Top Boy poster
Seen it?

Top Boy

TV·2011–2013·2 seasons, 8 episodes·Channel 4·Drama, Crime, Thriller·1h·7.7·Created by Ronan Bennett

Streaming on (US) NetflixSee all

A thrilling and raw drama about young lives lived on the edge in east London - an honest and gripping rendition of inner-city drug and gang culture.

Highest-rated episodes all ranked

  1. 01Top Boy S01E03Episode 3S01E03 · 8.2After Heather has shown him the flat she hopes to buy with her drug money, Ra'Nell welcomes his mother home. Sully visits his daughter.
  2. 02Top Boy S02E01Episode 1S02E01 · 7.5Under the wing of his boss, "Top Boy" Dushane faces a new rival: his one-time friend Sully. Meanwhile, Ra'Nell's mother tries to rebuild her life.
  3. 03Top Boy S02E02Episode 2S02E02 · 7.5While visiting the injured Joe, Dushane discovers who stole their drugs. Meanwhile, Mike and Sully botch a hit, and police descend on Summerhouse.

Castfull cast & details

Ashley WaltersAshley WaltersDushaneGiacomo ManciniGiacomo ManciniGemKane RobinsonKane RobinsonSullyMalcolm KamuleteMalcolm KamuleteRa'NellSharon Duncan-BrewsterSharon Duncan-BrewsterLisaXavien RussellXavien RussellMichaelShone RomulusShone RomulusDrisGeoff BellGeoff BellBobby Raikes

Episodes by season

Season01Episode ratings across the season — the gold bar is its best episode4Episodes2011Aired 7.4Season avg
  1. S01E01Top Boy S01E01Episode 1October 31, 2011 7.3In the courtyards of the Summerhouse Estate, a thriving but underground drugs business is being run by Dushane and his friend Sully.
  2. S01E02Top Boy S01E02Episode 2November 1, 2011 7.3Raikes gives Sully and Dushane two weeks to retrieve the stash stolen by rival Kamale and they find a mysterious present of guns to help the
  3. S01E03Top Boy S01E03Season's bestEpisode 3November 2, 2011 8.2After Heather has shown him the flat she hopes to buy with her drug money, Ra'Nell welcomes his mother home. Sully visits his daughter.
  4. S01E04Top Boy S01E04Episode 4November 3, 2011 7.0Dushane is shocked that Sully still has the gun that killed three people but refuses to go along with Raikes's plan to sell him out as a lia

Season 1 ranked & reviewed

Season02Episode ratings across the season — the gold bar is its best episode4Episodes2013Aired 7.5Season avg
  1. S02E01Top Boy S02E01Season's bestEpisode 1August 20, 2013 7.5Under the wing of his boss, "Top Boy" Dushane faces a new rival: his one-time friend Sully. Meanwhile, Ra'Nell's mother tries to rebuild her
  2. S02E02Top Boy S02E02Episode 2August 27, 2013 7.5While visiting the injured Joe, Dushane discovers who stole their drugs. Meanwhile, Mike and Sully botch a hit, and police descend on Summer
  3. S02E03Top Boy S02E03Episode 3September 3, 2013 7.5Sully asks for a sit-down with Dushane, and Rafe swears vengeance on Sully and Mike, who abducted his younger brother, Jermaine.
  4. S02E04Top Boy S02E04Episode 4September 10, 2013 7.5Gem's father retaliates against Vincent for beating Ra'Nell, and Dushane and Sully reunite to retrieve the stolen drugs from the Albanians.

Season 2 ranked & reviewed

Shows like Top Boy all similar shows

The closest matches on shared genres, ranked by match strength and popularity.

  1. 01Drama·Crime·ThrillerTrue Detective2014–presentStreaming on HBO MaxTouch darkness and darkness touches you back.8.1Compare
  2. 02Drama·Crime·ThrillerThe Blacklist2013–2023·NBCAlso on NetflixThe Blacklist is a crime drama involving a former government agent who turned into a high-profile criminal turning himself in to the FBI offering to help catch criminals.8.1Compare
  3. 03Drama·Crime·ThrillerCriminal Minds2005–present·Paramount+Streaming on Amazon Prime VideoCriminal Minds revolves around an elite team of FBI profilers who analyze the country's most twisted criminal minds, anticipating their next moves before they strike again.8.1Compare
  4. 04Drama·Crime·ThrillerBreaking Bad2008–2019·AMCAlso on NetflixBreaking Bad follows protagonist Walter White, a chemistry teacher who lives in New Mexico with his wife and teenage son who has cerebral palsy.9.2Compare
  5. 05Drama·Crime·ThrillerEuphoria2019–2026Streaming on HBO MaxEuphoria follows a group of high school students as they navigate love and friendships in a world of drugs, sex, trauma, and social media.6.8Compare
  6. 06Drama·Crime·ThrillerThe Killing2011–2014·AMCStreaming on HuluThe Killing follows Seattle homicide detectives Stephen Holder and Sarah Linden and their work as detectives investigating murders.8.2Compare

Head-to-head pick any opponent

Stack Top Boy's full episode-rating history against a rival, on one chart.

Top Boy vs True DetectiveFull episode chartTop Boy vs The BlacklistFull episode chartTop Boy vs Criminal MindsFull episode chart

Keep exploring top shows

ShortcutThe essential episodes

Short on time? The pilot-to-finale shortcut, only the episodes that matter.

MatchupCompare with another show

Two shows' episode ratings on one chart — settle it.

NetworkBest Channel 4 shows

More from the same network, ranked by rating.

GenreBest drama shows & films

The top of the drama pile, across both mediums.

GenreBest crime shows & films

The top of the crime pile, across both mediums.