‘Sexy Beast’ Season 1 Finale Recap: The Heist

Sexy Beast is as good a TV prequel as Andor, House of the Dragon, and Better Call Saul. I hope it runs exactly as long as creator Michael Caleo wants it to. As it stands, Sexy Beast is an ongoing series for sure. Everything that seemed liked it might get neatly wrapped up does not, in fact, get neatly wrapped up.

The big diamond heist—a preposterously tense and fun sequence that involves two sweaty guys sneaking around a mansion while two other guys blow up a van to create a diversion—does not lead to the end of Gal’s professional relationship with Teddy. Instead, Teddy offers Gal and Don the keys to the kingdom, in the form of the formerly McGraw-run club where Gal first met Deedee.

Don and Gal do not have one final falling out. Don’s final falling out is with his loathsome sister Cecilia, who tries to put the kibosh on the deal and force Don to stay with her. When she starts to get touchy-feely in a way I feel implies a whole lot about their prior relationship, Don freaks out and shoves her away. She falls, brains herself on a metal bucket, and dies. Not that Don tells this to Gal, oh no. As far as Gal’s concerned, Cecilia’s still alive, and speaking through Don. 

If you’ve wondered what realistic reason there could be for Don spouting so much of Cecilia’s verbiage verbatim during the Sexy Beast movie, well, now you know. He imprinted on it when he killed the only woman he’s ever been close to.

Gal does not get together with Deedee. They’re headed that way, one hundred percent. Then someone does a drive-by acid attack on her, scarring her for life. Her career is over, at least for now. But more importantly, so are her and Gal. He may not care if everything they touch burns to the ground, but she does. The magic has been dispelled, for now anyway. The harmful words of the likes of Alan and Marjorie and Gal’s mum, who stops by to berate Deedee for destroying Gal’s life just as she berates Gal for, effectively, wanting to be happy rather than secure — they’ve all sunk in. Gal’s presence would only be a reminder.

Teddy does not emerge fully triumphant over the London underworld. True, he survives an attack by Freddie, killing his lieutenants (even the poor asshole who offered to turn his cloak) and intimidating Freddie into a life of servitude. He also orchestrates the murder of his ostensible patron Roger Riley so that he himself can reap the benefits of their campaign against Sir Stephen and the McGraws.

But Teddy’s grudge against the upper crust runs deep. In a flashback, we see him at a high-society orgy, watching helplessly as well-connected rich men rape and kill some poor kid he brought to the place as a party favor. When he talks about wishing Guy Fawkes had succeeded in blowing Parliament sky-high, you believe him. So when Sir Stephen attempts to put him in his place…well, recall how that worked out for Freddie McGraw.

Many seeds for the future are planted here. There’s a glimmer of dissent between Teddy and his man Stan, the sepulchural essence of a certain kind of grimy Englishness embodied by Paul Kaye. There is of course Deedee’s uncertain future, Don’s coverup of Cecilia’s death, and Marjorie telling Ann Marie she’s thinking about going to the cops about Gal and his pals to consider. 

But most importantly, there’s Don and Gal. Don, beyond eager to prove he’s a comer by taking on this club, especially now he’s out from under the thumb of his nightmarish sibling. Gal, so devastated by Deedee’s cessation of their relationship that he literally can’t even stand in the hallway of the hospital on his way out the door, refusing to be sucked back into Ted’s orbit — and thus running afoul of Don, who now very clearly both loves and hates him.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a crime show this rich. I mean, the obvious antecedent really is Better Caul Saul. I’m very pleased to say, however, that it hasn’t been that long since I’ve seen a prequel or adaptation this good. From Dead Ringers to Fargo Season 5, miraculous extrapolations of preexisting masterpieces are, strangely, thick on the ground. I’m so glad this show exists, so glad for the performances by James McArdle, Emun Elliott, Sarah Greene, Stephen Moyer, et al — so glad that a movie I love as much as I love Sexy Beast spawned a show worthy of the name.

Sean T. Collins (@theseantcollins) writes about TV for Rolling Stone, Vulture, The New York Times, and anyplace that will have him, really. He and his family live on Long Island.