Top Boy finished permanently in September – or so we thought, until we were offered some spin-off optimism.
The Netflix series might return, but the focus would be on a single character: Jaq Lawrence, portrayed by Jasmine Jobson.
‘We are talking to Netflix about a spin-off, which will focus on Jaq,’ stated creator Ronan Bennett. Production firm Cowboy and executive producer Drake are also on board.
Although Ronan conceded that he had already revealed too much, Netflix may be ‘mad’ with him for not speaking less.
He is also reluctant to give too much detail as he’s ‘learned through bitter experience’ that shows often don’t go through to production. Nonetheless, he has ‘hopes that this will work’. So do we!
While appearing on Nihal Arthanayake’s show on BBC Radio 5, Ronan added: ‘The world of Top Boy, the world that we jointly created, is so rich, it’s so deep, and it has that fanatical following that it’s something that still has life in it.
‘Some shows reach their end, and you kind of go, “Thank god they’ve ended, I love that show, but they’ve run out of steam”. But I do feel that there’s more juice to squeeze from Top Boy.’
He also heaped praise on Jasmine, 28, for being ‘unforgettable on-screen’.
If you can’t wait for the TV programme, Ronan has written a book, Jaq: A Top Boy Story, that tells the fifth season from the character’s perspective.
He felt drawn to tell the story of a ‘young gay black woman’ who is ‘an outsider in an outsider’s world’.
*If you’ve not up to date with all five seasons then stop reading now.*
The spin-off announcement is intriguing because we will not only be able to re-immerse ourselves in the world of Top Boy, but we may also finally receive answers.
The final episode left us on a cliffhanger that we believed we’d have to deal with for the rest of our lives.
at the end, Summerhouse captain Sully (Kano) faced off against Stefan (Araloyin Oshunremi) at a public park.
Stefan wants to get revenge for Sully murdering his older brother Jamie (Michael Ward) in front of him. He points a gun at Sully, but the teenager eventually says: ‘You’re not worth it,’ and walks away.
Viewers are lulled into a false feeling of security as Sully returns to his car and is shot and murdered. In an additional cruel (or really brilliant) twist, we do not see the face of the guy who fired the shot.
Surely, if they made a spin-off, they would have to expose the perpetrator. Perhaps Jaq will investigate the crime herself, or the series might have her on the run, as some viewers were certain she was the perpetrator.
Jaq clearly has a motivation, as she struggles with guilt over her drug dealer lifestyle, and even goes so far as to plan a heist of Sully’s drug cache. She feels their employment is primarily to blame for sister Lauryn’s (Saffron Hocking) overdose.
She subsequently agrees to return the pills if she, her partner Becks (Adwoa Aboah), and Lauryn’s baby do not suffer any consequences. When she goes to deliver the things, Dushane (Ashley Walters) robs her, and Sully informs her that the deal is off.
Knowing that she can never truly be safe as Dushane is alive, Jaq may have taken matters into her own hands to guarantee a future for her family.
The motivation is obvious, and observant viewers saw several resemblances as the perpetrator fled the crime site.
Of course, Dushane had made many enemies over his years of crime, so there is an endless list of potential murderers.
Top Boy is available to stream on Netflix.