The Gentlemen episode 6 recap contains spoilers. The first cracks in Eddie and Susie's relationship emerge as the truth about the crime boss's intentions for Halstead Manor is finally laid bare. When the Duke starts making alternative arrangements, he turns to boxing promotor and money-launderer Henry Collins, who turns out to have his eyes on a much bigger prize...
Eddie arrives at Geoff’s delightful little cottage to find him enjoying an evening with Milligan the hedgehog. After taking the prickly mammal's chair, the new Duke sits down to discuss his concerns about Susie Glass, following the revelation about Jethro. However Geoff advises him to let things play out and keep delivering on his end of the bargain.
The next day, as the snow falls steadily at Halstead Manor, Eddie receives a visit from Susie Glass. He tells her he’s reached “the agreed threshold” and generated enough cash for them to let him leave, yet the crime boss says the money can’t be considered profit until it’s been properly washed. This will take three months apparently.
When Susie takes Eddie to see her brother Jack’s latest boxing match, she introduces him to a ridiculous individual called Chucky, who's on the sidelines screaming enthusiastically.
It seems this is the man who launders the Glass money. He reckons Korean Corn Dogs could be a worthwhile future investment, yet Eddie isn’t happy with the timeline his new friend is suggesting. Chucky tells the Duke to "chill out", yet when he walks into the showers to find Jack banging his girlfriend, it's him that loses his temper. Rather unwisely, Chucky challenges the champion boxer to a fight and is soon knocked out cold, leaving their money laundering operation flat out on the canvas.
As they go back to the drawing board, Jack invites them for a drink where they meet his promoter, Henry Collins, who hints that he could fill the Chucky-shaped hole in their operation. After he departs, Eddie asks his old pal Princess Rosie for a favor…
'This is not a game..'
Back at Halstead Manor, Eddie hears that Chucky is in no mood to forget Jack's little misdemeanor and has urged his many social media followers to avenge him. As such, Jack needs a place to lie low and Susie thinks a country estate could be just the ticket.
Luckily Geoff is able to set up a gym for him in the barn and honestly, we can’t of anyone better suited to the task of preparing the young pugilist for his big fight than Vinnie… sorry Geoff Seacombe.
Meanwhile, in the weed lab, Freddy reveals his latest project — a combination of marijuana and cocaine called "crack weed". Gobsmacked by this ludicrous idea, Eddie reveals the truth about Jethro to his brother. Eddie is shocked by the revelation, but if we’re honest, we think he was being a little bit naive about the Scouse money-counter’s demise and may have come to regret letting him live. However, the Duke is right when he highlights the principle of the matter, which is that the Glass crew lied to them.
“This is not a game,” he tells Freddy. “They will kill you, they will kill me, they will kill our entire family if it helps them get what they want.”
'Thick Rick...'
The following day, Eddie goes to visit Henry Collins, who’s busy preparing the venue for Jack’s big fight, which comes complete with flamethrowers and an epic view of London’s financial district. The Duke tells his new acquaintance he needs £15m washed ASAP, but Collins wonders if he’s had sign-off from Susie. These are dangerous waters Eddie is swimming in.
Collins introduces Eddie to "Thick Rick", an extremely boring accountant who turned to the dark side. He tells us all about his money-laundering scheme, which is all tied in with betting on Collins’ boxing matches. This all sounds great to Eddie, but Susie throws a spanner in the works somewhat, when she reveals that she’s patched things up with Chucky.
Chucky will wash the money for free, but he will take much longer than Rick and there’s a little bit of shadowboxing when he asks Susie if her old contact is really the best option. Does Susie know about his deal with Henry Collins and Rick? Probably, but Eddie doesn’t let on.
Later on, the new Duke receives a call from Stanley Johnston’s assistant Mr Stephens, who says his boss has received Rosie’s message. It seems there’s a new offer on the table and a meeting is scheduled. It’s presumably a plot from Eddie to rid himself of a drug baron... With the help of another?
'Careful there soldier...'
When he drops the cash off at Chucky’s, Eddie finds the money launderer livid over the noble’s disparaging remarks about his Korean Corn Dogs. “If you don’t believe in these corn dogs, then no one will believe in these corn dogs,” says Chucky, before revealing that Susie told him to take as long as he needed to wash the cash. This is more evidence — if any was needed — of the growing divide between the two figures at the top of the Glass operation.
After being tipped over the edge by a man shoving a halal corn dog in his face, Eddie snaps and takes the money to Henry Collins. When he tells Susie, their power struggle spills into the open in a tense encounter that sees plenty of cards laid out on the table. She finally admits her family will never let his family go and he tells her she underestimates him. “Careful there soldier,” she says. “I can be nice and I can be not so nice.” Get a room guys.
While Susie heads to the fight, Eddie pays Stanely Johnston a visit. The meth baron tells him the British aristocracy are the original gangsters. “The reason they own 75% of this country is because they stole it,” says Johnston. “William the Conqueror was worse than Al Capone.”
But after the history lesson, the pair get down to business and Eddie tells them his predicament. Johnston says he will help but will want a favor in return. Is he simply trading one drug empire for another?
At the fight, Freddy approaches Susie to talk about his ‘crack weed’ side hustle, before reminding her that if anything were to happen to Eddie the whole Halstead Manor estate would come to him. She gives him a thinly-veiled warning on the price of disloyalty.
'It's dark and full of terrors...'
Meanwhile, Henry Collins seems to be hatching a plan of his own and as Jack marches into the ring, he calls someone to tell them “the pieces are in place”. Susie’s brother is confident, but his opponent looks like a big bloke to us. Yet when Jack’s promoter calls Susie into his office, things finally start to fall into place.
Collins has also been doing some number-crunching about Susie’s operation and has decided he’s “taking over” the whole thing. She laughs at this suggestion, but Collins then reveals her brother has been set up in a match against a far superior fighter and is about to be very seriously hurt. “He’s an unstoppable monster,” smirks Collins of the man mountain Jack’s up against.
Susie replies by referencing Caesar’s crossing of the Rubicon and says he’s wrong to say she hasn’t done her research on him. “You have no idea about the river in which you have chosen to swim,” she says. “It’s dark and full of terrors.”
In the office neither of them are prepared to give any ground, but in the ring Jack has received a very serious knock-out blow. But where does all this leave Eddie?
