Fascinating Yet Occasionally Weighed Down by Its Complex Story

The Gold debuted on the BBC last year and was met with wonderful accolades. And rightly so. The miniseries was inspired by the strange real-life events that unfolded on November 26, 1983, when six armed men broke into the Brink’s-Mat security depot near London’s Heathrow Airport and planned to steal £1m. They inadvertently stumbled across £26m gold bullion instead.

Those real-life elements ignite The Gold, which made its debut on Paramount+ on September 17. Whether it becomes one of the streamers biggest hits of the year, as it did on the BBC, remains to be seen. Regardless, the series is primed to generate interest and, in between Star Trek seasons, it’s one of the more intriguing outings to hit Paramount+ this fall.

The all-star cast is something to savor. Created and written by Neil Forsyth (Guilt), The Gold features: Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey), Jack Lowden (Dunkirk), Dominic Cooper (Preacher), Charlotte Spencer (The Living and the Dead), Tom Cullen, Emun Elliott (Castle in the Ground), Sean Harris (Mission: Impossible—Fallout), Ellora Torchia (In the Earth), and Stefanie Martin. These fine actors elevate the fascinating story, but several things prevent The Gold from being a 24-carat wonder.

There’s a Lot to Unpack Here

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Neil Forsyth’s precise vision fuels The Gold, but general audiences may occasionally grow weary of keeping up with this otherwise compelling caper. It’s fascinating. But it’s also a bit dense, and there’s a lot to sift through. Keep up with it, however, and you’ll appreciate this whirlwind experience.

The plot is swift and fierce from the onset. We witness a group of armed robbers in what appears to be a typical Old Kent Road armed robbery. They enter the Brinks-Mat security depot intent on nabbing £1m but in a security guard scuffle, they find themselves glaring at £26m gold bullion, which have been stored there before being shipped to Hong Kong. The first episode simmers to a boil, setting up what become this high-stakes drama.

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From here, writer Neil Forsyth splinters his story, dividing up sets of characters, all of whom have a stake at either getting away with the crime, or solving it and establishing justice. For that, we’re given a pair of investigators you quickly warm up to. Nicki Jennings (Charlotte Spencer) and Tony Brightwell (Emun Elliott) make a fine pair. They’re part of the Metropolitan Police’s major crime’s division, a.k.a. the “Flying Squad,” and they’re gung-ho about solving the crime but immediately find an adversary in Brian Boyce (Hugh Bonneville), who has arrived from Scotland Yard and leads a special task force. He reluctantly agrees to keep the duo on board, all the while being dismissive and barking out orders. It’s an engaging trifecta and the series employs others like it throughout.

As Shiny and Heavy as Gold

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There are moments when watching The Gold, that you wish you had CliffsNotes. But the investment pays off ultimately, so best to stick with it. There’s somewhat of a Guy Ritchie-like breeziness to the story mixed in with other British cop dramas. You tend to want to know how things play out. That it’s based on stunning real-life events is surely another high mark. But the miniseries leans heavily into the complex relationships it sets up in its different factions. This isn’t the story of one person and how they managed to move through a crisis. Surely, the filmmakers want audiences to understand how complicated this case was. To that end, they’ve succeeded.

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In robbery gang head Micky (Adam Nagaitis), we find a fella who’s cocksure and happy, and suddenly sitting on all that gold bullion. He lures in Kenny (Jack Lowden), who knows how to take the gold out of South London and get it back into the system without sparking suspicion. Nagaitis and Lowden are fine actors with presence. Nagaitis is nicely cast here as the criminal you want to root for, and he brings a fitting level of intensity to the role. Lowden effectively captures a man brought into a heated dilemma. His character brings in John (Tom Cullen), somebody with a forest lair and who can melt down the gold, masking it.

There’s more. Money laundering — vital once the gold is sold Kenny brings in a shady barrister named Edwyn Cooper (Dominic Cooper in fine form). Edwyn, in turn, creates a way to get the money through the Swiss banks. On it goes.

Out of all the characters, Bonneville, Nagaitis, and Kenny stand out. You’ll develop a bit of a soft spot for Spencer and Elliott. Look for Stefani Martini (The Last Kingdom), who plays John’s wife, Marnie. Is she the wild card here? Compelling all around.

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On the creative front, the editing here is spot on — sharp and precise and capable of generating suspense when it needs to. There are repeatedly dips into making a point about class and wealth and how maybe somebody on the low end of pole can be king. That note runs throughout the miniseries. Overall, The Gold shines far more often than you’d think it would for so much going on. It’s head-scratching that this disposal of gold bullion created a massive international money laundering scheme. There’s a lot to appreciate here. Stick with it and the payoff is, quite surprisingly, worth its weight in gold.

The first two episodes of The Gold are streaming on Paramount+. Catch new episodes every Thursday.

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