After much anticipation, Fightland finally premiered in the UK earlier this week. The crime drama is produced by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, the brains behind the Power franchise, and has been praised by critics thus far.
The eight-part series follows Maduka “Duke” Kilroy (Howard Charles), a disgraced boxer just released from prison. As he returns to London, he seeks revenge on the people he deems to have betrayed him.
In addition to Charles, the stacked cast for the series includes Nicholas Pinnock, Deborah Ayorinde and Charles Babalola, while soap stars Tyler Conti and Jurell Carter also appear in supporting roles.
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After premiering in the US last month, the first three parts aired on Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK earlier this week. The next episode will air in the early hours of Thursday (3 September) morning, with new instalments dropping weekly.
Fightland has garnered a generally positive response thus far, with Rotten Tomatoes currently reporting a solid approval rating of 71% from 14 reviews. Charles’s performance has been reserved for praise, while the writing has drawn some criticism.
“Although a handful of missteps weaken the overall punch, an engrossing performance from Charles alongside a compelling revenge plot is enough to get Fightland off to a promising start,” noted The Upcoming.
“While there’s a lot of violence and melodrama in Fightland, there’s more than enough going on underneath the surface to keep viewers engaged with Duke’s plot to get back at the Marshalls for everything they put him through,” opined Decider.
Variety was also full of praise as they called it a “knockout”, writing: “Dynamic, bloody and engrossing, the show is an engaging account of revenge, fractured family dynamics and unbridled ego.”
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“Bolstered by engaging lead performances, gripping action and nervy cliffhangers, it’s a worthy addition to Britain’s thriving crime drama landscape and has all the ingredients to become the genre’s next binge-worthy hit,” wrote TheWrap.
IndieWire was less impressed, however, writing: “Fightland is always hyping what’s next rather than finding meaning in what’s happening in the moment, which renders the action dull and its consequences empty.”
Fightland airs on Sky Atlantic and streams on NOW.
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Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.