MobLand is a tense, stylish mob family saga that grabs your attention from the very first episode. Tom Hardy delivers a master performance in restraint and menace, playing a calm, calculating enforcer who commands every scene and barely has to raise his voice. But we’ve seen Tom Hardy play these kinds of characters before, from his role as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises to Alfie in Peaky Blinders. It is the casting choices for the other leads that really make MobLand a fun show—Pierce Brosnan, once the suave James Bond, is the Harrigan family patriarch and nothing short of a smug prick. Dame Helen Mirren (who famously portrayed Queen Elizabeth) plays a total bitch, ruthless and just plain aggravating. Watching these two icons of dignity revel in villainy is unexpectedly thrilling.
The series leans hard into themes of loyalty, betrayal, and power plays, weaving a narrative that feels like The Godfather had a baby with The Departed. With undercover police infiltration, double-crosses, and strategic ends that don’t necessarily justify the means, the lines between family and business—as well as between law enforcement and organized crime—are unmistakably blurred. Every character feels like a chess piece in a deadly game.
Episodes 5 (“Funeral for a Friend”) and 6 (“Antwerp Blues”) are my favorite episodes—they both end on big cliffhangers and leave you wanting more. These episodes also mark the official declaration of war between the Harrigans and Stevensons (at this point it’s really just Richie as the Harrigans have killed both his son and wife). Grief gives way to vengeance and the gloves come off for good. Diplomacy is no longer an option and there’s no turning back.
Pulse Rating: ★★★★★
MVP Characters:
Harry Da Souza – Tom Hardy
Maeve Harrigan – Helen Mirren
Eddie Harrigan – Anson Boon
Conrad Harrigan – Pierce Brosnan
Where To Watch:
Paramount Plus
