Episode 1 (Season 1)

Episode 1 is the season premiere of the first season and the 1st overall episode of Top Boy.

Synopsis
In the courtyards of the Summerhouse Estate, a thriving but underground drugs business is being run by Dushane and his friend Sully. Ra'Nell is forced to 'step-up' after his mother is committed to a hospital after suffering a mental breakdown.

Plot
Ra’Nell looks through the window of his flat at the Summerhouse Estate. Tareek and Chantelle are waiting outside. Dushane, Sully and Dris are all at the market.

Kamale and his crew pull up and take the drugs from Tareek and Chantelle as Dushane and the others rush back. Ra’Nell watches on from the window before going back in, leaving breakfast on the table for his mum before Gem comes round to Ra’Nell’s flat to knock for him.

Dushane and Sully are in the café talking to Lee Greene, who explains they owe Bobby Raikes £3,000 as a result of the lost drugs. The two leave the café and debate whether to talk to Raikes about Greene, who they believe is hindering their progress. They then call on Femi to help them with the money problem, who is unable to assist.

Ra’Nell and Gem are in an art lesson at school as Lisa leaves the flat for the first time. She goes to the market but begins to suffer a breakdown in the street. Lisa speaks with Dr. Jenny Northam about her health history, as she lies to her about not having children. In the meantime, Gem and Ra’Nell are walking through the street as Dris points out to Dushane that Ra’Nell stabbed his dad Wayne before. Dushane stops him and asks why he isn’t rolling with them, but Ra’Nell declines as his mum wouldn’t approve.

Ra’Nell and Gem get back to the flat but Ra’Nell discovers his mum isn’t home. The two decide to wait but Lisa has been kept at the mental health clinic. Ra’Nell leaves her a voice message asking when she’ll be home.

Dushane and Sully meet back up with Femi who provides them with an address in Swiss Cottage for them to set up shop. Femi asks for money back in return but Dushane says he’ll get it within three days.

At the clinic one of the nurses, Leon, recognises Lisa. He asks her when she arrived and if someone’s looking after Ra’Nell. He’s at the DIY shop with Gem when a friend of Lisa’s, Heather recognises Ra’Nell. Heather, who is pregnant, is buying lights for her flat and asks the boys to help her take the items back to the car.

Vincent is at the flat with Heather and reassures her she won’t have to do anything with the weed. Leon goes round to check on Ra’Nell, who recognises him as a friend of his dad, and tries to close the door on him, but Leon reassures him they’re no longer friends and he just wants to check up on him for Lisa.

Leon says if he won’t stay with his dad, he’ll be put into care. Ra’Nell is adamant that won’t happen, and Leon agrees to keep quiet, if he lets him check up on him. But Leon says it’ll be hard for Ra’Nell to visit his mum as the doctors will find out.

In the club, Bobby Raikes is with Lee Greene. Dushane turns up and speaks to Bobby, much to Lee’s chagrin. Bobby counts the money Dushane gives him. Dushane says to Bobby that he should run Summerhouse, as if Lee wasn’t in charge then it’d be unlikely Kamale and the London Fields gang could enter Summerhouse so easily.

At Heather’s flat, Vincent is explaining what to do with the crop. Vincent says he will buy it off Heather for a good price.

Dushane and Sully meet Lee Greene at the café. Greene gives the two an envelope with a name in and some pliers.

At the hospital, Leon informs Lisa he’s made sure Ra’Nell is safe, and gives her a bag with some of her clothes plus a note. Leon says he’ll look after him and she should go to the gym and train when she’s up to it rather than sitting around getting hooked on the stabilisers.

Ross Rosten is at the barbers. Dushane and Sully are waiting for him there. As he leaves, the two exit and follow him. The two confront him and beat him, before taking him to a warehouse and cutting off a finger. However, it’s the wrong one and they have to cut off the other.

It is revealed Rosten is the reason Raikes’ nephew has a glass eye. He reveals to the two that Lee has been promoted and Dushane and Sully are now free to run Summerhouse – although exactly on his terms, but whatever they need to do is fine by him.

They confront Kamale by the car park at the football pitches. They warn him that they’re running Summerhouse now. Sully stabs him in his leg and warns him to stay out of Summerhouse. Dushane informs Raikes about the place in Finchley. Sully tells Lee the drugs they need. Raikes has his concerns but allows them to go ahead.

Later on, Dushane speaks to Ra’Nell & Gem, telling them Dris, Chantelle and Michael are making money, and do they want to as well. However, Leon is walking by and overhears the conversation.

Leon confronts Dushane and Sully in the gym and tells them to stay away from Ra’Nell. Dushane and Sully aren’t impressed but Dushane tells Sully to leave Ra’Nell out of it for now.

Sully, Chantelle and Tareek pick up Gem after school. Ra’Nell tries to follow but Sully tells him he can’t come, and he should talk to Leon if he has a problem. They drive to Finchley and go the house where Dris and Andre are, with a crackhead named Robert.

Dushane arrives with the drugs. He explains to him what to do as Chantelle shows him how to hide the drugs in his mouth under his tongue.

Leon knocks on the door of Ra’Nell’s flat and gives him his laundry. Ra’Nell is angered that Leon stopped him from going with Dushane. Leon threatens to call social services on him if he catches him with Dushane and Sully again.

Heather is in her flat tending the crops as she begins to suffer pains from her baby. Tareek and Andre are on the street corner with Gem and Chantelle further on. The two sell to numerous customers with the rest back at the house.

The two get back to the house but Dushane sends Gem back out soon after for new customers. A customer rings Chantelle saying he’s outside, but it turns out to be a trap. Several rival gang members storm the yard as it’s revealed to be Kamale, Ninja and the rest of London Fields. They take the drugs and money.

Main cast

 * Ashley Walters as Dushane
 * Kane Robinson as Sully
 * Shone Romulus as Dris
 * Malcolm Kamulete as Ra'Nell
 * Giacomo Mancini as Gem
 * Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Lisa
 * Kierston Wareing as Heather
 * Nicholas Pinnock as Leon

Supporting cast

 * Sean Sagar as Tareek
 * Letitia Wright as Chantelle
 * George Wood as Andre
 * Geoff Bell as Bobby Raikes
 * Olivia Musangi as Precious
 * Xavien Russell as Michael
 * Cyrus Desir as Lee Greene
 * Tayo Jarrett as Kamale
 * Chiefer Appiah as Ninja
 * Benedict Wong as Vincent
 * Pooky Quesnel as Dr. Jenny Northam
 * Rachel Warren as Nurse Kerry
 * Yolanda Vazquez as Yolanda
 * Arnold Oceng as Femi
 * Derek DaSafo as Ross Rosten
 * Clinton Blake as Barber
 * Jordan Bernard as Trevor