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Top Boy season 1, episode 1: Bruk Up, recap & explained

By Thomas Bradley Alderman

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 13: Ashley Walters arrives at the European premiere of "Jane" during the 61st BFI London Film Festival at Picturehouse Central on October 13, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for WDW Entertainment)
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 13: Ashley Walters arrives at the European premiere of "Jane" during the 61st BFI London Film Festival at Picturehouse Central on October 13, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for WDW Entertainment) /
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Hello and welcome to Show Snob’s Top Boy recap and explanation article. Netflix, along with Drake, revived the program for our viewing pleasure. Now, let’s get to it!

Firstly, this is essentially season three, but Netflix has renamed the initial two seasons as Top Boy: Summerhouse after the council estate of interest, per Metro. Yet this third series is now entitled season one, as the streaming service’s original. Confusing – I know!

Top Boy Season One recap & explained

Episode one is entitled Bruk Up – Bruk means break in slang – and begins with new, vivid credits serving as a portrait of East London. Former supporting character Dris is reintroduced; he’s still dealing and embarrassing crack heads, but with a new crew. A Turkish connection arrives stating a new price for kilos of cocaine; Dris thinks it’s a high amount. They insult gang member Jaq.

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We now discover fresh cast member Jamie, he’s a young man who looks after his younger brothers at a presumably parent-free home. All three have a good, honest, loving relationship. Jamie is an up-and-coming dealer of the rival London Fields gang in Hackney.

As the Fields have lost leader Modie, Leyton says he’s in charge. Though Jamie wants to go in a different direction for their drugs away from the Turks, putting the two at odds.

DuShane is in Jamaica with his disabled cousin Donovan, they work for the latter’s father in a car hire business. However, DuShane still involves himself in crime. Bizarrely, a man claiming to recognize the Londoner from back home asks for a selfie to show his friends in England that he met the legend. Although DuShane is more concerned with planning a post office robbery.

Meanwhile, Jamie’s young brother Stef is playing basketball with his mate Aks, when Jaq and Rom from Dris’ group invite themselves and make a loose connection with the boys. DuShane rents an Audi to the bloke from East London, Marlon, then goes off to commit a crime. At a grocery store, DuShane’s accomplice, Lester, murders a man, points his gun at an elderly woman before DuShane kills him then leaves.

Back at the car hire headquarters, DuShane wants to evade to London but his cousin will incur the wrath of Lester’s people so he stays. He will attempt to tell local boss, Sugar, that he had to murder his worker.

The Fields boys attend a meeting with Northern Irish and London drug traffickers, whom we haven’t seen before. They sell to rich people but the Fields gang inform them that they’ll take their commodity to a wider market; on road, or to other communities. For this, they want a cut of profits.

DuShane visits Sugar in prison and tells him that he murdered Lester. Sugar is a Don Dada in Jamaica; a very important and dangerous gangster who attempts to intimidate his opposite number. To get ensure the rendezvous, DuShane brings cigars as a gift. Even though Lester threatened the pensioner, Sugar is unmoved until DuShane says the former was freelancing.

Using a prospective London market as an incentive, DuShane suggests an arrangement between the two. Citing his respect for Sugar doesn’t seem enough, as the Jamaican exits. DuShane tells Donovan he still has problems in London.

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Stef complains that his teacher is being sarcastic to him but Jamie is busy planning something. Over in Jamaica DuShane and Donovan realize Sugar’s power, as police and a terrifying gangster give them a mock-execution to prove it – and to teach DuShane to respect the boss.

The Turkish dealers are shot and killed by Jamie and his heavyset associate. Unless the Turks had shrewd bosses, the Fields men are now free to sell to who and from who they desire.

What did you think of the Top Boy premiere? Be sure to tell us in the comment section below!

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