We’re moving into April, and with it Spring. We’re also in the home stretch for the Emmy consideration window. That means a lot of interesting new shows are launching to be included. But what of them are worth your time to check out? Let this series be your guide as we give you all the information needed to make an informed viewing decision. Today, it’s a new crime drama on Paramount+.
Series: MobLand
Where to find it: The pilot is up now on Paramount+ with the rest of 10-episode first season dropping Sundays on the streaming platform.
What’s It About: This new series is set in the United Kingdom. It was developed by writer Ronan Bennett, who worked on The Day of the Jackal for Peacock and the series Top Boy, among others. It counts Guy Ritchie among its producers, with him directing a pair of episodes. And it has a strong cast led by Pierce Brosnan, Helen Mirren, and Tom Hardy.
We are introduced to the Harrigan family, led by Conrad (Bronsnan) and Maeve (Mirren). They are running things with the help of the next generation, and even their grandchildren. But it isn’t easy. Soon, we see the brash, young Eddie Harrigan (Anson Boon) acting out in a club. His antics, and company, soon lead to a series of problems.
In the wake of these issues, the family turns to its top Fixer, Harry Da Souza (Hardy) to patch things up. Harry is cool, confident, and precise in his work. While he’s helping the Harrigan’s, he has some issues of his own, including smoothing over the relationship with his wife, Jan (Joanne Froggatt). Can he balance all these issues and keep the powder keg brewing from turning into an all-out war?
You Should Try It If: You’re a fan of this talented cast, have been a fan of Ritchie’s work in the past, or are a fan of hard-boiled organized crime tales.
One Man’s Opinion of MobLand
There have been a lot of different series set in the world of organized crime. It’s a staple of the small screen the past three decades and has yielded some really engaging stories with some top-notch casts. That’s the case here, too.
The production is strong and there is a lot of talent in the cast and crew. That made me interested to check it out. I liked what I saw in the pilot episode. Brosnan and Mirren make for a great pair of elder statesmen for the family. The middle generation is led by Paddy Considine, who is the son to Conrad and the father of Eddie. He isn’t given much in the pilot, but I like the potential.
The pilot really sings when Hardy is on screen. Seeing him at work on a variety of issue and at home trying to balance a home life with work is interesting. The pilot sets a lot of wheels in motion, and this seems like the right team to figure those answers out. I look forward to seeing more episodes.