‘Dope Thief’ Season 1 Review – Brian Tyree Henry Elevates Predictable Crime Series

I wish someone would make Omar Little: The Early Years instead of just ripping off what David Simon and his team at HBO accomplished with The Wire nearly twenty-five years ago. The new Apple TV+ series Dope Thief follows a couple of so-called entrepreneurs as they work the streets of Philadelphia, posing as Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents and robbing Peter to pay Piper. Yes, in this case, the two robbers are the “pipers.”

Dope Thief doesn’t have a code like Omar—one of the greatest characters in the medium’s history. Believe it or not, Dope Thief is more of a comedy in its own way, finding absurdity in the drug trade, drug wars, and thievery that arise when people make money through illegal means. That being said, it’s a wild ride, full of characters who are certifiably out of their damn minds. You only wish it handled its subject matter with the nuance it deserves.

The story follows two Philadelphia men, Ray (Academy Award-nominee Brian Tyree Henry) and Manny (Narcos‘ Wagner Moura), who pose as DEA agents to rob drug dealers of their goods and profits. They answer to Son Phan (21 Jump Street’s Dustin Nguyen), who quickly cuts ties after a heist goes horribly wrong. One victim, speaking over the phone with a menacing, Batman-esque growl, claims ownership of what they stole.

Despite their ruthlessness—killing men, women, entire families, and torturing for information—these drug runners barely make a move against Ray, Manny, or their crew over eight episodes. When they do, coincidences conveniently save the protagonists, as if pulled from a comic book script where an escape portal appears just in time. Worse, the botched heist not only angers a psychotic cartel but also leaves undercover agents dead or injured, forcing the series into its doom-and-gloom tone

Dope Thief is from Peter Craig, who has been responsible for co-writing some of the most popular movie scripts of the past decade, including The Town, The Batman, and Top Gun: Maverick. Based on the book of the same name by Dennis Tafoya, Craig’s adaptation is too focused on overused cliches. That includes predictable character arcs and plots, lack of original themes, and trying too hard to be an homage to similar movies or shows in the genre instead of focusing on anything fresh.

However, looking at his resume above, you will see that his work is almost always remarkably elevated entertainment. Craig’s adaptation has an impressive amount of verve and frenetic comedic style that almost always keeps the series interesting. Helping out in this manner is the fact that, at Dope Thief’s core, this is a dark comedy with a significant amount of nuance to the central performances.

And that’s why Dope Thief ultimately succeeds—because of Henry’s performance. He was outstanding in Causeway (and I maintain he gave the best performance in Widows) and is phenomenal here. The Atlanta actor showcases a wide range of emotional depth, seamlessly balancing action set pieces and biting comedy. That’s no surprise, as he remains one of the most versatile actors working today. The writing also allows him to explore areas he hasn’t tapped into yet, such as adolescent trauma—something Henry excels at here.

Dope Thief suffers from pacing issues and sometimes seems unsure of what it wants to be beyond a tribute to its predecessors. However, at its ominous, comedic, and wicked heart, the story is about redemption. You may have seen shows like this before, but the series’ choices are thoughtful and enjoyable, keeping you glued—even if you know where Craig and Henry are taking us.

Dope Thief is now available to stream exclusively on Apple TV+.