Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for MobLand, Season 1
While the new Paramount+ Guy Ritchie crime-drama series, MobLand, has been full of surprises, Season 1, Episode 8, "Helter Skelter," just left fans with their jaws on the floor following its biggest twist. In classic Ritchie fashion, several storylines deal with the Harrigan family and their new war with the Stevenson family, which are all intertwined in some way. But as the plot furthers, all the threads start unraveling and meet an explosive finale. Harry Da Souza (Tom Hardy) has been working overtime cleaning up the messes the head of the Harrigan family, Conrad (Pierce Brosnan), and Maeve (Helen Mirren) have been creating in this war against Richie Stevenson (Geoff Bell). But the closing, shocking moments previously mentioned may have given Richie a clear advantage.
Richie has proved how ruthless he can be in the series, but when investigator former Deputy Chief Inspector Colin Tattersall (Toby Jones) leads DS Fisk (Luke Mably) and DC Mukasa (Gemma Knight Jones) into Richie's path as a way to get to Conrad Harrigan, Richie takes cutthroat mentality to a new level. This proves to be the final move of the duo of Fisk and Mukasa as Steven shockingly guns them down, because they are straight-laced cops. Richie kills them because they set out to own him, and no one owns Richie Stevenson. But the real twist is that Tattersall is in Richie's pocket. Now the Harrigans' arch-nemesis has the full power of the London police force at his beck and call.
What Does This Partnership Mean for the Future of 'MobLand'?
In a flashback to 1975, Tattersall boasts about putting Richie away twice before in the duration of their long-standing relationship. This clearly states the two have a storied history of helping each other for decades, with Richie's incarceration a mere ploy to divert any suspicion of criminal intent. Tattersall has more than shown his loyalty by delivering Fisk and Mukasa, as well as turning the tide of the law from him directly towards the Harrigans. The big issue for Richie at this point is that, even though he has the feds in his corner, he's lost his grip on his criminal alliances, thanks to Harry.
Harry is making moves to ensure this wasn't done at a heavy cost, as he now owes not one, but two favors to the mysteriously powerful Kat McAllister (Janet McTeer). First, Harry called in a favor with Kat to save the life of Seraphina Harrigan (Mandeep Dhillon), which in turn severed the relationship between cartel operative Jamie Lopez (Jordi Mollà) and Richie. That's how powerful Kat is. A simple phone call can sway a member of a cartel to cut ties with a major business partner. With that tie severed, Conrad asks Harry to call in the second favor with Kat, to arrange a sit-down between Conrad and Jamie to broker a deal to get the Harrigans in the fentanyl business. If a deal is made, Kat will receive 50% of the Harrigans' profit in this new business venture.
Related 'MobLand's Harrigan Family Tree, Explained
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Harry cleaned up another ally of Richie when he killed Freddie Shaw (Bradley Turner), Richie's right-hand man. Harry, being the fixer he is, had photos of Freddie having an affair with Richie's wife, Vron (Annie Cooper), which he used to get information on Richie's fentanyl operation to have an advantage in their meeting with Jamie. But Freddie also revealed off-screen the identity of a Harrigan who had been helping Richie the entire time. Freddie has now served his purpose to Harry, and he merely cut a loose end. While most will suspect Maeve of being the one to betray her own family, especially after she called Richie earlier in the season, MobLand has proven, time and time again, to expect the unexpected.
Will Season 1 of 'MobLand' End With Harry on Top? Close
Even though Harry is in a deep debt to Kat, it all seems to be a part of his grand plan. There is no doubt that Kat McAllister is a dangerous and powerful individual, especially after Conrad himself states, "A man thinks twice before picking up the phone to Kat McAllister." MobLand has demonstrated how resourceful Harry is, no matter what the circumstances. All signs point to Harry using this relationship with Kat to take over London entirely, especially with the knowledge that Kat has been pining to hire Harry for years. Harry and Kevin Harrigan (Paddy Considine) are poised to make a play for the Harrigan business, as well as Richie's, and Kat is the final piece in Harry's massive game of chess.
Kat's favors might involve doing for the family Harry has devoted his loyalty to, but there is a reason Harry pulled the trigger on calling Kat in the first place. He knows it is a massive gamble, but he is betting on a massive reward at the end of the day. Even with the way Kat declared her second favor to set up a meeting between Conrad and Jamie, she made it clear it was a favor for Harry, and not for Conrad. Season 1 of MobLand focused on the London crime world, but further exploration of this world should expand that territory with Harry as Kat's right-hand man.
While MobLand has not been renewed for Season 2, it would be a no-brainer, as it has dominated the streaming service week in and week out. Hardy even teased future seasons of the series in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, stating, "The plan is definitely to see more seasons. The question is: Does it become international? There are international elements to organized crime, which are touched on in season one and the control of drugs and ammunition and weapons, and people, and all kinds of things that go through Europe and from Africa through to South America, Pakistan, and the various commodities that move around Europe." As any series should do as it extends into future seasons, continue to build out the world established, raise the stakes, and elevate the story and the characters that inhabit it.
Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Like Follow Followed MobLand TV-MA Crime Drama 23 9.7/10 Release Date March 30, 2025 Network Paramount+ Directors Guy Ritchie Cast See All Tom Hardy Harry Da Souza Pierce Brosnan Conrad Harrigan Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming
Creator(s) Ronan Bennett Powered by Expand Collapse