For quite a while, Taylor Sheridan’s sprawling Western dramas and action series have reigned supreme over Paramount+ without being challenged by many other shows. However, Tom Hardy’s new gangland crime drama,MobLand, has given Sheridan a reason to look over his shoulder by landing a record-breaking debut on the platform.
MobLandis a stacked affair, with Hardy being ably accompanied by Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren, while British director Guy Ritchie acts as executive producer. While reviews have been glowing for the new series, that is nothing compared to the news that the series’ debut has overtakenTaylor Sheridan’sLandmanto claim the title of the most-watched series premiere in Paramount+ history.
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Sheridan has been a completely dominant force on Paramount+, withLandmanrecently taking the record from another Sheridan creation,Tulsa King.Now the crown has slipped slightly, asMobLandopened its account with a mighty 2.2 million global views on its first day of release. With Hardy being a huge draw for fans, and crime dramas always being able to find a strong following, it is possibly not surprising to see the show riding high on the Paramount+ chart, but it has done it in an emphatic way that many would not have predicted.
With talk of a second season already being discussed, this could be another huge hit for Hardy and Ritchie, and also giveYellowstone’s creator a reason to try and up his game on his next round of new spinoffs.
‘MobLand’ Started Life as a ‘Ray Donovan’ Series
The crime genre has been flooded with entries in the last decade, and that can mean many new additions are seen as jaded copies of what has gone before. However, with Ritchie attached to the project in an EP role, and the star-power of Hardy, Brosnan, and Mirren in the mix, many have found something to like aboutMobLand.
MobLand follows the rivalry between two London-based mob families as they fight for global dominance. Meanwhile, a “fixer” named Harry Da Souza (Hardy) utilizes calmness in the face of violence and illegal dealings, making him a valuable asset to The Harrigan’s corrupt interests. Harry is very much another incarnation of Ray Donovan – played by Liev Schreiber – and that is probably because the show evolved from the showrunner’s original plans to make a prequel to that popular seires. Hardy and Schreiber’s nearly identical characters heavily reflect the showrunners' initialattempt to create aRay Donovanprequel spin-off calledThe Donovans.
Just likeDexter, Ray Donovan’s ending, which came in a 2022 movie following seven seasons on Showtime, may have been a definite conclusion to his story, it did not take long for the suggestion of a spinoff to follow. However, despite being announced in February 2024, the project was reworked late in 2024, and then announced to have been renamed for a second time toMobLand(originally the series was going to be calledThe Donovans, thenThe Associate). While the project did not end up being linked toRay Donovan, the feel and tone of the show is certainly one that will please fans of that character, and that could have helped it on its way to a record-breaking debut.
WhileMobLandis seen as a limited series, the huge success of the show could very quickly change that. Whether in a second season, or another crime project, there is little doubt that we will be seeing Hardy and Ritchie teaming up again in the not-too-distant future.
Source: Paramount
