MobLandintroduced audiences to key players in the London criminal underworld. Created for the streaming service by Ronan Bennett, the series focuses on the potential conflict between the Harrigan and the Stevenson crime syndicates amidst growing tensions. In the center ofMobLand’scastis Tom Hardy’s Harry De Souza, who is a longtime and trusted fixer for the Harrigan family and has been entrusted with keeping the peace between the syndicates.
AcrossMobLandseason 1, the peace between the two syndicates was left on a knife’s edge as Tommy Stevenson (Felix Edwards), son of the head of his family’s syndicate, goes missing, leading to the fragile peace between the two syndicates breaking down. As Harry tries to maintain the peace, he is pulled into power plays, illegitimate heirs, and backstabbing, resulting in a bleak cliffhanger ending with his life on the line and a power vacuum in the London criminal underground. As such,each character has been able to make a name for themselves across the season.
9Jan Da Souza
Played by Joanne Froggatt
Jan Da Souza is the wife of Harry Da Souza, but loving the Harrigan’s trusted fixer is no easy feat.Despite a happy marriage of at least 15+ years and having raised daughter Gina, the potential conflict between the two families tests her love for Harry. Furthermore, while she may have tolerated Harry’s work, being placed in the Stevenson firing line and Conrad’s continued inappropriate advances push her to her limit, leaving her questioning her love for him.
However, inMobLand, Jan is also a rather passive character for much of the season. Her part in the story is more reactive to the events around her, acting as a supporting character to Harry rather than having her own ambitions. As the finale saw Jan turn a blade on Harry, it is clear she may be more capable when pushed to her limit.
8Bella Harrigan
Played by Lara Pulver
Isabella “Bella” Harrigan is the wife of Kevin Harrigan and the mother of Eddie Harrigan. While she may not have been as invested in the Harrigans' dealings directly, Bella has ambitions of her own. Coming from a wealthy family who have a key role in politics,Bella sets out to leverage more power from her family’s political connections for her own means.
While Bella’s complicated relationship with Kevin, Conrad, and Eddie makes her an essential part of the overarching story ofMobLand, her own storyline was one of the weaker links of the season, with its slower payoff making it feel more superfluous throughout. However, as she and Eddie assume control of the family and come closer, it is possible she could have a greater impact and make better use of her connections for the Harrigans' goals.
7Richie Stevenson
Played by Geoff Bell
Head of the Stevenson family and framed initially as the greatest threat to the Harrigans, Richie is quickly proven not to be the villain he may seem. While he may be a rival crime lord willing to get his hands dirty, the Harrigans are the instigators of most personal and professional entanglements, with Richie simply responding in kind while trying to avoid a gang war. As the truths of the Harrigans are brought to life,Richie’s complexity may make viewers wonder who the true monsters are.
Unfortunately, this twist also acts as a hindrance to his place amongMobLand’scast. As the series shifts into the open gang warfare and complexities of the Harrigan’s interfamily relationships, Richie becomes more of a typical antagonist with little further exploration.With Richie facing a violent endin the season finale, it is doubtful that the character will be given any more depth shouldMobLandcontinue.
6Eddie Harrigan
Played by Anson Boon
Eddie Harrigan is a complicated figure within his crime syndicate family.Eddie’s violent actions were the inciting incident that set the Harrigan and Stevenson families, and he was willing to kill his own mother at the behest of his grandmother. When paired with him already being an incredibly entitled child whom few can control, he is a hard character to root for.
Yet, Eddie is also a victim in his own right, having been groomed by Maeve to be an ideal Harrigan heir while also being the child of Conrad. As such, it is hard not to feel some sympathy for him, as he is a tragic figure who has been pigeonholeed into this role after being kinder in his youth. Because of this, Eddie has greater depth than it initially seems for those who stuck with his journey, even if he seems doomed to remain trapped in a violent cycle.
Played by Pierce Brosnan
The current patriarch of the Harrigan family, Conrad, is a cold, cruel, and callous figure who has few limits to what he will do. As one of London’s most powerful syndicate heads, Conrad is immediately presented as a powerful figure, though he also possesses a violent and unpredictable side.No one is spared from Conrad’s cruelty, as even his family has suffered abuse at his hands.
While Conrad may now be serving time,MobLandseason 1 ends with him being cheered onby his fellow inmates, showing that not even incarceration can lessen his legacy. Brosnan’sJames Bondrole may have left the actor known for his charisma, but Conrad allowed the actor to showcase his range. As such, audiences are left wondering what the villain may do in this new status quo, especially as he is seemingly left unfazed even when removed from power.
4Seraphina Harrigan
Played by Mandeep Dhillon
Within the Harrigans, Seraphina has often acted as the family’s public representative due to her more legitimate dealings that also provide opportunities for money laundering. Despite everything she does, however, it is clear that she feels her family has little appreciation for her efforts, despite being favored by Conrad. Feeling that she could offer so much to their cause, Seraphina shows herself as an incredibly ambitious figure eager to prove herself.
Even after nearly losing her life thanks to her schemes,Seraphina shows herself as more than capable of standing up to anyone who threatens her family.Even as Maeve shows the depth of her disgust for Seraphina to her face, Seraphina is unfazed, with the finale suggesting that she is an ideal competitor for Harrigan leadership. As such, the potential behind her character could help herfurther stand out shouldMobLandcontinue.
3Harry Da Souza
Played by Tom Hardy
The leading character ofMobLand,Harry Da Souza is the driving force of the series, having been brought into the Harrigan syndicate’s ranks thanks to his relationship with Kevin. While he has made a name for himself as the Harrigans' most trusted fixer, his “work” has taken its toll on his family’s relationship. As the season progressed, it became clear that this balance was unsustainable when the Da Souzas were placed in the firing line.
The conflict between the two sides of Harry’s life is what makes him fascinating, as it quickly becomes evident that he may have found himself too deeply invested in the world to pull away. His loyalty to the Harrigans despite his family’s discomfort and willingness to use them as bait in the war sets him apart from other protagonists who may be torn. Furthermore, with the season ending in a shocking encounter with Jan, it is clear future seasons will dissect where his loyalties lie.
2Maeve Conrad
Played by Helen Mirren
While Conrad has committed his own despicable deeds, it can be argued that his wife, Maeve, is just as twisted. Not only is she another ruthless and manipulative criminal, but the season finale hinted that she had had a hand in Eddie’s behavior, turning him from a good-natured boy to an ideal successor she can manipulate. Not only did she manipulate Eddie, but it is implied that she groomed and abused him as a young teen.
Even thoughMobLandseason 1 ended with Maeve arrested, it is uncertain what he next stage of her plan may be. While Conrad may be settling well into prison, she still maintains a level of control over Eddie even behind bars. When paired with Mirren’s performance,Maeve stands out as one of the series’s most memorable characters, even if for the wrong reasons.
1Kevin Harrigan
Played by Paddy Considine
While most of the Harrigan family may be cruel, cold, and ruthless criminals, Kevin stands out among the group as a far more complicated character. Kevin may be more than willing to embrace his role within the Harrigan empire, but he is more pragmatic, seeing how the flaws of his family may be leading to chaos. Furthermore, Kevin’s abuse in his youth establishes him as a sympathetic figure.
As ofMobLand’sseason finale, Kevin has ascended to the position of head of the family, found closure for his abuse, mended his strained relationship with his wife, and finally grasped power from his parents. However, in the course of this action, he also admitted he viewed himself as a “Monster” due to how others shaped him, even if he emerged as the cooler head the family needed. As such, Kevin is a compelling character for how he differs from his family, and whether their lives could change him going forward.
