(Image credit: Brooke Palmer / MGM+)
Surprisingly, in the world of crime dramas, there haven’t been many films or TV shows specifically focused on the Westies. If you didn’t already know, this was the infamously violent Irish-American gang that ruled the streets of Hell’s Kitchen, New York, during the Ronald Reagan era. “The Westies” actually marks one of the first major scripted dramas centred around the real-life group, making it a relatively fresh subject for TV. Having seen the majority of the series already, I can confidently say it’s intense.Tom's Guide Verdict: 'The Westies'Rating: 4/5 starsVerdict: "The Westies" is a brutal, character-driven crime drama that avoids glorifying its violent history. While its visuals may feel familiar, strong performances, gripping rivalries and a tense portrayal of New York’s criminal underworld make it a compelling addition to the genre.Where to watch: "The Westies" is streaming on MGM+“The Westies” is set in the early 1980s, right as the massive multi-million-dollar construction of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center begins on the Westies’ home turf. The promise of lucrative construction kickbacks offers a huge financial windfall, but it also creates a fragile and highly volatile arrangement with New York’s Five Families, specifically the powerful Gambino crime family. With the first two episodes now streaming on MGM+, the series wastes little time establishing the brutal power struggle at the heart of Hell’s Kitchen.Co-created by Chris Brancato and Michael Panes, the series feels like a cross between “Peaky Blinders” and “The Sopranos,” combining old-school gangster drama with a tense battle for power. If you’re searching for your next crime drama obsession, here’s what I thought of “The Westies.”‘The Westies’ is a gritty crime saga drenched in violence
