McMafia- Season 1

SERIES REVIEW

This is an 8-hour mashup of gangster rivalry and family drama.  The series gets its name and inspiration from a superb, non-fiction book that portrays in great detail how the global trade in illicit goods and services has operated and flourished since the 1990s.  However, unlike the book, the series (or this season, at least) offers only a glimpse of that.  It prefers to use that as a distant backdrop to spin a story of two men who come into conflict with each other.  One is a Russian crime lord and trafficker, the other a fund manager of Russian origin.  They are linked together through a long-standing family feud.  In large part, this is a character study of these men, and how they are similar and different to each other.

It’s classy without being too flashy.  The thing that struck me the most is the confidence with which it has been visualised and directed.  What also stands out is its air of authenticity and the performances.  Georgian actor Merab Ninidze is especially terrific.  On the flip side, the pacing is very slow- some might look at it as glacial. Also, there is a bit of narrative bloat on account of a few sub-plots that don’t add anything of value.  On balance, I found it very gripping and worthwhile.  However, I am not convinced of the merit in having a second season, work on which is underway.

Here’s a link to the trailer.