It’s hard not to wince when meeting the characters in Amazon’s new British comedy “The Outlaws”.
“You’ve got a right-wing extremist, your left-wing fighter, the single man, the crafty old man and whatever the hell he is,” Rani (Rihanne Barreto) said at the beginning of the series. film, pointing to Stephen Merchant, the show’s co-star and co-creator.
Viewers half expect Merchant, who plays a sadistic lawyer, to make the so-called “warrior” much more bearable, if only to get to know the awakened lords of the Amazon.
And, in turn, robbed him of his strong dignity.
Something different happens in six gripping episodes. “The Outlaws” humanizes both stereotypes, but in doing so suggests two radical notions. A straight white male character can grow beyond his prejudices, and have a decent Left and Right in common.
That’s the core thing.
“The Outlaws” is about seven Britons who have committed misdemeanors and must pay for them through Community Payback. They are protected by Diane (Jessica Gunning), the office grumbles with the illusion that she can one day become a true cop. Gunning steals every moment she can through six boisterous episodes.
Together, these very different “outlaws” band together about their respective woes and gang threat targeting not just Christian but potentially the entire group.
The show’s casting couldn’t have been better. Each actor brings richness to their part, which is what you’d expect when casting Christopher Walken as a shady senior citizen. The rest? Perfect pitch.
That’s not why “The Outlaw” is so important in modern pop culture.
“Right-wing” John (Darren Boyd) is not a monster, and he is not deterred from defending his views when questioned. His business is failing, but he really cares about employees who might lose their jobs. It’s hard not to appreciate the guilt he feels for failing at a company started by his irritable, uncompromising father.
Clare Perkins’ Myrna will delight neuroscientists with this jump. She is all terrible BLM type tic boiling into an unbearable soul. Nor is she considered a caricature. She suffers from being too fervently attached to her beliefs, alienating family members and allies.
One could argue that “The Outlaws” omits some comic material by not delving into the absurdity of Myrna’s sober lifestyle, and that’s a fair point. However, the series contains enough humor to, as such, cut through that critique.
The bigger win is obvious. (Very light spoilers ahead)
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Myrna and John develop a strong bond, one built on shared trust under the worst circumstances. “The Outlaws” reveals how much Myrna has sacrificed with her act of not taking prisoners. For John, it was learning to see different cultures through a new lens.
Each was allowed to develop in ways that modern storytellers often overlook. Describe Myrna as a flawed soul who is brave, full stop. Not a drop Mary Sue in this iron soul.
Let John have such depth and courage.
The best part?
At a time when the Left and the Right wreak havoc on each other online and off the coast, this is a stark example of two opposites uniting to help themselves and others.
Sure, it’s just a TV series and a movie found on the streaming service that many people don’t share. It’s a rare unifying example from the pop culture scene that’s too giddy to pit us against each other.
