issue 22: "just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in"
The gang's all here
After Severance and Everything, Everywhere All At Once (which I refuse to shut up about!), nothing is quite hitting the same. They set the bar too high. And then there’s the too generous time lag we’ve had waiting for our favorites to return. I’m with Mark on this one:
However, in the past week, I’ve had three people ask me if I’m watching Tokyo Vice. I’m not yet (and I promise I will) but it got me thinking about some other shows you might have missed involving crime syndicates. Sure, there are tons of mob and gang shows out there — classics even like the Sopranos, The Wire, Peaky Blinders, Narcos — but here are two that might have flown under your radar.
Giri/Haji
Giri/Haji, which translates to duty/shame, really leans into this dual nature represented by the sibling protagonists pictured above. The younger brother, Yuto, is the type to go against the grain, bristle at authority, and generally get himself into trouble. His brother, Kenzo, is dutiful and a provider. When a Yakuza boss ends up dead, fingers are pointed at Yuto who flees to the U.K. Not suspicious at all. Kenzo, a detective, goes to find him and is immediately a fish out of water but manages to make friends along the journey. This is where we start to see the stories oscillate between London and Tokyo, past and present. It’s really skillfully done, the cinematography is great, and there’s a really affecting scene that breaks style later in the series. And if you happen to fall in love with the character of Rodney, just know that actor, Will Sharpe, also writes & produces his own work that is very odd but good and he’ll be in the next season of White Lotus. Available to watch on Netflix.
Love/Hate
Sometime after Robert Sheehan got famous from Misfits (one of my favorites) and before he became fun-loving Klaus on Umbrella Academy, he starred in one of the best Irish shows out there called Love/Hate. Even Ruth Negga is in it! The show centers around his character, Darren, who returns to Ireland and is desperately trying not to get dragged back into the Dublin crime scene. I bet you know how well that turns out. As the series goes on, like many crime shows, we see different characters rise through the ranks and others meet their demise. It’s gritty and reminds me of an Irish The Wire without as much layered metaphor. It’s just damn good storytelling and acting.
Ever since it left Netflix years ago it’s been hard to find. You can buy or rent Seasons 1-3 on Amazon Prime or stream Seasons 1-4 for free on IMDbTV but Season 5 is MIA.
BONUS: Our Flag Means Death
HBO Max has become the app I use most frequently. I don’t even know when that happened. Starstruck, Gentleman Jack, Peacemaker, Ghosts (UK original version), Hacks — the list is long.
Our Flag Means Death is also on this list and has been a sheer zany delight.
This comedy series is based verrrrrry loosely on the true adventures of a man named Stede Bonnet, who left his fancy life of luxury to sail the seas and get into pirate shenanigans with his merry band of misfits. As you might imagine, Stede’s not great at this whole pirate thing but damn is he affable, lovable, and earnest. Along the way, he encounters the notorious Blackbeard played by the smoking hot Taika Waititi (I mean, they put the man in leather pants and a beard they knew what they were doing). What happens after this you’ll just have to watch for yourself but it’s a tight 10 episodes with a solid storyline that’s easy to invest in, some laugh-out-loud jokes, and even a little intrigue and action. You’ll also be sure to notice at least two Game of Thrones alumni and several surprise cameos from comedians the world over.
