MobLand: The London Crime Family Returns for Season 2 - A Resounding Triumph in the World of Gangster Dramas
As the world continues to binge-watch its way through the latest crop of crime dramas, one series has stood out from the pack. MobLand, the violent and stylish crime drama executive produced by Guy Ritchie, has proven to be a hit with audiences, racking up more than 26 million viewers since its launch on March 30. The show, which debuted with a record-breaking 2.2 million viewers for its first episode, has spent more than a month in Nielsen's Top 10 SVOD Originals for five consecutive weeks and is currently the #2 most-watched original series on Paramount+.
What sets MobLand apart from other gangster dramas is its heartfelt exploration of family dynamics and the emotional stakes that drive its characters. Pierce Brosnan stars as Conrad Harrigan, the icy patriarch of a crime family plotting a move into the fentanyl trade, while Tom Hardy plays his loyal fixer Harry Da Souza with quiet menace and surprising restraint. Helen Mirren steals the show as Conrad's ruthless wife Maeve, a backroom schemer with eyes on the long game. The rest of the cast—including Paddy Considine, Lara Pulver, Joanne Froggatt, and Jasmine Jobson—rounds out a tangled web of family drama, criminal intrigue, and emotional baggage.
Created by Top Boy's Ronan Bennett and written by Jez Butterworth (Ford v Ferrari, Spectre), MobLand marks Guy Ritchie's first foray into television for Paramount+. His fingerprints are all over the show, from the stylish editing to the searing monologues and sudden bursts of violence. But as noted in a prior post, this show isn't The Gentlemen redux. Instead, it's a resounding triumph that credits the creative synergy between Ritchie, Butterworth, Bennett, and executive producer David C. Glasser.
The show's appeal lies in its ability to balance the violence and intrigue of a gangster drama with the emotional depth of a family drama. Whether it's Harry trying to hold his crumbling marriage together or the unspoken pain that lurks behind Conrad's steely gaze, MobLand brings humanity to characters who, in lesser hands, would be caricatures. The themes of family and the equal treatment of women in this show feel original and add a different dynamic to the genre.
Paramount's Co-CEO Chris McCarthy called the show a "resounding triumph" and is elated to greenlight a second season of this global phenomenon. "We are thrilled to continue telling this story and exploring the complexities of these characters," he said in a statement. With its combination of stylish visuals, gripping storytelling, and heartfelt exploration of family dynamics, MobLand is poised to become a classic in the genre.
