The Gentlemen season 2 hit 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, beating both season one and Guy Ritchie's film

Here we go again with The Gentlemen, Guy Ritchie’s grime-and-glamour saga turned Netflix series. And if you’re the sort who actually cares about Rotten Tomatoes numbers (look, some do), you’ll want to hear this: Season 2 has managed to outscore not only its own past, but the original film as well. Not a bad feat for a property that could easily have turned stale by now.

The Gentlemen Season 2 climbed to a 79% critics' score, making it the highest-rated entry in the franchise so far on Rotten Tomatoes.

Numbers, Context, and a Bit of Trivia

At the time of writing, the new run sits at a 79% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes. For comparison, the debut season sits at 75% with critics and an 84% audience score. Even the original 2019 film, which kicked all this off, holds those exact same marks — 75% from critics, 84% by the audience. Now, you could put that down to the usual quirks of review-aggregator maths, but an upwards tick for a second season on a Netflix show is, let’s be honest, not the usual state of affairs.

Industry reviewers have already chipped in with the expected mix of glowing adjectives. Aramide Tinubu at Variety called Season 2 'wildly entertaining' despite a more sober, higher-stakes tone. Christopher Stevens of The Daily Mail weighed in with a riff on the show’s criminal company, writing it’s 'well worth eight hours of anyone's time. It's a blast.' Collider’s Therese Lacson noted the shift from flash to a 'far more thoughtful and philosophical story,' saying the new season seems poised to keep the momentum up.

Who’s Back, Who’s New

The key faces remain: Theo James is back as Eddie Horniman, with Giancarlo Esposito once again as Stanley Johnston, and Kaya Scodelario as Susie Glass. Season 2 dumps them all into an even bigger — and apparently nastier — slice of Britain's criminal world. That means trickier situations, higher stakes, and, presumably, more dapper expletives.

The returning roster isn’t short on recognisable names — Ray Winstone, Daniel Ings, Joely Richardson, and Vinnie Jones are all back. There’s also a proper influx of new blood this time: Michele Morrone, Hugh Bonneville, Benedetta Porcaroli, Sergio Castellitto, and Maya Jama come aboard (yes, that’s Maya Jama off the telly). So, if the world needed more brash criminals in designer suits, we’re sorted for 2026.

• Season 2: 79% critics' score (Rotten Tomatoes)
• Season 1: 75% critics', 84% audience (Rotten Tomatoes)
• Original film (2019): 75% critics', 84% audience (Rotten Tomatoes)
• Main cast returns: Theo James, Giancarlo Esposito, Kaya Scodelario
• New cast: Michele Morrone, Hugh Bonneville, Benedetta Porcaroli, Sergio Castellitto, Maya Jama
• All eight episodes now streaming on Netflix

All told, The Gentlemen Season 2 seems to have dodged the sophomore slump and might even have found its groove. The whole lot is up on Netflix now, if you’re curious (or just following the review numbers like a racehorse sweepstake).