Viewers are already hooked on the new eight-part gangster drama The Westies following its debut on Sunday. The gritty crime thriller transports audiences to 1980s New York, where the notorious, real-life Irish-American gang once ruled the streets of Hell's Kitchen.
From Narcos creator Chris Brancato, the drama follows the clan as they navigate rising tensions, pressure from rival gangs and deep internal divides. If you love violent, high-stakes crime dramas like MobLand or Peaky Blinders, this series is for you.
Keep reading for everything you need to know.
© Brooke Palmer/MGM+What is The Westies about?
The series is set in 1980s New York, with the construction of the Jacob Javits Convention Center in the Westies' home turf in Hell's Kitchen promising a financial windfall.
The synopsis continues: "Despite being outnumbered fifty-to-one by the Five Families of the Italian Mafia, the Westies' legendary brutality and cunning have given them the leverage necessary to share the spoils through a fragile détente.
© Brooke Palmer/MGM+"But internal conflict between the brash younger generation and the old-school leadership threatens to set a match to this powder keg, which will sweep the Westies into the FBI’s ever-deepening investigation into the Italian mafia."
What have viewers said about the show?
The drama has already made a big impression on audiences, with viewers labelling the pilot episode as "epic" and "fantastic".
Taking to social media, one person wrote: "Watched the first episode of #TheWesties last night... I'm sold," while another added: "Now that was a spectacular pilot episode #TheWesties."
© Brooke Palmer/MGM+The anticipation for upcoming episodes is certainly high, with one viewer penning: "Wow. Need rest of the series now. Can't wait until next week."
Critical reception, however, has been more divided. The Guardian praised the series as "Peaky Blinders meets The Sopranos" in its three-star review, while the Financial Times lauded it as an "elegant gangland thriller stuffed with robust plot twists."
Meanwhile, The Hollywood described the show as "handsome but generic," while Variety called it a "flat take on New York's Irish mob" which "suffers most from a severe lack of compelling protagonists".
Who stars in The Westies?
J.K. Simmons stars as Westies kingpin Eamon Sweeney, alongside Grantchester's Tom Brittney as the fiercely loyal James 'Jimmy' Roarke, who leads the younger generation of Westies.
© Jackie Brown/MGM+They're joined by Titus Welliver, Allen Leech, Jessica Frances Dukes, Stanley Morgan and Sarah Bolger.
Other cast members include Hamish Allan-Headly (Daredevil: Born Again), Vincent Walsh (The Fall) and Hilary McCormack (Happy Face).
© Brooke Palmer/MGM+The Westies episode release schedule
The series premiered on MGM+ via Amazon Prime Video on Sunday, 12 July with its first two episodes. New episodes will be released weekly.
