Ep 3. Charlie Don't Surf

Charlie Don't Surf is the third episode of the first season of the captivating British television drama series Informer. The episode follows the main character of the show, a young second-generation Pakistani man named Raza, as he struggles to navigate a complex and dangerous web of relationships between his family, the London-based police, and a group of ruthless criminal informers.

In the previous episode, Raza was coerced into becoming a police informant in exchange for immunity from prosecution for drug charges. The stakes are high for him, as his entire family is involved in drug dealing and he has no choice but to work for the police in order to protect them. In this episode, Raza's handler, Gabe, begins to groom him to become more valuable to the police with more personal information about his family and criminal contacts.

As the episode opens, Raza and his girlfriend, a British Pakistani woman named Shelley, are enjoying a day at the beach with her family. This idyllic scene is quickly interrupted when the police unexpectedly show up and arrest one of Shelley's cousins, who they suspect is involved in the terrorist attack that took place in London in the previous episode. This moment underscores the central theme of the show, which is the precarious nature of life for British Muslims in a post-9/11 world.

Returning to London, Raza is tasked by Gabe to visit an old school friend of his named Bobby, who is known to be involved in the drug trade. Bobby is a complex character who is both loyal to his old friend but also deeply suspicious of him, given that he has shown up out of nowhere after many years of no contact. Raza is able to convince Bobby to introduce him to the other members of his drug crew, including a volatile man named Dadir.

The majority of the episode focuses on the interactions between Raza, Bobby, Dadir, and the rest of the drug crew. The tension ramps up as Raza tries to gather information about a planned drug transaction while also trying to ensure that Bobby remains loyal to him and doesn't expose him to the police. There are several moments of intense conflict, including a physical altercation between Dadir and one of his crew members, and a close call with the police when they see Raza and his group driving around town.

Throughout the episode, the viewer is reminded of the larger context of the show, including the ongoing terrorism threat and the intense surveillance that Muslim communities in London are subjected to. There are several shots of police helicopters hovering overhead and of undercover police officers watching Raza from a distance. At the same time, Raza's family is also under surveillance, as we see in a brief scene where his mother is followed by plainclothes officers.

The episode ends on a cliffhanger, with Raza's police handler Gabe revealing that they need him to go deeper into the criminal underworld and to wear a wire to a meeting with a dangerous man named Yousef. Raza is visibly nervous about this request, as it would be a huge risk to his safety and to the safety of his family. The tension between Raza and Gabe is palpable, suggesting that their already fragile relationship may be reaching its breaking point.

Overall, Charlie Don't Surf is a tense and exciting episode that further develops the central characters and themes of Informer. The show does an excellent job of exploring the complex relationship between the police and British Muslim communities, as well as the intense pressure that people like Raza face in trying to navigate these dangerous waters. With its sharp writing and excellent performances, Informer is shaping up to be one of the most compelling shows on television.