Netflix’s crime drama The Gentlemen returned for its second season on September 3, marking a notable shift in the gangster genre by featuring complex female characters in prominent leadership roles. Created by Guy Ritchie, the series stars Theo James as Eddie, a young aristocrat who becomes involved in an underground cannabis empire led by Kaya Scodelario’s character, Susie Glass. Unlike traditional portrayals of women in gangster narratives, Susie is depicted as a powerful and ruthless figure who commands respect and drives the story’s central operations.

Susie Glass represents a departure from typical female roles in crime dramas, where women are often relegated to the sidelines as romantic interests or background players. Instead, she occupies a position of power equal to her male counterparts, demonstrating strategic acumen and control over a sprawling criminal network. Scodelario, who gained recognition from the British teen drama Skins, described Susie as a character already at the top of the criminal hierarchy, rather than one learning her place in an underworld dominated by men.

This evolving portrayal aligns with a broader trend in television, where female gangsters are gaining prominence and challenging traditional gender roles within the genre. Productions such as Netflix’s Black Doves and Paramount+’s MobLand have also showcased women at the helm of organized crime. In Black Doves, Kathryn Hunter’s Lenny Lines is a diminutive but formidable assassin, while Tracey Ullman’s Alex Clark is a powerful crime boss with extensive political connections. Meanwhile, MobLand spotlights Helen Mirren as Maeve Harrigan, a fiercely protective matriarch who wields significant influence within her family’s criminal enterprise.

Historically, women in gangster stories have been depicted either as secondary characters or as matriarchs quietly orchestrating power behind the scenes, exemplified by figures like Helen McCrory’s Polly Gray in Peaky Blinders. The current wave of characters, however, expands the scope with portrayals such as HBO’s Euphoria’s Laurie, played by Martha Kelly, who is a drug queenpin unbound by traditional matriarchal or sexualized roles and directly challenges rivals in violent turf conflicts.

The Gentlemen’s Susie Glass embodies a millennial “girlboss” archetype: fashionable, confident, and formidable. She balances her feminine appearance—including a penchant for red lipstick and designer outfits—with a sharp intellect and ruthless efficiency, managing high-stakes negotiations, orchestrating complex operations, and asserting dominance over male peers. The show's second season showcases Susie in a variety of settings from high-society art auctions to covert dealings, underlining her multifaceted role and command in the criminal underworld.

Speculation this summer suggested that Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was in talks to join The Gentlemen’s third season, a move reflecting the series’ growing cultural footprint and its potential to attract high-profile talent. Her reported interest highlights how the genre’s evolving portrayal of female leadership in crime narratives continues to resonate beyond traditional audiences.

With enhanced production values and a layered narrative, season two of The Gentlemen solidifies the presence of women within a genre long dominated by male figures, signaling a broader industry shift toward more nuanced and empowered female characters in gangster television.