You probably still picture him in a Brioni suit, sipping a martini and adjusting his cufflinks. It's the Bond curse—or blessing, depending on how you look at it. But Pierce Brosnan has officially traded the Walther PPK for a much darker, grimey seat at the head of a London crime syndicate. Honestly, if you haven't caught up with his latest pivot into prestige television, you're missing the most interesting phase of his career.
The big buzz right now is all about MobLand, a series that feels like a collision between Top Boy and The Godfather. It’s not just a "Pierce Brosnan new tv series" in the sense that he’s doing a guest spot; he is the literal gravity of the show. He plays Conrad Harrigan, the patriarch of an Irish crime family operating out of London. Think less "shaken, not stirred" and more "bury the evidence in the Thames."
Why MobLand is Dominating the 2026 Conversation
The show actually premiered in late March 2025 on Paramount+, but it’s hitting a second wind right now. Why? Because Season 2 is officially in the works, and the stakes are moving from the backstreets of London to a much larger European stage.
Brosnan isn’t alone in this. He’s flanked by Helen Mirren, who plays his wife Maeve, and Tom Hardy, who steps in as the family "fixer," Harry Da Souza. It is a powerhouse trio. Seeing Brosnan and Mirren navigate the internal politics of a criminal empire is, frankly, better than most of the blockbuster movies we've seen lately. They have this chemistry that feels lived-in, weary, and dangerous.
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The first season focused on a brutal turf war with the Stevensons. It wasn't pretty. There were moments that made Yellowstone look like a sitcom. But what makes the show work—and why it's been sitting in the Top 10 for months—is the vulnerability Brosnan brings to Conrad. He’s a man trying to keep a crumbling empire together while his own family members, like his son Kevin (played by Paddy Considine), have their own messy agendas.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Show
There’s this misconception that because Guy Ritchie is involved, it’s going to be all fast cuts and cheeky cockney banter. It’s not. Ritchie directed and executive produced, but the tone is much heavier. It’s a slow-burn tragedy.
Brosnan's Conrad isn't a "cool" criminal. He's a man who has clearly seen too much and done too much. You see it in the way he carries himself. Gone is the effortless glide of Remington Steele. In its place is a heavy, deliberate gait of a man who knows a bullet could come from any corner—including his own dinner table.
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- Network: Paramount+
- Key Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Helen Mirren, Tom Hardy
- Season 2 Status: Filming began late 2025, expected release late 2026
- The Vibe: Gritty, Irish-London crime drama
The Thursday Murder Club: The "Other" Big Project
While MobLand is the series everyone is talking about for 2026, we have to mention the project that basically broke Netflix last August. Brosnan starred in the film adaptation of Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club.
Now, I know it's a movie, not a series, but the way Netflix is handling it feels like a franchise. Brosnan plays Ron Ritchie, a retired union leader who is "a bit like a bull in a china shop." It’s the total opposite of his MobLand character. He’s funny, he’s loud, and he’s solving murders in a retirement village.
Rumors are already swirling that Netflix wants to turn this into a recurring series of films or a limited spinoff series because the viewership numbers were astronomical. If you want to see the "lighter" side of 2026 Pierce, that’s where you go. But for the real meat, you stay with the Harrigans.
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What’s Next for the Harrigan Empire?
The move to Season 2 of MobLand is shifting the narrative toward international trafficking. We're talking logistics through Antwerp and connections stretching from Pakistan to South America. It’s getting big.
Brosnan has basically found his Sopranos moment. At 72, he’s proving that he doesn't need a gadget-filled car to be the most commanding person in the room. He just needs a glass of whiskey and a very quiet, very threatening monologue.
If you’re looking to dive in, start with the first ten episodes on Paramount+. It takes a couple of episodes to find its rhythm, but once the war with the Stevensons kicks off in episode four, you won't be able to turn it off. Basically, clear your weekend.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Binge Season 1 of MobLand on Paramount+ to get caught up before the Season 2 trailers start dropping later this year.
- Watch The Thursday Murder Club on Netflix if you need a "palate cleanser" from the dark violence of the London underworld.
- Keep an eye out for Giant, his new biographical film where he plays legendary boxing trainer Brendan Ingle—it’s hitting US theaters soon and is another masterclass in his "elder statesman" acting era.