‘MobLand’ Season 2 Review: Tom Hardy Returns for Another Bloody, Brilliant Season of Television That’s So Good, It’s Criminal

I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: MobLand is the best mafioso crime series since The Sopranos. Much of that is because of Tom Hardy. I mean, has anyone since James Gandolfini been as dangerous, deadpan, deadly funny, and terrifying? The difference here is that Hardy plays the role with little charm, without a trace of pathos, and with no wounds exposed. Hardy is menacingly magnetic and brutally authentic, with every syllable measured and every action purposeful.

Then there are MobLand’s other wild, unhinged, jaw-dropping turns from Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren, a duo that chews the scenery as if it owes them money. You have never seen the former James Bond quite like this in the role of Conrad Harrigan. Capable of an anger that snaps open quicker than a switchblade, he’s vulnerable, pathetic, and anxious, a volatile combination that almost always leads to violence. Of course, Mirren is deliciously theatrical here, making that understatement practically a criminal offense.

The second season continues that trajectory, where Guy Ritchie‘s first-ever dive into television refuses to sand down a single edge. The new chapter doubles down on the brutal swagger, wicked humor, and roughish energy that made the first outing so addictive, it’s almost criminal.

Last time we saw Harry (Tom Hardy), he cleaned up the mess Maeve (Helen Mirren) and Conrad (Pierce Brosnan) left behind, killing Richie (Geoff Bell), O’Hara (Lisa Dwan), and anyone else in their way. The problem is that the entire Harrigan clan has made countless enemies along the way. That includes Kat McAllister (Academy Award winner Janet McTeer), the infamous and feared international cartel operative who did Harry a favor.

The problem is, Kat saved the Harrigans. Still, now she is waging war on their allies, forcing the family to fight among themselves, only for him to break his word. Conrad is mad at his eldest son, Kevin (Paddy Considine of In America fame), for betraying him. Meanwhile, Harry’s home life unravels as their daughter, Gina (Teddie Allen), runs away and his marriage to Jan (Downton Abbey‘s Joanne Froggatt) is crumbling.

Colin Tattersall (Toby Jones) is back, throwing a wrench into the Harrigans’ plans. A dirty detective with past ties to Richie, Colin is seeking revenge. He enlists the help of Frankie (Johnny Flynn), a cocky and arrogant new enemy of the Harrigans who hopes to antagonize the family into tearing itself apart for good. Then there is Seraphina (The Sheep Detectives’ Mandeep Dhillon), whose ambition and greed push the boundaries of her loyalty.

Paramount+’s MobLand is pure Guy Ritchie, just expressed through a different channel. The rapid-fire editing, stylized camerawork, and punchy sound design that usually drive his action are largely absent here, replaced by propulsive performances that carry the same kinetic, tightly wound, darkly comic energy. The result is a main cast that feels delightfully unhinged, and you never know what will happen next.

This is like no other crime show on network television or streaming, because it’s incredibly unpredictable, thrilling, and engrossing from beginning to end. A near-perfect marriage of writing and acting, MobLand combines ominous delivery, sobering violence, and a visceral, chaotic, gritty shot of adrenaline that is impossible to look away from, even though the violence in every fiber of your being tells you that you should.

That makes it a huge relief that Tom Hardy, after reports circulated that he might leave the series following this season, has signed on for a third season. This will allow MobLand further to earn its place among the best mafia crime shows on television because it is about family, not the empire. MobLand turns loyalty, greed, resentment, and glorious ego into operatic insanity, where any conversation can become a confession, betrayal, punchline, or murder scene. And that’s bloody brilliant television, innit?

You can stream MobLand Season 2 exclusively on Paramount+ starting September 18. A new episode will stream every week through the season finale on November 20! We screened the first four episodes for this review.