. Stanley told Eddie and Susie that he was prepared to enter into negotiations, but since he had the list of lords from Eddie, he was negotiating from a position of strength. Only, Eddie gave him a list of fake names. Stanley had to make a proper bid.

The second prospective buyer was Mercy Moreno, with her serious connections in South America. Eddie’s pitch to her was actually pretty good – a vertically controlled business that controlled close to 50% of the UK market. Should weed be legalised, the business already had the most advanced distribution and development facilities in Europe. What was unsaid following this was that should the business become legal, then it could be another way to launder profits from illegal businesses.

The third prospective buyer was Sticky Pete, with his Russian connections. Of course, Susie once had him pretty badly beaten up, but he was willing to get past that.

It was Freddy who suggested that Eddie make a bid himself. Rather, he stole one of the carrier pigeons and tried to bid. Eddie was initially adamant not to, but he later changed his mind, and asked his solicitor to draw up Articles of Association. He figured that he needed to raise in the region of 200 million pounds to stand a chance. The lion’s share of the money would come from the 12 lords. He could pull 35 million, 25 from his own funds, and another 10 on loan from his mother Sabrina. He would also bring in JP from the travelling community as another investor.

With Eddie still short 15 million, Sabrina suggested Susie. Eddie claimed Susie was not interested, and instead went to Henry Collins. 

Henry was a beaten man. His association with Stanley Johnston was at an end. He returned Susie’s 15 million and added another 15 million for what he did to Jack. Even then, he was not certain things were good with the Glass family. Eddie offered to get him out of the hole he was in if he provided another 15 million for the business and did a couple of things for him. As Eddie worked Henry, Sabrina went to the hospital and spoke to Susie.

Susie went to the manor, and he and Eddie had a chat. Susie said her father had taken his eye off the ball. Every time she suggested taking the business to the next level, Bobby was not interested. Eddie tried to convince her to join him in the bid, to match his 35 million so they would be equal partners. They needed to talk about Henry Collins, however.

With Bobby having received all four bids via carrier pigeon, Eddie’s plan came to light. Stanley Johnston placed the highest bid, but Eddie used Henry’s accountant to bring him down. Thick Rick knew how to get to Stanley via his tax records. With Stanley arrested on multiple tax evasion charges and his assets frozen, he was unable to complete the purchase of the business. 

Next was Mercy. Eddie told Mercy that Sticky Pete won the bid. Mercy’s associates would not take no for an answer, so she went and killed Sticky Pete herself. Afterwards, Henry drove by and shot Mercy.

Henry was so desperate to get in the clear with the Glass family that on top of those favours to Eddie, he also provided the 15 million Eddie needed for his bid. But, Eddie never had any intention to bring Henry in. With Geoff’s help, he had Henry bound and waiting in the woods.

Bobby told Eddie and Susie that he was not retiring. The whole scheme about selling his business was a way to wake them both up. Their bid was an investment, so that together, they could expand their interests.

Eddie practically gifted Henry to Susie in the woods. When she asked if he wanted to kill Henry himself, as part of his journey into the darker side of the business, he did not hesitate. Three months later, Bobby was still in jail, still with his chef whose parole he likely had a hand in denying. Joining him on his meal was Stanley Johnston himself.  

Thank you, everyone, for joining me on these very belated The Gentlemen recaps. Yes, we will cover the second season as well. As I am writing this, the second season has already dropped on Netflix. I haven’t seen it yet, but I look forward to doing so, and to posting the recaps as soon as possible. 

Rating: B

Strays

🏚️Freddy offered to give himself up to The Gospel, but Eddie refused.

🏚️You can read about the story of Cher Ami here.

🏚️Susie to Eddie, after they completed their business with the bids: ‘It’s been emotional, Captain.’ I really liked how the show handled the relationship between these two in the first season. They were not necessarily romantically paired – though any time two attractive people relatively close in age are on screen, ships were bound to sail – but their natural chemistry pulsated on screen. 

🏚️The Gainsborough with Tommy’s brain matter made a reappearance, and I will always appreciate shows that pay attention to details like this. 

🏚️Geoff finally admitted to Charlotte, in a roundabout way, that he was her father.

Episode Title: The Gospel According to Bobby Glass

Episode Writer: Matthew Read

Episode Director: David Caffrey

Original Release Date: March 7, 2024