Review: ‘MobLand’ is a Delicious Ride into the Underbelly of London

*** Caution: Mild Spoilers ahead***

I love Guy Ritchie movies, which seem to specialize in showcasing the criminal underbelly of England. You know, rich gangsters, hooligans of all types, and usually some plot or master plan. A viewer is always guaranteed a healthy share of corruption and violence. Ritchie has now helped develop two successful streaming series, 2024’s “The Gentlemen” for Netflix and now “MobLand” for Paramount+.

The series shows how a gang war begins between the Harrigan and Stevenson crime families. The show is from the Harrigan family’s perspective. The patriarch of the Harrigan clan is Conrad (a very Irish Pierce Brosnan), but the show gives the impression that his wife, Maeve (Helen Mirren), is the real brains in charge. The real star in this ensemble is Tom Hardy’s Harry Da Souza, the Harrigan family’s fixer.

I’m a huge Tom Hardy fan. I’m always hypnotized by his fierce presence in just about everything he does, and it’s certainly thick and on display here. Even an indifferent look on Hardy’s face evokes a bit of fear in me. I never want to be on the wrong side of any character he ever plays. And there’s no exception with Harry.

Interestingly, Harry lives a somewhat normal, upper-middle-class family life. His wife Jan (played by “Downton Abbey’s” Joanne Froggatt), is completely aware of the dangerous life he leads, but keeps him grounded. She has zero fear of him and calls him on his nonsense. She insists they attend couples counseling. Based on the two episodes out of 10 I have seen thus far, Harry is a decent and loyal husband to her. They have a perfectly normal teenage daughter who is serious about school.

So what’s the problem? Conrad wants to be not only in the fentanyl game, but to dominate it. The challenge there is that the Stevensons currently run the fentanyl dealing in town. But Conrad is willing for things to get bloody to steal it, and thinks the Harrisons have the muscle advantage.

Complicating all of this is the fact that one night, the young Eddie Harrigan hits the town with three of his “mates,” one of whom is Tommy Stevenson. Even the other two comment during a cab ride, saying akin to “No one would believe the two of you hanging out together.” As soon as they get to the club, the manager challenges Eddie, saying he had told him he was bringing just one friend. But he relents, clearly showcasing the power of the Harrigan name.

Eddie – who is a majorly insufferable asshole – starts making trouble with a guy who doesn’t like it that Eddie’s bumped into him. Eddie’s almost looking for a fight, and ends up gutting the guy with a knife, sending him to the hospital. The four friends split up and make a mad dash out of there. Eddie eventually catches up with Tommy and tells him he’ll make it up to him at the next spot. So you assume they are staying out on the town.

The next day, Tommy is nowhere to be found, and his father, Ritchie Stevenson – head of that family – is none too happy about it. So he gives Eddie’s father, Kevin Harrigan, a call (Kevin is played by Paddy Considine, who was brilliant as King Viserys in S1 of “House of the Dragon.”) Ritchie knows Tommy was with Eddie last night and wants to know if Eddie got home and knows where Tommy is. He claims he does not. Ritchie makes very clear to Kevin that he expects the Harrigans to find Tommy. And fast.

Kevin turns it over to Harry, who dashes off to the club to demand to see security camera footage. At first, the manager resists, but when Harry tells him who he represents and promises to make things difficult for the guy, he agrees. After getting help identifying the victim, he calls a corrupt cop willing to do him the favor of informing him which hospital the victim was taken to.

Harry heads off to the hospital, trying to get there before the cops come to take a report from the victim. He makes it clear to the guy that he represents a powerful family and that if the victim identifies Eddie as his attacker, he’ll make his life a living hell.

Episode two is centered on getting Eddie somewhere safe where the Stevensons can’t harm him and on finding Tommy. There’s a decent chase scene where the Harrigan soldiers escorting Eddie have to evade a Stevenson car in chase. Ritchie Stevenson makes it clear on day three that at this point if Harry can’t deliver Tommy to him that evening, he’s a dead man. Harry takes that very seriously and goes through the machinations necessary to find Tommy. But what kind of shape is he in?

There are also other interesting characters you get to know in E1 and E2. One of whom is Kevin’s wife, Bella, who comes from a respected family. Her father is an important member of the British government, from whom she is largely estranged due to marrying into the mob. But she is asked to reach out to him to help broker a foreign business relationship important to the Harrigans.

There’s also Archie Hammond (played by Alex Jennings, who was Prince Charles in “The Queen” and later played the Nazi-sympathizing Duke of Windsor in “The Crown.”). Archie is Conrad’s best friend and confidant of many years. He isn’t trusted by Maeve, who convinces Conrad to challenge him.

I am looking forward to catching up with the additional episodes that have aired and seeing this season through. It’s a gripping show and one you’ll enjoy if you like a good organized crime show.

And that’s what Todd’s watching.