DISNEY+ ORIGINAL SERIES PRESENTS Culprits Series 1 Review by Ryan Balkwill

Plot: After a high-stakes heist, a crew of elite criminals have gone their separate ways and have tried to leave their old lives behind, but the past and present collide when a ruthless assassin starts targeting them one by one.

Genre: Crime thriller, Heist

Directed by J Blakeson, Claire Oakley

Written by J Blakeson

Created by J Blakeson

Based on The Anthology Culprits: The Heist Was Only The Beginning, edited by Richard Brewer and Gary Phillips. Published by Polis Books.

Starring: Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Gemma Arterton, Eddie Izzard, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Niamh Algar, Kamel El Basha, Tara Abboud, Ned Dennehy & Kevin Vidal.

Composer: Marc Canham

Executive producers: Stephen Garrett, J Blakeson

Producer: Morenike Williams

Production companies: Character 7

Network: Disney+

Season 1 of Culprits was okay.

Pros: Joe was an interesting antagonist to root for. There’s a lot of drama and suspense. Devil was so good as a unstoppable assassin. I like how the main team are not clean-cut goodies or baddies and I was surprised at how many twists & turns there were that kept me engaged.

Cons: I didn’t get to know each of the crew individually. The love-interest I didn’t care for that much. Every episode does drag on for ages and a certain amount of plotlines that didn’t make any sense.   

Casts & Characters:

The heist crew:

  • Nathan Stewart-Jarrett as Joe Petrus / David Marking / Muscle, a former bodyguard
  • Gemma Arterton as Dianne Harewood / Brain, a criminal mastermind
  • Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Officer, a con artist
  • Niamh Algar as Inga Beatrice / Specialist / Psycho, an assassin
  • Kamel El Basha as Youssef Mizouni / Cracker, a safe-cracker
  • Tara Abboud as Azar Mizouni / Greaseman, Youssef’s granddaughter and protégé
  • Karl Collins as Fixer, Dianne’s trusted associate
  • Vincent Riotta as Marcello Bari / Driver, a former stunt driver
  • Amara Karan as Doctor, a medical professional
  • Tom Mothersdale as Anton Irving / Right Hand, a former military man and a longtime accomplice of Dianne
  • Mark Field as Robert Yates / Fuse, an explosives expert
  • Laura Morgan as Soldier

Other recurring characters:

  • Ned Dennehy as Devil, an assassin
  • Kevin Vidal as Jules Burner, Joe’s fiancé
  • Maria Nash as Frankie, Jules’ daughter
  • Baeyen Hoffman as Bud, Jules’ son
  • Eddie Izzard as Vincent Hawkes, a billionaire businessman
  • Juliet Cowan as Marian / The Intermediary, Hawkes’ employee
  • Morgan Kelly as Kyle Bedrosian, a developer and councilman
  • Uriel Emil as Malek Mizouni, Youssef’s son and Azar’s father
  • Nathan Welsh as Colin Burnham, Joe’s ex-partner

I still recommend giving this show a chance on Disney+.

Rating: 6 out of 10 Stars

Ryan Balkwill:

Resident TV reviewer,

Level Best Art Cafe

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