Mc Mafia?

[Clawdy]

Anyone watched it? Well acted and gripping, James Norton good as usual. Also nice change to see so many new faces. But I'm not sure about watching seven more episodes........

I can’t remember what made him appear other than approaching Alex for funding purposes.

I don't know, now you ask, Soup! His appearance was unexplained and fairly random , wasn't it?

Antonio popped up to ask if he could use Kleiman's ships. Somehow he'd found out about the Alex connection (news travels fast) and then decided to be fake Antonio to ask for Alex's help in setting up the Kleiman deal.

Didn't he also meet Rebecca at a party - presumably a set up, maybe to see how the land lay?

I’ve no idea - in my head he did just “pop up” and ask to use the ships. I don’t remember there being any explanation! I never thought to question it before.

I enjoyed it but found Alex to be such a wooden character (and actor). Too much brooding and meaningful nods and trying not to move his mouth when he talked (more gangsterish?) as was his fiancee. I felt like he'd been hired for his looks and his ability to give good suit than his acting ability

I thought Vadim was the best character (not the nicest obv) and the best acted.

We did a lot of asking each other why someone had done whatever it was they did - maybe that was just us!

I feel a bit deflated and let down.

Is that it?

And, I couldn't work out why Alex didn't include Antonio, is it because he just doesn't need him, because Alex has just become more ruthless. Or does he know he's been moving in on Rebecca. Or that he's not the real Antonio from Harvard?

Not that he's that interested in Rebecca anymore is he?

And why is he continuing with this? He said 'we'll make lots of money'. But he wanted to get his dad back to Russia and that's now not possible.

And as Vadim said, you'll be lonely till someone comes to kill you. And put you out of your misery.

What's the attraction?

And, I couldn't work out why Alex didn't include Antonio, is it because he just doesn't need him, because Alex has just become more ruthless. Or does he know he's been moving in on Rebecca. Or that he's not the real Antonio from Harvard?

Maybe all of those!

I think he's not 'not interested in Rebecca any more' so much as he's realised that he has to push her away if he's going to live that life, as Vadim told him (although I'd query that personally; pushing her away didn't end that well last time, did it?)

What's the attraction?

I think he basically got caught up in a downward spiral and he feels that he's gone too far now NOT to live that life.

What's the attraction?

Money. Power. The thrill of it (IYKWIM). I think when he pulled the trigger he realised that he's his father's son and this is his destiny

I thought he snubbed Antonio to show that he was now 'top dog'.

I loved it. What made it for me was that we saw both good and bad in the main characters. Vladimir was a ruthless murderer but a broken grieving dad at the end. Loved Josef's loyalty to ludmilya and their obvious attraction. The Russian actors were excellent. JN seemed wooden at times but at the end I swore he turned into Tommy Lee Royce! More please BBC.

I thought James Norton's acting was fantastic.
Can anyone shed any light on why he went to his childhood home ?

Money and power?
And loneliness. I can't see the appeal.

You could do business in legitimate ways and get money and power and then not have this loneliness part. Ie have a wife and family/parents and children, that you wouldn't have to live in constant fear for their safety. Or your safety.

But he's choosing not to. At such a
young age.

And his Dad can't even go back to Russia now anyway, which was one of the driving forces.

I think Alex was 'dead behind the eyes' before he got involved in the nefarious activities. I suspect it gave him a buzz, a purpose and it's the ultimate game (albeit a very sinister one) isn't it? And it's in his blood? And he could justify it to himself by considering himself the avenging angel righting wrongs?

It was a slow burner that built to a great climax. I think we've seen enough of Alex's story though.

Agree that the Russian actors were brilliant in it.

Can anyone shed any light on why he went to his childhood home ?

Combination of "look how far family has come"/highlighting why money and power so seductive given meagre lives of ordinary Russians, plus opportunity for that line about how he's a banker so can take care of his family now. IMO, anyway.

McMafia sooooo dissapointing. Pleased I'm not the only one who thought that

Pilot series. Definitely.

They've laid all the groundwork now - transition from 'dead behind the eyes' (bored senseless with respectable life) to Moscow swagger. In the next series they can let loose Alex as 'Tommy Lee Royce with limitless funds'.

Especially since his father has now been completely shut down. Alex is king of all he surveys. It would be a dreadful waste not to carry on.

And, although I have no interest in James Bond, he does seem pretty perfect for the role - so more McMafia would be good training.

But compare it with the first series of The Sopranos or The Wire. I don't think there's enough of an ensemble of interesting characters to carry it forward. Good man (Godman) has already turned bad, without much of a struggle and not very bad compared with others in this genre.

If you're going to have a sequel, Alex is much too anaemic a hero to carry it forward and who else is there?

Katya turned out pretty ruthless. And loyal to faaaaaaaaamly.

Ludmilla could be driven by righteous anger.

Rebecca by idealism and revenge.

Loads!

Gruach, I don't disagree. All have potentially interesting character trajectories – well, I'm not so excited by Rebecca, but Ludmilla for sure and Katya maybe. Plus of course there's the sainted Oksana.

But am I being too cynical in saying that I don't think the Beeb would green-light a big drama with a female lead, played by a relatively unknown actor?

I loved Oksana in this, Katya actress has done a fair few things - really liked her in the white queen also. I thought Vadim actor played him really well - you could see him grief written all over his face. Brilliant performance by him.

essential
Yes that makes sense

I was thinking about this.

maybe we are being too harsh on James Norton. many of us have seen him in other things where he acted very well.

this also reminds me of a Jamie Dornan, who was absolutely brilliant in The Fall, and then in the 3 x 50 shades movies, was heavily criticised for his emotionless wooden acting. he was truly awful.

I wonder if James will regret taking this piece of work?

or maybe we need to blame others, for his shortcomings - the producer or director?

Why would someone, who we know has produced good work previously, be in something with such wooden awful acting?

I'm not sure he'll regret it because the press reviews have been quite positive. Juliet Rylance might regret it though as Rebecca seems to be universally disliked!

Why would someone, who we know has produced good work previously, be in something with such wooden awful acting?

Two thoughts on this:

1. the 'wooden acting' was to do with the character he was playing

2. James Norton didn't find it easy to inhabit Alex's character? Presumably as an actor it's easier to be be some people than others?

3. The script didn't serve Alex's character well?

I'm sure that even Oscar winning actors have played some roles more successfully than others. Can't win them all.

Alex clocked that Antonio wasn't his former Harvard classmate very early on, didn't he?

Ive just caught up on the last episode and, you know what? I actually thought his acting was very, very good. What at first seemed wooden was in fact I think, a very good study of supressing feelings and emotions and not showing the underlying terror, that would be totally necessary to successfully pull off the transition from posh boy to hardcore gangster, and is exactly how I would behave in a similar situation (Rebecca/Juliet was a bit pathetic though).