McMafia: Season 1

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 13 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 49 Ratings

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6.7

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6.7	Your Score
6.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 49 Ratings

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McMafia: What Does it Take to Corrupt You?

Now Playing: McMafia: What Does it Take to Corrupt You?

Season Details & Credits

AMC | BBC One | Season Premiere Date: February 12, 2023

Summary: Alex Godman (James Norton), the British-raised son of an exiled Mafia man, has honest career as a fund manager and happy life with girlfriend Rebecca (Juliet Rylance) when he is forced to face the international criminal underworld to protect his family in this drama created by Hossein Amini and James Watkins (Black Mirror, The Take) andAlex Godman (James Norton), the British-raised son of an exiled Mafia man, has honest career as a fund manager and happy life with girlfriend Rebecca (Juliet Rylance) when he is forced to face the international criminal underworld to protect his family in this drama created by Hossein Amini and James Watkins (Black Mirror, The Take) and inspired by Misha Glenny's non-fiction book of the same name.… Expand

Creator: James Watkins and Hossein Amini

Genre(s): Drama, Suspense

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Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E8. Episode 8
Air Date: March 5, 2018
tbd
S1:E7. Episode 7
Air Date: April 16, 2018
tbd
S1:E6. Episode 6
Air Date: April 1, 2018

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Rob Owen

Feb 16, 2018

Alex, who has tried to live a by-the-book life as a businessman, gets pulled into a family crisis in a believable way that doesn’t feel like a ridiculous TV plot twist. Read full review

Sonia Saraiya

Feb 23, 2018

That a miniseries can create characters and environments that seem so tangibly real is an exceptional feat. Unfortunately, in its back half, McMafia seems to forget about the worlds it’s inhabited in order to focus on the rather frustrating characters at its core. It’s still a compelling journey, and many ways the narrative arc is an inevitable one. Read full review

Dorothy Rabinowitz

Feb 23, 2018

It’s a testament to this series (created by Hossein Amini and James Watkins, and inspired by Misha Glenny’s book of the same name) that its seductions succeed as well as they do in overcoming its flaws. Among which we can count a pervasive tendency to moralizing babble bearing small resemblance to human discourse. Read full review

Tim Goodman

Feb 21, 2018

"Where is all this going and should I really care?" is the question that plagues the series, despite some compelling elements and a gifted international cast. In McMafia, the ambition is there but the interest to see it play out may not be. Read full review

IndieWire Ben Travers

Feb 22, 2018

If it were a McDonalds product, it would be an Egg McMuffin. Bland but filling, it’s a breakfast sandwich sans any discernible flavor. Read full review

Brian Lowry

Feb 27, 2018

While there are strong moments in this globetrotting international series, it plays like a retread of earlier mob tales -- albeit with a timely tie-in to the Russians and money laundering -- in a way that represents an offer you can safely refuse. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Matt Roush

Feb 15, 2018

You'd think with all that scenically dizzying travel, the storytelling would be a little less inert. [19 Feb - 4 Mar 2018, p.15]

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User Score

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6.7

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User Reviews

Rust_Cohle

Mar 1, 2018

Very good cast, great action, good plot. Highly recommended to watch. Critics are wrong.

9 of 9 users found this helpful90

acricketer

Mar 1, 2018

USA reviews seem to have panned this show. It is a little more sophisticated than Miami Vice or The Simpsons. European and World culture does not resonate with the majority US world view with unrecognisable characters that aren't either macho or vacuous. (even recognizable is highlighted asUSA reviews seem to have panned this show. It is a little more sophisticated than Miami Vice or The Simpsons. European and World culture does not resonate with the majority US world view with unrecognisable characters that aren't either macho or vacuous. (even recognizable is highlighted as spelt wrong according to the US spellchecker that does not recognise English)

It's jolly good and deserves a tickety boo rating.… Expand

5 of 5 users found this helpful50

sonder

Mar 3, 2018

The critics are again wrong on McMafia. McMafia has a much more realistic take on modern high-level organized crime than any other TV show or movie. Money is laundered, moved around sanctions, and moved across borders through ostensibly legal investments, in which the undocumented quid proThe critics are again wrong on McMafia. McMafia has a much more realistic take on modern high-level organized crime than any other TV show or movie. Money is laundered, moved around sanctions, and moved across borders through ostensibly legal investments, in which the undocumented quid pro quo is extremely difficult to prove, and in which violations of agreements result in deaths.

The enemies and adversaries in McMafia are extremely chilling, yet multifaceted characters. I had to hit the pause button many times in season 1 to let my nerves calm a bit. The give and take relationship between Russia's intelligence services/The Kremlin and organized crime is timely, and fun to watch.

Without going into detail, I was initially lukewarm on the choice for lead actor, but after having watched the first season, I am much more sympathetic to the actor/character choice.

The critics are wrong and worthless. I can't wait for season 2.… Expand

5 of 5 users found this helpful50

Richman

Mar 15, 2018

I was suprised how much I liked this show but it keeps getting better each week. I hope AMC will do a season 2.

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

Al5421

Apr 27, 2018

The series is just passable ... they made a soap out of Misha Glenny's excellent book ...

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

steveyme

Mar 5, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I found James Norton's blank face style of acting and the very slow pace of plot really boring. Some of the plot twists, such as him giving his passport to a threatening stranger were a joke. By the last two eps, I would have given up but my GF wanted to see the conclusion. Will not bother watching season 2. The opening credits and music were the highlight actually - they were great!… Expand

1 of 6 users found this helpful15

Q0paz

Jan 31, 2019

This is the best "drama" TV for a very long time. Yes it's dark and involved, like life sometimes actually is, instead of the fluffy or ultraviolent unrealistic tripe that is mostly served up as tv shows these days. The fact that it is based on a book written by a journalist shows.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SEE ALL 10 REVIEWS

Seasons & Episodes

59

Series Overview
Season 2

tbd
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: January 1, 2018
Season 1

59
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: February 12, 2023
- tbd
  S1:E8. Episode 8
  Air Date: March 5, 2018
- tbd
  S1:E7. Episode 7
  Air Date: April 16, 2018
- tbd
  S1:E6. Episode 6
  Air Date: April 1, 2018
- tbd
  S1:E5. Episode 5
  Air Date: March 26, 2018
- tbd
  S1:E4. Episode 4
  Air Date: March 19, 2018
- tbd
  S1:E4. Episode 4
  Air Date: June 22, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E4. Episode 4
  Air Date: March 5, 2023
- tbd
  S1:E3. Episode 3
  Air Date: November 30, -0001
- tbd
  S1:E3. Episode #1.3
  Air Date: November 30, -0001
- tbd
  S1:E2. Episode 2
  Air Date: March 5, 2018
- tbd
  S1:E2. Episode 2
  Air Date: November 30, -0001
- tbd
  S1:E2. Episode #1.2
  Air Date: November 30, -0001
- tbd
  S1:E1. Episode 1
  Air Date: February 26, 2018
- tbd
  S1:E1. Episode 1
  Air Date: November 30, -0001
- tbd
  S1:E1. Episode 1
  Air Date: February 12, 2023