Top Boy season 5 review: Netflix's season 3 is a frenetic final outing

In the previous batch of episodes, their misdemeanours led – either directly or indirectly – to the brutal murder of young drug runner Ats (Keiyon Cook), and saw Stefan (Araloyin Oshunremi) have his world turned upside down, while earlier outings for the show saw Sully's protégé Jason (Ricky Smarts) meet a grim fate and wide-eyed duo Ra'Nell (Malcolm Kamulete) and Gem (Giacomo Mancini) dragged into a life of dangerous criminality.

With just six episodes of Top Boy left, Dushane and Sully must finally face up to the by-product of the devastation they have wrought, as both men individually find their status quo upset by shocking changes in circumstances and are driven to desperate acts – Sully was always a loose cannon, and Dushane is only ever truly one difficult situation away from threatening or enacting violence despite play-acting as the more level-headed of the two.

The shorter episode order – compared to the first Netflix season's 10 episodes and the second's eight-part run – means that events here unfold at a rapid pace.

With fewer secondary plot strands, this is a lean and mean final season – and the callousness with which the charismatic Jamie (Micheal Ward) was offed at the close of the previous season, coupled with the knowledge that this is Top Boy's swan song, means that a newfound sense of dread permeates every scene. Anyone, you feel, could go at any time.

Four characters – Dushane, Sully, the formidable Jaq (Jasmine Jobson) and Stefan – mostly take centre stage, a more focused approach that allows the show to wring every last drop of rage, upset and anguish out of this talented quartet of performers.

Walters and Robinson remain hugely compelling as Dushane and Sully, childhood best friends turned gangsters who regularly commit reprehensible acts yet somehow remain tragic figures, never entirely hateful. Sully's self-loathing, in particular, is palpable – faced with another character who is at their lowest ebb, he has only one piece of advice: "Don’t be me."

The loss of Jamie/Ward also allows Oshunremi his most challenging scenes yet as Stefan, and the young actor more than steps up to the plate, nailing the transition from charismatic child actor to adult performer with real acting chops – Stef's burgeoning romance with Erin (Savanah Graham) this season highlights his youth and innocence in painful contrast with his vengeful descent into violence following his brother's death.

Jobson – who was previously nominated for a BAFTA for her performance in the show – is gifted some suitably meaty material as Jaq too sees the life she leads begin to take a serious personal toll.

Despite the tighter focus, Top Boy also avoids neglecting its secondary players – Shelley (Little Simz) is better integrated into the narrative than previously as her business ventures serve as the catalyst for Dushane's latest activies, while in the only real subplot of note Mandy (NoLay) becomes something of a local legend as she leads a Summerhouse revolt against outside forces looking to oust the residents.

It's a relief to see Top Boy retain its political edge here as it continues to explore issues surrounding deportation of citizens and rising tensions with the London Met, but on a more personal level, the show does suffer a little from its fleet-footed race to the finish – there's not a bit of fat on these six episodes, but they also lack some of the characterful sidesteps that gave earlier outings a good deal of nuance (as well as a greater sense of scope), like Sully and Jason's trip to Ramsgate in season 3, or Jamie's Moroccan jaunt in season 4.

Similarly, though Barry Keoghan and Brian Gleeson make for entertaining new additions to the cast – Keoghan, in particular, is great fun, his character's whimsical exterior concealing a vicious brutality – their screen-time is limited and you're left with the feeling that perhaps we could have done without one last external threat for Dushane and Sully to face, when the show instead could have dwelt more on internal beefs and quarrels.

It's also bold of the show to promote this final season with the tagline "No. Loose. Ends." when, ultimately, that's simply not true – long-time fans hoping for return appearances from figures last seen in the show's early days will come away disappointed, while a few smaller story points feel underdeveloped and/or never quite reach the climax you're expecting.

Still, if the biggest criticism you can level at a TV show is that it leaves you wanting more, that's hardly a harsh condemnation – this final Top Boy could have easily justified a couple more episodes, but what we get remains a powerful send-off for an important series with a stellar ensemble cast who are at the very top of their game.

This was certainly the right time to wrap things up – there's only so many times we can see Dushane and Sully at loggerheads before circumstances once again force them back into an uneasy partnership, the characters themselves even remarking on the familiarity of that premise here – but regardless, Top Boy and its captivating characters will be sorely missed.

Read more:

• How to watch Top Boy in order on Netflix
• Top Boy recap: What happened in Summerhouse and the Netflix revival
• Where is Top Boy filmed? Location guide for Netflix’s season 4
• Top Boy Netflix soundtrack: Every song featured in the new season

Top Boy returns to Netflix on Thursday, 7th September. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight.

Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10, PLUS a £10 John Lewis and Partners voucher delivered to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.